Dear Parents,It is always a great pleasure to tell you about the wonderful accomplishments of our school. Below you can see the results of the Grade 4 mathematics test given in Spring 2003. Our school has 90.7% of our students at or about grade level (level 3 and 4 students). This is a change of +25.8% from 2002!
Congratulations to all of our students, parents, and all of our staff. This was a group effort and teamwork makes good things happen.
Sincerely,
Linda Green
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Our Assistant Principal
Dear Pen & Ink Readers:
Classroom Chatter
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
Celebrate this wonderful time of the year. Outdoor temperatures move from cool to cold. The air is crisp and clean. Animals prepare for the winter season.
During this holiday season, I look forward to relaxing with my family and friends. We share special meals, exchange gifts, laughs and create new memories.
Books are wonderful gifts. May I suggest that you and your children browse the shelves of you local bookstore of public library?
Young Readers
•“Fracture Fairy Tales – Happily Every After Like You’ve Never Seen It!"
•“Mr. Wolf and the Three Bears” by Jane Fearnley
•“Jake Gander, Storyville Detective” by George McClements
•“The Princes and the Pizza” by Mary Jane and Herm Auch
Older Readers
•“Disappearing Act” by Sid Fleischman
•“Moon, Have You Met My Mother?” by Karla Kuskin and Sergio Ruzzier
•“Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke
•“Granny Torelli Makes Soup” by Sharon Creech
As you cuddle up and read with your children treasure the warmth, tenderness and love. These moments together will last forever. I recall happy childhood memories of reading with my family.
Until the next issue of Pen & Ink, be positive and hopeful.
Fondly,
Patricia Cooper
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Pre-K
Pre-K 120 is enjoying school. Our Halloween celebration was a wonderful success. We had a special visit from NYFD’s Firefighter Jones and the costumed character “Hot Dog”. Many parents came to our Halloween party. They enjoyed a little show put on by the children in our class. We are looking forward to the parents visiting us again for our Thanksgiving and Winter celebrations.
The children have been learning about primary colors and what happens when you mix two colors together. They have discovered – through experimentation- new colors. In math, children have mastered patterns. Ask us to make a pattern for you today. We can do it! Children have also been learning many new songs during circle time. We’ve grown up so much already; we can’t wait for the new year to begin. We have so much to look forward to in the coming year. Happy Holidays to all our children and parents. We wish you all the best in 2004! (Can you believe it?)
Mrs. Cheffo, Ms. Preyor, Ms. Fuentes
Pre- K 116 had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween. We made jack-o-lanterns, black cat masks and ghost treat bags. The children enjoyed fun Halloween games and sharing yummy treats! We had an informative visit from Firefighter Jones who taught us all about fire safety. We loved meeting Hot Dog the firedog.
The children have been busy learning about shapes. We have been doing lots of fun activities with circles. We‘ve been finding circles all over our classroom and playing circle games. We did circle tracing, circle collage and circle painting. We are looking forward to learning about squares, triangles, rectangles and ovals in the upcoming weeks!
We have started learning all about manners. The children have been working on a special manners book, which they can’t wait to share with you at home when they’re finished.
The Thanksgiving holiday is a fun time for all. We have been busy making many different turkey projects as well as reading Thanksgiving books, singing Thanksgiving songs and listening to Thanksgiving Poems. We all enjoyed our Thanksgiving Feast and sharing special foods representing all our different cultures. A great time was had by all!
Pre-K 116 is looking forward to the many wonderful sights and sounds of winter! Stay warm! Enjoy the holiday season!
Mrs. Satcowitz, Mrs. Golub
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The Kindergarten continues to progress beautifully this year. The children are learning all about the Fall, experiencing it through food, art, music, lots of books, math and of course science. We have been exploring the Fall in all its splendor through all of these subjects. We’ve also been very busy as readers, alone and in our partnerships. We are also beginning to write stories about our various experiences.
