EC Brochure 1st Grade 2017

EAM T S e d a st Gr 017 SAR’s 1 2 m a r g nt Pro e m h c i r En

Hands-On Exploration In Science,Technology, Engineering, Art-AsDesign, and Math

SAR’s 1st Grade STEAM Enrichment “Every child should have the chance to be exceptional without exception.”~Dr. Joseph Renzulli

Dear Parents, Welcome to the first grade semester of our Enrichment program of STEAM Enrichment Clusters to begin on Wednesday, April 26th. Our program affords every child an opportunity to participate in a STEAMbased Enrichment slot. This broad enrichment initiative reflects our deep commitment to enabling each student to discover and take pride in the gifts and talents with which she or he is endowed as well as our commitment to championing a broader conception of giftedness.

Your children will have the opportunity to explore an area of interest, talent, or passion in depth in science, technology, engineering, art-as-design, or math, while in a small group with other students and a facilitator who also share this interest. The challenging learning pursued is grounded in the production of a product, performance, or service for an authentic audience.

In this model, STEAM Enrichment Clusters disseminate enrichment pedagogy to every student and is founded on the belief that everyone has the potential to demonstrate gifted behavior. Our STEAM Enrichment Cluster Program and many varied enrichment learning offerings address the diverse abilities and strengths 2

SAR’s 1st Grade STEAM Enrichment children possess. Our ultimate goal is to help children develop their interests and talents and understand how they can share their gifts with the world.

REGISTRATION Please fill out the online Student Selection Form by Friday, March 31st, after which date some STEAM Enrichment Clusters will become filled. We ask that each child select 3 enrichment learning opportunities in which he or she is interested.

Every student is guaranteed a place in one of his or her three selections. If only one selection is made, we cannot guarantee placement in that Enrichment Cluster.

Feel free to be in touch with Sharon Marson at: marsos@saracademy.org or at 718-548-1717 x1212 or Dr. Chaya Fine at: finec@saracademy.org if you would like to be involved in this program or if you have any questions.

Rabbi Binyamin Krauss, Principal Sharon Marson, Director of the Arts & Enrichment Dr. Chaya Fine, Director of Science Curriculum & STEM Initiative 3

Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

1. HOW DID YOU DO THAT? Reading For Construction Consortium Did you ever wish you could create drawings, origami, and 3D constructions, but felt you just couldn’t? Creating a prefabricated project is easy when you have good directions. What makes some directions good and others not? In this Enrichment Cluster you will explore iPad apps that allow you to create origami and drawings. You will evaluate and recommend the easiest ones to follow. Later on, we may build a Lego kit and evaluating directions for ease of use. Perhaps we will write our own directions. Either way, we will investigate the quality of different directions and learn that we can construct almost anything with good instructions.

Facilitator: Rivka Heisler Rivka is Technology Integrator at SAR Academy. Her 4 children’s many constructions turned her into a Lego whiz. She prides herself on her ability to build prefabricated furniture to create anything that has directions, even if she can't draw a straight line!

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

2. ANIMAL LOVERS SOCIETY Ever wonder why some animals look so funny or act in odd ways? Have you wondered why some are good at running fast and hiding and others are not? Why do some animals have big sharp teeth and others have no teeth at all?

How do animals fit in their environments? What makes some of them suited for very hot, dry deserts while others thrive in cold, snowy tundras, windy, grassy plains or very wet rain forests? Explore the amazing Animal Kingdom.

Prepare to be a polar bear dipping in icy water or a bird trying to fit itself with a differently shaped beak. Learn about camouflage, mimicry, hibernation, and migration. Design and name your own animal that will thrive in the arctic, rainforest, or plain. Join this Enrichment Cluster if you are an animal lover.

Facilitator: Renata Cohen

Morah Renata is an artist, scientist, and innovator. She taught biology for many years and now works with SAR’s Science and Art Teachers with students in grades 1-5.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

3. COLOR SCIENCE LAB Students will study works of famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and investigate how math and science concepts are used to create tints and shades used in these masterpieces.

They will create their own colors comprised of tints and shades by using different ratios of primary and secondary colors. They will refer back to the data they collect when deciding which tints and shades to use in creating a masterpiece of their own. Students will also explore the science behind light and color as they engage in hands-on activities that foster a deeper understanding of how we see the beautiful colors surrounding us.

