Like all district fourth-graders, Emma Grunenberg’s IS fourth-graders are practicing identifying character traits with evidence during ELA lessons.
As part of this, she tasked her students to work with their partners to talk about a time someone had been kind and/or helpful to them. After sharing, students identified that "character’s" trait using evidence from their own experience to support the claim.
Why is Identifying character traits with evidence important? This skill improves reading comprehension by helping students understand character motivations, predict plot developments, and grasp a text's deeper meaning and themes. This skill also develops crucial analytical thinking, allows students to make strong inferences from the text, and provides a foundation for more complex literary analysis in higher grades by preparing them to understand and create their own complex characters.
As part of this, she tasked her students to work with their partners to talk about a time someone had been kind and/or helpful to them. After sharing, students identified that "character’s" trait using evidence from their own experience to support the claim.
Why is Identifying character traits with evidence important? This skill improves reading comprehension by helping students understand character motivations, predict plot developments, and grasp a text's deeper meaning and themes. This skill also develops crucial analytical thinking, allows students to make strong inferences from the text, and provides a foundation for more complex literary analysis in higher grades by preparing them to understand and create their own complex characters.
WE'RE GOING PINK! Join us !
District first-graders, like Lindsay Kane’s Otisville first-graders, are learning about fables in their ELA Amplify Knowledge unit. Part of their work is learning new vocabulary words and understanding the definitions of each. Students recently listened to the Aesop fable “The Fox and the Grapes” with the new vocabulary words presented to them, which helped them with their listening comprehension.
The moral of "The Fox and the Grapes" is that it's easy to dislike or say negative things about something you cannot have, because the fox, after failing to reach the grapes, decided the grapes were probably sour anyway. For a first-grader, this means you shouldn't pretend you don't want something just because you can't get it.
The moral of "The Fox and the Grapes" is that it's easy to dislike or say negative things about something you cannot have, because the fox, after failing to reach the grapes, decided the grapes were probably sour anyway. For a first-grader, this means you shouldn't pretend you don't want something just because you can't get it.
Ross Potter’s IS third-grade physical education students had a blast recently playing "Hula-Hut Relay” during class! The game’s objective is to be the first team to build a hula-hut.
As the game continues, each round gets more challenging. The game’s focus includes teamwork, taking turns, communication, and leadership. In order to be successful teams must be able to work out a plan and stick with it. The groups who work well together are usually the teams that have the most success.
It’s a great game (which also involves running) to play in the opening weeks of school because it gets students to come out of their shell and feel good about accomplishing a common goal! And as an added bonus, because they have to build a hula-hut, there’s STEM components of physics and engineering!
As the game continues, each round gets more challenging. The game’s focus includes teamwork, taking turns, communication, and leadership. In order to be successful teams must be able to work out a plan and stick with it. The groups who work well together are usually the teams that have the most success.
It’s a great game (which also involves running) to play in the opening weeks of school because it gets students to come out of their shell and feel good about accomplishing a common goal! And as an added bonus, because they have to build a hula-hut, there’s STEM components of physics and engineering!
Jennifer Zaro’s seventh-grade science students completed a recent “Color Changing Volume” lab where students were tasked with following a series of instructions to make precise volumetric measurements with graduated cylinders or various sizes. This is part of their work practicing measuring length, mass and volume.
The lab tasked them with following a long list of instructions requiring them to place the measured liquid into the proper test tube. When the measurements leading to chemical reactions to create color changes are done correctly, the result was that students created rainbows via their test tubes of color!
What a colorful chemistry lab! Their complete rainbows in test tube racks provided immediate feedback on their accuracy while teaching the importance of following a multi-step procedure carefully and handling lab equipment properly
The lab tasked them with following a long list of instructions requiring them to place the measured liquid into the proper test tube. When the measurements leading to chemical reactions to create color changes are done correctly, the result was that students created rainbows via their test tubes of color!
What a colorful chemistry lab! Their complete rainbows in test tube racks provided immediate feedback on their accuracy while teaching the importance of following a multi-step procedure carefully and handling lab equipment properly
How better to learn about density than with KitKat candy bars?
Kristine Ostensen's middle school science class students used these chocolate bars in a recent density lab tasking them to measure and compare density!
Density is the ratio of an object's mass to its volume. Students used triple beam balances and graduated cylinders to help them find the mass and volume to be able to calculate density.
