| W. L. Morse 2007-2009 News Archive Dear Families, I hope this finds you well and enjoying the summer. As much as we enjoy the quiet and reflection that summer allows, we are most excited to welcome you and your children to Morse for the 2009-2010 school year. We had a very busy spring and have been hard at work this summer, enhancing both the building and the program. We are quite enthusiastic about our ongoing efforts to work together with you to develop children who are: curious, critical thinkers; lifelong learners; competent readers, mathematicians, scientists and citizens; as well as respectful, responsible and empathic people who believe that they are valued members of their community. This year, we look forward to launching a comprehensive student values and character education program. We designed the program based on best practices that are aimed at cultivating a thriving learning community, enhancing student self esteem and diminishing bullying behavior. Our program incorporates aspects of our existing Second Step curriculum, includes components from the research-based Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) approach, and actively teaches core community values. Please see the "Morse Code" statement in the Parent/Student Handbook to read more about the four values on which we will focus in this program. Students will learn about these values through school-wide assemblies and activities as well as during weekly classroom meetings. We will reinforce these values throughout their school day, as students will receive positive feedback when they are caught doing the right thing. Please look forward to monthly letters and calendars that will help you understand what students are learning as well as what you and your child(ren) can do at home to further this important work. Many schools have experienced significant changes in their schedule this year due to changes in transportation. Although Morse was largely unaffected, please make special note of the following:
Regular attendance in school has been linked to higher achievement, stronger bonds to school and community, lower rates of delinquent and high risk behavior, and increased participation in higher education. Attendance habits are formed early and we want to make sure that our students learn good habits now, so we will also focus on encouraging students to come to school on time this year. We are also pleased to welcome several new staff members to Morse. Although new to our school, their talents and contributions are not new to the district. Michelle Marx and Alia Yeater will join us after having great success teaching at Tappan Hill. Ms. Marx will join the second grade team and Ms. Yeater will teach a multi-grade class as part of our special education team. We welcome Judith Kass and Noehly Ochoa, who contributed a great deal as teaching assistants at the High School and John Paulding, respectively. Michelle DeVivo welcomed a baby girl into her family and will be on leave through the fall. Fortunately, Tatiana Godinho, who had great success as a full-year leave replacement at Washington Irving last year, will teach Mrs. DeVivo’s class. We have many exciting events on the Morse Calendar this year. You can find the events on our online calendar, on the district printed calendar you will receive on the first day of school or in the monthly calendars you will receive from Morse. Please also look for a monthly newsletter that will arrive in the last week of each month during the school year. We hope to see all of you at our Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 23 rd. On that night, I will give a brief overview of the Morse program, share more about our building goals and speak to ways that we welcome parents to become more involved at Morse. You will also have the chance to visit classrooms and hear form your child’s classroom teacher(s). As you will read in the Handbook, the first parent-teacher conferences will be held on Thursday and Friday, November 11th and 12th at the close of the first marking period. Should you feel the need, you will certainly be able to contact your child’s teacher in advance of that meeting, but please look forward to the conference as a chance to learn about how your child(ren) has made the transition to a new grade and how he or she is developing academically and socially.Please know that you can contact me by email or phone at any point if you have questions, comments or concerns. Enjoy the last few weeks of the summer and have a safe, restful Labor Day. We look forward to working with all of you! Yours, Mrs. Meghan Fitzgerald Principal Myths and Legends Came to Life at Morse
Lunchtime Literature Circles are a Success at Morse
On Tuesday evening, May 12th, WL Morse had its annual Challenge Fair. This is an event in which Third Grade Social Studies Enrichment Students present the results of their Independent Study Projects. These three month research and problem solving projects were in response to the question “What price do we pay for progress?” After spending time learning research skills from other, shorter lived projects, the students were exposed to historical and present-time events that demonstrate both sides of that issue. Some of the topics chosen for independent study were: “How the deforestation of the Amazon Basin affects the native peoples living in the area”; “Causes, effects and possible solutions to the Great American Dustbowl”; “The Interstate Highway System and its benefits and problems”; “How the introduction of American fast foods has led to obesity and related problems in China” and “Indian Point, Friend or Foe” among many others. Students presented their work to parents, relatives, friends and the school community with great success. We celebrated their hard work, curiosity and determination as well as the incredible help and cooperation from parents and teachers. Great job everyone! (Posted 5/14/09 ) April is National Poetry Month. During this month, students throughout the country study and celebrate poetry. Students at W.L. Morse have been studying poetry all month and will join in the national celebration by participating in “Poem in Your Pocket Day” on Thursday, April 30th, 2009. To celebrate the imagination and creativity of poetry, students of all ages are asked to carry a poem in their pockets to share with friends, classmates, teachers, family and friends. Students will be given opportunities to read their favorite poems throughout the day. Join us in celebrating this Thursday! Keep a poem in your pocket to share with someone!
