This beautiful fall weather sets the stage for FALL CRAFTS!
Carmela Sill’s ES kindergarteners are doing just that, and are getting some terrific fine motor skill work in as part of their project work!
Students worked on strengthening fine motor skills by ripping tissue paper and construction paper to glue onto fall pictures. Soon, they will bring them home for proud families to display!
Fine motor skill work is crucial in kindergarten because it develops the dexterity needed for essential self-care tasks like eating and dressing, supports the academic skills of writing and drawing, and builds independence and confidence while setting a strong foundation for future learning and success in school.
Carmela Sill’s ES kindergarteners are doing just that, and are getting some terrific fine motor skill work in as part of their project work!
Students worked on strengthening fine motor skills by ripping tissue paper and construction paper to glue onto fall pictures. Soon, they will bring them home for proud families to display!
Fine motor skill work is crucial in kindergarten because it develops the dexterity needed for essential self-care tasks like eating and dressing, supports the academic skills of writing and drawing, and builds independence and confidence while setting a strong foundation for future learning and success in school.
Jenn Olenick’s sixth-grade ELA students have been reviewing the use of the words "there," "their" and "they’re" as part of their ELA work. Do you know the difference? They do, just ask them!
• “There” indicates a place or existence ("over there," "there is a book").
• “Their” shows ownership, meaning "belonging to them" ("their car").
• “They're” is a contraction of "they are," used when "they are" fits in the sentence ("they're going home").
"There," “their” and “they’re” are known as homophones; they sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
• “There” indicates a place or existence ("over there," "there is a book").
• “Their” shows ownership, meaning "belonging to them" ("their car").
• “They're” is a contraction of "they are," used when "they are" fits in the sentence ("they're going home").
"There," “their” and “they’re” are known as homophones; they sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
Nicole Lee’s sixth-grade science students recently tested the densities and viscosities of various substances and made predictions where each would fall. They used five substances: Syrup, oil, rubbing alcohol water and dish soap.
After they made their predictions, they poured the contents of each into a glass jar to observe. They later followed up with a density song and game!
•Density is a fluid's mass per unit volume, indicating how tightly molecules are packed, while viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow or internal friction, describing how thick it is. They are independent properties, as seen with water (high density, low viscosity) and oil (lower density, higher viscosity), but both are influenced by temperature, with density often increasing and viscosity decreasing as temperature rises.
•A glass jar is used to observe the density and viscosity of liquids because it provides a transparent, neutral, and consistent medium for comparison. By simply pouring different liquids, like water and corn syrup, from one jar to another, students could visually compare how quickly they flow. The liquid that pours more slowly is more viscous. When pouring liquids of different densities that don't mix (immiscible liquids) into a jar, they will separate into layers. The densest liquid will sink to the bottom, while the least dense liquid will float to the top.
After they made their predictions, they poured the contents of each into a glass jar to observe. They later followed up with a density song and game!
•Density is a fluid's mass per unit volume, indicating how tightly molecules are packed, while viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow or internal friction, describing how thick it is. They are independent properties, as seen with water (high density, low viscosity) and oil (lower density, higher viscosity), but both are influenced by temperature, with density often increasing and viscosity decreasing as temperature rises.
•A glass jar is used to observe the density and viscosity of liquids because it provides a transparent, neutral, and consistent medium for comparison. By simply pouring different liquids, like water and corn syrup, from one jar to another, students could visually compare how quickly they flow. The liquid that pours more slowly is more viscous. When pouring liquids of different densities that don't mix (immiscible liquids) into a jar, they will separate into layers. The densest liquid will sink to the bottom, while the least dense liquid will float to the top.
CALL FOR PHOTOS!
High School families: The High School's Homecoming Dance is this Saturday, Sept. 27! Share a photo of your student dressed up for a memorable evening. Details are here:
High School families: The High School's Homecoming Dance is this Saturday, Sept. 27! Share a photo of your student dressed up for a memorable evening. Details are here:
Tara Frawley’s and Kelly Manganiello’s Otisville fifth-graders have been exploring the top of how food is used during their science lessons! Take a peek at this recent STEM lesson!
As part of their ongoing work work, students have been exploring how their bodies use food as a source of energy, and discovered that the energy stored in food comes from the sun. Prior to this lesson, students learned that animals need food to grow and live.
In groups, students rotated between three stations, and explored different focus questions.
