Toddler Class
In January the toddlers experienced the different scents and textures of evergreen branches and sorted them into two piles, prickly or tickley. After deciding that the shape of evergreen trees is triangular, the students enjoyed pine tree sandwiches, covered with green tinted coconut and sprinkled with sunflower seeds. We explored the frozen woods one frigid, windy day, which gave us an appreciation for the reason many animals hibernate.
To help our local birds survive the winter, the toddler class made pinecone bird feeders and bird seed cookies. For Valentine’s Day, the students made Hidden Kiss Cookies. They devoured freshly popped corn, grown in the PJS garden, after husking and shelling the ears. Finally, they experienced the differences between fake and real snow with sparkling baking soda clay and a tray of the real stuff.
To help our local birds survive the winter, the toddler class made pinecone bird feeders and bird seed cookies. For Valentine’s Day, the students made Hidden Kiss Cookies. They devoured freshly popped corn, grown in the PJS garden, after husking and shelling the ears. Finally, they experienced the differences between fake and real snow with sparkling baking soda clay and a tray of the real stuff.
Preschool Class
Following winter break, the preschool class experienced the different aromas and textures of evergreen branches and sorted them into two piles: prickly or tickly. After deciding that the shape of evergreen trees is triangular, the students enjoyed pine tree sandwiches, covered with green tinted coconut and sprinkled with sunflower seeds.
To help our local birds survive the winter, the Pre-school class made Pinecone bird feeders and Garlands strung with popcorn, cranberries, dried fruit, and cereal. For Valentine’s Day, they made Hidden Kiss Cookies. They devoured freshly popped corn, grown in the PJS garden, after husking and shelling the ears. The students enjoyed playing with a clay made of baking soda and coconut lotion. Finally, they experienced the differences between fake and real snow with sparkling baking soda clay and a tray of the real stuff.
To help our local birds survive the winter, the Pre-school class made Pinecone bird feeders and Garlands strung with popcorn, cranberries, dried fruit, and cereal. For Valentine’s Day, they made Hidden Kiss Cookies. They devoured freshly popped corn, grown in the PJS garden, after husking and shelling the ears. The students enjoyed playing with a clay made of baking soda and coconut lotion. Finally, they experienced the differences between fake and real snow with sparkling baking soda clay and a tray of the real stuff.
Kindergarten
To lead up to the classroom IB unit: People invent to solve problems, the kindergarten class began a unit on Simple Machines. The students were inspired by Rube Goldberg videos. They made their own inventions using pulleys, gears, and levers, and they wrote the steps that were required to make a spoon catapult. After experimenting with the properties of magnets, the students were challenged with creating an invention that used magnets.
Next, the class conducted a seed sort. Students sorted a mixture of seeds into piles, sketched and counted the seeds, and finally, graphed the seeds. They looked at the different stages of the Water Cycle and experienced how water molecules are attracted to each other. The class learned about different types of clouds and what their appearance reveals about the weather. We took a walk to the woods to look for signs of life in winter and the students enjoyed crunching through the brittle ice that sparkled like diamonds.
Currently in LTL class, the kindergarten class is learning about Life Cycles of Animals and metamorphosis, which provides an introduction to their spring IB Unit: Interdependence is essential to the web of life.
Next, the class conducted a seed sort. Students sorted a mixture of seeds into piles, sketched and counted the seeds, and finally, graphed the seeds. They looked at the different stages of the Water Cycle and experienced how water molecules are attracted to each other. The class learned about different types of clouds and what their appearance reveals about the weather. We took a walk to the woods to look for signs of life in winter and the students enjoyed crunching through the brittle ice that sparkled like diamonds.
Currently in LTL class, the kindergarten class is learning about Life Cycles of Animals and metamorphosis, which provides an introduction to their spring IB Unit: Interdependence is essential to the web of life.
Grade 1
Leading up to the classroom IB unit: People invent to solve problems, the class began a unit on Simple Machines. The students were truly inspired by several Rube Goldberg videos. They made their own inventions using pulleys, gears, and levers. After experimenting with the properties of magnets, the students were challenged with creating an invention that used magnets. They wrote the steps that were required to make a simple spoon catapult. Then they followed directions to construct a more complex catapault that flung marshmallows across the room!
Next, the students took a look at water and the Water Cycle. They experienced how water molecules are attracted to each other and they learned about different types of clouds and what their appearance in the sky reveals about the weather. We took a walk to the woods to look for signs of life in winter and the students enjoyed crunching the brittle ice beneath their feet.
Currently, in LTL class, Grade 1 is learning about Life Cycles of Animals and metamorphosis which provides an introduction to their spring IB Unit: Interdependence is essential to the web of life.
