This topical collection relates to two of the National Postal Museum's student programs: "First Class Problem Solvers: Ship-a-Chip" and "First Class Problem Solvers: Tube Transport." Both programs explore moments within USPS's history where the company faced challenges, or problems, and identifies how they resolved these issues. After learning more about problem-solving skills, and visiting key objects on display at NPM, students work in groups to find solutions to hypothetical problems--how do you successfully ship a single potato chip without it breaking and how to build a pneumatic tube system to transport a package across town?

Teachers may use this as a pre- or post-trip resource to prompt class discussion on:

• Unique packages used throughout postal history;
• Unexpected modes of transport within the mail system;
• The impact science and industry have had in American history

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Keywords: postal service, postal delivery,  mail service, mail delivery, transportation, pneumatic, pneumatic tubes