Dear Parents,Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Our Shakespearean Festival is about to begin. Grade 4 will present Macbeth (the musical) on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Grade 5 will present Romeo and Juliet (the musical) on Thursday, May 13th at 7:00 p.m. These wonderful performances are open to all of our parents and you will be receiving additional information soon.
In addition, our second annual Story Night Pajama Party will take place on Wednesday, April 28th for Grades K–2. This year, we are proud to have a professional storyteller available that evening to weave magical tales.
I hope to see you at these upcoming events. Watching our chidren perform is definitely better than Broadway!
Very Truly Yours,
Linda Green
Principal
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Our Assistant Principal
Dear Pen and Ink Readers,
Classroom Chatter
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
The first day of spring is Saturday, March 20. Our school’s garden will awaken from a long winter’s nap. The Lynn Gross Discovery School Garden will bloom with plants, trees and flowers thanks to the efforts of our elected Student Council members, additional students, teachers, and energetic volunteers.
Thanks to Mrs. Diamond, our fifth grade teacher/ faculty advisor to the Student Council, and her team of supporters for a profitable Used Book Sale. All proceeds from the Used Book Sale will be contributed to the garden’s beautification. The Used Book Sale was a huge success.
The second Story Night Pajama Party will take place Wednesday, April 28, 2004 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the Lynn Gross Discovery School/P.S. 175 Queens. The Story Night Pajama Party promises to be an exciting event for students in grades K, 1, 2 and his/her family member. A professional storyteller and P.S. 175 students will perform in the auditorium. Story Night Pajama Party participants will receive a free book and refreshments. We look forward to seeing you.
From my bookshelf of ideas, I suggest children and adult family members read and explore:
Exploring Our Solar System by Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy (Ages 9-12)
Until the next issue of Pen & Ink, I wish you peace, good health and fun together.
Fondly,
Patricia Cooper
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Pre-K
Spring has sprung in Pre-K 116!! The children loved making lions and lambs to signify “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb!” We have been very busy with our letter sounds and recognition. The children are enjoying all the projects and activities based on our letter of the week. We have shared many wonderful items from home for show and tell each week.
St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated with a terrific story and a leprechaun hat project. We’re still looking for the pot of gold!
We all had a great time on our trip to Queens Theater in the Park to see “Sister Rain and Brother Sun.” The puppets were amazing!
Now that we have finished learning all about shapes, we are discussing patterns, comparisons, sorting and matching.
We made a beautiful bird project with our second-grade buddies. We will also be creating many other wonderful spring projects to decorate our room. We are looking forward to the spring holidays and the warm weather! Happy Passover and Happy Easter!
Mrs. Satcowitz and Mrs. Golub
It’s hard to believe spring is around the corner! Pre-K 120 has been busy with many exciting holiday projects. We made Valentine cards and presents for our parents. We just finished our St. Patrick’s Day decorations.
We are reading Eric Carle’s books and are learning a lot about nature and our environment.
We continue to learn the alphabet, numbers and shapes.
We had a lot of fun seeing the puppet show “Sister Rain and Brother Sun” at the Queens Theater in the Park.
Mrs. K. Velez
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Well, Spring has finally arrived, but at the time of this writing, Winter does not want to let go. Despite the weather, we in Kindergarten are learning all about Spring, its weather, the changes in nature, and how we are changing and growing up. We are celebrating Spring in stories, our own writing, in art and music too. We are learning how to tell time on the hour and half-hour.
Many of us are reading on our own now, and even teaching our younger siblings the ABCs and what we have learned in school.
On April 21st, we will see a performance of “Aesop’s Fables” at Queens Theatre in the Park, which we are so excited about. It’s been a great year so far. We’ve learned so much and made so many new friends.
We hope you all have a wonderful, restful spring vacation.
Love,
M. Olson, L. Nelson, A. Mandis, A. Sommer
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We are wonderful readers! Most of us in grade 1 have a favorite book or author and have completed our 30 books for the year!
Our writing includes responses to trips, how-to’s, memoirs, non-fiction and many more topics of interest.
