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.
--- 6 to 6:30 .pm.: Kindergarten
--- 6:35 to 7:05 p.m.: First-Grade
--- 7:10 to 7:40 p.m.: Second Grade
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.
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
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.
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!
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! Mark your calendars! We're going GOLD!
Call for photos: Share a photo of your student in yellow/gold attire!
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.
The girls clinic will take place Saturday, Sept. 27
The boys clinic will take place Saturday, Oct. 4
All clinics to take place at Otisville Elementary. See more details:
Skyler Klein, music
Kara Welsh, art
Maria Fenfert, music
Stephanie Guifre, physical education
Erin Andersen, library
Tom Uhrig, physical education
The PTOs in all buildings do amazing things for all our students....be sure to join! Click on this link: https://www.minisink.com/article/2377195
We invite you to visit the district's Facebook page to view the photos shared with us by proud parents who were among the thousands of families to mark this milestone day. You’ll see happy smiles along with fresh haircuts, new backpacks, special outfits and keepsake signs. These photos are a visual diary of their children’s school journey that will be treasured for years. Thank you to everyone who shared their photos with us! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD
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://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1m6b1bQwU2HG_5kt67uoNCtZmosV3EaUM?fbclid=IwY2xjawMayLhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFaczdlMWtkMG54NVZHb2JSAR4sa-dSmkK8REVkRDYQhfG7kO4GuPdZS_EeFnBHtLUDleodQHXx3Ld3HthW2g_aem_YLrssM0oHtDhKh4
It also provides users with customized notifications related to each school selected by each user, including a quick and easy way to learn breakfast and lunch menus in all buildings each day!
The free app is available for Android and Apple devices in their respective app stores.
To stay up-to-date on the latest district news and events via the app, visit Google Play Store and search for Minisink Valley CSD; or the Apple App Store and search for Minisink Valley CSD NY.
Parents/Guardians: Please complete the Household Income Eligibility Form
For the 2025-26 school year, all children in the Minisink Valley School District will receive breakfast and lunch meals at no charge regardless of household income or completion of the Household Income Eligibility Form. However, all families are encouraged to complete this form, which is used to determine eligibility for additional state and federal program benefits that your child(ren) may qualify for, such as: College preparation program, AP test fee waivers, etc. Please complete the online form via this link: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict?ZipCode=10973&State=
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
A benefit 5K Color Run/Walk will be held Saturday, Aug. 30 at the Slate Hill Campus! GREAT FUN FOR ALL!
Details are: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BA9A629A4FEC43-57961307-minisink?fbclid=IwY2xjawMdWiVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnVDBqZnkwaDBnOGIxMlhOAR5vbpPB49Jd6XqIGeKb8IsHttX0AlwhHO20hkkV_HNz3aGEUZJKq4yxpn0HIA_aem_HIr3ZMClZg6CUXTV1UAOkg#/
For questions, please email Class Advisor Larry Scarzfava at lscarzfava@minisink.com or student
Morgan Varian at morganv811@icloud.com
