Spring Reading Challenge - 2019

Students in Mr. Ovalle's class (402) forms a line to receive free ice cream.

The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program funds our Accelerated Reader Program. When students read books, they take an online quiz. When students take quizzes, using Accelerated Reader, the program adds up all of the words in each book. The Carmel Hill Fund initiating the second year of our "Spring Reading Challenge" to encourage students to continue on the path of reading practice. The challenge ran from March 18 to June 7, 2019. The goals were based on the amount of words read. 90% of students in each class needed to reach the following grade-level word count goals:

• Grade K: 4,000
• Grade 1: 7,000
• Grade 2: 12,000
• Grade 3: 30,000
• Grade 4: 100,000
• Grade 5: 150,000

As a reward, The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program recently sent an ice cream truck to PS4, for the classes that have met their criteria. Here is the list of classes that reached their reading goal.

• Grade K: K01, K02
• Grade 1: 101, 120, 480
• Grade 2: 201, 202, 220
• Grade 3: 301, 304, 302, 481
• Grade 4: 401, 402, 482

Special thanks to Maria Garcia, Carmel Hill Fund's Implementation Specialist and Ms. Bonifacio, Assistant Principal, for monitoring student progress and organizing a successful reward for our scholars. For more information on the Carmel Hill Fund, click here. Congratulations to all classes that achieved their reading goal and got an invitation to visit the ice cream truck!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

The National Education Association's Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss's birthday. PS4 joined schools across the country to celebrate the birth of an author whose books are loved by many children. 

Throughout his career, cartoonist and writer Dr. Seuss published over 60 books. His children's books like 'The Cat in the Hat' and 'Green Eggs and Ham' were some of his most famous works.

Who Was Dr. Seuss?  Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904 to September 24, 1991), better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, was a writer and cartoonist who published over 60 books. He published his first children's book, 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street', under the name of Dr. Seuss in 1937.  Next came a string of best sellers, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. His rhymes and characters are beloved by generations of fans. Each year, children accross the country celebrate reading and this author's birthday.  

For Dr. Seuss information, videos and activities, click here!  Take a look at the photos below to see how our scholars celebrated this special day!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Kindergarten students celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday at an assembly hosted by Ms. Martin.

Kindergarten students celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with an assembly hosted by Ms. Martin!  Most students wore red and white hats inspired by the famous author and illustrator of more than 44 books!  Among the books he is best known for are "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat".  During our celebration, Ms. Martin read "The Cat in the Hat" and asked questions to see what students were thinking.  "What would you do", she asked, "if the Cat in the Hat knocked on your door...would you let him in?".

Following the assembly, classes took photos and were given stickers to commemorate the celebration.  March 2nd is also Read Across America Day, sponsored by the National Education Association.  This an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.  For more information on Read Across America Day, click here!  To see photos of the event, click the slideshow below!

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The Book Fair Is Here!

The library is transformed into a book fair.

You are invited to attend our winter book fair from Tuesday, December 13 to Friday, December 16! Teachers will announce the day and time that classes will be visiting our library that has been transformed into a Scholastic Book Fair! The schedule will also be posted on the library door and on the counter in the main office. Contact Ms. Shlansky (Literacy Teacher) or Denise Nunez (Parent Coordinator) for more details.

Check out the video below from the Scholastic Book Fairs website to see some of the books available or click here for more author videos!

Partners In Education: BookPALS

BookPAL Caitlin Johnston reads a book to Ms. Schwartz's 3rd grade class.

BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) is a signature children's literacy program of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation designed to provide and opportunity for performers, gifted in the art of storytelling, to help develop a love of reading in children and give back to their local communities.

Since late October, nearly all lower grade teachers (from PreK to 3rd grade) have partnered with an actor or actress from the BookPALS program.  Teachers and BookPals are able to schedule a day and time that works best for their schedules.  Many BookPALS are visiting classes on a weekly basis!

BookPAL Kimberly Harris talks to Ms. Lirano's Kindergarten students about jazz and Duke Ellington.

Maria Cabezas, BookPALS Director, was excited to hear from Mr. Stevens regarding a partnership with PS4 because of the amount of English Language Learners.  If you are a lower grade teacher that has not had a BookPAL assigned to your classroom, please contact Ms. Lennon.  For more information about the BookPALS program, click here!

3rd Grade Students Visit the Library for Robo-Sauce

Authors Adam Rubin & Daniel Salmieri pose as robots with 3rd grade students at the Washington Heights Library.

Recently, students from 3rd grade classes visited the Washington Heights Branch Library to meet the authors of a new book!  Robo-Sauce is a new book written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri!  During this KidsLIVE! program, students learned about the process used to write the book and got to meet the authors.  "This book talk reinforced what we're doing in the classroom", said Ms. K. Cabral (3rd grade Bilingual Teacher).  "The authors explained the writing process and they were very engaging...the students had a lot of fun".

