Toddlers
The Toddler class had fun while they learned how to make bagels. They mixed the dough, shaped the bagels, and watched as they were dipped in boiling water before being baked. They experienced color mixing with Rainbow Gel, mixing the primary colors to make secondary colors. The class glued different shapes and colors of paper on cardstock to make vibrant collages. One rainy morning, we watched rain videos and songs on the Smart Board and made rainy day paintings, using a gooey mixture of school glue and shaving cream. For Earth Week, the students planted flowers in the Pollinator Garden to provide a habitat for bees and butterflies. When the frog pond was in danger of drying up, the class demonstrated their empathy for nature by dragging hoses to the pond to refill it. They also helped to care for the classroom toads by eagerly digging under decomposing logs in the woods to find insects for the hungry amphibians.
They were excited to learn about the roots, trunk, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees when they used various food products to assemble Edible Trees (a BIG hit!) The toddlers had fun mixing up a big batch of fake mud, using coffee grounds, sand, flour, and salt. The year ended with a final walk to the garden and frog pond.
They were excited to learn about the roots, trunk, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees when they used various food products to assemble Edible Trees (a BIG hit!) The toddlers had fun mixing up a big batch of fake mud, using coffee grounds, sand, flour, and salt. The year ended with a final walk to the garden and frog pond.
Preschool
To connect with the classroom inquiry into the rainforest, the preschool students learned about the life cycle of poison dart frogs. They each made a paper bromeliad that showed how the cup of the plant collects rainwater that can serve as a pool for developing tadpoles. The class also enjoyed sampling various foods from the rainforest, such as pineapple, chocolate, and bananas.
In conjunction with their inquiry into communities, students viewed videos of ants and learned about their communities. They learned about the body parts of insects and made drawings of insects. Egg cartons were used for sorting a mixture of bird seed. Then the students planted the corn and sunflower seeds they had separated out. After the seeds sprouted, the class planted them outside along the playground fence. When the classroom toads were in dire need of food, the preschool class used their insect locating talents (and trowels) to find a supply of worms and beetles for the ravenous amphibians.
The students learned about the roots, trunk, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees and were excited to use various food products, such as pretzels, broccoli, and popcorn to assemble (and consume) Edible Trees. They demonstrated teamwork as they carried a bag of shredded paper to the garden where they gleefully spread the paper to suppress weed growth. The favorite class of the trimester was undoubtedly a visit to the pond to net for frogs. The students squealed with excitement as each fat, slippery frog was removed from the net and placed in a tub of water for them to touch and observe.
In conjunction with their inquiry into communities, students viewed videos of ants and learned about their communities. They learned about the body parts of insects and made drawings of insects. Egg cartons were used for sorting a mixture of bird seed. Then the students planted the corn and sunflower seeds they had separated out. After the seeds sprouted, the class planted them outside along the playground fence. When the classroom toads were in dire need of food, the preschool class used their insect locating talents (and trowels) to find a supply of worms and beetles for the ravenous amphibians.
The students learned about the roots, trunk, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees and were excited to use various food products, such as pretzels, broccoli, and popcorn to assemble (and consume) Edible Trees. They demonstrated teamwork as they carried a bag of shredded paper to the garden where they gleefully spread the paper to suppress weed growth. The favorite class of the trimester was undoubtedly a visit to the pond to net for frogs. The students squealed with excitement as each fat, slippery frog was removed from the net and placed in a tub of water for them to touch and observe.
Kindergarten/Grade 1
To connect with the classroom unit of inquiry, ”People write for different purposes,” the students first listened to Native American tales. They learned how Native Americans used pictographs to record a story. A pictograph is a symbol representing a concept, object, activity, place, or event and pictography is a form of writing in which ideas are told through drawing. Then they used pictographs to tell a story. They wrote their story on a kraft paper “buffalo hide” and attached an English translation of their story.
As the weather warmed, the class prepared the garden for planting by removing the withered plants from last year and the new spring weeds. The students sorted and counted a mixture of seeds and then made a bar graph showing the quantity of each seed. They learned how seeds sprout and grow and dissected a bean seed to examine the interior parts. Indoors, they planted basil, fennel, and parsley, the favorite foods of some butterfly caterpillars. Outdoors, the K/1 class planted over 100 potatoes! They also planted squash and popcorn.
Next, LTL connected with the classroom central idea, “How humans use and discard materials impacts the natural environment.” We started this unit learning about worms, specifically red wigglers. The students learned about their habitat and diet preferences. They sorted some of the worms from the LTL worm bin to start a bin of their own. They set up the worm bin and collected food scraps from lunch to feed them daily.
After learning about how different materials can be recycled and reused, students sorted a pile of discarded materials, placing them in the correct bin for composting, recycling, reuse, or landfill. The students wanted to know about landfills, so we used the Smart Board to see what a landfill is. We watched videos about single stream recycling. The class connected with “Just Toss it Baby,” a video parody about recycling. The students learned the song and incorporated it into their All School Gathering presentation on their final unit of inquiry.
