Biomes
Students have been learning about biomes. A biome is a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar communities. This month, students will be researching and presenting on different biomes that exist. They are required to include information regarding the climate, the wildlife, the plants, and the geographic location. They are excited about being able to use their creativity but also nervous about presenting. I’m also excited to see what they will come up with. Their posters are usually very colorful and show their individual personalities.
Rocks
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Students have been looking at different rocks and minerals. Students have been assigned a research project to learn about what happened to the miners in Chili. This has helped to make the subject of rocks and minerals relevant to them. In addition, it has provided a deeper understanding of the role of geologists in our world.
Our Heritage
We just had our international week. We learned about each others heritage and tasted food we had never tasted before. This was a fun time for all of us. Kindergarten has been an adventure for all of us, and I know that this journey will be full of fun and excitement.
Cultural Explosion!
We enjoyed a week of cultural exposure. We saw different costumes and traditional dress, tasted exotic foods from far away lands and learned about traditions. We also had new students place pins in our world map located on the first floor as people enter our building. This map represents all the countries our students come from – over 73 countries!
See “Galleries” for pictures
Tall Tales
5th grade had to write a tall tale, a story stretching the truth. Someone wrote about a crying brother who cried so much that he was hired by God to cause the flood. Another student wrote about their parents’ superpowers, like x-ray vision or being able to cook in a split-second. This was a fun assignment, and we all enjoyed using our imaginations.
Do you smell onions?
Onion Plants, photosynthesis, and seeds: yes, science! 5th grade grew onion plants in a home-made greenhouse. Each group was responsible for building a greenhouse with only water bottles and toothpicks. Well, one of our groups’ onion seed grew out of its greenhouse. The students named him Alejandro, and now we have an onion plant in our classroom. The experiment taught students about life science and gravity. It showed how living things need the proper nutrients and environment to live. We also proved that the roots must grow down and the shoots must grow up no matter what position the onion was in.
S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G
This years’ ECS spelling bee was held on Friday, October 15 during middle school chapel. We had 5th through 8th grade students compete and had a great competition. The top two students from each class will be competing in our area ACSI event at Yonkers Christian Academy on Wednesday, November 17th. Our first place for 5th grade was Amber Reyes, 2nd place was Danielle Serrano, and our alternate was Jonathan Cortes. The first place for 6th grade was Joseph Day and our second place was Taesharra Hopkins. In our 7th grade our 7H homeroom first place winner was Zoe Tavarez and second place went to Ivy Johnson. We will only have one competing from 7P which is Kristyn Morales. In 8th grade our 8P homeroom first place winner was Jerry Meng and 2nd place was Roberto Barraza. In our final homeroom 8R, Caleb Flores took first and Johanna Gepte came in second. Congratulations to all those who competed. We know you will represent us well.
Hall of Science Trip
This month, 4th graders went to the New York Hall of Science. We visited installations that affected our senses visually (what our eyes see), audibly (what our ears hear), and tactile (what our skin feels). We observed insects in their natural environment, witnessed our shadows on a black-lighted wall, and took part in the Hall’s sports challenge. We ended the trip with a relay race that had both the students and the parents rooting for each other and laughing so hard they cried.
Miss Laforest
Natural Resources
We have been learning about New York’s natural resources. In correlation with the curriculum, students made a natural resource project. They created models, dioramas, and posters made only out of natural resources from their environment. Children were very creative and brought in everything, from playgrounds made of real foliage, cotton balls, sand, and rocks to prehistoric animals made out of clay and aluminum foil.
Rocks
Sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks are the make-up of the rocks of the earth. The rock cycle is a fascinating process of rock recycling. Who knew rocks could be so interesting!