2nd Graders Get A Visit From Local Librarians

Children's Librarian Morgan Boyle and Library Manager Vianela Rivas visit scholars in Ms. Lennon's Class.

Scholars in 2nd grade received a visit from the librarians at the Washington Heights Branch of the NY public library! Ms. Vianela Rivas (Library Manager) and Ms. Morgan Boyle (Children's Librarian) reminded scholars that the library is a great place to go! "When you go to the library, who do you go with?", asked Ms. Rivas. Many scholars visit with their parents, siblings and even their grandparents. One 2nd grader says he sometimes goes by himself!  Although, that is not recommended, Ms. Rivas told students that the library is a safe place with many great activities, programs, computers and of course...books!

Did you know that children can get their own library card? A parent or guardian does not need to be present for children to receive a  library cards. After signing a child’s application, parents or guardians can determine whether their child may borrow all library materials or only juvenile materials.  Once the application is turned in, children may use the card!  However, parents/guardians are responsible for their childrens’ lost or damaged materials.

Ms. Rivas and Ms. Boyle ended their visit by distributing library card applications and told the scholars that they are invited to visit the library in two weeks where they will get special treatment by having a section of the library all to themselves!  For more information about programs and activities at the Washington Heights Branch, click here! To apply for a library card online (you must be 13 years old or older), click here!

Scholars from class 201 and paraprofessional (top right) Ms. Nuñez pose with Washington Heights Librarians.

2nd Grade Scholars Go To The Farm

Second grade students, from Ms. Lennon's class, choose a pumpkin from Green Acres Farms in Queens.

Have you ever milked a cow!  Scholars in second grade have been learning about their community and recently took a trip to Green Meadows Farm where there enjoyed riding ponies, petting goats and milking cows! On this trip, scholars learned about cows, sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits, goats, turkeys, calves, alpacas and more. They were able to visit the reptile barn to see turtles. And since it was the Fall season, everyone got a free pumpkin!

For the past few weeks, second grade students have been exploring characteristics of communities, the reasons people live in communities, and different kinds of communities. The unit begins with a review of the concept of family and explores the question, "Why do families live in communities?" Students then investigate common characteristics of a community including location, physical characteristics, history, government, people, and businesses. Students explore two reasons people live in a community and are introduced to the concept of government. Using a variety of resources, including photographs and illustrations from picture books, students then examine different kinds of communities and explore how communities differ in size and geography. Using a Venn Diagram, students identify similarities and differences between two communities. Finally, students begin to create a profile of their local community and what makes their community special.

Angel rides a pony at the farm.

Scholars took the opportunity to pet chickens.

Green Meadows Farm is located in Floral Park, New York (Queens). For more information and to see videos, click here!

3rd Graders Visit Safety City - 2017

Ms. Schwartz class (Class 301) pays close attention to the pedestrian rules at Safety City.

Have you ever been to Safety City?  Third grade students at PS4 have been visiting Safety City, Located at 672 W158th Street, for seven years!  Special thanks to Renso Vidal, NYC DOT - Safety and Outreach for choosing our school to partner with during this annual celebration of safety on International Walk to School Day. 


Safety City uses both traditional classroom education and hands-on practice in an outdoor realistic yet protected street and intersection. At Safety City's Indoor Learning Center, participating students from community schools take part in activities designed to build self-esteem and strengthen their ability to make safer choices. The classroom experience includes informational videos and up-to-date learning materials. Outdoors, students practice their safety skills on a fenced-in street and intersection. The area has realistic pavement markings, traffic and pedestrian signals and street signs. The children practice crossing the street safely in a variety of situations. Access Safety City on West 158th Street in Manhattan also serves older adults and people of all ages with special needs.

Safety City's instructors are specially trained traffic safety experts from DOT's Office of Safety Programs. Police officers, traffic enforcement agents, health care providers and school crossing guards also instruct the children at Safety City, reminding them to use their safety skills. For more information about Safety City, click here.

Renso Vidal, Instructor with NYC DOT Safety and Outreach shows students how to wear a helmet.

