Tiffany Guareno’s ES kindergarteners are really good at determining the number of shapes in each column and then arranging those columns from least (number) to greatest (number). Take a peek at these cuties!
Being able to arrange numbers from least to greatest is important in kindergarten because it lays the foundation for understanding number magnitude, comparison, and sequencing, which are crucial building blocks for more advanced math skills like addition and subtraction. It helps children develop a strong sense of number order and paves the way for future mathematical concepts.
IS students who attend Joan Giardina’s “extra art” class created a beautiful mural which is now on display near the IS Main Office. The school’s motto is “Be Kind,” and they used that as the mural’s theme with heart art to represent kindness!
All district third-graders have been recently working on their Reading Unit 5 in Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) Amplify program, which focused on “Light and Sound.” Students learned that sound is energy that travels in waves by using vibrations. They discussed pitch, volume, waves, energy, vibrations and orchestra. Students focused on reading informational text, taking notes, and comparing and contrasting the two forms of energy.
At the Intermediate School third-graders visited Music Teacher/Band Director Andrew Hulle’s music room for a special lesson reinforcing the material in the books!
With the help of some of his Fifth-Grade Band tuba students, Mr. Hulle demonstrated how pitch, volume, sound waves and vibrations work when students play a variety of musical instruments and why that’s important in music. What a great collaborative effort between the Third-Grade faculty and Mr. Hulle!
How does weathering and erosion affect rocks? This question was recently investigated by Kim Marasco’s IS fourth-graders!
Students knew that jagged rocks on the top of the mountains roll down. Erosion happens when rocks knock into each other, which breaks off their jagged points and makes them round. At the bottom of a mountain, rocks are no longer jagged but rounded.
But! To test this, students used sugar cubes. They traced the edges of the sugar cubes shook them 40 times during each trial to see if they changed. These shakes simulated the weathering and erosion process, much like a rock tumbling down a mountain, or how rocks are worn down over time by wind or water, with the shaking representing the movement of the natural elements.
By the end of the five trials, or 200 shakes, there were no original edges visible.
After their science experiment was completed, they learned that most rocks we encounter are smooth because of the weathering and erosion process.
Congratulations and best wishes to the senior members of the Boys Varsity Swimming and Diving team, who were honored for their contributions to the team during the team’s Jan. 30 Senior Night:
• Anthony Cucuzza
• Drew Jashembowski
• Christopher Rickard
• Lukas Struble
The High School Science Speakers Series continued on Feb. 3, where speakers who excelled in science, graduated college, and transitioned to the workforce come in and speak to students who are enrolled in the college level science classes.
Thank you to Nathaniel Garcia, manager of the Pfizer School of Science in New York City, for visiting the high school today! Mr. Garcia is a scientist and educator with Pfizer, and developed Luminex-based antibody quantification immunoassays in support of SARS-CoV-2, RSV, Pneumococcal, and other vaccine programs. He’s a holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Manhattan University.
More speakers are planned for this Science Speakers Series. Please join us in thanking Mr. Garcia for taking the time to meet with students and show and talk to them about the wonderful possibilities that can become a reality with hard work and determination.
Mia McLean's ES kindergarten library students are thrilled to show off the books they've picked to bring home!
Library class supports what goes on in the classroom by further developing kindergarteners' literacy skills through exposure to a variety of books, encourages a love of reading, provides a space for interactive storytelling, and can foster a sense of community while teaching them basic library skills like selecting books and respecting the space.
Joan Giardina’s IS fourth-grade art students are learning about self-portraits and the proportions of the face in class!
Students looked at how everyone's face has the same general proportions and that if one knows “the math” behind how the face is divided, drawings will be much more realistic. They looked at examples of faces with the proportions slightly off, had to figure out what was wrong and discussed how if one feature is put in the wrong place it affects everything else. Students are also learning how to use shading, instead of lines, to show the edges of facial features. This technique makes the drawings more realistic as well.
Learning about self-portraits and facial proportions is important in art class because it provides a foundational understanding of human anatomy, allowing students to accurately capture likeness in their drawings, develop observational skills by closely studying their own faces, and serves as a fundamental building block for creating realistic portraits of others, all while providing a personal connection to the artwork through self-expression.
The Girls Varsity Wrestling Team competed fiercely at the recent, inaugural New York Girls State Dual Wrestling Championship, earning third place! They continue to be a powerhouse! Well-done to all!
Friday afternoon cuteness! Take a look at the adorable Otisville Elementary Kindergarten Asian Lunar New Year Parade! It's a wonderful school tradition!
See more photos on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
Also as part of continued Asian Lunar New Year studies districtwide this week, the Otisville Kindergarten team organized a dining option for any interested kindergartener have Chinese food for lunch today!
Looks like lunch was a huge hit today! Thank you to everyone involved; and don’t these little ones look adorable with their fancy Asian Lunar New Year hats?
