Emelia Chrobak's ES first-graders are combining seasonality and science work!
Take a peek at the spooky skeletons, made with Q-tips! Students completed their projects while learning about the skeletal system during their Human Body unit! students labeled several bones and added a few sentences to describe what their skeletons help them do or what they would not be able to do with them!
This was a great STEM lesson which offered a hands-on and creative learning activity combining simple materials with the spooky theme of Halloween and the learning of human anatomy!
Take a peek at the spooky skeletons, made with Q-tips! Students completed their projects while learning about the skeletal system during their Human Body unit! students labeled several bones and added a few sentences to describe what their skeletons help them do or what they would not be able to do with them!
This was a great STEM lesson which offered a hands-on and creative learning activity combining simple materials with the spooky theme of Halloween and the learning of human anatomy!
Stress: Who doesn’t have to deal with it? Danielle Zamorski’s high school health classes are being introduced to the concept of stress, its effects on the body and mind, and practical strategies to manage stress in healthy ways.
The goal is to equip students with tools they can use in their daily lives to improve emotional well-being, focus, and resilience.
DID YOU KNOW that sticker painting can be a surprisingly effective way to relieve stress, thanks to a combination of mindfulness, creativity, and tactile engagement? Take a look at her students and their wonderful pieces of art created as part of their important discussions about stress management!
Here’s how it works:
1. Promotes mindfulness: Sticker painting encourages you to focus on matching numbered stickers to spaces. This slows your thoughts and brings your attention to the present moment—similar to meditation.
2. Provides a creative outlet: Creativity is a powerful way to process emotions and relax.
3. Engages the hands (tactile comfort): Physically peeling and placing stickers activates fine motor skills and gives a sense of control—especially helpful when life feels chaotic.
4. Triggers a Dopamine Boost: Every time you place a sticker correctly and watch the image build, your brain gets a small hit of dopamine—the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
Sticker painting doesn’t take a lot of effort, but there’s a low-effort, high-reward activity that helps ground your thoughts, occupy your hands, and create something beautiful—all of which can help calm your mind and relieve stress! You can find sticker painting kits in many stores, try it!
The goal is to equip students with tools they can use in their daily lives to improve emotional well-being, focus, and resilience.
DID YOU KNOW that sticker painting can be a surprisingly effective way to relieve stress, thanks to a combination of mindfulness, creativity, and tactile engagement? Take a look at her students and their wonderful pieces of art created as part of their important discussions about stress management!
Here’s how it works:
1. Promotes mindfulness: Sticker painting encourages you to focus on matching numbered stickers to spaces. This slows your thoughts and brings your attention to the present moment—similar to meditation.
2. Provides a creative outlet: Creativity is a powerful way to process emotions and relax.
3. Engages the hands (tactile comfort): Physically peeling and placing stickers activates fine motor skills and gives a sense of control—especially helpful when life feels chaotic.
4. Triggers a Dopamine Boost: Every time you place a sticker correctly and watch the image build, your brain gets a small hit of dopamine—the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
Sticker painting doesn’t take a lot of effort, but there’s a low-effort, high-reward activity that helps ground your thoughts, occupy your hands, and create something beautiful—all of which can help calm your mind and relieve stress! You can find sticker painting kits in many stores, try it!
Angela Dombal’s and Jordan Procak’s ES kindergarteners recently welcomed Amy King from Sleepy Hills Orchard for a wonderful visit about apples!
Ms. King talked to their little students about different types of apples and the life cycle and different types. After the presentation, students rotated through three stations:
Station 1: Read a Scholastic Weekly Reader that included more information about apples.
Station 2: Work on fine motor skills by completing an apple craft.
Station 3: A delicious apple taste test! Students tasted apples and graphed their favorite as part of a math lesson!
Thank you, Ms. King, for the wonderful visit and knowledge shared!
Graphing is important in kindergarten because it helps children develop foundational math skills like sorting, counting, and comparing quantities, while also fostering crucial critical thinking and problem-solving abilities through hands-on, visual representation of data. Early graphing introduces children to interpreting and organizing information, sparks curiosity, and builds a positive foundation for future academic success in math and beyond!