Isabella and Benny Win Town Hall Contest

Benny and Isabella (front row, wearing white) pose with other contest winners at the award ceremony on May 10th.

Congratulations to Isabella R. and Benny C. from class 402!  They received an award certificate and $50 from the Town Hall for their Black History Month essays!  Six winners were selected out of hundreds of entries from all over New York City!  Their winning essays will be featured on The Town Hall website, for one year.  Click here to visit the website!

Each year, The Town Hall, a performance space, located at 123 West 43rd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, presents a series of performances - sponsored by Con Edison - in celebration of Black History for public school children. Every school district in the five boroughs is invited to attend, and seats are filled on a first- come, first-served basis. The Black History Celebration consists of daytime performances, offered free of charge to public school classes in grades three through eight, and their teachers.  Following the concert, they hold a Black History Month Poster and Essay Contest for children who attended the performances. The contest encourages children to think critically about the performance, as well as express themselves through words and pictures.

Special thanks to Benny and Isabella's teacher, Dr. Thomas, for providing the quality teaching that helped to inspire winning essays year after year.  Congratulations!

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!

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!

Free slideshow generated with Smilebox

Third Grade Students Go To Broadway

Ms. Thompson's class with a performer from Ballerina Swan, presented by Making Books Sing in NYC.

Recently, third grade students were invited to attend a Broadway performance of Ballerina Swan!  This 50-minute family show blending dance, theater and puppetry.  It tells the story of Sophie, a Central Park swan with dreams of becoming a ballerina and dancing in Swan Lake.  Based on the children’s book BALLERINA SWAN by former NYC Ballet prima ballerina Allegra Kent, with illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner Emily Arnold McCully, the piece features three dancers and a dancer/puppeteer who operates a five-foot dancing swan puppet!  "It was a different kind of performance", said third grade bilingual-teacher, Ms. Montenegro.  "The kids loved the puppets and dancing." 

Special thanks to Making Books Sing for providing NYC students with great theatre!  Nearly one hundred of our students were able to see this show for free thanks to their generous donation.  Making Books Sing is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed theatre and arts-in-education non-profit organization. Their mission is to promote children's literacy and social development through professional theatre productions and arts-in-education programs. For more information about Making Books Sing productions and education programs, visit: www.makingbookssing.org.

On The Move With Mr. Harris - To The Mansion

2nd graders collecting leaves.

Social Studies isn't just a subject learned in a classroom.  Taking trips is a great way to learn about the world around you!  Recently, was on the move to the Morris-Jumel Mansion!  Each week, 2nd grade students learn about gardening through a partnership with the Mansion and PS4!

Using teamwork is the best way to get the job done!

At the Morris-Jumel Mansion, students participated in an activity with garden educator, Miss Emily. They were asked to plant bulbs in the soil surrounding historic Morris-Jumel Mansion.  The boys and girls of class 222 were taught how to rake leaves, plant bulbs and pull up roots!  The students had a great time. "I had a great time", said Maxlee G.

Learning about the world around is important.  Take a trip to the zoo, visit a museum in your neighborhood and make social studies part of your life!  For more information on the Morris-Jumel Mansion, click here!  To learn more about the animals at Central Park Zoo, click here!

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!


           
         

Grade Three Goes to China

Students from class 323 discussing Chinese Art.

All third grade students recently had the opportunity to visit the China Institute in Manhattan!  The Discovering China Through Art program for children is designed to introduce students to Chinese art and culture through lectures and workshops based on the exhibition’s theme. Each group visit includes a gallery talk, video presentation and a hands-on workshop.  When asked about how students enjoyed the tour, 3rd grade teacher, Ms. Bonilla said, "The visit went very well!  The students enjoyed the tour...especially the workshop".  Each teacher agreed that the best part of the visit was the art project.  "The students really liked the art project and now know a lot about China", said Ms. Arce after the trip.
  

Students from class 323 at the China Institute.

Special thanks goes out to Yue Ma from the China Institute for coordinating each trip.  For more information about the China Institute, click here and for a fun game played in China, click here.

