The tools were simple but the knowledge gained was vast as young scientists learned about energy and force at John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School.

On Jan. 14, fourth graders from Kim Rackley’s class relocated to the hallway, where they rolled plastic balls from one wall to the other at different speeds. Working in groups of three, each student took turns rolling the ball, keeping the time and recording the data. They also aimed the balls at targets on the ball – blue sticky notes – to see how force and speed affected accuracy.

Ms. Rackley explained that the experiment was part of a unit on energy. Specifically, students explored mechanical energy, how force affects speed, and the difference between potential and kinetic energy. Following their endeavor, students returned to the classroom to review the data and discuss their observations.

Click here to view the Dinkelmeyer Students Join Forces to Explore Energy slideshow.

Date Added: 1/27/2025

A trip to Project Adventure is an annual rite of passage for sixth graders in the North Bellmore School District. At Park Avenue Elementary School, the adventure is continuing in physical education classes.

The Project Adventure experience at Caumsett State Park each fall focuses on survival skills and team-building games. It is a highly-anticipated trip for all of the sixth grades students, who then return in June for a high ropes experience.

Park Avenue’s physical education teacher, Bill Green, had sixth graders participate in a human ladder activity. In pairs, students held the rungs of a ladder horizontally over mats, while one student would climb across. As he or she crossed each rung, those students would then run to the other end to keep the ladder going until reaching the end of the mats.

Mr. Green said the human ladder focuses on the same skills that are emphasized in Project Adventure – building trust, communication and teamwork.

Date Added: 1/23/2025

In advance of the holiday in his honor, the contributions of great Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were studied in depth by students at Martin Avenue Elementary School.

Students learned that the third Monday of January is not just a day off from school, but a celebration of the man whose fight for equality led to major changes in the law. First graders studied his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, then did a writing and craft project in which they described their own dreams for the world.

Youngsters from Debra Ferretti and Nicole Huttner’s classes came together on Jan. 16 for an MLK craft project. Each student colored in a graphic of two hands with a heart in the middle, then wrote about what love and peace means to them.

In Tiffany Joosten’s fourth grade class, students paired up to read books about Dr. King and complete a timeline of his life. They also reviewed quotes from his various speeches. Each child then selected one and wrote why that quote was meaningful and how to incorporate the message into his or her life.

Throughout the day, Principal Dr. Michael Yannucci visited classrooms to read “Be a King” by Carole Boston Weatherford, and discussed with students how they could live the virtues of Dr. King.

Click here to view the Martin Avenue Students Celebrate Civil Rights Leader slideshow.

Date Added: 1/17/2025

There hasn’t been enough snow yet to build a snowman, but first graders at John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School are relating to the popular winter symbol to improve their math skills.

On paper snowmen and snowflakes, students created fact families. Each youngster wrote the different addition and subtraction equations for a group of three single-digit numbers. The projects were hung in the hallway to showcase the knowledge of Dinkelmeyer’s budding mathematicians!

Date Added: 1/16/2025

A six-week writing project ended with fanfare in Francesca Lawless’ third grade classroom at Saw Mill Road Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District. Students shared their published pieces during a gallery walk on Dec. 11.

A copy of each child’s personal narrative was left on his or her desk for the celebratory event. Children traveled around the room to read their classmates’ stories and admire the creative covers.

The writing unit began with a study of author Patricia Polacco. Her books served as mentor texts because of her use of dialogue and sensory details. The third graders were encouraged to use those techniques in their personal narratives, which were based on significant moments in their lives. Topics ranged from holiday celebrations to family vacations to sporting events.

During the gallery walk, students were encouraged to give compliments to their classmates about well-executed writing strategies.

“It’s important to celebrate this accomplishment because so they can feel pride in their work,” Ms. Lawless said. “The students also get to learn a little bit about each other’s lives since they’re sharing experiences that are personal to them.”

Click here to view the Special Moments Shared at Saw Mill Writing Celebration slideshow.

Date Added: 1/13/2025