KEEP A POEM IN YOUR POCKET
Beatrice Schenkde Regniers (Posted 4/27/09 ) Africa: Customs, History, Music, and Legend at Morse School
The Ishangi Family Dancers were founded in 1958 and have performed all over the world including twice at the United Nations. Their presentation is a wonderful blend of music, dance, and narration. In the course of the concert, students learned about authentic African customs, history, musical instruments, masquerades, and legends. The objectives of the program are to introduce students to the culture, dance, music, and history of West Africa. The program is entertaining and educational, incorporating everyday activities such as how clothing is washed by hand by beating the cloth on rocks. All dance and musical presentations were thoroughly explained. What a wonderful culmination to our study in the Morse Art Studio! (Posted 4/1/09 ) African Art Celebrated at Morse School
Examples of this art work are on display on the first floor at Morse school. A travelling exhibition will be on view at the Warner Library beginning in early April. The Ishangi Family Dancers will be performing on April 1st for the entire school in celebration of our study of African art forms. (Posted 3/28/09 ) Second Graders Celebrate their Non Fiction Work
Morse Students
Celebrate “Music in Our Schools Month” There are a lot of special things happening at Morse this month to celebrate. Take a look at the March lunch menu for instance! Classroom teachers worked with their students to brainstorm and come up with fun musical names for everyday lunch items. We are listening to interesting musical facts and trivia during morning announcements. Musicians from the Westchester Philharmonic will come and spend a day showing kids lots of different instruments. The second grade students will experience woodwind instruments, while third graders will see and hear instruments from the percussion family. Both grades will attend a special MIOSM presentation on March 24 by the band and orchestra directors and students from Washington Irving School.(Posted 3/9/09 ) Morse Family Math Night was a Big Hit!
Morse Teachers, Students and Parents Celebrated Healthy Heart Week! In honor and celebration of Healthy Heart Month, Morse PE teachers welcomed Morse parents to come and participate in PE Class. Students and parents (and even Mrs. Fitzgerald) competed in the Morse version of the Olympics, designed especially for Healthy Heart Week. Teams worked together in and out of PE class to understand the importance of cardiovascular fitness and good sportsmanship. Everyone who participated had a great time too! Special thanks to Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Brennen for making this possible! (Posted 2/13/09 ) The Morse Third Grade Mask Tradition Goes On!
Morse flyers and announcements are online Morse families can now find all flyers, monthly newsletter and letters from the office posted on the Morse page of the district web site--just another (green) way to stay informed! To visit the Morse page, go to http://www.tufsd.org/wlm/index.html or click on Winfield L. Morse on the top of the district web site. (Posted 2/10/09 )
Morse
FLIP: Fun Lunch Indoor Program For the next five weeks, the EPTA proudly presents Morse FLIP: Fun Lunch Indoor Program. On certain days during lunch, rain or shine, parent volunteers will lead special activities.
On these days, one or two students from each class will be able to sign up for FLIP in the morning. Students will rotate so as many children as possible will be able to participate. At lunchtime, the students will bring their lunch (from home or purchased) to the activity & enjoy trying new projects & meeting new classmates. Parents do not have to do anything; this is just an optional way to have winter fun! Many thanks to the parents who are offering to lead these activities. Please feel free to email Jennifer Povman at jpovman@optonline.net or call the school at 914-631-4144 if you would like to volunteer to help. (Posted 1/27/09 )
Winter Wonderland at Morse: A Celebration of Literacy Students, staff, family
members and friends thoroughly enjoyed Winter Wonderland, a day to
celebrate literacy together at Morse. The day started early for the SHHS
Project YOU! students who set up a fantastic
Holiday Concerts Are a Big Success!
