Kindness, Honesty and Responsibilty at PS4M (VIDEO)

A student from Ms. Salce's class (221) shows kindness as he helps his classmate tie his shoe.

Kindness, honesty and responsibility can be seen in every classroom throughout the day, at PS4. Our students can often be seen bringing money that they found to the principal's office, apologizing to their teachers and friends about something they did wrong and helping classmates with a problem.  Teachers support and enhance these positive character traits by using a program called Project Wisdom.  This program is an intentional effort to help students understand, care about, and act upon core ethical values. Students with good character are caring, just, and responsible. They have developed an internal motivation to do their best and to contribute to the world around them. Good character education improves social and emotional competencies as well as academic performance.  This program has been helping students make wiser choices since 1992 and has been licensed to more than 19,000 schools across the nation!  At the end of every morning announcement, students hear:

"Be kind, be responsible and be the best you can be. The choice is yours.  Have a great school day!"

This is a component of the Project Wisdom program! Teachers spend a few minutes after morning announcements to have a brief discussion with students.  In addition, they may follow-up with a writing assignment for classwork or homework.  A new character trait is featured each month.  They are:

• September - Responsibility
• October - Respect
• November - Honesty/Dealing with Anger 
• December - Tolerance
• January - Citizenship
• February - Perseverance
• March - Kindness
• April - Setting Goals/Positive Attitude
• May - Courage/Caring
• June - Success/Gratitude

To learn more about Project Wisdom, click here!  Then, check out the video below featuring students in Ms. Marmolejos and Mr. Nycz's class (502) as they act out stories that involve a very important character trait: honesty.


Honesty Video (Class 502) from PS4M on Vimeo.

Senior Trip to Sportime USA

5th grade students from Ms. Marmolejos & Mr. Nycz's class at Sportime USA.

Congratulations to the graduating girls and boys of the 5th grade who went to Sportime USA in Elmsford, New York!  They enjoyed 4 hours of unlimited games, roller coasters, laser tag and bumper cars!  They even got a $10 game card!

Thanks to Kenya our party host who made sure we had a lot of fun.  Special thanks to Jackie Rivera (Sales and Marketing) and Jay Matthew (Sportime President) for making sure our students had an opportunity to participate in all that Sportime had to offer.  Take a look at the slide show below for some highlights from the festive occasion!

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5th Graders Attend Latin Jazz Workshop

Students from Class 502 play the Conga Drums after learning about the history of Latin Jazz.

 
Chris Washburne and percussionist Oreste Abrantes played music and discussed Latin Jazz at a recent workshop that was given to 5th grade students.  This was one of the many ways that PS4 celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month.  But, what students really enjoyed was playing the instruments that the Professor of Music and Director of a jazz program at Columbia University brought to our school.

During this workshop, students learned about the history of Latin Jazz.  They were told about the origin of instruments like the clave, conga drum and cow bell.  These instruments were brought to Caribbean islands by African slaves.  Students were able to take notes and ask questions.  "Music is a very important subject to learn in school", said Mr. Washburne as he answered one of many great questions that PS4 students asked.  "It teaches you how to work together and how to improvise".

Special thanks to Jonathon Greenburg at Community Works for supporting music education in our school.  All 5th graders have been invited to attend a performance funded by this great organization on October 29th at Hostos Community College.  Chris Washburne and his band will be performing!  Take a look at the slide show below for some highlights from the workshop in the PS4 auditorium and click here to read more about Mr. Washburne!

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Classroom Champions Update #3

As part of the Classroom Champions program, top performing athletes are connected with students in high-need schools. They use video lessons and live video chat to motivate students to recognize their potential, set goals and dream big, while educating them in the practical use of communications technology. 

Upon their return from the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, gold medalist ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White made sure to spend some time with students they've been mentoring since October!  Ms. McLeod and Mr. Nycz's students were invited to the Today Show, at Rockefeller Center, to reunite with the athletes that they know and love.

Check out the slideshow below for some highlights from this memorable experience!  A big thanks to Giddeon Massie, Olympian and Classroom Champions Advisor, for making this opportunity a smooth one.  We appreciate your dedication to the program.

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Classroom Champions Update #2

Meryl Davis and Charlie White are two highly-accomplished American ice dancers who have their eyes on the prize as they compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics.  As part of the Classroom Champions Program, athlete-mentors "adopt" class 502!   Focusing on their own personal journey, athletes teach young students about the hard work of training, goal setting, competition and perseverance.  "For my students to get to the point where they are able to read and be confident within themselves to present, including a good number of my students with special needs", says Mr. Nycz, "it's a huge accomplishment".

Since the Winter Olympics began on February 6th, students in Mr. Nycz and Ms. McLeod's class have researched the steps the Olympians had to take to get to where they are today.   One particular student, Joel H., took it upon himself to write an essay about Meryl and Charlie!  He discussed the reasons why they will bring home the gold!  Click the video below to hear the essay and see how students cheer on their mentors!

Classroom Champions: Class 502, Celebrating the Games by Celebrating Meryl and Charlie's Achievements! by Brent Nycz on Vimeo.

For more information about the Classroom Champions Program, click here.  Click here for more information on the Sochi 2014 Olympic games.

