Getting to Know the Hudson River

In the last few weeks we have shifted our focus to this semester's big study: the mighty Hudson River. The river is mighty historic, mighty educational and full of beauty.

In science class, small groups gathered around maps of the Hudson River watershed. The children looked for Albany, New York City, the Mohawk River and Mt. Marcy, where its source can be found. This was an open-ended exploration meant to ground the students in the river's geographic features.

Next, we revisited our summer read, River of Dreams. The children talked over what the book taught us about human development along the river. Each child was asked to carefully draw a riverscape of the Hudson. They visualized a spot on the river--it could be a pristine natural habitat or a place touched and changed by human activity. The children were then asked to write a carefully crafted description of their spot.

As we moved closer to our trip to the river, these scientists prepared for the careful data collection they would be completing. When the Day in the Life of the Hudson River arrived, the 2-3s were ready.

The children moved in small groups through three stations.
They completed observational drawings of our river scene at the Troy Dam.

Another station involved identification of fish and macroinvertebrates. We were lucky enough to have two fish experts from the state Department of Environmental Conservation skeining for fish with large nets. They also brought a device that uses a jolt of electricity to temporarily still the fish. This makes it easier to gather them for observation. The students used a fish key to name the fish that were in tanks. The fish and other creatures were then catalogued and counted. Lots to touch and observe at this station!

The third station involved three water quality tests: pH, turbidity and chlorophyll.

The children learned pH levels are either basic, acidic or neutral. Neutral is ideal for life, but many aquatic beings can survive if their environment is slightly acidic or basic.

The turbidity test measured the clarity of a water sample. The more suspended solids there are in the sample, the murkier the water is.

 The children used a long sight tube for this test.

 

It took teamwork and a good eye to complete the task. 

The pigment chlorophyll is what allows plants and algae to photosynthesize. To collect a chlorophyll sample, the children sucked samples of river water into a syringe and then pushed the water through a filter to capture solids. The filter was then compared to a color chart.
A staff person for the state came to collect our official chlorophyll sample. The filter was taken in a test tube and put on ice.

All of Parker's data has been sent off to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. The samples and test results from all the schools participating in the Day in the Life--groups were gathered on the river's shore from the Troy Dam to the Battery in NYC--will be analyzed by scientists at the lab.

Our working student-scientists have contributed to a greater understanding of the health of our mighty neighbor, the Hudson River.

What a day we had!!

"Sciencing" at Parker

These last weeks, our science classes have been preparing the 2-3s for their visit to the Hudson River. We spent time at our creeks observing, returned to begin learning about water tests we will do at the River, and donned science goggles to conduct pH tests.

On Friday, we spent Muddy Boots Club time getting used to the equipment and procedures we'll use when we test the river water for turbidity and chlorophyll. Cool equipment, multiple steps for each test, and the need for a group of engaged teammates...there was lots of excitement! A side benefit of this work is the need for the children to share materials and organize themselves in a way that allows for everyone to fully participate. Cooperative teamwork skills were practiced and stretched.


I've attached an article about the value of active learning in science. It argues that children should be involved in "sciencing," a new verb for me. The suggestion is that children need to be actively involved in scientific investigations that give them first-hand experiences. This is the very essence of science learning at Parker. We are both lucky and in the vanguard to be doing science this way. We are also blessed to have Kate Perry as our science teacher. "Sciencing"with students is her priority every day. 

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleId=409

When I look at the pictures I take of the 2-3s during science class, I am always struck by the focused expressions on my students' faces. The gazes are intense and the pencils at the ready to create observational drawings and record data. 

 Our student-scientists will be continue sciencing like this all year.

We're Off!

We had a busy and excellent first day. The time just flew. It was immediately obvious that I have a group of energetic and delightful children!

How We Start Our School Days
Some of you may not know that the 2-3s begin their day with a chance to be physical and social. Last January, a third grader began coming in and asking me for time to blow off steam before she came in the room. Like the Pied Piper, she attracted classmates who began to jog around the gym with her. I heard the need and saw the benefit of this transition time and have embraced it fully ever since. Please read last year’s blog post about this decision--The Benefits of Exercise—if you haven’t seen it.

