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Writers Café

For much of the year, it has been my pleasure to work with Jorge, Evan, and Theo in our Writers Café. We gathered weekly via Google Meet, moving only recently to a hybrid meeting at school. Each session begins with the reading aloud of any new writing we have to share. All three of the Read More >>

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Crow Drawings

After reading She’s Wearing a Bird on her Head we learned about the remarkable efforts of Minna Hall and Harriet Hemenway, two determined women activists who founded the Audubon Society to protect birds. Then we admired the extraordinary paintings by James Audubon. Now it was our turn. We examined a crow that has been perched Read More >>

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Life

by Paul OttesonSecond semester science teacher for 7th and 8th grades  Biology has been this year’s science focus for the older students, using the curriculum suggested by the Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP). It was my pleasure to join the teaching team for the second part of the year to take on Genetics, Read More >>

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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 >>

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Hot and Cold

Hot and Cold is science unit for our youngest students which was started when the distance learning period began. We started by exploring the melting of an ice cube. How long did we think it would take for an ice cube to melt? Then we considered ways we could make the ice cube melt faster. Read More >>

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Belfer Archive Field Trip

Our oldest students, grades 5-8, were treated to a field trip extraordinaire last week. A year ago this outing was recommended by a grandparent of one of our students, but wasn’t a “fit” for our curriculum. This year as we began to plan for a Sound Unit, we knew this was the moment. So we Read More >>

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PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION AT THE NEW SCHOOL

School is a part of life.   Knowledge is constructed through play, direct experience, use of resources, and social interaction.   Learners are active participants, problem solvers, contributors, and social beings.   Social-emotional learning at school is an essential part of children’s development.   Teachers are facilitators who guide and foster thinking, creative expression and Read More >>

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Zoo to You

This year we were very fortunate to get a donation of a program called ZOO TO YOU which brings 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 these Read More >>

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Bees

  Last year our Student Teacher began a study of bees with some of our students.  They used a multi-disciplinary approach using some reading, making a 3D model of the external parts of the bee, and writing a Haiku about bees.  This year we did a short unit to finish up our look at bees Read More >>

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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 >>