Indoor Shore with K

On Fridays,  half of the K classes go to a Brooklyn Salt Marsh.  But that doesn't mean the other two K classes don't get to experience the shore.  Why? The shore is brought into their rooms. In Maryann's class last "Indoor Shore" Friday the theme was fish anatomy.

A tracing paper overlaid on a picture of a fish skeleton allowed students to  "flesh" out their own fish.

Caught to be food for people's bodies, these fish are "food" for student brains.

Respectfully handling once living fish. to learn about gills, scales, and fins.

These students are looking at living fish.

Making gyotaku-like prints with fish molds.  Look for the prints in the Kindergarten classrooms and corridors.

Cut out and stuffed with paper, then stapled.

A shout out to Fifth Grade community service volunteers...who arrived to support the adults.  We love community service.  And to Sophie Fels Brennan for running an activity and sending these great photos.

Forest School Fairy Houses

Is the forest filled with fairy spirits? Are those mysterious nooks and crannies among the roots and tree branches homes to magical creatures?

Last winter, Amy and Jacqueline read a very special book about fairy houses to their Pre-K classes. The children were immediately intrigued... could they build fairy homes at Forest School?  If they did, would the fairies move in? After some debate about whether fairies are "real" or not, the children decided to try.

At Forest School, the children saw a curious thing, were these the remains of a fairy house?

The children got to work...

Things took shape...

Fairy houses were sprouting everywhere!

Back at school, the work continued during  recess...

And in the classroom, too!

Nature's beauty is everywhere!

Shore Explore, More!

April Fools Day made a fool out of the weather forecasters, much to the joy of Sarah's and Kori's Kindergarteners.  A little intermittent drizzle, but no thunderstorms meant Shore School was held.  Here are some images.

Why did some mussels float, some flink, and some sink?

Something dug a hole and K kids worked hard on making it deeper.

" In time of silver rain ..."*

Daffodils bloom in tree pits all around 610 Henry Street, thanks to fourth graders.

 In time of silver rain by Langston Hughes

Saving Trees one Piece of Paper at a Time

Green Time with first graders over the last week or so, was a time to make decorative paper out of toilet paper.  Why?  To help them get the message that we can recycle, reuse, and repurpose paper in order to save trees.

Students could choose to add seeds or flower parts.  Some will use their paper as greeting cards. Some will plant them. 

See the sprouts already starting!