Grade 2/Grade 3
During the last trimester, LTL connected with the classroom central Idea, “Simple machines affect the way people work.” The Grade 2/3 class watched videos of simple machines at work and used the Smart Board to explore interactive sites about simple machines. Using Discovery Kits, they built pulleys, levers, and wheel and axles. The students worked in pairs to construct many different types of catapults. A competition was held to determine the distance and height of the mini marshmallow projectiles for each catapult. Finally, each student constructed their own simple machine in their classroom and during LTL time.
To connect with the classroom central idea, “All living things contribute to the health of the ecosystem in which they live,” the students first learned the meaning of biodiversity by watching videos about biodiversity in different biomes around the world. Next they learned about symbiosis and completed an activity of pairing up symbiotic relationships. The class used cards to make three different habitat webs, each including the biotic and abiotic components of the system. They explored the ecosystems of PJS and were surprised to see the diversity of the plants and animals that call the school grounds their home. Finally, the students planted popcorn and Anasazi beans in the school garden, which they will harvest when they return in September.
To connect with the classroom central idea, “All living things contribute to the health of the ecosystem in which they live,” the students first learned the meaning of biodiversity by watching videos about biodiversity in different biomes around the world. Next they learned about symbiosis and completed an activity of pairing up symbiotic relationships. The class used cards to make three different habitat webs, each including the biotic and abiotic components of the system. They explored the ecosystems of PJS and were surprised to see the diversity of the plants and animals that call the school grounds their home. Finally, the students planted popcorn and Anasazi beans in the school garden, which they will harvest when they return in September.
Grade 4
Grade 4 completed a comprehensive unit on the ocean during the final trimester. The students watched video segments from “The Blue Planet” to pique their interest in the topic. They learned about plate tectonics and how the earth’s crust is broken up into plates that are constantly on the move, creating new landforms and causing earthquakes and volcanoes. The students learned about the zones of the ocean water and the features of the ocean floor. They used sonar readings to plot points on a 3’x 8’ graph, creating a profile of the Atlantic Ocean at 38° N Latitude, from Cape May, NJ to Cape Roca, Portugal. For their summative assessment each student researched an ocean animal and presented their findings in a report accompanied by a visual aid. The theme of this year’s Ocean Animal project was “ strange and unusual”, with names like Tasseled Wobegong and Sarcastic Fringehead. The students seemed to enjoy learning about their animals and were attentive during their classmates’ presentations, asking pertinent questions that often led to further research.
To reinforce the knowledge acquired during their earlier unit of inquiry central idea, “Through experimentation new understandings are developed,” the students completed an activity that involved testing the chemical and physical properties of five powders. Then they used the results of the tests to determine the identity of an unknown powder. This activity was an exercise in following directions, as well as a review of the scientific method.
Finally, LTL connected briefly to the classroom central idea, “Creativity is a means of self expression,” and fourth graders observed the many life forms around the PJS campus. They recorded their observations as contour drawings and blind contour drawings. Then the students added color to their drawings with alcohol ink, which imparted a stained glass appearance to their creations.
To reinforce the knowledge acquired during their earlier unit of inquiry central idea, “Through experimentation new understandings are developed,” the students completed an activity that involved testing the chemical and physical properties of five powders. Then they used the results of the tests to determine the identity of an unknown powder. This activity was an exercise in following directions, as well as a review of the scientific method.
Finally, LTL connected briefly to the classroom central idea, “Creativity is a means of self expression,” and fourth graders observed the many life forms around the PJS campus. They recorded their observations as contour drawings and blind contour drawings. Then the students added color to their drawings with alcohol ink, which imparted a stained glass appearance to their creations.
Grade 5
During the third trimester Grade 5 students completed their unit investigating electricity. They conducted a lab that involved the construction of solenoids and electromagnets and they completed detailed lab reports.
Next the students connected with the classroom central idea, “The choices we make as consumers have local and global consequences.” Students watched “The Story of Stuff,” a video about how we make, use, and throw away products. They sorted a pile of discarded materials into the appropriate bins: Recycle, Reuse., Compost, or Landfill. They added a fifth option of “Repair” when presented with an iron. “The Story of Bottled Water” inspired them to conduct a water taste test. Grade 5 students set up a tasting center and collected and compiled the results, testing filtered, tap, and bottled water and completed a comprehensive lab report.
The class also watched “The Story of Electronics,” a video about e waste. They learned about Single Stream Recycling and how it has made recycling easier for the consumer and better for the environment because it keeps more trash from ending its useful life in a landfill.
Grade 5 students planted "their" tree in the upper field near the playground. It is a tradition for the fifth grade to donate a tree to the school. This year's tree is an American beech, Fagus grandifolia. It will grow 80-100 feet tall and 40-60 feet wide to provide cooling shade to that area of the school grounds.
Finally, the students began work on their PYP Exhibition under the theme, Sharing the Planet. They each chose a real-life issue or topic, conducted in depth research during LTL class time, and presented their project in an exhibition before their mentors, teachers, schoolmates and parents. The confidence and maturity they demonstrated during this entire process showed how much they have grown as inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring communicators.