Next, the students took a look at water and the Water Cycle. They experienced how water molecules are attracted to each other and they learned about different types of clouds and what their appearance in the sky reveals about the weather. We took a walk to the woods to look for signs of life in winter and the students enjoyed crunching the brittle ice beneath their feet.
Currently, in LTL class, Grade 1 is learning about Life Cycles of Animals and metamorphosis which provides an introduction to their spring IB Unit: Interdependence is essential to the web of life.
Grade 2
Grade 2 continued their unit on Mechanical Energy. The class conducted ramp trials, using toy cars, to test how the elevation of a ramp affects the distance the car travels. They also tested how friction affects the distance traveled by changing the surface of the ramp.
The various birds that hang out at the bird feeders on our school campus initiated the next unit of study. The students made miniature illustrations of local birds using shrink plastic material. They assembled imaginary birds using random beaks, feet, body shapes, etc. Then they labeled their imaginary bird with the beak and feet adaptations that would enable their bird to survive.
Next, Grade 2 Began a unit on Earth Science to coordinate with the classroom IB Unit of Inquiry,” The Earth's surface is constantly reshaping itself and changing the landscape.” The students learned about the super continent Pangea, tectonic plates, and how they move to transform the surface of the earth. They experienced how caves form with an experiment that involved vinegar and seashells and they watched stalactites form from a supersaturated solution of Epsom salts. The students completed a cave project, complete with windows that can be opened to view the various features of a limestone cave.
The various birds that hang out at the bird feeders on our school campus initiated the next unit of study. The students made miniature illustrations of local birds using shrink plastic material. They assembled imaginary birds using random beaks, feet, body shapes, etc. Then they labeled their imaginary bird with the beak and feet adaptations that would enable their bird to survive.
Next, Grade 2 Began a unit on Earth Science to coordinate with the classroom IB Unit of Inquiry,” The Earth's surface is constantly reshaping itself and changing the landscape.” The students learned about the super continent Pangea, tectonic plates, and how they move to transform the surface of the earth. They experienced how caves form with an experiment that involved vinegar and seashells and they watched stalactites form from a supersaturated solution of Epsom salts. The students completed a cave project, complete with windows that can be opened to view the various features of a limestone cave.
Grade 3
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During this time period Grade 3 continued their unit on Mechanical Energy. The students conducted ramp trials, using toy cars, to test how the elevation of a ramp affects the distance the car travels. They also tested how friction affects the distance traveled by changing the surface of the ramp. Grade 3 constructed Coffee Can Racers that clearly demonstrated potential and kinetic energy. Then they used these racers to calculate their speed when tested on carpet and then on a tile floor. Solar Energy was also explored using solar panels to propel a racer car, to spin a propeller, and to light a bulb.
Next, Grade 3 Began a unit on Earth Science to coordinate with the classroom IB Unit of Inquiry,” The Earth's surface is constantly reshaping itself and changing the landscape.” The students learned about the supercontinent Pangaea, tectonic plates, and how the plates move to transform the surface of the earth. They experienced how caves form with an experiment that involved vinegar and seashells and they watched stalactites form from a super saturated solution of Epsom salts. The students completed a cave project, complete with windows that can be opened to view the various features of a limestone cave.
Grade 4
For the remainder of the second term, the class worked on a unit of inquiry on the Ocean to complement the classroom IB unit. The students first learned about plate tectonics and how they create both landforms and sea floor features. Next they completed a diagram of the sea floor, which illustrated how tectonic plate movement creates underwater ridges, trenches, guyots, and islands. The students used sonar readings to graph a profile of the Atlantic Ocean sea floor at 39 degrees N latitude, from Cape May, NJ to Cape Roca, Portugal. This profile was combined with work completed in Art class to create a colorful mural of sea life. The class learned about the inhabitants of various ocean environments such as the Deep, Coral Seas, the Open Ocean, and Frozen Seas. Students researched an assigned marine animal and completed a project that included a written report and a visual aid. The Ocean unit spanned eight weeks and was quite comprehensive. Next, Grade 4 will begin a unit on the atmosphere, weather, and climate change.
Grade 5
During this time span the fifth grade class learned about microscopes and how to use them. The students used their newly acquired knowledge to investigate cells. They made slides of plant cells, using epidermal layers of onion bulbs, and they made slides of animal cells using epithelial cells swabbed from inside their mouth. Students learned the different organelles of plant and animal cells and what the role of each organelle is in the cell. They made miniature models of cells using shrink plastic. The grand finale of this unit was the Edible (or not) Cell Project. Currently, Grade 5 is studying the Organization of Living Things and will be moving on to organs and organ systems.