From the Library…
Clothing Sale Success!!! W.L. Morse’s Second Semi-Annual “Gently Used Clothing Sale” was a wonderful success this past weekend. Thanks to the dedicated help from the EPTA, staff and student volunteers, $1500 was earned to be put towards “Green” projects within the school. Thank you to all who donated clothing to this worthwhile event. Thanks also go to those who came to replenish their wardrobes. Wonderful clothing was recycled and will be reused, allowing us to save the earth in our own way. (Posted 11/3/08) Third Graders at Morse School Study Cubism
An exhibit of student work will be on view at the
Warner Library beginning November 7th After comparing and contrasting realistic and abstract paintings in the art studio, third grade artists began the year by making Cubist-style paintings. Cubism was a school of painting popular in Europe during the early part of the last century. Cubist painters used geometric shapes to create abstract paintings. Unlike other styles, abstract art does not concern itself with creating photographic representations of the world. Cubists used geometric forms in different ways. Some Cubist painters wanted us to recognize “things” in their work but Robert Delaunay and his spouse Sonia believed that color and shape alone could create beautiful art. They worked together for many years making paintings that looked like fragmented rainbows. In the spirit of the Delaunays, the third grade used templates to create designs filled with overlapping shapes and then colored their work with tempera paint. Along with our discussions of art history and shapes, students were able to develop their understanding of color theory. While painting, each child had a color wheel at their side to consult as they mixed their custom colors. Lively “color conversation” took place at all worktables. (Posted 10/27/08)
Morse Celebrates Its Character! New at Morse this year…At Morse, Character Counts! This new initiative embraces the pillars of character: citizenship, responsibility, honesty, trustworthiness, friendship, and perseverance. Students will participate in morning meetings which engage them in learning about these ideals and ways to actively demonstrate their understanding and personification of them. At the end of each week, classes will be recognized for the achievement of measurable goals. We are looking forward to recognizing our wonderful students this year! (Posted 9/14/08) Earth Day The students of Ms. Cristella's second grade class left a green footprint this Earth Day! The avid readers collectively read over 100 non-fiction books in an effort to save the rainforest. In return, Scholastic Inc, in affiliation with the International Rainforest Alliance, sponsored 100 acres of the Choco Forest in Ecuador under Ms. Cristella's class name. The Choco Forest is home to more than 9,000 species of endangered plants, animals, and amazing natural resources. The class can now be found online under the Classrooms Care Green Hall of Fame. The second grade students hope they inspire the greater community to do their part to make a difference and protect the sacred rainforest. As one student so aptly pointed out, "EVERY day is Earth Day!" (Posted 5/7/08) Music Notes As part of their ongoing study of orchestral instruments, all 2nd graders were treated to a special workshop on May 12th. Musicians from the Westchester Philharmonic visited our school and demonstrated woodwind instruments. Students were able to see “up close” and hear a flute, bassoon, clarinet, oboe, saxophone and recorder. They learned about single reeds and double reeds and why a saxophone is really a woodwind instrument. They learned that flutes are used all over the world and even heard ones from India and Ireland. Seeing and experiencing these instruments “in person” is such a wonderful experience for the children. They are looking forward to next year in 3rd Grade when they’ll study recorders with Mrs. Giuseffi! (Posted 5/22/08) Third Grade Artists at Morse School Studied Joan Miro
Joan Miro (1893-1983) was a Spanish
painter and sculptor who produced vivid
abstract works of art during much of the
1900s. His works often have very
descriptive titles. Joan Miro's name is
pronounced “hoän mro.“ We talked about Miro’s paintings as we looked at several reproductions of his work. Then, like Miro, third grade artists used lines and shapes to make abstract pictures that are filled with shapes that remind us of people, creatures and objects. We learned that a shape can look like more than one thing and that two people can interpret art differently and both have a valid point of view. Students worked individually drawing and coloring Miro-style. We used many of the skills we learned earlier this year when we made Cubist paintings. Finally, we used the crayon-resist technique, coloring our shapes with primary colored crayons and then creating a background with watercolor and large wash brushes. (see gallery) (Posted 4/28/08) 3rd Graders Attend Westchester Philharmonic Concert On April 15th, all 3rd graders were treated to a wonderful concert at Purchase College. In preparation for the trip, they studied and listened to music by Beethoven, Handel and Haydn with Mrs. Giuseffi in music class. Since this is Maestro Paul Dunkel’s final year at the Philharmonic, the theme of the education concert was “conducting”. Students prepared with Mrs. Giuseffi by watching and participating with a demonstration DVD created just for this concert. They also worked with a member of the Philharmonic who came to the school in March to demonstrate brass instruments and conducting styles. The concert was generously funded by the BOCES Arts-in-Education Program. Morse school has been fortunate to participate in the Philharmonic’s Education Concert for over 10 years. (Posted 4/28/08) Second Graders Celebrate African at Morse School
Second grade artists combined African