Ms. King talked to their little students about different types of apples and the life cycle and different types. After the presentation, students rotated through three stations:
Station 1: Read a Scholastic Weekly Reader that included more information about apples.
Station 2: Work on fine motor skills by completing an apple craft.
Station 3: A delicious apple taste test! Students tasted apples and graphed their favorite as part of a math lesson!
Thank you, Ms. King, for the wonderful visit and knowledge shared!
Graphing is important in kindergarten because it helps children develop foundational math skills like sorting, counting, and comparing quantities, while also fostering crucial critical thinking and problem-solving abilities through hands-on, visual representation of data. Early graphing introduces children to interpreting and organizing information, sparks curiosity, and builds a positive foundation for future academic success in math and beyond!
Meghan Donahue’s ES K/1 students are in the midst of working on their Orton- Gillingham curriculum, which teaches phonics through multisensory instruction! Students are using their whole bodies to learn letters and sounds. Take a peek at their recent work, where they practiced different letters in their sand trays, allowing them to see, feel, hear and say each letter and sound.
A sand tray is a tool for tactile, multisensory learning, typically used for practicing letter formation and handwriting, as well as for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Students use their fingers to trace letters, numbers, and words in the fine-grain sand within the tray, which helps them retain information through kinesthetic and visual pathways. The dark-colored bottom of the tray makes the sand letters stand out, providing a more interactive and less messy way to practice writing than traditional pencil and paper.
Orton-Gillingham refers to a teaching approach named after Dr. Samuel Orton, a neuropsychiatrist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist. Developed in the 1930s, it's a multisensory, structured literacy method for teaching reading, spelling, and writing which breaks down language into smaller components and uses auditory, visual, and kinesthetic (tactile, movement) channels to reinforce learning.
A sand tray is a tool for tactile, multisensory learning, typically used for practicing letter formation and handwriting, as well as for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Students use their fingers to trace letters, numbers, and words in the fine-grain sand within the tray, which helps them retain information through kinesthetic and visual pathways. The dark-colored bottom of the tray makes the sand letters stand out, providing a more interactive and less messy way to practice writing than traditional pencil and paper.
Orton-Gillingham refers to a teaching approach named after Dr. Samuel Orton, a neuropsychiatrist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist. Developed in the 1930s, it's a multisensory, structured literacy method for teaching reading, spelling, and writing which breaks down language into smaller components and uses auditory, visual, and kinesthetic (tactile, movement) channels to reinforce learning.
BOO! Otisville and Elementary School families:
Two weeks from today! The annual Halloween parades at Otisville Elementary and the Elementary School, each led by divisions of the Mighty Minisink Valley Marching Band!
CALL FOR PHOTOS! See details:
Two weeks from today! The annual Halloween parades at Otisville Elementary and the Elementary School, each led by divisions of the Mighty Minisink Valley Marching Band!
CALL FOR PHOTOS! See details:
SO COOL! Heather Iannucci of the Two by Two Animal Haven in Pleasant Valley visited Elementary School first-graders yesterday, Oct. 15, with her special animal friends to talk to students about endangered species, their habitat and the importance of being kind and respectful to animals.
Ms. Iannucci also talked about why some animals don’t make good pets while showing them a toad, parrot, tortoise, bearded dragon, chinchilla, ball python and kangaroo!
This traveling animal program educates the public and school children about animals, their welfare and conservation, while fostering kindness and empathy for all living things. Thank you to the Elementary School PTO for sponsoring the fun and educational visit! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
Ms. Iannucci also talked about why some animals don’t make good pets while showing them a toad, parrot, tortoise, bearded dragon, chinchilla, ball python and kangaroo!
This traveling animal program educates the public and school children about animals, their welfare and conservation, while fostering kindness and empathy for all living things. Thank you to the Elementary School PTO for sponsoring the fun and educational visit! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
The Otisville Elementary and Minisink Valley Intermediate K-Kids clubs launched the new school year with a joint service project: The K-Kids Lemonade and Warm Cider Stand!
Their stand, which was recently stationed next to the concession stand at Greenville Park, was staffed by six members who volunteered for one-hour shifts to sell their special beverages. They sold $31 in beverages PLUS received $100 in donations! AMAZING!