5th Grade Goes To Yankee Stadium

On Tuesday, 5th graders visited Yankee Stadium in the Bronx!  The new home of the New York Yankees opened on April 2, 2009.  Students were able to visit the museum and sit in the dugouts.  Tour guides shared lots of facts of the stadium and gave a lot of information about famous baseball players, including Derek Jeter.  Naa M (class 523) was very excited about the trip.  "I have to start watching baseball", she said, "now that I'm learning about the history of Yankee Stadium, I'm interested."  Five parents also took the trip to Yankee Stadium and enjoyed taking pictures of their children.  Everyone was given a key chain to take home.

We are very thankful to the Yankee Stadium staff for being so kind to the boys and girls of PS4.  Go Yankees!

It's Almost That Time of Year, Again!

With the new school year quickly approaching, blog editors wanted to give you some suggestions about how to spend the last few weeks of summer vacation.  So, get your metro-cards ready and visit some of these family-friendly activities close to your neighborhood!

• Choose an outdoor summer movie at one of the many NYC Parks!
• See the world's largest dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History!
• Use your detective skills at the NYC Police Museum.
• Kayak down the Hudson River for free!
• Visit a real submarine at the Intrepid Museum.
• Enjoy a free performance in Spanish and English!
• Crawl like a turtle and hop like a frog at the Bronx Zoo.
• Stay cool by ice skating at Chelsea Piers.
• Have a picnic and visit the Little Red Lighthouse at Fort Washington Park.
• Visit Manhattan's oldest house located in Washington Heights.
• Go roller skating at Riverbank State Park!
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables from your local farmers market.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!  We look forward to hearing what you did during your vacation.  We'll see you on Thursday, September 8th.  Don't forget your uniform!

P.S.4 Partners In Education: Dia/The Hispanic Society of America Museum

Each year, 5th grade classes partner with artists and instructors from Dia/Hispanic Society of America Museum to create artwork inspired by exhibitions at the museum. This year, students will focus on the work of Koo Jeong A.

"This year, the artist's work is very abstract", says Education Accociate, Christine Hou, "and the students really have to use their imagination". Ms. Christine (as she is fondly called by our 5th graders) will work with Ms. McLeod's class to discuss how the artist was inspired by the five senses. Each 5th grade class will work with an art instructor on four different occasions. On January 21, students walked to the Hispanic Society of America Museum to see the exhibit. "It smells like paint", said Franklin S. and Carlos D. (pictured above) as he walked in the large white room housing the artwork of Koo Jeong A. During the month of February, P.S. 4 will host it's own exhibition showcasing student work inspired by this abstract artist.

To see a photo of our students working with Dia/Hispanic Society of America last year, click here.

3rd Graders Celebrate 'International Walk to School Day'!

On October 7th, the boys and girls of the third Grade, including students from Mr. Nycz and Ms. Bonilla's class, traveled to Safety City, at 222 W134th Street in Harlem. They learned important lessons about crossing the street safely in New York City. The lessons taught students how to cross the street, how to look at a driver in their eyes and how to signal to a driver when crossing the street. Students were also able to honk the horns of Fed - Ex trucks and buses! Fed-Ex volunteers, in red T-shirts, celebrated International Walk To School Day by visiting our school and walking with our students and teachers to Safety City! "This is a good example for kids", said Ms. Nieves, teacher of class 323,"now they will have a clear understanding of the proper way to cross the street."

Special thanks to the men and women of Safety City and Fed-Ex for spending time with us and using our wonderful students to show the world how important it is to cross the street safely. Check out a video from Federal Express highlighting the event!

The third grade goes to the farm!

On November 21st, P.S. 4's third graders visited the Queens County Farm in the borough of Queens. The boys and girls of The Duke Ellington School and their teachers; Ms. Snoke, Mr. Nycz, Ms. Thompson, Ms. Pearsall, Ms. Reyes, Mr. Conrad and Mr. Harris were treated to Hay Rides, animal petting and cow milking. They were able to see everything that happens on a farm including the way food is grown, the way animals are taken care of and the way cows get milked. It was a great day.