We’re beginning to lean about Thanksgiving and thinking about all the things we are thankful for. We are all thankful for our wonderful P. S. 175 family, parents, teachers, staff and of course our shining stars – our children.
Please continue reading with your child every night. Don’t forget to ask questions about the story – the main characters, what happened in the beginning, middle and end, and of course what your child did or did not like about the story.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
The Kindergarten Teachers – Ms. Olson, Ms. Nelson, Ms. Mandis, Ms. Sommer
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The school year has been moving along happily! The children are busy reading from their book baggies, sharing stories and ideas. We have been busy writing narratives and drawing self-portraits. We are learning to use math tools such as rulers, pennies, and dice to help us count, add, tell time, measure and much, much more!!! In science, we are learning about our 5 senses and lessons on living and non-living things are soon to come.
1st Grade also welcomes Mr. Hollow, our puppeteer, who will show us how to make new puppet friends from clay and paint. 1st Grade is also taking part in an Intergenerational Program with the Forest Hills Senior Center. Each grade will take a turn for an exciting program of activities with the seniors.
Let’s not forget about our fabulous field trip to the Pumpkin Farm. With the help of the many parents who joined us, we had a great time and were all able to carry back a super pumpkin!!!
First Grade Teachers – Ms. Lyons, Ms. Chan, Ms. Piansky, Ms. Torre, Ms. Warner
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Well, it’s hard to believe that it’s that time of year again. Time for holidays and family celebrations and traditions.
The second grade will be going on their first trip to Green Meadows Farm. The child will see a real working farm and have the opportunity to go on a hayride and milk a cow. We look forward to a wonderful day outdoors.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are almost upon us. We look forward to meeting with all of you and discussion your child’s progress.
Our days continue to be filled with reading, writing, science, performing arts, computer, art and many other fun and interesting activities.
We wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season.
The Second Grade Teachers
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3rd Grade
The third grade is continuing to work hard in all areas. In Math, the students are working on how to tell time, column addition and place value. In Reading, we are continuing to learn about different genres of books and how to discover the most about the characters and their traits in the books that we are reading. In Writing, we are expanding on our “seed ideas” and learning that we can find interesting stories in our daily lives. In Social Studies, we are working on map skills and identifying the continents. Grade Three also went on their first field trip this year. We all enjoyed the Halloween concert at the Colden Center.
The Third Grade Teachers
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4th Grade
In Reading Workshop, the fourth grade students are diving into their books, looking for characters traits, and getting to know their characters better. This will help them to understand why their characters act the way they do. It will also help them to understand characters in other books they read.
In Math, the children are busy taking surveys and learning all about graphs. They are gathering data about their favorite things and organizing this information on tally tables. They are then using the tally tables to plot the results on graphs.
Class 4-301 and 4-320 enjoyed their trip to the Queens Botanical Gardens, where they foraged for food like the Native Americans. Class 4-321 and 4-322 are looking forward to going in early December. This is a wonderful introduction to our unit on Native Americans.
In Writing Workshop, we are working on personal narratives and memories. We are revising, editing and publishing our work. The teachers are all proud of their students’ efforts.
We are very lucky this year to have a Music Program where the children are playing recorders and improving their skills. We hope to have a performance later in the year.
We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
The Fourth Grade Teachers
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5th Grade
The fifth grade is continuing to work on their reading, writing, and math skills. They will also be taking a social studies test in which they will be using these skills.
In addition, fund raising activities have begun for the 5th grade and hopefully they will be successful.
The teachers and parents of the 5th grade students have formed a committee and will be meeting frequently to discuss various future plans.
We will inform you of our future plans in our next issues of the “Pen and Ink”.
The Fifth Grade Teachers
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Science
The young scientists have been very busy exploring the topics of ecosystems, living and non-living things, animal characteristics and food chains and webs!
Did you know that a cricket has ears on its knees or that an anteater can collect 500 ants with one lick?
Thank you for all your responses back about attending science night! It really means something to have you experience what goes on here at P. S. 175 in the science room! Thanks for coming, it was great to see all of you.