Arriving at school by 8:40 will ensure that your child receives the benefits of this special time. We are back in the room at 9:00.

Creating A Community
We start our year off with a sustained and deliberate focus on creating a positive and connected community. We talk about our routines, our need to carefully tune in to each other, and the balance of fun and work we’ll have. We practice lining up, try things again when we aren’t meeting the expectations, and think about how we are moving in and using our space. We talk about the need to “think twice and act once” so that we take the best care we can of ourselves and our friends.

Yesterday afternoon, we discussed what it means to take academic risks. I told a story about one of our current 3^rd graders that offered a metaphor and language to encourage perseverance and taking academic chances. Last year, this child worked so hard to jump to the third bar on the monkey bars. She couldn’t do it. She was obsessed! She would talk to Darcy and get pointers. She was cheered on by us and other children. But right from the start, she told us she was scared. This child knew that her fear was not allowing her to leap out as far as she needed. One day, enough courage was mustered and she made it!! She’s now an old pro.

Yesterday, we talked about how fear can hold us back from “making it to the third bar.” I told the children that we all needed to be sure that everyone was encouraged to put the fear aside about our abilities and give it a go—that we all had a responsibility to make sure our classroom made that possible. How we talk to ourselves and each other about the work we are doing—being positive and making no negative comparisons—will ensure everyone can take chances.

This was a prelude to a read aloud. I often share the picture book Wings by Christopher Myers. The book’s protagonist, Ikarus Jackson, has wings. The wings make him different—wonderful or weird, depending upon the perspective of the children at his school. Ikarus is mocked and his flying is stilled. That is until a child, who has also faced criticism from her peers, shouts out how beautiful Ikarus is. He then is able to fly again. We had a wonderful conversation about why the book might have been written and what lessons it teaches us. Don’t criticize. Encourage. Make sure everyone can jump to the third bar.  

And, we’re off!!!

Here are the children meeting in pairs or trios to brainstorm what the 2-3s might present at Assembly.

Busy Weeks

 STEM

Last week while the 8th grade went to Philadelphia for their class trip, the 6-7s had STEM week. This is a special feature of life in the middle school as the group is challenged to work on a week-long project that highlights Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Traditionally, the projects rotate from rocketry to bridge building on a two year cycle. This was a bridge year and the group was challenged to work in teams to design and build sections of bridge to go over one of our creeks. Rich and exciting work for our younger students to look forward to in their years ahead at Parker.

We joined in with a whole school kick-off for STEM week that Monday morning. Shelli Failing (5th-8th grade math) and Kate Perry (K-8 science) mixed the K-7s into groups to design and build with only two materials: straws and paper clips. The challenge: build the tallest and sturdiest structure they could. Every structure was unique to that group. We saw communication skills, teamwork and innovation in action!

Friday afternoon, the whole school went out to the woods to watch the final placement of the 6-7s' bridge sections and then to have a ceremonial walk over our new path!

Saying Goodbye

Our Hudson Valley Community College student teacher, Sarah, had her last day with us on Wednesday. The children had grown fond of her and had enjoyed the lessons she led them through. The group sat together for a final picture.

Wildlife in China
One of our 3rd graders invited his Uncle Dan to come to the classroom and share his knowledge of wildlife in China. Dan just recently retired from the Adirondack Park Agency. That career took him to China to provide training on wildlife conservation and public education to his counterparts in that country.

We learned about animals China has in common with the U.S. (elk, cranes, bats, etc.) as well as creatures that are special to the country (Great Panda, red panda, Prezewalski's horse and many others). As Dan presented his slides, he was met with those oohs and aaahs this group always brings to images of animals. Later that day, the children finalized their topics for their China essays. I had challenged the children to top their work in the fall...Dan's visit provided fabulous inspiration.

By the end of the day, every child's list of topics had grown to include, on average, two to three animals. You go, kids!!! We are now knee-deep in essay writing.

Uncle Dan on one of his trips to China (far right)

Guam
Another 3rd grader expanded our knowledge this week. This past winter, she had a wonderful family trip to Guam. She had been given a school assignment while she was gone: collect information and impressions from her trip to teach us about when she returned. This week, she presented her learning and shared many first-hand experiences she had while in this island country. We found out about Guam's wildlife and history, and saw photos and videos that tracked the adventures they enjoyed as a family in, on and near the stunning Pacific.More oohs and aaahs from the 2-3s!