Classroom Champions Update #1

Classroom Champions is a program that brings Olympians and Paralympians (Athlete Mentors) into the classroom using videos and live chats. Each athlete mentor adopts 1-4 classrooms per year. Focusing on their own personal journey, athletes teach young students about the hard work of training, goal setting, competition and perseverance.  Class 502 has been part of the Classroom Champions since September!

Class 502 and parents with ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White at Rockefeller Center.

Recently, Mr. Nycz and Ms. McLeod's students were invited by the program to attend a live taping of the Today Show at Rockefeller Center to meet their athlete mentors, Meryl Davis and Charlie White!  They are two highly-accomplished American ice dancers who have their eyes on the prize as they prepare for the Winter Olympics next year.  Students arrived at PS4 at 6:30am to have breakfast and board a bus to 49th Street.

Congratulations again to Mr. Nycz, Ms. McLeod and their students for being classroom champions!  Keep us updated on all of your great experiences.  Click here to read a blog post written by Mr. Nycz about his experience on the trip!  Check out the video below to see how students from his class discuss their goals and how they plan to achieve them.


Classroom Champions Goal Setting Video for Class 502! from Brent Nycz on Vimeo.

Students Visit the Museum of Mathematics

Lynn Cartwright-Punnett, Museum Education Coordinator, speaks to students.

After its December 15th grand opening, PS4 was one of the first set of schools to visit New York City's newest museum; the Museum of Mathematics located on E26th Street in Manhattan.  After receiving name tags, students were led downstairs to attend a workshop about knots!  "Knot Theory is the mathematics of knots!", says Lynn Cartwright-Punnett, Museum Education Coordinator.  "Students will use rope and their jobs to make, explore, and classify knots.  The Knot Theory program relates to students work in geometry to study and classify shapes based on properties.  The work that students do with knots strengthens the same skills students do with shapes in geometry".

  

Students were also given an opportunity to explore the museum which included, pulley systems, puzzles, games, and even a bicycle with square wheels!  Teachers enjoyed the museum as well.  "Teachers are always looking for hands on learning experiences that involve math concepts", said Ms. Cabral.  "The activities at this museum are perfect...I can't wait to bring my nephew".

Congratulations to Miss Lynn and her staff at the Museum of Mathematics!  Click here for more information about the programs they have to offer and see below for some highlights from our trip!


           
         

What Is The 5th Learning About?

After the Social Studies Quiz Bowl, the 5th grade is changing their focus from The United States Government to the expansion of America. Students will be learning about the Louisiana Purchase, explorers like Lewis and Clark and the history of Native Americans living in this country. Look forward to the students gaining their knowledge by constructing timelines, Venn Diagrams and completing a research paper about the expansion of America. "I think our students will be ready for the challenge", says school's Social Studies teacher, Mr. Harris.

For great resources to help you learn about the expansion of America, check out these websites!

• History.org - Westward Expansion
• PBS.org - Lewis and Clark Trail Interactive Map
• Bookrags.com - Timeline of Westward Expansion Events
• Westward Movement

Tar Wars

A group of physicians, residents and medical students made their annual visit to 5th grade students at PS4!  They taught a program called Tar Wars!  This program is designed to teach fourth and fifth-grade students about the dangers of smoking.

Coordinator Eric Blacher in Ms. Anderson's class.

Eric Blacher, coordinator of the outreach program had a great time with Ms. Anderson's students.  "We had a fabulous time with the kids", he said. "We felt everything went quite well and the kids seemed very engaged and involved in participation.  And they were so well-behaved!"  The students learned what's in a cigarette, why cigarettes are hazardous, the dangers of second-hand smoke and how to avoid it, bringing to awareness how media/Hollywood advertise to target young people, how peer pressure effects them and how to say no, how much cigarettes cost and how much money the would save by not choosing to smoke. 

The "straw exercise" gave students an opportunity to experience exactly what it feels like not be able to breathe when the lungs have been damaged from many years of smoking.  "We also learned from the kids, as well", says Mr. Blacher.  " They gave us an idea of what kids their age care about,  what language they use to describe it, what excites them, and the role cigarettes/smoking plays in the community".  

For more information about Tar Wars, click here!

Meet Our New Teacher: Ms. Barnosky

Ms. Barnosky, in her classroom.

Ms. Barnosky is a new teacher at PS4!  She is co - teaching with Ms. McLeod in class 502. Ms. Barnosky still lives in the town where she was born and raised; Cornwell, New York. She believes that her job is to help students learn to love to read. "I want every child that I teach to love reading."

This is Ms. Barnosky's first year teaching for New York City's Department of Education, but this is not her first year working with children. "I used to work with Pre-K children at West Point." West Point is a famous Army College that has produced many leaders and Generals in the United States of America, including two presidents! It is located 50 miles north of New York City.  Each year, more than 1,000 cadets graduate!  Click here to find out more information about West Point Military Academy.

Even though she did not get to ride on a tank or on a fighter airplane, she did have other experiences that only young soldiers might have.  Ms. Barnosky knows what it's like to eat in the Army mess hall!  She also used to get free meals at restaurants in the area! Ms. B, as her students call her, earned her Master's Degree at Rutger's University in New Jersey. She hopes that she, along with her co - teacher Ms. McLeod, can bring all of her students to read at or above grade level. "Hopefully we can work to narrow the achievement gap." Welcome to PS4, Ms. B!