We advance into math learning place value and comparisons of numbers. Science covers animals and weather topics.
Our upcoming trips include LaGuardia Theatre and the colonial Rufus King Manor Museum.
We all look forward to Pajama Night as well! Sharing favorite books is a perfect way to spend the school night.
Once again, we thank all our 1st grade families for their continued support and partnership in their child’s learning.
Ms. Lyons
Ms. Piansky
Ms. Torre
Ms. Warner
Ms. Chan
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Our first trip was a huge success. Students learned about the different parts of the plants that we eat. The children were able to sample the edible plants.
Some of the other trips we have planned are the Arbor Day Parade, Queens Theatre in the Park, American Museum of Natural History, and Green Meadow Farm.
The second grade has been supplementing the science program by observing and teaching the stages of metamorphosis of meal worms. The students have even given them names.
Lastly, our students have become real authors, working really hard in their writing. Look for their published works in our upcoming Encore magazine.
Wishing you a Happy Easter and Passover!
The Second Grade Teachers
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3rd Grade
It’s hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner! The school year is flying by!
Third grade has been working very hard to perfect their reading and math skills in preparation for the April citywide tests. The children have also been successful in learning how to play the recorder and are very excited about making a CD!
The DNA school site visits have given the students a wonderful opportunity to learn many interesting facts about DNA components along with various hands-on projects to experience. In addition, the month of April brings National Poetry Month in which our third graders will enjoy choosing some of their favorite poems to share, display and discuss with one another.
In May, they will be taking time out to enjoy a fun field trip to Alley Pond Park, which is well-deserved after all their hard work!
The Third Grade Teachers
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4th Grade
The fourth grade students are busy completing the unit on early exploration. They learned interesting information about the people who were sent on voyages to discover the New World. They will soon begin a unit on Colonial America to learn about the birth of our country.
In Reading Workshop, the children are working on non-fiction topics. They are discovering that reading non-fiction is very different from reading fiction. They are also learning the importance of reading non-fiction.
In Math, we have worked very hard on long division, decimals and the metric system. We have also been doing word problems to prepare for the upcoming state test.
We are very excited about the upcoming recording of the songs we will be singing in our Macbeth presentation. We will also be playing two selections on our recorders. We hope you have a wonderful, happy and healthy spring break.
The Fourth Grade Teachers
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5th Grade
The fifth grade is currently involved in preparation for the standardized reading and math tests, which will be given in April. In addition, they are still working on their writing skills.
The fifth grade classes are also continuing to practice their ballroom dancing every Tuesday and Thursday. They are making much progress and seem to enjoy this activity very much.
In May and June, the fifth graders will participate in their end-of-the-year activities, which includes a picnic, a Broadway show, a dance party, and the “Stepping-Up Assembly.” All the children are looking forward to these activities.
In April, the children will enjoy a Spring Recess. The teachers wish everyone a happy vacation time.
The Fifth Grade Teachers
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Science
It has been an exciting month of March for our third grade scientists! They have been working on their Science Olympiad projects. Can you construct a barge out of aluminum foil and see how many pennies it can hold? It was really fun for me to watch their ideas come alive! The fourth and fifth grade scientists will be completing their projects in April.
In the meantime, the fourth graders are preparing for the science test. I have no doubt about how well our students will do here at P.S. 175! The fifth graders are getting a little introduction to the wonderful world of Chemistry! We are learning all about elements, atoms and compounds. Do you know how many protons there are in a Carbon atom? We do!
I hope everyone has very restful and relaxing vacation in April. Happy Holidays!
Shannon Clark
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PCEN Math
Testing time is approaching. It will be here before you know it.
April 27th—Grades 3 and 5
Citywide Testing Program—Math
May 4th– 6th—Grade 4
New York State Mathematics
Here are some test-taking skills that I believe will be very helpful to you.
Start reviewing early. You will remember more by studying a little over several days than you will by studying everything the night before the test.
Find a good place to study. Find a quiet place with room to spread out your papers.
Make sure you get enough rest. If you get tired, take a break or get some sleep. If you’re tired on test day, you’ll have trouble concentrating.