The Great Outdoors
We continue to open our mornings with physical activity and also make sure to take breaks throughout the day to breathe in the fresh air. Time in the woods opens the mind and prepares us for the work we do in our busy days.



Spring is Here: Time for a Tune-Up

We all wait anxiously for spring (ahem, when will it feel like it has really arrived?). After months of being cooped up, the children are anxious to run around. Spirits are high.

 
















In the classroom, we have hit our stride. The children are comfortable with each other, friendships have formed, strengthened, maybe shifted. They “get” me and my expectations. We can talk in shorthand as we work together on projects, share insights about books, and have meals together. We share comic bits and inside jokes.  
 

By spring, the group has become a family, with strong connections and a level of comfort that helps us run like a machine. This level of comfort can also mean that the children break off into little networks that pull them away from the larger group—social preferences are acted on. This is the time of year that I revisit discussions about exclusion in our work and play.

In eight years of teaching 2-3s at Parker, I have noticed a pattern in the classroom’s social life: spring means it’s time to tune up our interactions. Right now, I am working with the children to to reconnect as a whole group, stretch social wings, and reassert our responsibilities to each other. So how do we do this?

 

 

First, I raised the issue of social exclusion in a class meeting. I talked about how all human beings like to belong, like to be in groups they find comfortable. These groups we form often mean that we've left others out. I saw lots of nodding heads. I stressed that they'll work their whole lives to balance out their strong connections with some friends while also staying open to others. I presented some typical examples of exclusion that I have witnessed over the years. We discussed these examples as a class. We discussed why good people sometimes make decisions that keep others out. I asked the children to raise their hands if they’ve ever felt excluded. Each one of us raised our hands.

 

We then played a game I picked up from Scholastic’s website:

 

The Tight Hands Game. This game gives children a metaphor for discussing inclusion and exclusion. The group held hands in a circle. One volunteer, the “outsider,” was instructed to try to get into the circle through spaces between people. Our outsider knew that everyone else would try to keep her out,  but everyone committed to being gentle when blocking. They all were.

 

After playing a bit, I asked:

* What did it feel like to be an outsider?

* What did it feel like to block our friend from getting in?

No one felt comfortable with his/her actions in this game which led to an excellent exchange about personal experiences feeling on the outside. Others hypothesized about why people make decisions to exclude. We all agreed that every individual had a responsibility to stop acts of exclusion, remind our friends to stay open to others, and to take chances ourselves and play with other friends.

 

Over the next several weeks, the children will be asked to sit at their home bases for lunch a few times a week, and to make efforts to connect/reconnect with other friends in the room besides their typical circles. 

As I continue to raise our commitment to inclusion, the children sometimes tell me these discussions bring up guilty feelings. I assure them that they are only human and are allowed to make social moves they regret later. What's important is that they learn each time. This discomfort is okay. This is a sign we need to keep the topic alive. This is really hard work.

I strive to have lots of give-and-take and idea-sharing in our conversations, as opposed to me lecturing. When children share their experiences and emotions, they are helping to develop empathy in others and soften those tight circles.  

 

These whole class discussions have also spurred some private small group conversations to iron out hard feelings about exclusion. In addition, Darcy is also following up in Health class and P.E., hosting conversations and games to promote whole group ties. It’s been a fruitful couple of weeks.

 

I know how important this issue is to all of you. Here are some ideas, if you need them, to help you reinforce what we’re up to at school: 

• Gently remind your child that you expect him/her to be inclusive…to look up and out from his/her typical circle, and to proactively engage many peers in their play.
• Give examples of how you included others in your games as you were growing up.
• Rehearse how to remind a friend to include others—confronting a friend is high stakes, but peer-to-peer encouragement is hugely powerful. 
• Have your child set up a plan to spark or refresh a connection with a peer. Follow up, reinforce and encourage more of this with other peers.
• Create opportunities – play dates—for your child to spend time with classmates that would expand her/his social circle.

This is a powerful and dynamic group. Remember, this group has an ease with each other that is remarkable. This social work is all about making them even stronger.