Station 1 focused on the use of food for human energy. They placed a half-slice of bread into a sandwich bag and added water. Then, a student squished the bread in the bag and everyone observed its physical break down.
At Station 2, students used red Solo cups to illustrate how energy transfers through non-living and living things in different ways. The cups were placed in a random order on the table with an image of the sun, grass, a grasshopper, frog and bird glued to the front of the cup. Students were tasked with arranging the cups according to how energy is transferred through this food chain.
Station 3 served to represent how humans obtain food from different sources and trace the energy chain back to the sun, water, and soil which feeds plants. At this station, students drew pictures of what they ate at lunch, then broke down that food and traced its energy chain back to the sun.
As part of their ongoing work work, students have been exploring how their bodies use food as a source of energy, and discovered that the energy stored in food comes from the sun. Prior to this lesson, students learned that animals need food to grow and live.
In groups, students rotated between three stations, and explored different focus questions.
Station 1 focused on the use of food for human energy. They placed a half-slice of bread into a sandwich bag and added water. Then, a student squished the bread in the bag and everyone observed its physical break down.
At Station 2, students used red Solo cups to illustrate how energy transfers through non-living and living things in different ways. The cups were placed in a random order on the table with an image of the sun, grass, a grasshopper, frog and bird glued to the front of the cup. Students were tasked with arranging the cups according to how energy is transferred through this food chain.
Station 3 served to represent how humans obtain food from different sources and trace the energy chain back to the sun, water, and soil which feeds plants. At this station, students drew pictures of what they ate at lunch, then broke down that food and traced its energy chain back to the sun.
Meghan Donahue’s ES students have been using their hands, ears, arms and brains altogether to learn in different ways through “Whole Body Learning,” ensuring multimodal (one mode or method to accomplish something) understanding and practice!
Students practiced writing letters, numbers and their names using Play Doh and shaving cream, using all of their senses to make these skills stick! Sensory learning allows students to use their whole bodies and our whole brains to better their understanding!
•Whole-body learning is an educational approach that integrates physical movement and sensory experiences with traditional academic learning to enhance cognitive function, information retention, and engagement. By engaging the whole body, it caters to various learning styles, boosts motor coordination, increases blood flow to the brain, and makes learning more dynamic and effective, especially for young children.
•Sensory learning is a method of education where information is acquired by actively engaging the five primary senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—to create a more profound and lasting understanding. This hands-on, experiential approach allows individuals to explore, interact with, and understand their environment more effectively.
Students practiced writing letters, numbers and their names using Play Doh and shaving cream, using all of their senses to make these skills stick! Sensory learning allows students to use their whole bodies and our whole brains to better their understanding!
•Whole-body learning is an educational approach that integrates physical movement and sensory experiences with traditional academic learning to enhance cognitive function, information retention, and engagement. By engaging the whole body, it caters to various learning styles, boosts motor coordination, increases blood flow to the brain, and makes learning more dynamic and effective, especially for young children.
•Sensory learning is a method of education where information is acquired by actively engaging the five primary senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—to create a more profound and lasting understanding. This hands-on, experiential approach allows individuals to explore, interact with, and understand their environment more effectively.
Tracey Salinardi'S ES second-graders, like all district second-graders are in the midst of number bond review during their math lessons!
Reviewing previous year's work at the start of second-grade reinforces foundational skills and builds a strong bridge to new, more advanced material. Teachers can assess prior knowledge and best understand individual student needs to create a more effective learning environment for everyone!
A number bond shows a "part-part-whole" relationship between numbers, where two smaller numbers (parts) combine to make a larger number (the whole). These visual diagrams demonstrate how numbers can be broken apart (decomposed) and put back together (composed), forming a foundation for understanding addition and subtraction and developing number sense.
Reviewing previous year's work at the start of second-grade reinforces foundational skills and builds a strong bridge to new, more advanced material. Teachers can assess prior knowledge and best understand individual student needs to create a more effective learning environment for everyone!
A number bond shows a "part-part-whole" relationship between numbers, where two smaller numbers (parts) combine to make a larger number (the whole). These visual diagrams demonstrate how numbers can be broken apart (decomposed) and put back together (composed), forming a foundation for understanding addition and subtraction and developing number sense.
