MCKENDREE | MAREN

Madeline ate ½ a pizza. John ate ½ of another pizza. Madeline said that she ate more pizza than John, but John said they both ate the same amount.

Use drawings, words, or numbers to explain how Madeline could be right.

Students pondered how could this be… a half is the same as any other half… or is it?

Book clubs are an important aspect of the literacy program in Indigo. Through Book Clubs, students have been delving into both fiction and non-fiction books. The purpose of these Book Clubs is to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of literature by engaging in discussion, and analytical thinking. The collaborative work in Book Clubs builds upon our culture of reading and reveling in books at PS1. In fiction Book Clubs, students participated in an author study of Roald Dahl and were introduced to the roles of Superb Summarizer, Discussion Director, Literacy Luminary, Artistic Artist and Morphology Word Wizard. After reading the assigned text, each student was responsible for completing their role independently and then coming together as a group to share their discoveries and questions. In non-fiction Book Clubs, students learned about “Changemakers” including Coretta Scott King, Michelle Obama, Rachel Carson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Malala Yousafzai, and reflected upon the role of Activists and Changemakers in our society, and how these figures ignited their individual desire to make a change for the greater good. Throughout Book Clubs, students practiced the skills of inferencing, annotating, connecting and summarizing, and mostly importantly, continued to cultivate their love of reading!

Violet KELLY | ANGI

Spring semester has given students a chance to understand that the history of America is all around them… even in walking distance of their own school.

In Social Studies, the Violet class explored Santa Monica’s Broadway neighborhood as “caretakers of history.” Based on research from the Santa Monica History Museum’s Broadway to the Freeway exhibit, students explored the people and buildings of the past in order to understand how changes over time influence the present. The construction of the 10 Freeway’s extension to the sea in the late 1950s represented a significant change in the social, political and economic demographics of the Broadway area that was once a thriving multicultural neighborhood community. From a Black-owned church that remains to this day to a synagogue that was once a Jewish deli, to a site where an interracial public school once stood and more, the Violet class has walked the neighborhood and made detailed architectural sketches. They created a map of the present and models of Broadway buildings, circa 1950. They have mapped migration patterns of Black American, Jewish American, and Mexican American individuals. As informational writers, Violet class members wrote essays about former community members who made valuable contributions to Santa Monica’s history. The project helped them understand and apply terms such as the Great Migration, institutional and structural racism, opportunity, inclusion, community, and more. This project could easily be a year-long endeavor but the Spring semester has given students a chance to understand that the history of America is all around them…even in walking distance of their own school.

As a part of this unit, our goals have been not just to acquire knowledge about our planet’s four spheres (the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere) and the impact of human activity upon them, but to also reinforce the scientific method and the skills needed to successfully think and act like a scientist.

Students in Olders 4 are investigating how human activities impact the environment. As a part of this unit, our goals have been not just to acquire knowledge about our planet’s four spheres (the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere) and the impact of human activity upon them, but to also reinforce the scientific method and the skills needed to successfully think and act like a scientist. We started with our observations and scientific sketches of life (plants and animals) around our campus. We carefully recorded our observations in drawings and notes, which then gave rise to questions and hypotheses. A field excursion to the Santa Monica Pier and Heal the Bay Aquarium taught us about some of the equipment and methods used by scientists to gather data, and further research back on campus led us to investigate how creating, using, and disposing of some of our favorite everyday items (ranging from soccer cleats to pasta to drawing pens) can impact the earth’s soil, water, atmosphere, and living beings. Students are compiling their research and observations into interesting and thought-provoking infographics that help educate us all about the impact we have on our shared planet.

Olders Cluster

Students could be seen around campus memorizing their lines, practicing their scenes, and honing their craft. After also watching the play at the Will Geer Theater, the culmination was two brilliant productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on our campus.

For many years now there has been an end of the year Shakespeare Festival on our campus. It consists of the production of two plays presented by the students in the Olders Cluster and performed for the parents of these students and the rest of the school. Last year, after studying Ancient Greek and Roman history, we chose Julius Caesar. This year we decided on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Following the heaviness of one of the Bard’s historical dramas, a comedic love story was in order. As part of our preparation we immersed the students in the life and times of Shakespeare. This included four separate seminars in which all the Olders students participated, including Queen Elizabeth and her impact on Shakespeare’s time, the science and technology of Shakespeare’s time, the flora in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and sonnet writing and iambic pentameter. After round table readings, the students wrote to the teachers about various roles they would like to play. Upon being given their parts, the real fun began. Students rehearsed entire acts and specific scenes as they grew into their roles. They learned the subtleties of the language and the humorous personalities of the characters. Students could be seen around campus memorizing their lines, practicing their scenes, and honing their craft. After also watching the play at the Will Geer Theater, the culmination was two brilliant productions of the play on our campus.

Library CHRISTINA

April is such an important month in the world of the PS1 Library: National Poetry Month! Spring!! Earth Day! But, most important of all: Library Week from April 23 - 29! Of course, we celebrate it all! I have read poetry from the book that made me fall in love with poetry (Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle, edited by Stephen Dunning, et. al.) and we have shared stories pertinent to the month.

Ah-may-zing May gives us ever more bountiful joys: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month, as designated by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress designates these months of acknowledging heritage in order to “pay tribute to the generations who have enriched America’s history and helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society, as well as being instrumental in our future success.”

With so many people to celebrate, as well as celebrating Mother’s Day, the Olders’ Shakespeare presentation, and camping, I chose Library programs for the students with a poem, for example, from a book of poetry written by Japanese children. Titled “Mom” (by Tanaka Daisuke) and a colorfully written, picture book biography of Sandy Koufax.

While attending the ceramics program all students at PS1 had the opportunity to learn where clay comes from and what it is made out of. We discussed the importance of not wasting earth’s natural resources while we share it. After each student had an opportunity to sculpt with clay, they discussed one huge benefit of using clay for making pots and containers is that the clay vessels will decompose making them an eco-friendly alternative to steel and aluminum cookware.

The students were excited to find out that the recyclability of clay is 95%. Furthermore, the students discussed the challenges that come along with creating clay pots, for example how much energy is needed in each firing and what type of energy is being used. The students learned that if the energy we use when firing clay was made from fossil fuels, clay vessels would no longer be as eco-friendly as we first learned.

During this clay study the students used their critical thinking skills and analyzed both the benefits and drawbacks of using clay to create vessels we use. The students were very proud of their sculptures. They were amazed to create bowls that they can eat out of every day, mugs for hot chocolate, flower pots for plants, clay and plaster fossils, birdhouses and vases.

During this clay study the students used their critical thinking skills and analyzed both the benefits and drawbacks of using clay to create vessels we use. The students were very proud of their sculptures.

During the school year, the physical education program emphasizes both sports and sportsmanship, where team spirit, personal responsibility, cooperation, and honoring differences are some of the top priorities. Our program not only contributes to students’ physical fitness, but it also presents so many opportunities to foster social-emotional growth and well-being.

When we begin a new unit, students are taught the basic skills, rules, and strategies of the games. Children love sports and are naturally competitive, so it’s easy for them to get caught up in a game and become focused only on winning. Therefore, we assist children to understand the value of sportsmanship while ensuring they have a safe, fun, and successful sports experience. Sportsmanship is one of our primary sources of teaching, it helps us model fair play, respect for others, teamwork, integrity, and ongoing learning. The end goal is that our physical education program is enjoyable, fulfilling, challenging, and helps each student feel proud of their endeavors.