The $131 will be split between the two clubs and used for community service projects. Their lemonade and warm cider stand also gave them a great opportunity to further refine their socialization, communication, team work, math, service and gratitude expression skills. Watch for more great community work from these two clubs! Well-done to all!
Melissa Manganello’s Otisville first-graders are really great at working with their peers as reading partners!
Check out these adorable “Mini Ms. Manganellos!” Wearing their very snazzy and en vogue “Ms. Manganello glasses,” students (um… rather, the Ms. Manganellos) knew how to connect with their reading partners by sitting elbow-to-elbow, looking at the text their partners were reading to follow along and carefully listening to what their reading partners were reading. These sweet Ms. Manganellos knew to offer hints to their reading partners if a mistake is made to support their reading efforts.
Having a reading partner is important for first- graders because it improves their reading fluency and comprehension by providing practice and modeling, while also boosting their confidence and motivation. Partner reading encourages oral language development, enhances social skills like cooperation and turn-taking, and fosters a more engaging and less anxious reading experience by providing peer support.
Check out these adorable “Mini Ms. Manganellos!” Wearing their very snazzy and en vogue “Ms. Manganello glasses,” students (um… rather, the Ms. Manganellos) knew how to connect with their reading partners by sitting elbow-to-elbow, looking at the text their partners were reading to follow along and carefully listening to what their reading partners were reading. These sweet Ms. Manganellos knew to offer hints to their reading partners if a mistake is made to support their reading efforts.
Having a reading partner is important for first- graders because it improves their reading fluency and comprehension by providing practice and modeling, while also boosting their confidence and motivation. Partner reading encourages oral language development, enhances social skills like cooperation and turn-taking, and fosters a more engaging and less anxious reading experience by providing peer support.
Candace Gale’s and Cecilia Kosowicz’s IS third-graders, like all district third-graders, are working on further perfection of their spelling, grammar and morphology (how words are formed) skills. As part of their language arts work, they’ve been reading “Rattenborough’s Guide to Animals.”
“Rattenborough's Guide to Animals” is a Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) third-grade reading and language arts unit that uses the fictional explorer named Rattenborough to teach students about animal classification, characteristics like being warm-blooded or cold-blooded, and concepts like vertebrates and invertebrates. Rattenborough, the unit’s nonfiction reader, provides factual information and reinforces vocabulary and content. Their students have been reading about the differences between herbivores, omnivores and carnivores and later completed the lesson with a craft project and word search puzzle.
“Rattenborough's Guide to Animals” is a Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) third-grade reading and language arts unit that uses the fictional explorer named Rattenborough to teach students about animal classification, characteristics like being warm-blooded or cold-blooded, and concepts like vertebrates and invertebrates. Rattenborough, the unit’s nonfiction reader, provides factual information and reinforces vocabulary and content. Their students have been reading about the differences between herbivores, omnivores and carnivores and later completed the lesson with a craft project and word search puzzle.
Intermediate School Nurse Arienne Patzelt, R.N. recently visited Jessica Gurrieri’s third-graders for an important handwashing lesson!
She demonstrated to students how germs travel with germ gel and a blue light. They were able to see how washing one’s hands the right way makes the germs go away, versus how just using water doesn’t work. This demonstration made and abstract concept like germ transmission concrete and memorable because it offered an immediate and undeniable visual consequence related to hygiene practices.
Make handwashing a habit by reminding yourself and others to wash hands at key times: Before preparing or eating food, after using the restroom, after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose, after touching animals or their waste, and after handling garbage. Use soap and water to thoroughly scrub hands for at least 20 seconds, focusing on the backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails, to prevent the spread of germs
Using germ gel and a blue light is a hands-on, visual way to demonstrate how germs spread and the importance of proper handwashing. The "germs" are simulated using a gel or powder that contains tiny, fluorescent particles that are invisible under normal light.
She demonstrated to students how germs travel with germ gel and a blue light. They were able to see how washing one’s hands the right way makes the germs go away, versus how just using water doesn’t work. This demonstration made and abstract concept like germ transmission concrete and memorable because it offered an immediate and undeniable visual consequence related to hygiene practices.