Have a happy and healthy holiday!
Shannon Clark
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PCEN Math
While strolling up and down the halls at P. S. 175, you will have the pleasure of walking past the most amazing classroom doors.
Each and every one has been duplicated to appear as a cover for a literature book that conveys a mathematical concept.
Hopefully, these books will inspire and motivate the children to read, enjoy and make the connection between mathematics and literacy.
Approaching mathematics through literature is a wonderful way to show students how math is applied in “real world” situations, besides it being exciting and stimulating.
Yes – MATH can be fun!!
The following is a list of all-time favorites – try them – I promise you a great time! Enjoy!
Mrs. Rosen
Anno’s Math Games` - Mitsumasa Anno
Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday - Judith Viorst
Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies - Louise Matthews
Doorbell Rang - Pat Hutchins
I Hate Mathematics Book - Marilyn Burns
Grandfather Tang’s Story - Ann Tompert
Clocks and More Clocks - Pat Hutchins
Moira’s Birthday - Robert Munsch
Arthur’s Funny Money - Lillian Hoban
Eating Fractions - Bruce McMillan
Each Orange had Eight Slices - Paul Giganti
Circles, Triangles and Squares - Tana Hoban
Math for Smarty Pants - Marilyn Burns
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
The Greedy Triangle - Marilyn Burns
Ten Black Dots - Donald Crews
Equal Parts - Kari Jenson Gold
Lemonade for Sale - Stuart Murphy
Two Ways to Count to Ten: A Folk Tale - Retold by Rudy Dee
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes - Tana Hoban
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PCEN Reading
Dear Parents,
You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Children learn best when parents are interested and involved in their education. So often parents will ask me what they can do at home and, as you have noticed, I am always looking for helpful hints that I can pass on to you. One inexpensive and rich source of information is the newspaper. It lets you read, talk and think together, and seeing a parent read every day motivates the child to do the same.
Mrs. Hyman
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Project Arts/TAG
We have had a great start to the school year. As the Project Arts coordinator I have been busy finding programs and interviewing artists to come work in our school. Mr. Steven Hollow has been working with the first and second graders on making puppets. They are having a great time, just ask them!!!!!
Also Mr. Jack Bashkow has begun to teach the children the recorder and how to read music. Mr. Bashkow and the students are very enthusiastic and excited about this program.
The TAG room is definitely a happening place. The fourth and fifth graders finished their shields and will be doing research on the Middle Ages. They are also involved in learning about the stock market. Every group got an imaginary amount of money ($100,000) and is busy investing. If you need to know whether to buy or sell a stock just ask them for advice.
The third graders are continuing to work on their immigration unit. They have found out information by interviewing relatives that immigrated to this country. We have done map skills, report writing and will end with a feast of foods from all different countries.
Second grade has learned about biographies and autobiographies. The children created their own monsters from scraps and are in the process of interviewing and writing a biography about their monster.
One of the most exciting parts of my job this year is Penny Harvest. It is a program that is done in New York City schools. The children collect pennies to help others. In the first week we raised $900.00 in pennies. A thirty-pound bag equals $50.00. Our goal is $1250.00 as this enables us to choose where $1000.00 of it will be donated. What a wonderful and rewarding program! I am so proud of everyone who brought in pennies.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday. Remember to do something nice for someone and someone will do something nice for you.
Barbara Bialek
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Library/Media Center
The P.S. 175 library is up and running. All children in grades 2-5, who have brought in a permission letter, have been borrowing books. Many first graders have been borrowing books as well. The most popular books for the upper grades are the Harry Potter series and the series of Unfortunate Events books. Some of the old favorites are still popular with the younger children. They love Dr. Seuss, Arthur, Clifford and books about holidays. All ages seem to love Captain Underpants. Books always make great holiday gifts for children and those are just a few favorites.
All grades have also been learning about the library. They are becoming adept at finding their favorites using alphabetical order and the Dewey Decimal system. We have added picture stickers to help children identify books for their classroom genre studies.
