The 79th Street Gate: A Lower Division Newsletter

Dear Garden School Community:

Sometimes we cannot hear people because of their mask coverings; other times we perceive people screaming because of their mask coverings. But lately, I have been hearing from some of the youngest among us.

In the nursery classroom, one of the students asked, "Friend, can you help me (with my sweater)?" This spoke volumes! We are all friends; we all have talents and limitations; we all need a helping hand, at times.

We were all treated to Ada’s debut as Head of School for a Day. Through her voice in her plan, we all learned what was important to young learners: being comfortable in your learning space, changing things up, having more down time, recharging your body with comfort foods and snacks, trying a new activity, and delving deeper into the activities you truly enjoy.

I listened to individual first graders conference in my office and tell me of the importance of friendship, of learning how to be a friend, of choosing the most appropriate words, and of listening closely.

All these words are just as important at the end of the school year as they were on the first day. I hope I am a better listener than I was on Day One of the school year. Improvement is so important. Let us all take time to hear those around us. Hear their voices through words, pictures, and activities.

All the best,
Bill Vogel

Early Childhood Cluster

My how the nursery class has grown, in enrollment (from 4 in the beginning, by twos to end at ten) and in height and skills. As we count down the days until Friday, June 4th, we revisit and review some past concepts: colors, shapes, numbers, and alphabet. We planted pansies and vegetable seeds. We learned a new vocabulary word, "metamorphosis," as we observed caterpillars change into Painted Lady Butterflies! And we, as students, are becoming more independent three-year-olds as we move into our PreK programs for threes and fours.

The Early Childhood classes were able to study one more artist before school ends. An American painter named Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 - August 11, 1956) has been a unit of study in the Kindergarten, Pre-K and Nursery classes. He became famous for painting in the abstract expressionist style. His most famous paintings were made by dripping and splashing paint on a large canvas. His nickname was Jack the Dripper. These drips and pours formed complex patterns that expressed his feelings and personality. Pollock’s style is also known as action painting. He often put the canvas on the floor and poured paint right out of the can so he could really get into his painting. He used paint brushes, sticks, bricks, nails, and broken glass. Of course, to keep our children safe, we used paint brushes. Springtime weather seemed like the perfect time for these young students to go outside and try out Jackson Pollock style painting. Everyone had so much fun letting the paint drip off their brushes. Some shook their brushes while others used a tapping motion. Each finished product was spectacular! Their masterpieces are hanging in the Early Childhood showcase in the main hallway. We read Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan and Jackson Pollock Splashed Paint and Wasn’t Sorry by Fausto Gilberti. We also watched Art with Mati and Dada-Jackson Pollock, a kid’s animated short story, to help us better understand the artist, Jackson Pollock.

Students in Kindergarten are wrapping up their year with a couple of All About Me projects. We spent all year learning and discovering our personal interests, so we used this knowledge to write about what we might want to be when we grow up. Some of us chose jobs such as scientist, police officer, astronaut, and bus driver! The students are also in the process of creating their own self-portraits using paint on the art easel. Through various art projects throughout the year, we learned how to use different art materials and what it means to add detail to our artwork. Each student has been taking their time and even using a mirror to analyze every aspect of themselves to make their portraits as realistic as possible. They also chose the paint shades they believe match their own skin color. We want to show off our very best work and who we are as young, unique individuals! The Kindergarten students will be presenting both individual projects during our virtual moving up ceremony on June 10th! We cannot wait to celebrate how much we have grown this year at Garden School!!

Grades 1-2-3 Cluster

To conclude our poetry unit and the school year, first graders had the opportunity to write their own poems! The format was as follows: introduce a sound found in nature (like crickets), describe the sound, and provide the location where we hear it (such as a river) without using the word itself (an exercise we worked on previously). Students were to consider the sound of the words (primarily using rhymes and alliterations) as well as their meaning. Marcela came up with this wonderful verse:

The sound of the birds chirping

The shining, sharp beak makes the sound of a whistle

We see it under the bright, white circle

So fly into the sky.