Many students were surprised to see that the KitKat bar floated when dropped into a graduated cylinder of water. This correlates to its density. KitKat bars have a density of 0.9g/mL which is less than water's density (1.0g/mL) allowing it to float.
What a fun, cumulative lab allowing students to showcase what they’ve learned/reviewed so far this year which ended with everyone enjoying a sweet treat!
•A triple beam balance is used to accurately measure the mass of an object by balancing it against known weights on three beams. It's a common tool in science classrooms and laboratories to teach about mass, and to measure chemicals, reagents, and other specimens in disciplines like chemistry and biology.
•KitKat bars are ideal for density labs because their unique wafer and chocolate combination allows for accurate measurement of mass and volume, making them suitable for calculating density. Unlike other candy bars, KitKats' consistent structure makes it easier for students to measure these properties and apply the density formula (mass divided by volume) to understand how a candy bar's internal structure affects its density.
•KitKats originated as a four-finger bar called "Chocolate Crisp" in the United Kingdom in 1935, named "KitKat" in 1937, and became a wartime staple in World War II.
•The name "KitKat" does not officially stand for anything. It originated from the name of an 18th-century London literary and political club called the Kit-Cat Club, which was named after an innkeeper named Christopher Catling, or "Kit Cat."
Stephanie Giufre’s Otisville Grades 2-5 students recently launched the school year with cooperative games! They were tasked with building “King Kong Skyscrapers,” where they worked together to build a free-standing structure. This was a great example of physical fitness fun, teamwork and cooperation combined the STEM components of physics and engineering!
Students talked about working together, how it feels when one’s idea is used (or not); if those ideas will actually work; how to be a good team player and offer constructive comments to assist in the project’s completion, and more!
And because they’re in their physical education class, students had to “run” their “skyscraper parts” to a matching hula hoop, using all their materials to build their skyscraper tower as tall as the group’s tallest person. The last part of the task was placing the toy gorilla as the last item on the top of their towers. Then…they have to “run” those parts to the opposite side of the gym and repeat!
Students talked about working together, how it feels when one’s idea is used (or not); if those ideas will actually work; how to be a good team player and offer constructive comments to assist in the project’s completion, and more!
And because they’re in their physical education class, students had to “run” their “skyscraper parts” to a matching hula hoop, using all their materials to build their skyscraper tower as tall as the group’s tallest person. The last part of the task was placing the toy gorilla as the last item on the top of their towers. Then…they have to “run” those parts to the opposite side of the gym and repeat!
Like other district faculty, Middle School teachers Lauren Pullen and Ashley Beairtso regularly make time to incorporate social emotional learning (SEL) into class time.
Their topics differ but are ones which are helpful for students. They frequently use resources focusing on personal and professional growth, encouraging students to approach each day as a new one, while learning from past decisions and bettering ourselves.
This recent conversation focused on acknowledging what may make someone uncomfortable or anxious, reminding students can come to them and let them know what may be bothering them so they can help them through it. Students were reminded learning how to handle things well minimizes frustrations and helps to keep them mentally healthy. Conversations like this, they stress to students, help them to become better problem-solvers who are more empathetic and reflective.
Their topics differ but are ones which are helpful for students. They frequently use resources focusing on personal and professional growth, encouraging students to approach each day as a new one, while learning from past decisions and bettering ourselves.
This recent conversation focused on acknowledging what may make someone uncomfortable or anxious, reminding students can come to them and let them know what may be bothering them so they can help them through it. Students were reminded learning how to handle things well minimizes frustrations and helps to keep them mentally healthy. Conversations like this, they stress to students, help them to become better problem-solvers who are more empathetic and reflective.
HOMECOMING 2025!
What a great night!! Not only does the Varsity football team remain undefeated, the high school's incredible Homecoming gathering this past Friday evening included a banner parade, the crowning of Kathryn Jones and Rogan Lynch as Homecoming Queen and King, fabulous musical entertainment by the mighty Minisink Valley Marching Band and the unbelievable support of the crowd, led by our cheer squad! WERE YOU THERE? Take a look at a sampling of the evening! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
•High school homecoming originated from college traditions, with many universities claiming to have hosted the first event, though the University of Missouri is credited with holding the first official homecoming in 1911 to boost school spirit and unite alumni with current students and celebrate the university’s existence. The concept quickly spread to other colleges and then to high schools across the nation, evolving to include events such as parades, pep rallies, bonfires, and dances centered around a football game.
