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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PS4 Celebrates Black History: The African American Experience

Students listen to Mr. Keys' mother and aunts as they share their stories of living in Harlem in the 1960's.

To celebrate Black History Month, Mr. Keys brought in three very special guests!  Guest Speakers Mozella Keys (the mother of Mr. Keys), Helen Baker (Mr. Keys' aunt), and Ann Burley (another aunt)!  These three sisters visited the boys and girls of class 520 and allowed them to ask questions about living in the Harlem in the 1950's and 1960's. They all lived during the civil rights era after migrating from South Carolina.  They were 6, 9 and 11 years old.  They boarded a train and arrived in Harlem where they stayed with their aunt who lived on 158 Street and St Nicholas Ave. This was an area of Harlem called "Sugar Hill".  They shared great stories of attending school with actor and activist Harry Belafonte, actress Diana Carroll, boxer Joe Lewis and famous singer Frankie Lymon. Even the great Duke Ellington lived in the neighborhood!

Special thanks to Ms. Keys, Ms. Baker and Ms. Burley who gave our students a better understanding of the African-American experience.

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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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!

Design in the Classroom

Last Friday, 5th grade students were given an opportunity to explore design as part of everyday life. Design Museum Educator, Pamela Lawton, taught an introductory workshop intended for all audiences including those who are new to design thinking. Students were engaged in conversations and participated in a hands-on design activity as a vehicle for project-based learning about designing. 

Students were only given a few art materials and a scenario in which they needed to design an object for a specific purpose. In one particular 5th grade class, students presented their finished design project as if it was a real product!  A spokesman for one of the teams acted out how groceries would be brought up several flights of stairs with their product! "What makes design and art different is that designers generally work in teams", explains Ms. Lawton. "I was really impressed with how PS4 students collaborated in teams and role-played", she says, "they went above and beyond what I've seen in other schools".

Students in 520 admire their design.

Krisnel A. using her design.

Museum educator Pamela Lawton keeps an eye on the young designers.

Ms. Cabral, co-teacher of class 521, found the workshop very informative.  "It made me realize that designers really have to think about the user", she says.  "This workshop developed my students imagination and allowed them to think deeply about the cultural differences between the Dominican Republic and the U.S....media plays a big role in our students creativity".

For more information about the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, located in Manhattan, click here!

5th Grade Students Receive Certificates

Awarded students from the 5th grade.

During a recent monthly assembly, twenty-six students from the 5th grade received certificates for their hard work.  Certificates included:

• Math Masters
• Accelerated Reader
• Project Wisdom's Golden Rule (showing kindness, responsibility and overall good character)
• Student of the Month (overall academic progress)

"You and your teachers have been working very hard", said Mr. Batiz (Assistant Principal).  "It is important that you show progress...go from a 2 to a 3...from a 3 to a 4".  Each month, Mr. Batiz listens to the presidents and vice presidents of each class discuss what they have been learning.  Teachers are then given a chance to distribute certificates to those students who deserve to be recognized.

Congratulations to those students who have been recognized for the month of January!  Keep up the good work!

Joke of the Week!

Question: Where does a pencil go for a vacation?

Answer: Pencil-vania

Special thanks to Gabriel P. from Ms. Snoke and Ms. Schulman's class! Click here for more jokes for kids.

Student Recyclers Keep Checking

Did you know that a seed takes about 20 years to grow into a tree, but takes less than ten minutes to be cut down and made into paper? Did you know that one tree can make about 700 paper grocery bags, which will be used up in less than an hour by a supermarket? Did you also know that by recycling one ton of paper, we can save 17 trees? Well, at PS4, a group of students are doing their part to make sure our school recycles.

On a daily basis, Recycling Monitors visit classes and collect all of the paper recycled by student in that class. Then they prepare a larger bin for our school's janitors to pick up at the end of the day. "We go to classrooms and if they did a good job, they get a check mark", says Dionely J. (class 520). Recycling monitors take recycling very seriously. "Sometimes classes forget to put tissues in the garbage", says 5th grade monitor Jenesis M. (class 502), "but, they try their best". Under the direction of Ms. Snoke (our expert recycler), our school has recently begun to collect bottles.

Click here to play a fun recycling game and click here for more recycling facts!

5th Grade Hosts Health & Fitness Fair

On February 17, 5th grade classes hosted a very successful Health & Fitness Fair! Each 5th grade class presented an important topic concerning health or fitness:

Ms. McLeod's class shared healthy snacks, including hummus and peppers! Selected students then gave Google Doc presentations about the disadvantages of eating processed foods. Students in Ms. Anderson's class provided water to visitors after leading them through a series of exercises. In class 520, students used diagrams and posters to discuss the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Rafael N. showed students how to take their pulse by putting two fingers under your chin. With the list of ingredients distributed, Ms. Cabral taught visitors how to make a strawberry-banana smoothie and everyone got a taste of this healthy treat!

"This is great", said Rahel Biegel, Program Coordinator for Healthy Schools & Healthy Families, "PS4 always has some great ideas for encouraging healthy lifestyles".

Look at the slide show below for pictures from this event!

5th Graders Get Awarded

"I'm very proud of each of you", announced Mr. Polubiec, Assistant Principal at the bi-weekly 5th grade meeting. "You and your teachers are working so hard".

At this assembly, nearly 40 students were given certificates for their achievements in math, reading, attendance, and Project Wisdom (our character education program).

Each assembly, members of our Student Government and Honor Society share what they are working on in their classrooms and give updates on our school's Service Learning Projects. Currently, students are collecting pennies for Penny Harvest and donating food to City Harvest.

Class 520 Studies The Human Body With Dr. Hultgren

The boys and girls of class 520 have been learning about the human anatomy and preparing themselves for "surgery". That's right, thanks to the medical outreach program of Dr. Hultgren and the NYU/Bellevue Hospital, Class 520 is learned about medicine and how to be a physician. "It's great that they are being exposed to this type of stuff this early in their lives", said Mr. Wright, co - teacher of class 520. Ms. Schulman, who teaches with Mr. Wright, was just as satisfied with what the students were getting out of the program, "I like the way that they are engaged and paying real close attention to what they are being taught." The students have been taught about the heart, brain and lungs. They have even put together each of those body parts using Twizzlers, clay, and construction paper! 


"The reason why we are doing this is because we want them (the students) to be ready for their "surgery", said lead Doctor and teacher of the program, Dr. Hultgren. "I really like doing this. I enjoy working with children." Dr. Hultgren was a teacher before becoming an Emergency Room Doctor at Bellevue Hospital. On April, 30 at 9am, students were given certificates for their participation. If you missed the mock operation on channel 7 (ABC), click here to see it!