The High School's Concert Band is deep in rehearsals to be ready for the football season (and more!) This band is one of four high school band ensembles which make up the mighty Marching Band. Prior to the first home game, all bands will gather for rehearsals as the Marching Band!
The Intermediate School is embarking on its annual school-wide mural project! This year's theme is "the sun."
IS Art Teacher Joan Giardina has been introducing the mural's theme and what all third, fourth and fifth-graders will be working on in the coming weeks as their contribution to this project.
Her recent discussion with third-graders focused on the dots, lines and shapes they can use to create their sun. The idea is to allow each square of the mural to represent the individualism of each student! But first! Students are being tasked to giving thought to what they want to do and to begin to sketch that out on a paper which equates to the size of the square they'll contribute to the mural. Stay tuned, this result will be bright, vivid and gorgeous!
IS Art Teacher Joan Giardina has been introducing the mural's theme and what all third, fourth and fifth-graders will be working on in the coming weeks as their contribution to this project.
Her recent discussion with third-graders focused on the dots, lines and shapes they can use to create their sun. The idea is to allow each square of the mural to represent the individualism of each student! But first! Students are being tasked to giving thought to what they want to do and to begin to sketch that out on a paper which equates to the size of the square they'll contribute to the mural. Stay tuned, this result will be bright, vivid and gorgeous!
Kara Welsh’s Otisville third-grade art students have been working in their sketchbooks, practicing how to draw a three-dimensional balloon using ellipse, along with a three-dimensional basket underneath it. The pattern they will eventually create will represent a goal they hope to achieve in the future. Take a peek!
Drawing a balloon --- or basket --- using an ellipse is a useful technique to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth on a two-dimensional surface. An ellipse is what a circle appears to be when viewed from an angle, so it's a fundamental tool for representing circular objects in perspective.
Drawing a balloon --- or basket --- using an ellipse is a useful technique to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth on a two-dimensional surface. An ellipse is what a circle appears to be when viewed from an angle, so it's a fundamental tool for representing circular objects in perspective.
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCT. 6:
PLEASE SHARE! Support the great work of the Minisink Valley PTO and update your wardrobe with some fabulous, new Minisink Valley apparel, which includes some terrific Otisville Elementary swag, too! There's SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: Shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, backpacks, hoodies, and winter hats!
Be sure to click on this link and see all that's available: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/STZMLw6Sfm
PLEASE SHARE! Support the great work of the Minisink Valley PTO and update your wardrobe with some fabulous, new Minisink Valley apparel, which includes some terrific Otisville Elementary swag, too! There's SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: Shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, backpacks, hoodies, and winter hats!
Be sure to click on this link and see all that's available: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/STZMLw6Sfm
STANDARD -- WORD -- EXPANDED -- UNIT FORM
Do you know the difference? District fifth-graders, like Elizabeth Hagerty's Otisville fifth-graders, do! They've been showing her how much they know during math lessons where they've been reviewing these important concepts!
DID YOU KNOW
Knowing different number forms is important because it deepens a student's understanding of place value, strengthens number sense, and provides flexibility in solving complex math problems. Instead of simply memorizing a number, these forms help students see how it is structured and composed.
Do you know the difference? District fifth-graders, like Elizabeth Hagerty's Otisville fifth-graders, do! They've been showing her how much they know during math lessons where they've been reviewing these important concepts!
DID YOU KNOW
Knowing different number forms is important because it deepens a student's understanding of place value, strengthens number sense, and provides flexibility in solving complex math problems. Instead of simply memorizing a number, these forms help students see how it is structured and composed.
‘TURN UP THE GAS’ for MAD MINUTE MATH!
Mike Conklin’s IS fifth-graders are back in math mode! They’ve been doing “Mad Minute Math” work…in this instance, it’s multiplication. In a minute time span, they were tasked with correctly answering as many multiplication facts as they could. Then, they checked their work and the process was repeated with additional multiplication facts.
Students need to essentially memorize/instinctively know these single-digit multiplication combinations because they form a foundation for more complex math. These facts are essential for developing number sense and achieving success in higher-level math.
Mike Conklin’s IS fifth-graders are back in math mode! They’ve been doing “Mad Minute Math” work…in this instance, it’s multiplication. In a minute time span, they were tasked with correctly answering as many multiplication facts as they could. Then, they checked their work and the process was repeated with additional multiplication facts.
