Cats and Dogs

The youngest students have been exploring different ways to make 12.  In class we've had discussions and demonstrations of how if we had 12 cats and dogs, that could be represented with pictures and numbers.  Each student was challenged to find all the ways to make 12 with cats and dogs and then explain how they knew they had found all the different ways.  Some students used chips to help them count, some used their fingers, some did the counting in their head and others used the pictures of the cats and dogs.  Students are next practicing their skills with finding different ways to add to 11, 16 or 21 - using turtles and frogs!

Martin Welych-Flanagan

Humane Society of United States published this article about Martin in their September 13, 2010 issue. 

Orders for his bracelets continue to pour in!

Paper making with Holly Greenberg

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Originally uploaded by New School-Syracuse

Video of Holly Greenberg showing children how to beat the bark!

Poem in a Pocket Day

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves. Did gyre and gimble in ..... Hugh Humphreys came to share his love for reciting poetry, to jumpstart our enthusiasm for Poem in a Pocket Day.  Hugh, a retired judge, writes for the Madison County Historical Society, and is an artist, whose work is at the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark (GSENHL) and National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum in Peterboro. 

Zerbie reading Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky 

Hugh Humphreys

Papermaking Field Trip

Holly Greenberg with students

Holly Greenberg with Lola

Max, Syris and Alaira enjoying the slime

On November 2, 2010 the whole school visited Holly Greenberg, (Gulliver's Mom) at Syracuse University's Comart building to learn about the ancient Chinese art of making paper. The children learned the Kozo bark first had to be cooked, then pounded. Each child was given the opportunity to pound away! The pounded Kozo was mixed with water and some okra slime. Many of the curious children asked to dip their hands in the slime!  Finally each student had a chance to sift and and swish the bark, first in one direction, then the other. Afterwards the paper was transfered from the bamboo frame to a wet felt.  This part of the process is called "couching" which literally means "putting the paper to bed.

Quin making paper

Greer transferring the paper to the couch

Weekly trips to Soule Library

Investigations

Every day we have "Investigations" at school in the afternoon. This is a time for students to have a choice about how they spend about an hour of their afternoon. Choices this fall have ranged from RazKids and Kid Pix on the computers to gross motor play with Dance and Wooden Marble Run to pretend play with the dress up materials. This is also a time for parents to come in and share their passion with the students. This fall we've had a parent come and cook Chinese food with students and a grandparent of an Alumni teach origami. Our afternoons are pretty flexible and we aim to have students trying 3-4 different choices each week. We also use this time for students to teach what they are interested in or like to do. We call this a "Legacy" as it will be how they are remembered throughout the year. Some Legacies students have taught and participated in have included: Archery, Paper Airplanes, Star Wars Game, Target Practice and Board Games brought from home.