Facilitator: Chani Jaskoll Chani, a professional artist and has been SAR’s art teacher for many years. She is a watercolorist and painter who has exhibited and won numerous art awards.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

4. INSTITUTE FOR SPORTS SCIENCE: EXPLORING HUMAN MOVEMENT Who is your favorite athlete? What makes the top athlete so much better than others in their sport? Are you interested in the human body, its muscles and bones? Have you ever wondered about the physiology of muscles and how they work and which muscle groups to concentrate on for specific sports? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then join us for “Sports Science: Exploring Human Movement.� Analyze outstanding plays by your favorite athletes, and show your friends the science behind how those best in the game make a difference.

Facilitator: Ken Gleason Mr. Gleason has been around sports and athletes his entire life. He is a former Division I baseball player at Manhattan College and current basketball and baseball coach on the high school level. He looks forward to sharing his love of athletics with our students.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

5. ArtLaB: GRAPHIC DESIGN COMPANY Be creative with an iPad and hands-on approach to exploring art with Mrs. Schloss’ graphic design prompts and MoMA’s Art Lab app. This Enrichment Cluster will explore how artists use shape and line in art through creative explorations of MoMA’s collection. Use the Art Lab’s app to create a sound composition, a shape landscape, collaborate on a group drawing, design individual masterpieces, and more. Play with shapes, lines, and colors on the iPad, “draw” with scissors, and explore the works of Henri Matisse, Elizabeth Murray, Jean (Hans) Arp, Jim Lambie, Brice Marden, and other inspiring artists. Come to ArtLab and make compositions come alive!

Facilitator: Debby Schloss Debby Schloss, a veteran SAR faculty member will be combining her love of art and computers in “ArtLab” When Debby isn’t at SAR Academy, she loves spending family time trekking around Manhattan or tiyuling around Israel.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

6. INTO THE WOODS: OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Join Jessica Haller to explore Riverdale Park, a home for wildlife right in SAR’s backyard. In this adventure, experience the natural environment and different ecosystems in all sorts of weather conditions. Consider which animal made tracks we find, which tree makes the best animal home, and which naturally growing plants are safe to eat. Use hands-on experimentation to gather data, identify plants, map various terrain, and analyze and record the findings in a personal field journal. We’ll hike to the park and experience the living laboratory of the natural world and this exciting rain-or-shine adventure! Field books and ponchos provided.

Facilitator: Jessica Haller SAR mom, Jessica Haller is an entrepreneur, a consultant, a Sustainability Professional, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a Leader with the Climate Reality Project. She cares deeply about the welfare of the environment and is excited to share this passion with our students.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

7. PATTERNS IN NATURE THROUGH ART Are you inspired by nature? Do you notice patterns in the world around you? Do you like to create art? Are you interested in learning about how artist create patterns in all forms of visual art? By observing nature as well as master art works, you will learn to recognize and create artwork that reflect the power and beauty of patterns. In this cluster you will explore various famous math patterns such as Fibonacci, Tessellations and fractals. You will be inspired by artists such as M.C Escher, Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky and Andy Goldsworthy.

Facilitator: Adiella Shem Tov Adiella, has a BFA from Concordia U. majoring in sculpture, minoring in psychology. She’s an art educator joyfully wearing many hats at SAR. In the art room she develops innovative, meaningful curriculum for grades N-6 to explore and create. On the Theme of the Year team, she excites and inspires students with large scale and sometimes interactive artwork.

Adiella is also a singer/song-writer recently joining SAR’s Choir as Co- Director. She is a multi-media artist who loves fusing Torah & spiritually into all her creations and loves 10 combining so many interests at SAR.

Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

8. MUSICAL SCIENCE THEATER Come join this fun musical theater group of animals as they search for their own proper biome! Sure, these animal heroes are cute, but looks aren’t everything in a world of distinct and tough environments. To survive (and be able to sing all their catchy songs) you will learn about desert, forest, grassland, freshwater, tundra, and marine areas for which they are especially adapted. Discover things about these biomes and animals and plants in their habitats and the food chain through song and drama that will culminate in a Musical Theater performance at the end of the STEAM Enrichment Cluster semester.

Facilitator: Sigal Chen Sigal Chen graduated the Jerusalem Academy of Music & Dance (B.MUS) and received a Master's in Music Education at Lehman College. She is a professional singer and voice teacher and has performed complete operas at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Sigal is looking forward to sharing her musical skills and passion with the young students at SAR. 11

Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

9. Food For Thought!

Thinking about a delicious and nutritious snack that first graders can enjoy? How can we make healthy eating a fun and creative experience? Perhaps you would like to explore kids’ cookbooks and design a healthy recipe of your own. Do you think you can make a pancake that includes every food group? Let’s explore together and discover how to understand food labels in order to develop a healthy approach toward snacking. Find out how creative we can be and how much fun we can have with food! Join “Food For Thought” and have a delicious time!