Students need to essentially memorize/instinctively know these single-digit multiplication combinations because they form a foundation for more complex math. These facts are essential for developing number sense and achieving success in higher-level math.
Jonathan Sakadelis' IS fourth-grade physical education students have been playing a tagging game called "Outer Space Tag" while working on various different motor skills (skipping, running, galloping, etc).
Students made believe that they were in outer space surrounded by stars, space stations, asteroids, aliens (taggers) and planets (hula hoops). Two students were the taggers (aliens) and the rest were astronauts. The astronaut's job was to move around the gym performing whatever motor skill was announced by Mr. Sakadelis without getting tagged by an alien.
If an astronaut made it to a planet without getting tagged, he/she is safe for five seconds. After five seconds, the astronaut had to leave that planet and find another one! But, if a student was tagged by an alien, he/she then had to enter the black hole where they must stay until they receive a high five from another astronaut that was in the game.
DID YOU KNOW
Working on motor skills in physical education class is crucial for children because it builds physical capabilities like strength, coordination, and balance, which are essential for daily activities, social engagement, and academic success. Developing strong motor skills also promotes a child's cognitive and emotional growth, fostering confidence, resilience, and better lifelong health habits.
Students made believe that they were in outer space surrounded by stars, space stations, asteroids, aliens (taggers) and planets (hula hoops). Two students were the taggers (aliens) and the rest were astronauts. The astronaut's job was to move around the gym performing whatever motor skill was announced by Mr. Sakadelis without getting tagged by an alien.
If an astronaut made it to a planet without getting tagged, he/she is safe for five seconds. After five seconds, the astronaut had to leave that planet and find another one! But, if a student was tagged by an alien, he/she then had to enter the black hole where they must stay until they receive a high five from another astronaut that was in the game.
DID YOU KNOW
Working on motor skills in physical education class is crucial for children because it builds physical capabilities like strength, coordination, and balance, which are essential for daily activities, social engagement, and academic success. Developing strong motor skills also promotes a child's cognitive and emotional growth, fostering confidence, resilience, and better lifelong health habits.
Jenna Colman's Otisville fourth-graders also took part in some recent important teamwork activities as everyone settled into the school year!
Their task? To SAVE FRED, the Gummy Bear!
Poor Fred…his “boat” (the cup) had unexpectedly capsized, and as bad luck would have it, his “life preserver” was stuck underneath the boat. What to do?
Students were tasked with coming up with a way to save Fred, but they couldn’t touch him, his boat or the stuck life preserver with their hands. They could only use paper clips!
Their ingenuity, critical thinking and discussion skills worked perfectly! Every team was successful, worked fantastically together, and…. thankfully, Fred was saved!
Their task? To SAVE FRED, the Gummy Bear!
Poor Fred…his “boat” (the cup) had unexpectedly capsized, and as bad luck would have it, his “life preserver” was stuck underneath the boat. What to do?
Students were tasked with coming up with a way to save Fred, but they couldn’t touch him, his boat or the stuck life preserver with their hands. They could only use paper clips!
Their ingenuity, critical thinking and discussion skills worked perfectly! Every team was successful, worked fantastically together, and…. thankfully, Fred was saved!
Meghan Donahue’s ES K/1 students have been working on counting and cardinality (the measure of the number of elements in a set, or "how many?”) by practicing the identification of numbers and assigning meaning to them.
As part of their work, students have been learning about “counting on,” building larger numbers of higher quantities and decomposing numbers to make smaller quantities. Not only are they learning about how to identify numbers in isolation, they’re also learning what each number represents in the literal sense.
During their recent “City Building” activity, students were given a row of numbers and were tasked with “building” a skyscraper of linking cubes of that amount. Students then practiced assigning meaning to each digit and the quantity it represented, as well as see a concrete comparison of numbers to help visualize the differences in quantities.
The end result is something similar to a city skyline! And because they’re so good as this, her students first used the cubes to represent 1s, and eventually they expanded the activity to represent 10s! Take look!
•Linking cubes are one of many manipulatives used in math. A manipulative is an object which is designed so that a learner can perceive some mathematical concept by “manipulating it,” hence its name. The use of manipulatives provides a way for children to learn concepts through developmentally appropriate hands-on experience.
•Mathematical manipulatives are frequently used in the first step of teaching mathematical concepts, that of concrete representation. The second and third steps are representational and abstract, respectively.