Special thanks to Amy Chang (Senior Librarian of the NYPL Washington Heights Branch) for the invitation and Penguin Books for providing our scholars with this great opportunity.  After the event, teachers given ten (10) books to take to their classroom!  To see pages of this book, click here!

Book Fair - 2015

A 5th grade class visits the book fair.  (Photo taken by Ms. Lennon)

Did you know that reading at home on a daily basis can impact a child's success in school and in life.  A home library is an idea space where children expand their knowledge and vocabulary, and develop stronger thinking skills.  The best way to build a great home-library is to be involved. Learn about your children's interests and preferences.  Help them build a space filled with books they can read alone...and with you.

The theme for this Scholastic Book Fair was Under The Sea!  Although many of the books available were about ocean life, the top sellers were books from animated shows and video games that PS4 students love.  Here are the top 5 books that were sold at the book fair.

1. Minecraft
2. Barbie in Princess Power
3. Owl Diaries: Eva's Treetop Festival
4. Lego: Ningago
5. Disney Frozen: The Essential Guide

Special thanks to Book Fair Crew members Cindy M. (502), Justin N. (502) and Nathan M. (501).  If you still need books, click here for our Online Book Fair!   To order books from a Scholastic Reading Club, click here!  See the slideshow below to see how PS4 runs a book fair!

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Photo of the week: February 2-6, 2015

Inspired by a book, Ms. Baez-Torres takes her students to visit Ms. White's office.

Have you ever been to the principal's office?  Students in Ms. Baez-Torres 1st grade class wanted to know what it looked like after reading A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech!  The photo of the week was taken in Ms. White's office!

The book is about a principal, Mr. Keene who called all the students and teachers together and said, "This is a fine, fine school! From now on, let's have school on Saturdays too."  School all weekend. School on the holidays. School in the SUMMER! What was next ...SCHOOL AT NIGHT? So it was up to Tillie to show her well-intentioned principal, Mr. Keene, that even though his fine, fine school is a wonderful place, it's not fine, fine to be there all the time.  Tillie visits Mr. Keene's office to talk to him.  Students in class 121 had never been to a principal's office before.  So, Ms. Baez-Torres took them on a trip to visit Ms. White's office where she gladly gave them the tour.

To read more about Sharon Creech, the author of A Fine, Fine School, click here! 

Charlotte's Web - One Fantastic Culminating Activity (VIDEO)

The second floor of PS4 has been transformed into the setting of a famous book! Students in grade 2 have been reading Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. This is the famous story of a little pig named Wilbur who was born very small. Mr. Arable decides to let his daughter Fern keep Wilbur as a pet. Wilbur meets a bunch of new friends including Charlotte, a beautiful large grey spider. It's up to Charlotte to save Wilbur's life before he will end up on the dinner table at Christmastime!


Congratulations to 2nd grade students and their teachers for their great work on all of the the dioramas that showcased their ReadyGen text; Charlotte's Web. The projects are displayed in the hallway. Ms. Rivers, Assistant Principal for 2nd grade, recognized the hard work and creative abilities that are evident in all of the projects. "I want to thank Ms. Thompson (Literacy Coach) for her special creativity in assembling the project displays in the hallway", she said. "Along with each of our amazing teachers, she made the students feel so proud of their work and the display was a big hit on Parent Teachers Night!".


See the video below to see a clip from the 2006 movie based on the book! Click here to virtually explore Charlotte Web's home and take a look at photos of some of the projects done by our students!

 
Charlotte's Web (2006) from escenas_peliculas2 on Vimeo.

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The Book Fair is Here!

The whole school is excited about the Book Fair. An amazing selection of books has arrived and will be available from March 10-14, 2014!

At the Book Fair, located in the PS4 library, you will find the latest and finest titles for kids, as well as books of interest to parents. 

Mark your calendar for our Parent-Teacher's Conferences on Tuesday afternoon (1-3pm) and on Wednesday evening 5:30-8pm), where the whole family can join in the fun.  It's a Book Fair Fiesta!

The Book Fair is a great way to get everyone excited about reading.  Here's a brief video that highlights the big dreams that can be realized through family reading:
http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/family !

See you at the Book Fair! Click here to see our schedule!  Click here to purchase books online!

Your Librarian,
Ms. Lennon

Book Fair Oasis - 2013

Students visiting the book fair.

The Scholastic Book Fair was once again at PS4!  From the Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Pete the Cat, students could not wait to see what new books were available!  This season the Book Fair's theme was a Book Fair Oasis where hot books flying off of the shelves.

Special thanks to Scholastic Book Fair's Field Representative David Perry for hand delivering decorations, Student Crew Members Yasmely, Anderson and Dashira (Class 521) and to the many parents, teachers and students that supported this event.

If you missed last week's book fair and would still like to purchase a book, click here to visit our online book fair!  Take a look at the slideshow below for some photos from the event!