Set up a specific time to study. Keep to your study time. Review your notes, look through your textbook, and try sample problems.
Practice, practice, practice. Redo old homework problems or quiz problems.
Use study aids. Silly sayings, called mnemonic devices, can help you remember complicated rules or procedures.
Think about how things fit together. The more you understand, the less you’ll have to memorize. For example, if you understand why a formula works, you’ll have an easier time remembering it.
Study with other students. As often as possible, talk out loud about how to work through a problem.
Study by yourself. You will be taking the test alone, so practice doing problems on your own.
Check that you have all the materials you need for the test. You may need a ruler, sharp pencils, paper, and so on.
Know the rules of the test. How much time do I have to complete the test? Do all the questions count equally? Can I use my textbook, my handbook, my calculator, or notes? Does the teacher want explanations for short-answer test items?
Look over the entire test quickly. Then begin the test. Check the time once in a while.
Read the directions carefully. If you don’t understand something, ask your teacher. Follow all instructions.
Answer the questions you are sure of first. If you are stuck, move on to the next question.
If time is running out, try not to panic. Do what you can do. Panicking will only waste time that you could be using to finish a problem or move on to another problem.
Double-check. Make sure that you have answered all of the questions you can. Recheck your work if you have time.
Check that all your answers are readable.
If you have no idea how to solve a problem, move on. After you have completed the rest of the problems, return to the ones you don’t know.
Change your answers only if you are sure they are wrong. Do not rush through a problem a second time and quickly change your answer. You are often right the first time.
Success in school depends on you! Be prepared and be involved, especially before a test. Don’t wait until the last minute to study for a test.
Wishing all our test-takers much luck and success!
Mrs. Rosen
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PCEN Reading
Dear Parents,
The following are some short daily activities found in “A Calendar of Home Activities.” They will provide you with an opportunity to become actively involved with your child while emphasizing necessary reading skills. Have fun with them!
Listening: At a given signal, have your child write down all the things he/she hears in a two-minute period. You do the same. Then share and compare your lists.
Same? Opposite? Have your child tell you whether each word pair means the same or opposite. (hot, cold) (big, large) (above, below) (positive, negative) (pretty, beautiful) (empty, full)
Sorting: Write the words plastic, wooden, and metal. Have your child list items in the kitchen that are made of these materials.
Following Directions: Bake or cook something together. Let your child follow the recipe or directions.
Fact/Opinion: Have your child answer fact or opinion for each sentence. Example: We live in the United States. (fact)
•I have too much homework.
•An insect has six legs.
•Oaks are the prettiest trees.
Sequence: Cut a comic strip from an old newspaper. Read the comic strip together. Cut the sections apart, and have your child put the sections in the right order.
Susan Hyman
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Project Arts/TAG
I can’t believe that we are already in the month of April. It has been such a wonderful year so far. I am so proud of all my students. The fourth and fifth graders have gotten involved in the stock market on their own. I was so pleased to see how many children volunteered to start up a new stock portfolio. The fifth grade has finished their Medieval Times reports and projects. They are in the process of giving their oral reports. You may visit our Medieval Times display in the basement. We are now going to begin our unit on Constitution Works. We will be preparing our court case to be presented in Federal Hall on May 20, 2004. All fifth grade parents are invited to join us!
The fourth grade TAG students are busy writing new stories based on Nursery Rhymes. We will be filming them, with Ms. Lugo’s help, in the near future. The third grade TAG children are learning all about advertising. Their culminating activity will be writing commercials that will also be filmed between the news stories. The fourth graders are also in the process of deciding where to donate the Penny Harvest money that was allocated to the school. One thousand dollars is a lot of money and I am sure whichever charity they decide upon will be a good decision.
Second grade TAG children are learning all about artists and their art styles. We have studied Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. We wrote about them and copied their art styles. Other artists that will be discussed are Alexander Calder and Norman Rockwell.