As part of their work, students have been learning about “counting on,” building larger numbers of higher quantities and decomposing numbers to make smaller quantities. Not only are they learning about how to identify numbers in isolation, they’re also learning what each number represents in the literal sense.
During their recent “City Building” activity, students were given a row of numbers and were tasked with “building” a skyscraper of linking cubes of that amount. Students then practiced assigning meaning to each digit and the quantity it represented, as well as see a concrete comparison of numbers to help visualize the differences in quantities.
The end result is something similar to a city skyline! And because they’re so good as this, her students first used the cubes to represent 1s, and eventually they expanded the activity to represent 10s! Take look!
•Linking cubes are one of many manipulatives used in math. A manipulative is an object which is designed so that a learner can perceive some mathematical concept by “manipulating it,” hence its name. The use of manipulatives provides a way for children to learn concepts through developmentally appropriate hands-on experience.
•Mathematical manipulatives are frequently used in the first step of teaching mathematical concepts, that of concrete representation. The second and third steps are representational and abstract, respectively.
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! Mark your calendars! We're going GOLD!
Call for photos: Share a photo of your student in yellow/gold attire!
Introducing the Class of 2026’s newest fundraiser: The Football Food truck Fundraiser!
Support the Class of 2026 at all HOME football games while enjoying delicious food truck offerings (featuring a very special menu) from Dave’s Devil Dog BBQ Food Truck! A portion of the evening’s sales will benefit the Class of 2026! The first home game is this SATURDAY night, Sept. 20 vs. Newburgh!
Who's hungry? Join us and have a great night out!
Support the Class of 2026 at all HOME football games while enjoying delicious food truck offerings (featuring a very special menu) from Dave’s Devil Dog BBQ Food Truck! A portion of the evening’s sales will benefit the Class of 2026! The first home game is this SATURDAY night, Sept. 20 vs. Newburgh!
Who's hungry? Join us and have a great night out!
Ilana Kaufman’s ES second-graders are kicking off the school year by creating gorgeous pieces of Neurographic art!
For second-graders, Neurographic art is a fun, calming way to draw where they make lots of free-flowing lines on paper, then round off any sharp corners where lines cross, making the whole picture smooth and bubbly like brain cells. In this instance, students were tasked with following the pathway of a rolling marble to make their free-flowing lines.
This is a great, mindful activity where students can later use different colors to fill in the spaces. This relaxing form of drawing gives students the opportunity to express themselves without worrying about making a "perfect" picture.
DID YOU KNOW
Neurographic art is a therapeutic and creative drawing method developed by psychologist Pavel Piskarev, which uses free-form lines and a specific algorithm to connect the conscious and subconscious mind, stimulate new neural pathways, and promote well-being, stress reduction, and emotional transformation through a process of scribbling, rounding sharp corners, and coloring. It is a simple, accessible practice that requires no prior artistic skill.
For second-graders, Neurographic art is a fun, calming way to draw where they make lots of free-flowing lines on paper, then round off any sharp corners where lines cross, making the whole picture smooth and bubbly like brain cells. In this instance, students were tasked with following the pathway of a rolling marble to make their free-flowing lines.
This is a great, mindful activity where students can later use different colors to fill in the spaces. This relaxing form of drawing gives students the opportunity to express themselves without worrying about making a "perfect" picture.
DID YOU KNOW
Neurographic art is a therapeutic and creative drawing method developed by psychologist Pavel Piskarev, which uses free-form lines and a specific algorithm to connect the conscious and subconscious mind, stimulate new neural pathways, and promote well-being, stress reduction, and emotional transformation through a process of scribbling, rounding sharp corners, and coloring. It is a simple, accessible practice that requires no prior artistic skill.
Otisville Elementary Librarian Erin Andersen has been spending these opening days of school reacclimating her second-grade students to all the great things they will be doing in library class, which includes having books read to them, like Michele Knudsen’s “Library Lion,” which reinforces library rules.
In this book, they learn that Head Librarian Miss Merriweather is very particular about rules in the library. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library!
As it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. He never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how.
Going to the library fosters a love of reading by offering a wide variety of books and resources that match student interests, promoting literacy skills and encouraging independent exploration.
DID YOU KNOW
Libraries teach responsibility through book borrowing, introduce children to new worlds and cultures, and provide opportunities to develop essential research and critical thinking skills by distinguishing reliable information from unreliable sources.
