I decided to develop some "fun" material that teaches history to elementary students. But where to start, and what topics to include? I remember memorizing dates and names when I was in elementary school (I knew I did NOT want to take that approach). I've read a number of historical novels, some written for adults and some written for children. Those are usually interesting. But I still wasn't sure where to begin selecting material. I also needed pictures for what I intended to do.

I asked a friend if I might look at his stamp collection. My original intention was to only use the stamps for some of my graphic material. But as I studied the collection (which spans 40 years), I realized that the stamps themselves present a unique perspective on history. Which people were chosen, and what did they do? Which general issues were considered important enough at the time to make their way onto a postage stamp? What topics and events were considered worth commemorating?

This series of games originated from postage stamps. Some material has been chosen because it was printed in my friend's collection (the first stamp collection that I examined), and certain material more or less "jumped out" at me. I will be digging for additional material that is not in this particular collection, again looking for stamps that commemorate a particular topic or person I wish to include in this project. I am learning along the way, as there are people, places, and events on some of the stamps that were unfamiliar to me. I wouldn't have known they existed before I saw a particular stamp. I also did more research on people, places, and events that were familiar to me.

My hope is that students using these games will have as much fun as I'm having developing them. More than anything, I want to teach that learning is fun. I do my best to teach that by example.