•The high school homecoming king and queen tradition began in the 1930s as an adaptation of college homecoming celebrations. The focus eventually shifted to selecting a queen and king based on personality and character in later decades. The first queens were crowned much earlier in college history, but the king and queen as a pair was a later development in the high school setting, reflecting the tradition's evolution from a general school spirit event to a more formal, celebrated court.
What a great night!! Not only does the Varsity football team remain undefeated, the high school's incredible Homecoming gathering this past Friday evening included a banner parade, the crowning of Kathryn Jones and Rogan Lynch as Homecoming Queen and King, fabulous musical entertainment by the mighty Minisink Valley Marching Band and the unbelievable support of the crowd, led by our cheer squad! WERE YOU THERE? Take a look at a sampling of the evening! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
•High school homecoming originated from college traditions, with many universities claiming to have hosted the first event, though the University of Missouri is credited with holding the first official homecoming in 1911 to boost school spirit and unite alumni with current students and celebrate the university’s existence. The concept quickly spread to other colleges and then to high schools across the nation, evolving to include events such as parades, pep rallies, bonfires, and dances centered around a football game.
•The high school homecoming king and queen tradition began in the 1930s as an adaptation of college homecoming celebrations. The focus eventually shifted to selecting a queen and king based on personality and character in later decades. The first queens were crowned much earlier in college history, but the king and queen as a pair was a later development in the high school setting, reflecting the tradition's evolution from a general school spirit event to a more formal, celebrated court.
Tiffany Guareno’s and Bridget Kelly’s ES kindergarteners recently heard the read aloud “Chrysanthemum” book by Kevin Henkes! This read aloud book is about a mouse named Chrysanthemum, who loves her long, unique name until she starts kindergarten and her classmates tease her for it, causing her to feel insecure and sad.
The story explores themes of self-esteem, the hurt caused by teasing and bullying, and the importance of celebrating individuality. Chrysanthemum’s pride is eventually restored when her kind music teacher, Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle, announces her own new baby will be named Chrysanthemum! It was a great opportunity for students to talk about the uniqueness of their names!
As a follow-up project, students used shredded colored paper to spell out their names in a bright and cheery way. And, it was another opportunity for them to practice important fine motor skills!
The story explores themes of self-esteem, the hurt caused by teasing and bullying, and the importance of celebrating individuality. Chrysanthemum’s pride is eventually restored when her kind music teacher, Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle, announces her own new baby will be named Chrysanthemum! It was a great opportunity for students to talk about the uniqueness of their names!
As a follow-up project, students used shredded colored paper to spell out their names in a bright and cheery way. And, it was another opportunity for them to practice important fine motor skills!
Kudos to members of the High School's Youth Against Cancer (YAC) Club), which delivered 100 cards were made members this past Friday to pediatric patients in Garnet Medical Center's oncology unit. As a treat, students attached lollipops to each card! YAC President Heather Day, who is also a Board of Education student representative, presented the cards to Garnet's Director of Infusion Stephanie Bonanno, R.N.
TWO OTHER REMINDERS: Please consider being part of the YAC's book and toy donation for Garnet's pediatric patients through Oct. 11. Boxes are in all five buildings the the district's Transportation Center. And, tomorrow is the district's GOING GOLD DAY! Make sure your yellow/gold attire is ready for tomorrow!
Our district kindergarteners are doing so many “big kid” things during these opening weeks of school, and that now includes checking out books from their schools’ libraries! Take a peek at Mia McLean’s ES kindergarten library students, who, like all kindergarteners, are learning the checkout process. They’re really good at it, too!
Kindergarten library class is important because it builds crucial early literacy skills by promoting a love of reading, expanding vocabulary, and developing language arts concepts in a fun and engaging way, supporting what’s going on in the classroom setting. It also teaches fundamental library and social skills, such as how to handle books, use library resources, and interact positively with peers in a community setting.
Kindergarten library class is important because it builds crucial early literacy skills by promoting a love of reading, expanding vocabulary, and developing language arts concepts in a fun and engaging way, supporting what’s going on in the classroom setting. It also teaches fundamental library and social skills, such as how to handle books, use library resources, and interact positively with peers in a community setting.
Like all sixth-graders, Lauren Pullen’s ELA sixth-graders are learning about the writing process!
This is a series of steps that helps students go from a blank page to a final piece of writing, involving prewriting (brainstorming ideas), drafting (writing a first version), revising (improving content and organization), editing (correcting errors in grammar and mechanics), and publishing (sharing the final work). This structured approach helps students focus on different aspects of writing and produce quality work by breaking the task into manageable parts.
