Toddler Class
Preschool
To celebrate St Patrick's Day, the Preschool students made Irish Soda bread served with freshly churned butter. The class experienced several nature walks this spring. Students dug for insects in the woods and marveled at the bright colors of the flowers. They netted for frogs at the pond.We used the Smart Board to look at the animals that live on our campus and in the state of New Jersey. The preschool students planted peas and radishes and watered their garden often. Four weeks after planting, the students experienced the thrill of harvesting the radishes, tugging on the clump of green leaves to pull the bright red vegetables from the soil. The class took turns hammering nails into pieces of wood to build a bluebird house that they painted in rainbow colors and hung by the pond. Students also had fun playing with real clay soil and comparing it with "fake" soil made from coffee grounds. During the final walk of the year, the students made their own nature bracelets, selecting items such as flowers, bits of bark, seeds, etc.
Kindergarten/Grade 1
K/1 classes completed booklets that illustrated the life cycles of different animals. They learned about the classification of animals and made flip-booklets that listed the characteristics of each of the classes. Then the students used their knowledge to sort animal cards into their respective classes. They learned the differences between living and nonliving things. The class enjoyed the warmth of spring with several nature walks. We looked for colors that are not seen in winter and we compared the various ecosystems of PJS with those of the beaches of Sandy Hook. The students cleaned up the garden to prepare for spring planting. They planted potatoes, scarlet runner beans, and Anasazi beans in their garden bed. Next, we began a unit on insects to coordinate with the classroom IB unit " Interdependence is essential to the web of life". The students learned about many different types of pollinators and why they are so essential for the growth of crops and food for us to eat. We constructed mason bee nest boxes and used juice bottles to make bug homes. The students used nets to collect insects to see what kinds of "bugs" reside on the school grounds. They collected materials for their Insect Habitat, watched " Microcosmos" , and examined samples of soil for the various kinds of insects that live there. For their final class of the year, the students made self portraits using natural materials such as pods, seeds, jute twine, and dried flowers.
Grade 2
This spring Grade 2 students continued their study of earth science. They learned about the layers of the earth and were able to make connections with the IB unit " The Earth's surface is constantly reshaping itself and changing the landscape". Next , the students began the IB unit, "Water is an essential, but limited, resource". Grade 2 conducted an activity that demonstrates how much of the water on Earth is actually available for human use. They were outraged to learn about the negative environmental impacts of bottled water and plastic production. The students conducted a quest on how to clean up muddy water, using sieves, sand, charcoal, pebbles, etc. They even constructed a solar still that produced clean water from a tray of mud. The class then moved on to look at the different types of soil at PJS. They examined the soils and conducted a sedimentation settling rate activity. After cleaning up their garden bed, the students planted popcorn, potatoes, and heirloom beans, which they will harvest this autumn. Finally, the class made leaf reliefs, which showcased the beautiful venation and margins of leaves selected from the school grounds.
Grade 3
This spring Grade 3 continued the study of earth science. The students learned about the layers of the earth and were able to make connections with the IB unit " The Earth's surface is constantly reshaping itself and changing the landscape". They conducted activities that demonstrated convection currents, rock fracturing, wind erosion, and the formation of volcanoes. Next , the students began the IB unit, "Water is an essential, but limited, resource". Grade 3 tested the water of the nearby Shipetaukin Creek and were relived to learn that the water is in good condition. The watched "the Story of Bottled Water" and were outraged to learn about the negative environmental impacts of bottled water and plastic production. The students conducted a quest on how to clean up muddy water. They assembled very efficient water filters using alum and layers of sand, charcoal, and pebbles. They even constructed a solar still that produced clean water from a tray of mud. The class then moved on to look at the different types of soil at PJS. They examined the soils and conducted a sedimentation settling rate activity.In the garden, the students planted a bird seed mix that will hopefully provide plentiful food for our winter birds. Finally, the class made leaf reliefs, which showcased the beautiful venation and margins of leaves selected from the school grounds.
Grade 4
This spring, Grade 4 students researched "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch" and presented their information at the Earth Day Assembly. To enhance the classroom IB unit "The enduring legacies of ancient civilizations are present in modern cultures", the students made apple mummies, using a method similar to that of Egyptian mummification. Then they learned how to make paper to coordinate with the IB unit "The processes and purposes for writing have changed and developed over time". The students collected cattail fluff from the wetland area of the school. The fluff was then boiled with sodium carbonate for four hours. Then the students rinsed and drained the cattail until a litmus paper indicated that the soda was totally removed. Next they "pulled" paper using a mold and deckle. Then the sheets of paper were pressed between layers of paper towels until dry. The class made ink using steel wool, vinegar, and tea. They used feather quills to write on the finished paper, much as humans did thousands of years ago. Finally, the students made the last observations of their gourds and drilled and painted them to make useful and decorative birdhouses.
Grade 5
Grade 5 students learned about the Levels of Organization of Living Things, from cells to organisms. Next we discussed water conservation, and the students choose to research the Water Footprint of products as their Earth Week project. They were dismayed to learn that the water footprint for the production of 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of chocolate is 17,196 liters or 4,543 gallons of water!
To complement the IB unit "The structures and properties of Matter" the class began a unit of study on atoms and elements. We learned that atoms are constantly being recycled in the "Cyclic Journey of an Atom". The students looked at the physical properties of matter, such as mass, volume, and density. They learned how to use a triple beam balance to measure the mass of an object so that the density could be calculated. Each student was assigned an element to research. The culmination of the unit was the student presentation of their "Element People". In addition to such information as uses of the element and when it was discovered, the students were required to include a cover page that was illustrated as a person that reflected a characteristic of the element. The students made many imaginative connections, from the mountains of Scandinavia (Scandium) to the ubiquitous Egyptian black eyeliner ( Antimony).
To complement the IB unit "The structures and properties of Matter" the class began a unit of study on atoms and elements. We learned that atoms are constantly being recycled in the "Cyclic Journey of an Atom". The students looked at the physical properties of matter, such as mass, volume, and density. They learned how to use a triple beam balance to measure the mass of an object so that the density could be calculated. Each student was assigned an element to research. The culmination of the unit was the student presentation of their "Element People". In addition to such information as uses of the element and when it was discovered, the students were required to include a cover page that was illustrated as a person that reflected a characteristic of the element. The students made many imaginative connections, from the mountains of Scandinavia (Scandium) to the ubiquitous Egyptian black eyeliner ( Antimony).