5th Grade Art Club Decorates MJM Tree

Students from the 5th Grade Art Club decorate tree at the Morris-Jumel Mansion.

Instead of the usual holiday decorating style that makes the Morris-Jumel Mansion beautiful and festive, the staff is trying something new entitled “Community Holidays” at MJM. Each of the rooms in the house that George Washington once lived in has a tree in it and the director of this historical house wanted a group of boys and girls from PS4 to decorate one of those trees!

The tree, decorated by the 5th Grade Art Club, is located in the dining room of the mansion!  Four traditions are represented; Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas and Three Kings Day.  Students made the garland, ornaments and even the one-of-a-kind Three Kings tree topper to represent the traditions that are celebrated by students at PS4.   

To see the six trees decorated by artists, neighborhood organizations, theater groups and students of PS4, visit the Morris-Jumel Mansion...it's FREE!  Click here to find out more information about the mansion and see the photo/video collage below for highlights of the 5th Grade Art Club's tree decorating event.  Special thanks to Ms. Danielle (MJM Program Director) and especially Carol Ward, Director of MJM, for making sure there's always a place in the mansion for our students.

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2nd Grade Student Gardeners

Happy Spring!  The next time you go to the Morris-Jumel Mansion, you'll see many of the daffodils, that our 2nd grade gardeners have planted, now in bloom!  This semester, teaching artist Emily Provance has planned more hands-on gardening and garden-related science activities for our students.  "This semester we've worked out a schedule so that no two classes are in the garden at the same time", Ms. Emily says.  "This will be a nice change, because it means close supervision and more access to hands on gardening for each child".

Take a look at the photographs below, to see some highlights from a recent gardening trip.  Special thanks to photographer Trish Mayo.  To take a photo tour of the mansion, click here!

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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!

PS4 Students Begin Morris-Jumel's Gardening Program

For the past few weeks, Emily Provance (Gardening Educator from the Morris-Jumel Mansion), has met with 2nd grade teachers and launched the third year of the Gardening Program at PS4!  Students visited the mansion and began clearing the weeds near the gate entrance.  With Ms. Emily, students spoke briefly about their in-garden experience, created a storyboard and discussed the history of agriculture in NYC (Native American period and colonial period) when the Morris-Jumel Mansion was part of a working farm!  Graphic organizers were used to help them write how-to pieces: "How To Plant a Bulb."

Special thanks to Carol Ward (Executive Director of Morris-Jumel Mansion) for providing our students with the many great programs available at the mansion.  To help the mansion continue to support the Washington Heights community, click here!  Take a look at the photos below to see some of the great things that Miss Emily has been doing!

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Gardening Education At PS4

This fall we have an exciting collaboration between the Morris-Jumel Garden Education Program and the Morris-Jumel Mansion!  This year’s exciting program will allow PS4 students to have an 8-week engagement with the museum. The garden program introduces children to scientific based exploration outdoors along with historical connections within the Mansion.  Garden Educator Christina Ruiz, instructs the students each week.  "Students have been learning about plant uses and how they relate to the mansion and the people that lived in it", she says.  "PS4 students are definitely excited about visiting the garden and making observations using their senses".  Miss Christina, hopes to give students a better appreciation for green spaces that they may not have a lot of access to.  Students will participate in weekly activities handling plants and light gardening.   

Miss Christina with 4th grade students.

Students sorting seeds.

Sorting categories generated by students during a lesson.

Science teacher, Ms. Baez, will bring her 4th grade science classes to the gardens at the Morris-Jumel Mansion once each week until November 21st!  The program will enrich her science curriculum.  Special thanks to Garden Educator, Christina Ruiz and Education Coordinator, Carol Ward from the Morris-Jumel Mansion.  For more information about MJM, click here!  For more information about the gardening program, send an e-mail to cruiz@gs.bankstreet.edu.