Learning writing skills is important in sixth grade because it solidifies foundational skills, drives deeper learning in all subjects, and prepares students for the academic and professional demands of their future.
This is a series of steps that helps students go from a blank page to a final piece of writing, involving prewriting (brainstorming ideas), drafting (writing a first version), revising (improving content and organization), editing (correcting errors in grammar and mechanics), and publishing (sharing the final work). This structured approach helps students focus on different aspects of writing and produce quality work by breaking the task into manageable parts.
Learning writing skills is important in sixth grade because it solidifies foundational skills, drives deeper learning in all subjects, and prepares students for the academic and professional demands of their future.
WHAT A GREAT IDEA!
Victoria Ingrassia's eighth-grade FACS students have been running a "Fill Your Mug Fridays" coffee/tea cart! On Friday mornings, selected students in her class don specially designed aprons and take turns traveling the building offering complimentary coffee/tea for faculty and staff as a way of thanking them for all they do.
As a scrumptious bonus, their cart includes a delicious treat they made during class this past week. Today's offering was a delectable, homemade coffee cake for anyone who wanted a companion treat to their coffee/tea (And, just about everyone did!) Take a peek at their travels this morning!
This experience gives them an opportunity to further refine skills such as customer service, inventory management and food preparation as well as teamwork, communication, responsibility, confidence, and self-esteem through their interactions with faculty and staff.
Nichole Gaucher’s eighth-grade Living Environment students have been learning about microscopes as they ease into their lab work. For some, it was the first time using this instrument!
Students learned about the history of microscopes, the different types, why they’re used as well as the parts of a compound light microscope,
Their first lab was exploring different specimens such as cricket legs, plant cells, ticks, fruit flies and animal cells. During this lab, students also learned that through the microscopes the image is inverted, so if they wish to move an image to the left, they actually have to move the slide to the right.
Students learned about the history of microscopes, the different types, why they’re used as well as the parts of a compound light microscope,
Their first lab was exploring different specimens such as cricket legs, plant cells, ticks, fruit flies and animal cells. During this lab, students also learned that through the microscopes the image is inverted, so if they wish to move an image to the left, they actually have to move the slide to the right.
Cayla Tangney’s High School “Sculpture” students have been working on creating miniature "dream" bedrooms that go along with a form of sculpture known as an “Assemblage.”
They’re using “found” materials such as scrapbook paper, fabric samples, pieces of wood, yarn, beads, and more, to create them. The project’s goal is to literally think “outside the box” to problem solve how they can create new objects from those that already exist.
The best part is that their projects are all completely unique to each student’s identity, style, interests, and what makes them feel "at home."
To start off the project, they were tasked with creating mood boards with a color palette and inspiration found online that would help them piece together their final vision. Take a peek at their work, it’s so creative!
•Assemblage art is a three-dimensional form of sculpture that combines found objects and disparate, non-traditional materials to create a new work of art. Similar to two-dimensional collage, assemblage adds layers and dimensions by using every day or discarded items, which artists arrange to form a new meaning or narrative, challenging conventional ideas about art.
•"Found materials," in an artistic or educational context, refers to objects that are not originally intended for art or learning but are repurposed and incorporated into new works or activities. These can include natural items like leaves and rocks, discarded household objects like bottles and corks, or manufactured materials like fabric scraps and wood pieces. The concept emphasizes recycling, environmental awareness, and creative problem-solving by finding new possibilities in everyday items.
They’re using “found” materials such as scrapbook paper, fabric samples, pieces of wood, yarn, beads, and more, to create them. The project’s goal is to literally think “outside the box” to problem solve how they can create new objects from those that already exist.
The best part is that their projects are all completely unique to each student’s identity, style, interests, and what makes them feel "at home."
To start off the project, they were tasked with creating mood boards with a color palette and inspiration found online that would help them piece together their final vision. Take a peek at their work, it’s so creative!
•Assemblage art is a three-dimensional form of sculpture that combines found objects and disparate, non-traditional materials to create a new work of art. Similar to two-dimensional collage, assemblage adds layers and dimensions by using every day or discarded items, which artists arrange to form a new meaning or narrative, challenging conventional ideas about art.
•"Found materials," in an artistic or educational context, refers to objects that are not originally intended for art or learning but are repurposed and incorporated into new works or activities. These can include natural items like leaves and rocks, discarded household objects like bottles and corks, or manufactured materials like fabric scraps and wood pieces. The concept emphasizes recycling, environmental awareness, and creative problem-solving by finding new possibilities in everyday items.