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Peter J. Murray Brings His New Book To PS4

The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program (the organization who funds Accelerated Reader in our school) helped author Peter J. Murray launch two new books! His newly released titles include the 5th book in his "Mokee Joe" series - "Mokee Joe: Swamp Warrior" - and the student-collaborated short story book "PS 13."

"PS 13" is extra special for PS4, since chapter seven was written by one of our graduates from Ms. Wilson's class!  Adriana H. wrote a very scary story called "George".  She was the guest of honor at a recent assembly featuring Peter Murray!  She was given gifts and the student audience heard the first page of her scary story.  Last year, the winners of the "'Spooky Story Contest" took a limousine ride to Jekyll & Hyde Club Restaurant in Times Square, where they enjoyed a "spooky" lunch and got to speak with Peter himself.  Click here to see photos of Adriana and her teacher just before that event!

Special thanks to Tommy Parker (Implementation Specialist) and the Carmel Hill Fund Organization for encouraging our students to read.  Click here to see other schools Peter J. Murray has visited.  For the author's official website, click here!  Take a look at the collage below to see photos taken at our school!

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A Successful Book Fair Luau

Each year, during the months of November and March, our school hosts a Scholastic Book Fair! Our library transforms into a bookstore where students, teachers and family members are able to purchase books, journals, pencils, and educational gifts.  This year, some popular titles were:

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney
• Goosebumps Hall of Horrors by R.L. Stine
• Look for the Lorax by Tish Rabe
• River Monsters by Jeremy Wade

Click here to see them all!  Thanks to our librarian (Ms. Lennon) and her Student Crew; Carolina C. from class 523, Norelis V. and Michelle G. from class 501!  Purchases from the Book Fair helped raised more than $1,100 to help bring special programs and assemblies to our school. The Fair also allowed us to buy books for classroom libraries and make a donation to Scholastic's One For Books campaign.  With help from great partners in literacy, like Scholastic, PS4 students and teachers are well supported.

Thank you for another year of supporting our Scholastic Book Fair!  Our next Fair will be in May!

Poll Queston: Favorite Book

Based on a recent poll question, 42% of voters chose Goosebumps by R.L. Stine as their favorite book!  The series was featured a our recent Scholastic Book Fair and was a top seller!

Goosebumps a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R.L. Stine.  It is a collection of stories with fictional children being involved in scary situations.  Themes in the series include horror, humor and the supernatural. 

Click here to go to the author's website and click here to go to the official Goosebumps website!

AR Stars

Congratulations to three AR Stars that have the highest word count in the school!  When students take quizzes, using Accelerated Reader, the program adds up all of the words in each book.  The following students have been awarded for their achievements in the AR program:

1. Sabrina T. (520) - 472, 572 words
2. Christopher S. (401) - 362, 325 words
3. Nayely D. (520) - 303, 704 words

To learn more about the Accelerated Reader program, click here.

Author Peter Murray Visits PS4

Author Peter Murray on stage at the Apollo Theatre on 125th Street.

Essay winner Jared R. with Peter J. Murray

Happy readers from class 401

Peter Murray with Ms. Salce and class 422

Peter Murray and with class 501

Book signing in the PS4 library.

Author Peter J. Murray (from England) made a special appearance at our school's library, this past Friday.  He signed copies of his latest book, Mokee Joe: Mutant Resurrection.  During a special celebration at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, the author unveiled the cover of the latest edition of his book, handed certificates to winners of Mokee Joe contests (including Jared R. from Ms. Wilson's class) and read a passage from his 7th book in the series to more than 1,500 fans!  Three classes from PS4 attended both the celebration at the Apollo Theatre and the book signing in our library.  Each student was given the new book and the opportunity to have their book signed by the author.  "When authors visit our school, they are like Rock Stars", said Ms. Lennon, our school's librarian.  The author also took the time to speak with each student and share his personal words of encouragement.

On behalf of the students and staff of PS4, thank you for visiting, Mr. Murray!  We can't wait to see you back in NYC later on this year! We would also like to extend a special thanks to Tommy Parker and the Carmel Hill Fund for bringing Mokee Joe and Peter J. Murray to NYC!

To go to Peter J. Murray's official website, click here.  For a copy of a Mokee Joe book, see your teacher or contact Ms. Lennon.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

The most popular book at the Book Fair was Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever! The sixth book in Jeff Kinney's series came out on November 15th! "There were more requests for that book weeks before the Book Fair than any other book", said Scholastic Book Fair Chairperson, Book Fair Customer Advisory Board Member and school librarian Ms. Lennon, "students couldn't wait for it to get here".

In this book, Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent...or at least sort of.  The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts, he’s going to have to face the music.  But could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?  Read Cabin Fever to find out!  If you've already read the book, tell us what you think by clicking the word 'comment' below!

Click here for more information about all of Jeff Kinney's books.  To purchase this book from our school's book fair, click here or the icon below (until December 4th)!