It has been a terrific experience working with all the Project Arts funds and deciding which programs to bring into the school. We have put money toward the making of a CD. A special thank you to Mr. Burger for making it all happen! A terrific assembly program was seen by the upper grades with our own recorder teacher, Mr. Jack. The theme of the show was all about Shakespeare and his work. It was as if Broadway came to P.S. 175. We have a fantastic storyteller visiting all the kindergarten children. She will be kicking off our Story Night on April 28.
As you can see, the Lynn Gross Discovery School is a happening place!!!!!!
Have a great holiday!
Love
Mrs. Barbara Bialek
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Physical Education
HURRAY! IT’S SPRING!
You may want to hide those computer and video games and unplug the TV so children can once again enjoy these outdoor activities that will also keep them in shape.
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is now offering the Presidential Champions program for kids to help promote fitness for a lifetime. Children can earn medals and presidential patches. For more information, visit their website.
We started a new unit on Cardio-respiratory Endurance. The students are learning about activities that improve the heart’s ability to circulate blood and oxygen to the body. Our students compiled a list of activities that can be done once or twice a week for 10 minutes until they are able to build up their endurance level to three to five times a week for at least 20 minutes.
The students enjoyed running the Obstacle Course as well as playing Crab Soccer with six players at a time. We will continue with more activities that can help students understand this concept.
All vision and hearing screening and retesting has been completed. We will notify parents if a follow-up visit to the doctor is indicated. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our parent volunteers, Mrs. Acosta and Mr. Baker for their assistance.
Enjoy the spring holidays!
Ms. Lucchesi
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Art
The students have completed a unit on color mixing and landscape painting. We have now begun a unit on portraits and drawing the figure.
The Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten looked at artwork by Romare Bearden. They saw how he combined texture and pattern by using cloth and paper to create a collage. The students made self-portraits by cutting out cloth to make clothes. The children were able to experience working with the different textures of materials while doing this project.
Students in grades 1, 2, 3, and 5 are celebrating the cultural diversity of our neighborhood by making double portraits or group portraits. Grades 1 and 2 looked at quilts and appliqué work by Harriet Powers and Janet Bolton. They saw how these artists create pictures by sewing cloth on cloth. Each child chose a different color to represent each face in his or her portrait. They cut faces, clothes, and background art out of cloth and glued the pieces to a larger cloth. The faces in these portraits show that children in our school come from all over the world.
Grades 3 and 5 are using what they have learned about color in the previous unit. They are painting double or group portraits of themselves with friends. They looked at work by Alex Katz, Paula Modersohn-Becker, and Alan Rohan Crite. They saw how these artists could draw more than one person in a portrait by overlapping or drawing people in profile or three-quarters view. The students planned their portraits in pencil and mixed their colors to paint them.
Ms. Rovinsky
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ESL
There are some new students joining us this term and we look forward to enjoying our new friends and learning together. We have been focusing some of our lessons on learning about respect, courtesy and kindness. We want to encourage brotherhood and tolerance of individual differences, which is so important in the new world we know and are living in, especially in our classroom where different cultures, religions, and nationalities meet!
The ESL students are looking forward to Spring and going on some trips. We plan to visit The American Museum of Natural History on April 20th and May 14th, the New York Aquarium on April 29th, and the Bronx Zoo on June 3rd. We would like to invite parent helpers to join us on these trips.
We wish all our families a wonderful, safe, joyous Spring break and happy celebrations for your vacation.
Cory Bosetti
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Computer Lab
Our school is very fortunate! We will soon have all of our classrooms connected by state-of-the-art computer equipment. The children are experiencing such wonderful ways in which they find information. The Internet is very exciting.
We are looking forward to showing our PowerPoint presentations in conjunction with our memoirs. We have been making use of embedded video.
The classrooms are all connected and we are starting projects there as well.
Our classes are starting to work with art projects on the computer. We have integrated this into discussions about symmetrical objects.
Love,
Mrs. Krochek
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School Store
If you are interested in purchasing some T-shirts or pencils, please Print the School Store Order Form from your browser, complete the form and drop it off in PA mailbox in the school office or give it to your child's teacher.
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Mark Your Calendars
March/April (Current Issue)