Make handwashing a habit by reminding yourself and others to wash hands at key times: Before preparing or eating food, after using the restroom, after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose, after touching animals or their waste, and after handling garbage. Use soap and water to thoroughly scrub hands for at least 20 seconds, focusing on the backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails, to prevent the spread of germs
Using germ gel and a blue light is a hands-on, visual way to demonstrate how germs spread and the importance of proper handwashing. The "germs" are simulated using a gel or powder that contains tiny, fluorescent particles that are invisible under normal light.
Anthony Pascarelli’s ES kindergarteners, like all district kindergarteners, are working on developing and perfecting their manipulative skills in physical education class. Take a peek!
Manipulative skills are practiced in physical education to achieve expertise in a particular activity. Children learn and require patience and determination to attain basic manipulation skills, as well as learning accuracy and applicable force.
In this instance, students are throwing and catching using a bean bag. And, Mr. Pascarelli is showing them some challenges, or “tricks” as he’s telling them, that they can do on their own with a bean bag. If you have one at home, ask your student to show you!
Manipulative skills are practiced in physical education to achieve expertise in a particular activity. Children learn and require patience and determination to attain basic manipulation skills, as well as learning accuracy and applicable force.
In this instance, students are throwing and catching using a bean bag. And, Mr. Pascarelli is showing them some challenges, or “tricks” as he’s telling them, that they can do on their own with a bean bag. If you have one at home, ask your student to show you!
Kindergarten music classes are always so cute!
Take a peek at Cliff Loretto’s ES kindergarteners happily involved in their recent “First Steps in Music” work. This is part of the curriculum for all district kindergarteners which focuses on “movement for form and expression.” What better way to be expressive than by listening to Anton Dvořák’s “Humoresque,” one of his most well-known works. Activities like this help children experience the expressive qualities in music through movement experiencing musical form through organized movements.
Following this, they transitioned into similar work singing the spoken chant called, “Chop Chop Chippity Chop," which teaches about steady beat through repetitive actions and a steady rhythm, often using hand motions like chopping to a beat, similar to preparing ingredients for soup! They had some interesting ingredients, too, such as carrots, broccoli and noodles!
Dvořák's "Humoresque," referring to the famous Humoresque No. 7 from his piano cycle Humoresques, Op. 101 (1894), is a highly popular, light-hearted character piece known for its catchy, whimsical melody and cheerful mood, featuring characteristics such as pentatonic melodies and syncopated rhythms. The piece was so successful that it was arranged for various instruments.
Take a peek at Cliff Loretto’s ES kindergarteners happily involved in their recent “First Steps in Music” work. This is part of the curriculum for all district kindergarteners which focuses on “movement for form and expression.” What better way to be expressive than by listening to Anton Dvořák’s “Humoresque,” one of his most well-known works. Activities like this help children experience the expressive qualities in music through movement experiencing musical form through organized movements.
Following this, they transitioned into similar work singing the spoken chant called, “Chop Chop Chippity Chop," which teaches about steady beat through repetitive actions and a steady rhythm, often using hand motions like chopping to a beat, similar to preparing ingredients for soup! They had some interesting ingredients, too, such as carrots, broccoli and noodles!
Dvořák's "Humoresque," referring to the famous Humoresque No. 7 from his piano cycle Humoresques, Op. 101 (1894), is a highly popular, light-hearted character piece known for its catchy, whimsical melody and cheerful mood, featuring characteristics such as pentatonic melodies and syncopated rhythms. The piece was so successful that it was arranged for various instruments.
¿Adivina Quién?
For the last few weeks, the Spanish 1 Jacqueline Mazariegos’ Spanish 1 students have been reviewing seventh-grade vocabulary. To put that review into practice Alycia DeVito's and Sra. Mazariegos' classes recently participated in an activity to review basic physical descriptions and informal speaking using ¿Adivina Quién? (Guess Who?) game.
Students used different pictures and boards to practice their Spanish vocabulary. It was also an informal way to introduce speaking with classmates. Speaking is one of the areas that gets evaluated at the end of year proficiency exam. Bien hecho, todos!
