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Poetry with Kenneth Koch

Inspired by Kenneth Koch’s book, Rose, Where Did You Get That Red? the older students spent 6 weeks studying the poems of Wallace Stevens’ Thirteen Ways to Look at a Blackbird; John Ashbery’s Into the Dusk-Charged Air: Arthur Rimbaud’s  Voyelles; William Blake’s Tyger Tyger, Rivers, Kenneth Koch’s prompts for children are both motivating and creative Read More >>

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Mesopotamia – The Cradle of Civilization

For the oldest students (grades 4 and above), our study of “Mesopotamia” – the land between two rivers – began with a discussion of “How do we know what we know?” How can we possibly know about a civilization that existed over 5,000 years ago? The children displayed a solid understanding of this concept listing Read More >>

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Bugsocopter Science

To start the year, the oldest students were challenged to learn as much as they could about bugscopters – a t-shaped, paper, helicopter-like creation of Larry Schafer, formerly professor of Science Teaching at SU. After exploring the characteristics of the bugsocopters, by dropping them from on high, we discussed the need to limit variables when Read More >>

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Green Eyed Monster

This mini unit explored the connections between visual art and language arts, and how both are used to creatively tell stories and express emotions. After listening to the picture book, Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley children were introduced to adjectives as descriptive words. The students then brainstormed adjectives they could use for Read More >>

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Motel of the Mysteries

The oldest students listened to a book at read aloud this fall called Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay. In this book, it is the year 4022 and all of the ancient country of Usa has been buried under many feet of junk mail from a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985.  The students thoroughly enjoyed how Read More >>

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Seeds

In science class, students in Kindergarten and First Grade have been exploring seeds.  We started our unit by reading a book called A Fruit is a Suitcase for a Seed by Jean Richards.  We then had fun predicting the number of seeds (one, a few or a lot) in fruits and vegetables.  Once we opened the “suitcases” Read More >>

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Alumnus, Brennan Zimmer Volunteers at The New School

Alumnus, Brennan Zimmer is volunteering at The New School on Mondays. He is coordinating our first chess club. Twelve children expressed an interest, so Brennan will alternate working with 6 children each Monday. Brennan is currently a student at OCC and working at Price Chopper. What a treat to have him back in our classroom after all Read More >>

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Highland Forest

Twice a year the whole school spends two days camping in Highland Forest. This outdoor adventure provides us with a wonderful way to get to know each other better and to share in the delights of nature. Our two days are full of hours playing by the pond, catching and releasing critters, hiking in the Read More >>

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Investigations

Investigations is scheduled every afternoon from 1:30pm until 2:25pm. Most children will say this is the best part of the day, running neck and neck with gym or outdoor play! During Investigations children are offered a choice of activities. If all their “contract work” from the morning is complete they can sign up for one Read More >>

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Apple Picking at Beak and Skiff

Thanks to the Brower family, we now have our own school van. Transporting ten children at a time, we went on our first field trip of the year to pick apples at Beak and Skiff. The apples we picked were then the main ingredient for some delicious recipes the children cooked during Investigations at school. Read More >>