The first graders were amazed to watch the life cycle of butterflies. For two weeks the students excitedly arrived each day and checked the development of our classroom caterpillars. They made daily observations as we watched the metamorphosis of the wondrous lifecycles. In science and art class, Mrs. Bruzzese and Mr. Orlowski connect student experiences into a multi-disciplinary study of caterpillars by learning scientific vocabulary of the stages, and having students create artwork to reflect observations. The culminating experience was exciting as we released Bumpy, Tum Tum, Buttercup, Chubby and Lucky into the courtyard. You can hear the first graders shout out their names as we pass the gardens each day.

The second graders enjoyed a hands-on science class in our front garden. Cristina, from The Movement Creative in Jackson Heights, hosted a pea-shoot planting project. Students had the opportunity to learn about the soil and what the peas will need to grow successfully. Over the next week, the children will care for, observe, and measure the growth of the pea plants. They also will chart that progress on a graph. On the very last day of school, students will have the opportunity to harvest and taste the pea-shoots. We cannot wait!

For the culmination of the American Revolution unit, the third graders have researched significant people involved in the American Revolution. The students had to research how they contributed to the American Revolution, as well as interesting facts about them. They had fun presenting their reports to the class -- sharing all that they have learned. Currently, the third graders are learning about the three branches of government. They have enjoyed learning how each branch "checks" on another. One student commented that it is "really cool" that the Congress can override the president's veto with a 2/3 vote.

The third graders have recently finished their geometry unit and have begun working with fractions and multiplication of two- and three-digit numbers with regrouping. They have covered much ground in math and will be ready to hit the ground running next year. Now that the third graders have mastered multiplication, they have been enjoying games of multiplication Bingo. Shouts of "Bingo" have most likely been heard throughout the halls from this lively group!

Grades 4-5-6 Cluster

This school year our Mathematics classes learned a wide range of topics preparing them for the year to come! As the year posed many challenges every day, it was important to end the year on a note that will not only summarize the school year but will leave a lasting impression- STEAM Projects! All three grades have been tasked to STEAM Projects to conclude the school year with a fun twist!

4th grade and 5th grade were both challenged to make a wind powered car. Fourth grade used a fan to represent their wind energy, and fifth grade had to use a balloon to represent their wind energy. Both classes were able to include Science (Forms of energy, friction, weight, etc.) Technology (use of iPads and devices to research the best model for their cars and our introductory videos), Engineering (the building of our cars), Art (designing the car and coloring the car to make it unique), and Mathematics (measuring the distance and speed of the car’s travel). As these projects pose a friendly competition, they are also a great way to get the students working and learning key subjects in a different perspective!

During this time, the sixth graders were tasked to make a comic strip that reviewed a topic of their choice in a humorous or dramatic way. The comic strip required research, review, creativity, and most importantly memory of a topic we covered this year.

All three grades showed great enthusiasm throughout their projects and will complete them next week!

Diversity, inclusion, and world culture are celebrated at Garden School. Being a Host Family is an enriching experience. Mr. Vogel and his family hosted the first international family in the 1990s and have hosted five international students. For the upcoming school year, a middle school student will be returning to the Garden Community, and we are looking for placement with a Host family. This student is a violinist! If you are seeking a very personal experience, inquire about being a Host Family by contacting either Division Head: Bill Vogel or Brad Battaglia.

Just around the corner as the weather warms, our camp season will soon begin! We have expanded to 12 weeks of activities… swimming, arts & crafts, sports, games, creativity, and fun. Submit registration forms for our Pre-Season, Regular Season, Post-Season, and Counselor-in-Training Programs. If you have already enrolled your child for a few weeks and are undecided about signing up for the full summer, please reconsider now. Summer camp is a real treasure and enrollment is happening at a quick pace. Some weeks may be completely booked, and only a few places remain for the Pre-Season!

If you know someone who really enjoys swimming and would like to become a lifeguard, pass along information on our Lifeguard course to be held here on campus.