We are looking forward to new books coming into the library. Our state allotment doesn’t go as far as we would like but it will bring in several boxes of crisp new books to explore! What can be more exciting than that!
Haren Zwieble
Library Teacher
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Physical Education
The students in the upper grades had fun following the World Series. This year the New York Yankees went fishing for marlin. However, the Florida Marlins weren’t biting and it was the Yankees who were the easy catch.
Did you know that legend has it the there is a curse on the Boston Red Sox called the “The Curse of the Bambino” that has prevented them from winning any World Series? And the Chicago Cubs have a similar curse called “The Curse of the Billy Goat”. We played various games to see if “jinxes” really do work. Students who were on the Marlins team won more times than students who were Yankees. Oh my!!!
Our younger students had fun playing “Squirrel in the Tree” and tried to outwit the MAD SQUIRREL. They also learned how to play Crab Soccer. We even played a game based on the book Enemy Pie to celebrate and integrate our “Community of Readers” program.
We had a special visitor in the gym. Sponge Bob came to watch us play. He had to sit on the bench because he forgot to wear his sneakers.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND BEST WISHES FOR A HEALTHY NEW YEAR!
Ms. Lucchesi
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Performing Arts
This has been a wonderful month for Performing Arts. In the younger grades, we have been doing memory, sequence and concentration exercises, all in the form of fun games. (One is something I picked up in a Shakespeare workshop, but is applicable to all levels.) Also, we’ve been learning lots of songs and reading build-up stories out of which we write songs; each verse builds on the last. In the upper grades, we’ve really gone into the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance, My Country ‘tis of Thee and the Star-Spangles Banner to the point where most of our children can now recite a modern, thoroughly understandable version of at least one of the above, so that we can be sure our kids appreciate what it means to live in a free society. They’ve also learned a few modern songs designed to enhance that awareness. Up next: Macbeth and his wife plan to do King Duncan in, while both Romeo and his wife, Juliet, manage to do themselves in. Readings have already begun in fourth grade and will begin shortly in fifth. High tea to follow.
David Burge
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Art
This fall, our art students have been working on a very exciting project. They have learned the steps an artist takes to turn a drawing into a print. First, each student chose a photograph of an animal to draw. Then, the drawing was transferred to a piece of Styrofoam. The students inked the Styrofoam with a special roller, called a brayer. Then the print paper was placed over the inked Styrofoam and rubbed with the back of a wooden spoon. Finally, the print was pulled off the Styrofoam. The dramatic results of the printmaking project are now on display on bulletin boards throughout the school.
Our next project will focus on watercolors. We will experiment with color families. The colors red, yellow and orange are considered “hot colors,” and the colors blue, green and purple are considered “cold colors”. Artists create “unity” in paintings by using only hot colors or only cold colors. The students, through their own paintings, are learning how unity can be achieved through color.
Meanwhile, our Pre-K and kindergarten students have been learning about shapes and exploring the art of collage.
We have been able to work on more exciting projects this year, such as printmaking, thanks to the money we made at the Art Fair last spring. Once again, I’d like to thank the entire P.S. 175 community: students, teachers, administration and parents, who helped make the Art Fair such a success. We are looking forward to an even more successful Art Fair next spring!
Ms. L. Rovinsky
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ESL
Best wishes from our ESL students and teachers to all the children and families at our school. May you all enjoy a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Cory Bosetti
Susana Domingo
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Computer Lab
The year has started off very nicely. Our students are learning how to access the Internet and use it for research. We will soon have the services of a consultant from TechKnow Associates. She will help our 4th grade children create books using PowerPoint; they will be working on Native Americans. We are making good use of Lightspan and hope that you are using this at home too. The laptops are being used and shared on the 3rd floor.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Love,
Mrs. Krochek
Computer Lab
Remember:
www.lightspan.com
User name: 28q175s
Password: csd28
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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
November/December (Current Issue)