The ¿Adivina Quién? game is the Spanish version of the classic board game "Guess Who?", where players ask yes-or-no questions to identify a hidden opponent's character based on their physical features and accessories. Designed to help students practice Spanish vocabulary for physical characteristics, the game can also be adapted to include other themes like shapes, colors, or personality traits for language learning.
For the last few weeks, the Spanish 1 Jacqueline Mazariegos’ Spanish 1 students have been reviewing seventh-grade vocabulary. To put that review into practice Alycia DeVito's and Sra. Mazariegos' classes recently participated in an activity to review basic physical descriptions and informal speaking using ¿Adivina Quién? (Guess Who?) game.
Students used different pictures and boards to practice their Spanish vocabulary. It was also an informal way to introduce speaking with classmates. Speaking is one of the areas that gets evaluated at the end of year proficiency exam. Bien hecho, todos!
The ¿Adivina Quién? game is the Spanish version of the classic board game "Guess Who?", where players ask yes-or-no questions to identify a hidden opponent's character based on their physical features and accessories. Designed to help students practice Spanish vocabulary for physical characteristics, the game can also be adapted to include other themes like shapes, colors, or personality traits for language learning.
CONGRATULATIONS to the senior members of the Cross Country Team, who were honored on their recent senior night! Thank you for your many contributions to the teams' success!
GIRLS TEAM: Audrey Defazio Schultz, Olivia Dzierzek, Lauren Figueroa, Merlot Hindley, Kathryn Jones and Concettina Siena!
BOYS TEAM: Caleb Decker, Nolan Mann, Luciano Palacios, Carter Rossi, Gabriel Simpson and Owen Skinner!
GIRLS TEAM: Audrey Defazio Schultz, Olivia Dzierzek, Lauren Figueroa, Merlot Hindley, Kathryn Jones and Concettina Siena!
BOYS TEAM: Caleb Decker, Nolan Mann, Luciano Palacios, Carter Rossi, Gabriel Simpson and Owen Skinner!
REHEARSALS ARE GOING GREAT -- BE SURE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!
Tickets are on sale for the High School Drama Club's performance of "Arsenic and Old Lace," with two shows taking place Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The show is a classic dark humor comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: Family!
Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding.
Ticket prices are $12 for adults, and $8 for students and senior citizens.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/minisink-valley-high-school/68c16206637eca2abefeeca7
IMPORTANT REMINDER TO ALL DRIVERS:
The district has equipped its entire bus fleet with cameras to catch vehicles that illegally pass a stopped school bus. If you see a bus’ red lights flashing and stop-arm extended, STOP! Otherwise, you and the vehicle you’re driving will be photographed and you WILL GET A $250 FINE.
Don't say we didn't tell you: Please pay attention and drive safe!
READ MORE: https://www.minisink.com/article/2365311
The district has equipped its entire bus fleet with cameras to catch vehicles that illegally pass a stopped school bus. If you see a bus’ red lights flashing and stop-arm extended, STOP! Otherwise, you and the vehicle you’re driving will be photographed and you WILL GET A $250 FINE.
Don't say we didn't tell you: Please pay attention and drive safe!
READ MORE: https://www.minisink.com/article/2365311
PUMPKINS! GAMES! DONUTS AND CIDER! HAYRIDES!
Otisville students had a gorgeous, sunny, brisk fall day to enjoy the school's annual Fall Festival, with the first day held yesterday, Oct. 9 and the second today taking place today. Take a peek at the fun from Day 1!
THANK YOU to the awesome Otisville PTO for sponsoring such a wonderful seasonal activity and to our special friends from the Otisville Lions Club for volunteering their time and their tractor and wagon to take everyone on a hayride!
See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
Otisville students had a gorgeous, sunny, brisk fall day to enjoy the school's annual Fall Festival, with the first day held yesterday, Oct. 9 and the second today taking place today. Take a peek at the fun from Day 1!
THANK YOU to the awesome Otisville PTO for sponsoring such a wonderful seasonal activity and to our special friends from the Otisville Lions Club for volunteering their time and their tractor and wagon to take everyone on a hayride!
See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
Joseph Ferara’s and Nicole Ruggiero’s ES second-grade classes finished off their recent measuring unit by going outdoors to measure some of their favorite things: Playground equipment!
