During the famous “Flat Stanley” project, someone sends off their paper person to see different parts of the world and capture it in photos. Penn-Trafford’s year two language classes took on a similar task, but with its own twist.
Students in classes German two and Spanish two started their hedgehog project, something similar to the traditional Flat Stanley project. Most classes were required to create their own hedgehog.
Spanish teacher Nikki Stoup said that her students were required to create their own erizo, the spanish word for hedgehog, and take it around with them, getting pictures to ultimately craft a story of the erizo’s adventures.
Freshman Daniel Setzenfand said that for his project, “I used what materials were available to make a Penn-Trafford hedgehog” and his favorite part of the project was taking photos, because “it gave me an excuse to go outside.” Setzenfand added that the most difficult part was the limited materials he had available to him.
Another student of Stoup’s, Lilliana Willis, said that she enjoyed making the erizo, because “I could be creative with my character, and it didn’t have to stick to being a hedgehog.”
German two students also participated in this hedgehog project, making igels, the German word for hedgehogs. German teacher Tammy King has been a teacher at P-T for seven years and said she inherited this project even before she came here.
King said she requires her students to make these igels from materials like felt and faux fur.
“I think it’s a great project because it allows the students to take the year and a half of language and put it all to use.” she said. German students are also required to have a German name for their hedgehog.
Freshman German two honors student Zachary Hans said he called his project Hans Jr.
”My favorite part of the project is the biographies because I can create creative things,” Hans said, and added he enjoys being able to use language to express himself through the igel.
King said she required students to write sentences about each picture, and put it on a poster. In the end, when projects are due, her students present them and share the stories of their igels.
Each of the language teachers use this project to meet one common goal: implementing the knowledge students have collected. Many students seemed to have enjoyed using creativity to express themselves through their hedgehogs and their adventures.
“Flat Stanley” is a concept many elementary schoolers are familiar with, and students have the opportunity to revisit that concept when their year two language classes.
Lydia Anderson, Staff Writer 