How Teachers Could Use Postage Stamps in the Classroom

You may be tempted to skip over this article but I believe that if you know a teacher or know someone else who knows a teacher, this article could be useful to them. You might have children in school or even grandchildren in school so they would have teachers who would benefit from this information. I hope you will take the time to share this with a teacher.

As our Cresthaven Stamp Club prepares for a Stamp Show on October 21, 2023, I thought about how I could show teachers that using postage stamps in the classroom is a useful tool. Maybe when teachers see the many ways that stamps can be used, they might be curious and want to visit the Stamp Show (which is a free and very interesting event!). If they aren’t near our location, they might be able to find a stamp club or show closer to where they live.

Postage stamps can be a fun and engaging way to teach a variety of subjects in the classroom. Here are some ideas for how teachers can use postal stamps to teach:

• History: Stamps can be used to teach about historical events, people, and places. For example, teachers could use stamps to teach about the American Revolution, the Civil War, or the First World War. They could also use stamps to teach about famous historical figures, such as Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., or Marie Curie.
• Social studies: Stamps can be used to teach about different cultures, countries, and customs. For example, teachers could use stamps to teach about the different cultures of Africa, Asia, or Europe. They could also use stamps to teach about the different countries of the world, their flags, and their capital cities.
• Language arts: Stamps can be used to teach about different aspects of language arts, such as vocabulary, grammar, and writing. For example, teachers could use stamps to teach about words related to travel, such as "airplane," "ship," and "passport." They could also use stamps to teach about different types of writing, such as persuasive writing, narrative writing, and descriptive writing.
• Math: Stamps can be used to teach about different aspects of math, such as counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For example, teachers could use stamps to teach about counting by tens, hundreds, and thousands. They could also use stamps to teach about addition and subtraction problems involving money.
• Science: Stamps can be used to teach about different aspects of science, such as animals, plants, and the environment. For example, teachers could use stamps to teach about different types of animals, such as mammals, birds, and fish. They could also use stamps to teach about different types of plants, such as trees, flowers, and vegetables.

These are just a few ideas for how teachers can use postal stamps to teach. With a little creativity, teachers can find many other ways to use stamps to make learning fun and engaging.

Here are some additional resources for teachers who want to learn more about using postal stamps in the classroom:

• Cresthaven Stamp Club: Palm Beach County, FL Stamp Club.
• The American Philatelic Society: This organization also provides educational resources for teachers, including lesson plans, activities, and stamp collections.
• The National Postal Museum: This museum offers a variety of educational resources for teachers, including online exhibits, lesson plans, and activities.
• The Postal History Foundation: This organization provides free educational resources for teachers, including lesson plans, activities, and stamp collections.

Original photo by Pat Hensley