Working in pairs, students were given meters and rulers to document their measurements on paper. While outside, they chose different objects to measure and had to determine whether they should use a ruler or a meter stick. They drew a picture of the object they measured and labeled it with their measurements.
Learning how to measure in second-grade is important because it builds a foundational skill for understanding and interacting with the world, enhances problem-solving abilities, and develops crucial cognitive skills like spatial awareness. PLUS: Measuring skills directly apply to everyday tasks such as cooking or assembling items and is a fundamental concept in math and science.
Rulers are used to measure shorter objects, like a pencil or an eraser, and a meter stick (or yardstick) for longer objects, like a table or the distance across a classroom. To decide which tool to use, think about the size of the object you are measuring: smaller objects need shorter tools, and larger objects need longer tools.
Working in pairs, students were given meters and rulers to document their measurements on paper. While outside, they chose different objects to measure and had to determine whether they should use a ruler or a meter stick. They drew a picture of the object they measured and labeled it with their measurements.
Learning how to measure in second-grade is important because it builds a foundational skill for understanding and interacting with the world, enhances problem-solving abilities, and develops crucial cognitive skills like spatial awareness. PLUS: Measuring skills directly apply to everyday tasks such as cooking or assembling items and is a fundamental concept in math and science.
Rulers are used to measure shorter objects, like a pencil or an eraser, and a meter stick (or yardstick) for longer objects, like a table or the distance across a classroom. To decide which tool to use, think about the size of the object you are measuring: smaller objects need shorter tools, and larger objects need longer tools.
Jessica Kahn’s Otisville kindergarteners have been practicing the very important math skill of accurate counting!
To help them with their continued mastery work, they recently played “The Bear Game.” In this fun math game, one person spilled beans, counted only red beans and them moved their “bear” the same number of bear paws to match the number of red beans they had. Then, his/her partner did the same. The person who reached the honey jar was the winner!
In math, one-to-one correspondence is the fundamental concept of matching each item in a set to exactly one number and each number to exactly one item, without skipping or repeating any item during the counting process. It's a foundational skill for early counting, ensuring accurate number sense and providing the basis for more complex arithmetic.
To help them with their continued mastery work, they recently played “The Bear Game.” In this fun math game, one person spilled beans, counted only red beans and them moved their “bear” the same number of bear paws to match the number of red beans they had. Then, his/her partner did the same. The person who reached the honey jar was the winner!
In math, one-to-one correspondence is the fundamental concept of matching each item in a set to exactly one number and each number to exactly one item, without skipping or repeating any item during the counting process. It's a foundational skill for early counting, ensuring accurate number sense and providing the basis for more complex arithmetic.
FINE MOTOR SKILL FUN!
Sally Mankoo’s ES kindergarteners had a great time with this recent fine motor skill activity: Rolling a cube and then replicating the “line” shown on the cube as a “hair” (and later, multiple hairs) on a drawing of a child’s face. Take a peek at the results and the "classy coiffures" in their drawings!
In addition to fine motor skills practice, this activity aligns itself with the district’s Amplify Skills curriculum. This literacy program focuses on foundational reading and writing skills like phonemic awareness and handwriting. While specific crayon size isn't a core component of the curriculum, many teachers use smaller crayons to improve grip and fine motor control in young learners, which supports the handwriting and letter formation practices found in this curriculum. The small crayons increase the likelihood of students grasping the writing utensil with the preferred tripod or pincer grip.
Sally Mankoo’s ES kindergarteners had a great time with this recent fine motor skill activity: Rolling a cube and then replicating the “line” shown on the cube as a “hair” (and later, multiple hairs) on a drawing of a child’s face. Take a peek at the results and the "classy coiffures" in their drawings!
In addition to fine motor skills practice, this activity aligns itself with the district’s Amplify Skills curriculum. This literacy program focuses on foundational reading and writing skills like phonemic awareness and handwriting. While specific crayon size isn't a core component of the curriculum, many teachers use smaller crayons to improve grip and fine motor control in young learners, which supports the handwriting and letter formation practices found in this curriculum. The small crayons increase the likelihood of students grasping the writing utensil with the preferred tripod or pincer grip.
