Fall Treasure Hunt with Pre-K

Rachel leads a discussion with Pre-K students about her collection of fall treasures. Then grown-ups each led a small group of Pre-K students on a treasure hunt in the BNS neighborhood.

All Four Kindergarten Classes Visit Court Street Pet Food at 372 Court Street

Why?  Samir Omeer, the owner, raises homing pigeons in the backyard there.  Sammy generously spent two hours talking with our students, answering their questions as well as teaching them about homing pigeons.  If you pass by, thank Sammy.  Here are pictures sent by Valerie from her class's visit.

Students are writing letters to thank Sammy.

Click here to see more pictures on Kori's blog.

Hudson River Snapshot Day Rain Date Was a Hit Thanks to the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program

Elissa's and Chris's 4th graders joined hundreds of other students across the state  and checked on the health of New York Bay at Valentino Pier in Red Hook.

Click here to see posted data.

Student Conservation Association Members, Theresa Geelhoed and Erin Maguire led our students exploring the chemical and biological health of the waterways.

A Striped Bass was caught in the first seining.

Students watch seining when they first arrived.

Students took water temperatures...the water was warmer than the air when we first started...

And they tossed in flowers to judge current direction and checked on the turbidity.

Students sketched the natural and human-made surroundings.

Here they are with Erin taking a close up look at the fish.

Theresa was in charge of  testing the chemistry of the water. The pH was 7 .,.. salinity 25  to 28 ppt...dissolved oxygen 8 mg/L.

54 silver sides were caught in second seining.

Pollution is bullying to water!

Check out Kori's new blog entries

Waste Not!


and

Urban Bird Watchers

BNS Recognized as Providing a Habitat for Migrating Butterflies

Wilbur makes it to butterflyhood despite sickly appearance as caterpillar...

Wilbur still in net before being released. Wilbur hatched from one of 60 eggs, purchased from Rose Franklin, Fifth graders successfully raised  about 40 and released them as adults.

Note found in 5th grade classroom near Wilbur's net.
One more chrysalis  left.

Fourth Graders Take a Trip Back 350 Years...

If you can tune out airplanes and highway traffic, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge can transport you to another time...a time when Brooklyn had wetlands and woodlands...

Fourth graders took time to reflect and draw and use a new tool...binoculars.

Kids Construct Plants Out of Wood at...Construction Kids

Farmers use wood as a medium to show their understanding of plants.  Some of the plants turned into amazingly fantastic sculptures...with a plant like quality.

Construction Kids

Artificial Wetlands Are Better Than Nothing

Fourth graders are beginning to connect the pollution in the Gowanus with the disappearance of wetlands.  This activity has kids analyze how well different materials can stand in for wetlands by slowing down, absorbing, or filtering water.