As part of continued Asian Lunar New Year studies district-wide this week, Sally Mankoo’s ES kindergarteners had a fun companion art project: Making their own snakes! (It’s the Year of the Snake, as we know!)
Students created their own snakes, painted them, cut them out and then added eyes and a popsicle stick tongue. This was a great fine motor activity to tie into the Asian Lunar New Year celebration!
•In Chinese culture, the snake is often linked to the element of fire, which signifies passion, energy and transformation. The year itself is considered a time for reflection, deep thought and personal growth.
•People born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be perceptive, intelligent and graceful
Elizabeth Sirico’s and Susan Green’s IS fourth-graders recently presented their Longhouse and Wigwam projects to peers in other fourth-grade classes. After spending weeks learning about Native American cultures, students used the information they learned from class to create their own models of Longhouses and Wigwams. What a great way to share what they learned and showcase their hard work!
A Native American longhouse is a traditional dwelling structure built by many Northeast Indigenous peoples, particularly the Iroquois Nation, which was a long, rectangular building made from a wooden frame covered with bark. It was designed to house multiple families from the same clan, often with a central fire pit for warmth and served as a large communal home for extended family units.
A Native American wigwam is a dome-shaped, semi-permanent dwelling traditionally used by certain Indigenous peoples in North America, primarily the Algonquian tribes, which was constructed with a framework of arched poles covered with bark, mats, or hides, often sourced from birch trees. It’s a type of hut with a rounded roof used for shelter and community gatherings.
And....they're off!
Thank you to everyone who took part in tonight's CLAP OUT to wish our Section IX Boys Varsity Dual Meet champions good luck, best wishes and much success at Saturday's NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Championship meet!
You got this, gentlemen! We're rooting for you!
District fourth-graders, like Jenna Colman’s and Victoria Frascone’s Otisville fourth-graders, are learning about French explorer Samuel de Champlain and Native Americans as well as de Champlain’s impact in New York State and North America during their Social Studies/history lessons.
Learning about this explorer is important to New York State because de Champlain mapped and explored the area that is now New York in addition to Vermont, and the Great Lakes. He’s also known as the "Father of New France." He relied on Native Americans, who had great familiarity with the area’s land and rivers, to assist in his exploration of the area, knowing that maintaining a strong and healthy relationship helped create a profitable fur trade. In turn, this stable and profitable fur trade allowed for permanent French settlements to be created.
Samuel de Champlain played a pivotal role in establishing French presence in North America, particularly in the region now known as Canada, by founding Quebec City. His detailed maps and accounts of the land and indigenous peoples also provide valuable historical insight into early exploration of the area.
ES Physical Education teacher Anthony Pascarelli took of his second-grade classes out for snowtubing this past Tuesday so they could have some outdoor fun now that temperatures have climbed a bit and before much of the snow disappeared. Students brought their warm snow clothing to school and quickly dressed for a super fun outdoor physical education class!
And, they got a great workout, too, because once they’ve zoomed down the hill….they had to walk back up! Everyone was eager to do as many snowtubing runs as possible before class ended. Plans are to do this with more classes, weather permitting! Thank you to everyone who helped make these physical education sessions so much fun!
Like all district fourth-graders, Kim Marasco’s IS fourth-graders are spending time during math class perfecting their long division math skills. This is something that probably most of us remember how to do!
Learning long division is important because it teaches students a systematic way to divide larger numbers into smaller parts, which is a foundational math skill that builds upon basic multiplication facts and helps them tackle more complex division problems later on, especially when dealing with larger numbers and decimals. Long division also helps students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the structured steps involved in the process.
Happy Asian Lunar New Year from Carmella Sill's ES kindergarteners! It's the Year of the Snake!
In recognition of Asian Lunar New Year, Victoria Ingrassia’s eighth-grade FACS students completed their delicious Chinese dumplings assignment! On Monday, they wrapped a specially seasoned and marinated chicken filling in a thin layer of dough. Yesterday, students boiled the dumplings and fried them in a wok for a tasty treat! Truth be told: These dumplings were just as good, if not better, than what you'd get with a takeout order! Ask them to make this at home!
•The history of Chinese dumplings, or jiaozi, dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). They originated in northern China as a staple food for the Han people.
•Dumplings are a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
•Dumplings are often eaten during special occasions, such as Chinese New Year.
•The word jiaozi sounds similar to an expression that means "transition from old to new."
It’s always great when former students come to visit! That was the case when High School Sophomore Elijah Zittel visited Otisville Elementary and read to Cynthia Muccari’s and Tasha Buchler’s second and third-graders, as part of the class’s recent National Compliment Day activities. Elijah read Kevin Henkes’ “Chrysanthemum,” the story of a little mouse who is teased because of her long name. With the help of a music teacher who also has a long name, Chrysanthemum learns that her name is special and she should be proud of it. It's a wonderful book about self-esteem and acceptance. Afterward, students shared compliments about each other in a scoot writing activity. They also learned more about Elijah and the high school! WELL-DONE, Elijah!
