-

|

Animal Classification

This year we were very fortunate to get a donation of a program called ZOO TO YOU which brings the zoo animals and personnel to our school every other month for the year. As a team we began to think about how to make the most of these experiences.  We decided to build off of Read More >>

|

Secret Soldier

Students participated in a weekly book club to discuss the book Secret Soldier. This book took place during the revolutionary war and was about Deborah Sampson, a woman who pretended to be man so she could fight in the war and find adventure. Students completed comprehension questions each week, practiced creating inferences about the book, Read More >>

|

Explorers- Social Studies

The explorer’s unit required students to first examine the difference between nomadic and settled homes. Students also examined nomadic lifestyles and how they are similar/different to an explorer. Students discussed why explorers choose to explore (to find new places, see new things, learn new things, etc.). Students were assigned a specific explorer and completed book Read More >>

|

Small Moments- Language Arts

Small Moments was a lesson that met once a week for four weeks. Each week we would read a small moment from a children’s book to notice the details used by the author. The students would then have time to journal their own small moments and focused on enhancing their own detail writing. Students worked Read More >>

|

Rigamajig

A part of every afternoon at The New School is a time called Investigations.  During this hour children can choose between several activities:  art studio, construction materials, strategy games, or work on individually designed projects. For several years we have used Rigamajig, designed by Cas Holman of RISDE and represented by KABOOM, as a major Read More >>

|

Wildflower Romp

  Our younger students joined other children on a Wildflower Romp at DeWitt Library in early June. They explored the meadow behind the library that is full of many kinds of wildflowers and were encouraged to pick all the flowers they wanted. With an assortment of art supplies available, the children used their flowers to create Read More >>

|

Density and Viscosity

This spring students in eighth grade participated in a science class that explored density and viscosity.  Our class started with viewing a short video on density with water, oil and syrup. Students were then asked to come up with ten questions they had and then narrow them down to the best three.  Students then shared Read More >>

|

Writing Workshop with Paul

Three of our middle school students participated in a four-session workshop designed to enhance the skills of developing writers. In preparation, the students read “War Horse” by Michael Morpurgo — a story of World War I told through the eyes of a horse. Students discussed the the book and author’s writing style, and then wrote Read More >>

|

A Study of Honeybees

This spring, the students in grades 3-6 engaged in an exploratory study of honeybees that touched on their physiology, role in the natural environment, and current threats affecting their population today. We read from Gail Gibbon’s The Honey Makersto acquire some background knowledge of the life cycle of honeybees, conducted a honey tasting to analyze Read More >>

|

Children of the Longhouse Book Club

This spring, the students in grades 3-4 participated in a book club for Children of the Longhouse, by Joseph Bruchac. The focus of this book club was for students to practice making three different kinds of textual connections: text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections. The students eagerly shared their perspectives and interpretations of Children of the Read More >>