At a student’s suggestion the New School has decided to start a mini spelling bee. We have students at a variety of ages and levels testing their spelling skills every week. They are using words that come from the school’s sight words as well as the official spelling bee list. The students are going to Read More >>
Mystery Powders
Students in grades 3 – 5 took part in a chemistry unit titled, Mystery Powders. They had to observe and learn about the chemical and physical characteristics of white powders (cornstarch, baking soda and plaster of paris) in order to solve (infer) a “Who-did -it” mystery. Students were told that there had been a robbery Read More >>
Atoms and Molecules
This semester the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders spent 5 weeks learning basic chemistry! We started with the structure of the atom and decoding the information in the periodic table of elements, atomic numbers, atomic masses, etc. We then discussed the importance of electrons and covalent bonds. We started drawing simple organic and inorganic molecules Read More >>
Density and Viscosity
Density and Viscosity This fall, the three seventh graders have been exploring the similarities and differences between density and viscosity. We started by defining the terms: demonstrate, model, interpret, density, viscosity and environment and then watched a video on determining the different densities of oil, water and syrup. Students asked ten questions of the video, Read More >>
Properties of Light
Students in 7th and 8th grade participated in a light class this fall that explored the topics of reflection, refraction, absorption and color. To start this unit, students were asked to build a “chamber” out of paper where they had to reflect the light into the pyramid. This simulation was to show how Ancient Egyptians Read More >>
Kenneth Koch’s Wishes, Lies and Dreams,
Poetry Unit Kenneth Koch’s Wishes, Lies and Dreams, published in 1970, has long been considered a classic in its field. Herbert Kohl wrote that this is “perhaps the best book I have read portraying the joy and excitement young people experience when writing poetry.” Using this timeless book, for seven weeks, students in grades 4 Read More >>
Systemic Racism
Our children, our students, live in a world that has developed all kinds of media and ways to transmit information, disinformation, ideas, and images. They hear the media, adults, other peers talking about events and opinions as they move through their days. Some of these ideas are exciting and innovative, others are darker and disturbing. Read More >>
Chemistry
This fall students in fifth and seventh grade will be studying chemistry and why it matters. To begin our unit of study, students performed and observed experiments involving physical and chemical changes. From there, students were brought outside to search for physical and chemical changes in their own backyard. The emphasis on this unit of Read More >>