Facilitator: Morah Lisi Mandel Lisi is a General Studies teacher with postgraduate work in education and a master’s degree from NYU in nutrition. She is excited to share her love for nutritional science (and healthy snacks!) with children.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

10. When 7 Ate 8 Storybooks Do you love numbers and math concepts? Are you a creative illustrator and imaginative writer? Come join us in exploring number concepts and designing and writing math storybooks. We will learn about how to lay out and create a story with numbers, addition, subtraction, and more. We will use classic math stories as our models. We’ll explore these books and you will create an original storybook of your own. Come join us and share your flair for numbers, design, and words!

Facilitator: Soo Greenfield Morah Soo has been teaching and challenging first graders for the last 30 years. Her passions are many. She is excited to translate her love of writing to the area of math and is looking forward to inspiring students to express their math creativity, using innovative design and expressive language.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

11. ROCKS, MINERALS, AND GEMS . . . OH MY . . .

Rocks rock. Do you love rocks or minerals and gems? Do you like to collect rocks? Did you know that there are 100’s of kinds of rocks?

And did you know that you are strong enough to crush a rock in your hands? Are you curious if there is anything that can scratch a diamond?

Come join this Cluster to explore rocks, minerals, and gems. Perform science experiments on rocks. Use rock kits to make discoveries about rocks, minerals, and gems and find out what makes a diamond great. Join our outdoor rock hunt to form your very own rock collection . . . all in Rocks, Minerals, and Gems . . . Oh My . . .

Facilitator: Yael Edelstein Morah Yael has been teaching about rocks for many years and every time she does she learns something new about them. She even has a special rock that traveled with her when she moved. Morah Yael is excited to share her excitement about rocks with you.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

12. HERE COMES THE SUN . . .

Spring is a perfect time to explore solar energy when the sun is shining brightly and the students can feel the warmth it provides. Here comes the sun is an inquiry-based unit that will introduce first graders to the basic concepts of solar energy through hands-on investigations and explorations. All while having fun, they will learn about heat, light, temperature, reflection, absorption, and more! in addition to the science of the sun, the students will gain an appreciation for how important the sun is for both animal and plant survival.

Facilitator: Chaya Fine Chaya Fine has taught 7th grade science at SAR for the past 14 years and is currently serving as the Director of Science Curriculum and STEM initiative. Having participated in STEM conferences and workshops at the elementary school level, she is thrilled to be able to work with younger students in STEAM Enrichment Clusters this year.

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Enrichment Cluster Offerings . . .

13. YOUNG ENGINEERS, INC. Engineering is the application of scientific knowledge to solving problems in the real world. Engineers try to solve problems by inventing, designing, and building things.

Working with a real engineer, students will learn how to plan and build models of several mechanical structures. After learning about various and necessary components, they will use their creations to explore topics such as force, motion and energy. Students will also be challenged to find engineering solutions to common problems and plan and build their own design/machine/invention given some tools and materials.

Facilitator: Ayelet Feinberg Ayelet joined SAR after moving from Israel 3 years ago. She supports students in: Hebrew, math, and coding and also is faculty advisor for MS STEM projects and competitions. Ayelet has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and worked in the field of engineering product design and development when in Israel. Ayelet's passion about the physical world is fueled by her deep understanding of mechanical structures, energy, math and science.

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SAR’s 1st Grade STEAM Enrichment

Student Selection Form For Enrichment Clusters We are asking children to think about three STEAM Enrichment Clusters they are most interested in attending. In reading through our selections with your child, please guide him or her in recognizing how he/she might be interested in several different clusters.

Please make 3 selections on the online form

by Friday, March 31st, after which date some STEAM Enrichment Clusters will become filled.

Every student is guaranteed a place in one of his or her three selections. If only one selection is made, we cannot guarantee placement in that Enrichment Cluster.

Students will receive their Cluster registration prior to the first session.

If you have any questions please contact Sharon Marson, Director of the Arts and Enrichment at marsos@saracademy.org or 718 -548-1717 x 1212 or Dr. Chaya Fine at finec@saracademy.org 17

SAR’s 1st Grade STEAM Enrichment

“Every child should have the chance to be exceptional without exception.” ~Dr. Joseph Renzulli

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Grade t s 1 s ’ R SA ment h c i r n E STEAM Program

SAR Academy 655 West 254th Street Phone: 718-548-1717 Fax: 718-601-0082