Fourth Grade Community Workers: Keeping Tree Pits Healthy

All fall, 4th graders have been working on tree pits in and around 610 Henry.  Keeping storm water runoff from bringing pollution into our local waterways.  And beautifying our streets.

Cleaning up trash.

Remediating soil.

That cool tool on the left  is to loosen up the concrete-like soil.

Planting bulbs.

Thanks to the 4th grade  teams who worked so hard  to protect Brooklyn's environment.

Pre-K Forest School: Bringing the Forest Back to School

Pre-K classes are recreating their forest classroom in clay. Rachel is providing children with a large map of the Natural Play Space in Prospect Park and having them build their clay reproductions right on top of it!  Here are some of the results...

The Forest School map with photos.

Plotting out the play space.

Adding the various elements.

The work grows through collaboration.

Photos on pop sticks are stand-ins for kids.

Details add realism.

Imaginative play happens throughout the process.

Reliving a day at Forest School!

First Grade Farmers

Fall Revue...Seed to Harvest and Back Again

Fire? It's ELEMENTary here at BNS

Third graders used a fire pit to re-fire their hand made Chinese style clay plates. (First they were fired in the art room Kiln.)

Here's Steve removing the fire barrel.

At the same time, nearby, fourth graders make Native American style "burnt out"  bowls using fire.  

Back in the classroom kids will carry out last step:  smoothing bowl with rocks.

Thanks to Amy Sumner for the photos that WEREN'T blurry.

The Pipe Investigators!

Kindergarteners are investigating where the pipes in our school go. In small groups, we go exploring, looking for clues that will tell us what they are used for...

First stop: A look under the sink.

Lots of pipes under there to draw!

Some of the pipes are hot!

The radiators are hot, too!

We use flashlights to look inside. We see more pipes in there!

This one goes up to the ceiling! It's hot, too!

We know that some pipes are for water and some are hot and some are cold.  But what about all those pipes on the walls and ceilings?

There are lots of pipes everywhere!

We followed these pipes right into the school office.

They led to a clock...

 ... and over to some big grey boxes.

This one led to a little box. What does it do?

It's the intercom! Regina showed us how it works.

Back in the hallway, more radiators!

 Some even had cages around them. What for?

We followed the pipes up and up.

                                                                          We came to this door at the top. It was locked!   

It had this sign on it.

What is beyond that door?

(Another mystery to solve!)