WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...? STUFFIES TRAVEL THE GLOBE IN SEARCH OF GEOGRAPHY LESSONS

Robin Kralemann, fourth-grade teacher at Charles C. Clippard Elementary School, and student Adria Brewer viewed pins on a map of the United States with postcards from where the class's stuffed animals have been sent.

Kirk Lohmann showed the postcards he has received from his stuffed animal's travels across the country.

A postcard sent to the school.

Fourth-graders at Charles C. Clippard Elementary School anxiously check the mail each day, waiting on word from their traveling stuffed animals.

Over the Christmas break, the students sent their stuffies out into the world, to bring back lessons about geography.

In the weeks since, students have learned that their stuffies have been to the beach. They have been snow skiing. One went on a drug bust with a police officer. Another went golfing in Palm Springs. And yet another went shopping at the Mall of America.

From reports the students have received, stuffies may be headed to Puerto Rico, Bosnia and Italy.

Fourth-grade curriculum calls for a study of the regions of the United States, said fourth-grade teacher Robin Kralemann. She thought this project would make the lessons a lot more fun.

All the fourth-grade classes are Clippard are participating.

Each student brought a stuffed animal, a notebook and a tiny backpack to send with the stuffy. Inside the notebook, students wrote a little about themselves, the school, the city and the project. They ask recipients to return a post card and in May to send back the stuffed animal.

As post cards have arrived back, the students are tracking where the stuffies have been and where they are headed.

They have been using the atlas, marking cities on a giant wall map, and talking about how those stuffed animals are traveling.

Adria Brewer's stuffy spent the holidays skiing and shopping in Colorado. It was headed to either Georgia or Texas. She's waiting on word of it's safe arrival.

Lorrin Lynn received a post card explaining that her stuffy had been golfing and swimming in balmy Palm Springs. "I think it's going to Phoenix, Ariz., next," she said. "I think to play soccer."

Jami Dement's stuffy traveled to Chicago with the next door neighbors and visited the Sears Tower. "It's the tallest building," Dement explained. "Now it's in Florida at the beach. I wish I was there."

Karen Broemmelsick's stuffy traveled to the Mall of America and went skiing while up north.

Zach Kluesner's stuffy went 'coon hunting in Arkansas and then on a drug bust. "I think it's on the way to Puerto Rico next."

Kluesner explained that the project is helping him and his fellow students learn about geography. "We want to find out about other places and people in other places," he said.

Lynn added that the students have had a crash course in locating spots on a map.

"And we get to see what people are doing in other states and countries," said Brewer.

Students are anxious for May and the return of their stuffies. Kralemann has promised a Welcome Home party.

Students will have a chance to read the journal entries for their stuffies. "And we'll see if we get any souvenirs," Brewer said.