Rich Budd’s sixth-grade technology students are learning to use Tinkercad to design 3D models that they will soon be printing on the 3D printers.
This is their first school exposure to 3D modeling/printing. Students are in the beginning stages of learning the process to design 3D models and will eventually learn how to run a 3D printer to print their creations.
Tinkercad is a free, web-based software suite by Autodesk that serves as a beginner-friendly introduction to 3D design, electronics, and coding. It allows users to create models by combining and cutting basic shapes for 3D printing, design and simulate simple electronic circuits, and write block-based code to bring designs to life. It’s widely used in educational settings due to its ease of use and focus on hands-on STEM learning.
This is their first school exposure to 3D modeling/printing. Students are in the beginning stages of learning the process to design 3D models and will eventually learn how to run a 3D printer to print their creations.
Tinkercad is a free, web-based software suite by Autodesk that serves as a beginner-friendly introduction to 3D design, electronics, and coding. It allows users to create models by combining and cutting basic shapes for 3D printing, design and simulate simple electronic circuits, and write block-based code to bring designs to life. It’s widely used in educational settings due to its ease of use and focus on hands-on STEM learning.
Third-graders, like Shari Cannone’s IS third-graders, are reviewing “skip counting” as part of their math work. It’s an important skill! In this instance, they were practicing skip counting by 3s, but two of her students even offered to demonstrate how skip counting by 2s and 6s results in the same answer! (That's innovative thinking on their part!)
In third grade, skip counting is the skill of counting by intervals larger than one, such as 2, 3, 5, or 10, to count items or recognize patterns. This skill builds number sense and helpings students understand groups of equal size and how multiplication is essentially repeated addition.
Skip counting is important because it builds a foundation for learning multiplication, division, and other complex math concepts by developing number sense, pattern recognition, and fluency with numbers. It serves as a tool for quick calculation, understanding mathematical patterns, and solving problems more efficiently, and is a crucial math skill in higher grade levels and real-world applications like counting money.
In third grade, skip counting is the skill of counting by intervals larger than one, such as 2, 3, 5, or 10, to count items or recognize patterns. This skill builds number sense and helpings students understand groups of equal size and how multiplication is essentially repeated addition.
Skip counting is important because it builds a foundation for learning multiplication, division, and other complex math concepts by developing number sense, pattern recognition, and fluency with numbers. It serves as a tool for quick calculation, understanding mathematical patterns, and solving problems more efficiently, and is a crucial math skill in higher grade levels and real-world applications like counting money.
HOLA A TODOS!
Lucia Schrag’s High School Spanish 2 students are combining infinitive verb work with vocabulary words tied to those verbs! Take a peek!
So, for example, the infinitive “trabajar” can connect with “mercado” or “escuela.” Trabajar means “to work.” Where can you work? In a market or school. Sra. Schrag is making them think and make correlations!
Lucia Schrag’s High School Spanish 2 students are combining infinitive verb work with vocabulary words tied to those verbs! Take a peek!
So, for example, the infinitive “trabajar” can connect with “mercado” or “escuela.” Trabajar means “to work.” Where can you work? In a market or school. Sra. Schrag is making them think and make correlations!
CAN YOU HELP?
As part of their efforts to increase awareness this month (which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month) about pediatric cancer treatments and research and to support families dealing with pediatric cancers, the High School’s Youth Against Cancer Club (which is leading the district’s Going Gold Day on Sept. 30) is undertaking a drive to collect coloring books, crayons, books and stuffed toys for pediatric patients at Garnet Medical Center now through Oct. 11.
Collection boxes have been placed in all five buildings and the district’s Transportation Center. If you’re interested in being a part of this effort and joining the students and faculty/staff who are taking part, please email Club Advisor Erin Natalizio at enatalizio@minisink.com.
As part of their efforts to increase awareness this month (which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month) about pediatric cancer treatments and research and to support families dealing with pediatric cancers, the High School’s Youth Against Cancer Club (which is leading the district’s Going Gold Day on Sept. 30) is undertaking a drive to collect coloring books, crayons, books and stuffed toys for pediatric patients at Garnet Medical Center now through Oct. 11.
Collection boxes have been placed in all five buildings and the district’s Transportation Center. If you’re interested in being a part of this effort and joining the students and faculty/staff who are taking part, please email Club Advisor Erin Natalizio at enatalizio@minisink.com.
