Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley is one of my favorite characters I have met this semester! I loved reading his story because it inspired ideas related to social studies within me. I understand that the most common format of a lesson using Flat Stanley would be to mark places he has traveled to and learn a little about these places. This is just a general lesson. I've learned that such a basic framework can be modified in such a unique way for students that he becomes a personal friend to them.

I was first introduced to Stanley in the Spring 2006 semester having received a copy of him in the mail from my younger cousin living in California. During Spring Break I took Stanley with me to Santa Fe, NM and took some pictures as was asked of my cousin, giving a brief description of this place I've visited. At that time I did not understand that social studies encompassed geography and traveling but simply thought whatever lesson it might be was "cute".

After reading the story about Flat Stanley I was really excited to use him in future lessons. My philosophy of teaching stresses creativity in student learning. Though Stanley may be used in several classes I think it would be a neat idea for students to create a Flat cartoon version of themselves and decide as a class how they were going to travel the world. We can take off in several directions if we have the students choose to guide a curriculum. This all falls in place with my philosophy of constructivism in the social studies classroom.

I have included my outline of the story and an image of Flat Stanley eating pupusas (an El Salvadorian dish) with me and my boyfriend. Pupusas taste delicious! :)

Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning to find that a bulletin board had fallen on him during his sleep and flattened him to half an inch thick. His being flat has made some things easier for him. For example, when his friend from California asks him to visit Stanley saves some money by being mailed instead of flown. When his mother drops her ring in the gutter, Stanley easily slips between the bars and is able to retrieve it. Arthur is Stanley’s younger brother. One day Mr. Lambchop takes out the boys and Stanley realizes that his brother is jealous of him. When they get home later that evening, Arthur is weighing himself down with encyclopedias hoping that he could also become flat. Later on, the two boys go to the park by themselves and Stanley decides that he will let his brother fly him like a kite. Arthur’s attention was brought somewhere else and he leaves Stanley who becomes caught in a tree. Stanley was very upset even after Mrs. Lambchop made Arthur apologize.Mr. Dart and his wife live in the same apartments as the Lambchops. Stanley decides to help Mr. Dart discover the thieves who have been stealing the paintings in his gallery by posing in a portrait. While he waits in a curly blonde wig and dress he finally catches the robbers and becomes a hero.Stanley’s popularity soon wore out and then children began teasing him for his size. One night he is so bothered by it that he starts crying and his younger brother hears him. Arthur has a great idea and pulls out a bike tire pump out of their toy box to try to help Stanley. The plan worked and Stanley was finally back to his normal size!