textile designs with a Examples of this art work will be on display at the Warner Library from March 5th until the end of April. Students and faculty are looking forward to our visit from the Ishangi Family Dancers and their presentation, “A Journey to Africa,” on March 12th. This performance will be a wonderful culmination to our study of African Art. The art and culture of West Africa will come alive for students as they enjoy the Ishangi family’s program that is rich in stories, dance and music. (Posted 3/3/08) Our Memoirs The students in Mrs. Bakala's class have worked very diligently to publish their memoirs. From start to finish they were busy using the writing process in order to get to their final goal of publishing. Thank you goes to The Morse Publishing Center for making it possible to cover the books. The next step was now to read from their published book and record their memoirs. A special thank you goes to Liz Golden, our dedicated recording assistant, for helping the students record their work during our Writing Workshop sessions and to John Calvert, our Technology Specialist, who is always available to make projects like this one possible for all our students. Enjoy reading Memoirs from Mrs. Bakala's Class. Click here to read our Memoirs. (Posted 2/14/08) The Morse Third Grade Mask Tradition Goes On! Every
J
Community Poems The 2nd grade students have been studying the characteristics of different communities in social studies. At the conclusion of the unit, the children individually created poems describing the community of their choice. They each worked through the writing process to complete this assignment. The students in Mrs. Richardson's class typed, illustrated and recorded their poems to share with the world. We hope you enjoy reading and listening to our work! (Posted 1/10/08) Morse Artists study the Art of the Middle Ages
Second grade artists learned that most
people did not read and write in the
Middle Ages and practiced telling
stories with pictures. Each student
created his or her own hand-colored
story-telling picture. Students were
careful to include a setting and main
characters in their work. We used the
legendary tale of George and the
Dragon as a theme for our work. We
even explored three-dimensional art in
“Dragon Workshop” each student sculpted
and painted a dragon figurine. Third graders learned that books were made and illustrated by hand and created their own “decorated letters.” First, students selected a letter. Then, we began decorating the letter with imagery from the period. Crowns, knights, dragons, castles and medieval flower designs were all used by Morse artists to decorate their work. They then transferred the drawings onto black and gold metallic scratchboard and etched their beautiful designs in gold. Also in keeping with the medieval theme…the third grade worked collectively to create simulated stained glass windows. The designs are modeled after the rose windows of Notre Dame de Paris in France. Students used a polymer paint which dries to a transparent finish. The work can be seen on display on the first floor of Morse School. Please come take a look! The Middle Ages are between ancient and modern times. The Middle Ages began with the Fall of Rome (500) and ended with the Renaissance (1400). This period is associated with many beliefs and practices that now seem out of date, for example, the belief that the sun revolves around the Earth, and a host of popular superstitions. The early Middle Ages are sometimes called the Dark Ages. The later middle Ages, however, saw many notable human achievements. Among these were the building of modern nations, such as England and France; expanded trade and the beginnings of the Age of Exploration, some remarkable works of literature and the building of magnificent churches. The period saw major technological advances, including the invention of printing, gunpowder, spectacles, and greatly improved ships. (Posted 12/16/07) Second Grade Community Field Trips Police sirens blazed,
the hook and ladder truck fired up its engine and Morse second graders
watched on in wonder.
There wasn’t any emergency. All the fuss indicated it was time for the annual trip to the Sleepy Hollow Police and Fire Departments. Second graders have been studying Community Service Workers in Social Studies. Students were experts on the services the workers provide, their importance in our community, even how tax money helps to benefit the departments! It was time to wrap up the unit by meeting our heroes- the firefighters and police officers! At the police department, Detective Checchi gave classes a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of the police department. Students marveled at all of the computers in the communications room, they beamed as they got to handle handcuffs, police binoculars, and other important tools. In the booking room, students imagined an arrest and saw the fingerprinting machine, scanners, and cameras. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the tour was visiting the jail cells and evidence room! At the fire department students saw firsthand the many tools firefighters use to save lives. We saw the forty year old Sleepy Hollow fireboat that has helped in many emergency situations throughout the years- from floods to rescues. The hook and ladder truck saluted us by raising its ladder. Students even got to witness the “Jaws of Life,” and gasped when they heard it could lift a car several feet off the ground! A HUGE thanks to our community heroes, the Sleepy Hollow firefighters and police officers, who keep our community safe. We salute you! (Posted 10/14/2007) The Cubist Tradition at Morse School Every September
third graders begin their year in the art studio by Cubism was an early-20th century school of painting and sculpture in which the subject matter is portrayed by geometric forms without realistic detail, stressing abstract form at the expense of other pictorial elements. The Cubist style emphasized the flat, two-dimensional surface of the picture plane and rejected traditional techniques of perspective. Cubist painters used geometric shapes to create abstract paintings. Unlike other styles, abstract art does not concern itself with creating realistic representations of the world. Cubists used geometric forms in different ways. Robert Delaunay and his spouse Sonia believed that color and shape alone could create beautiful art. They worked together for many years making paintings that looked like fragmented rainbows. In the spirit of the Delaunays, the third grade used templates to create designs filled with overlapping shapes and then colored their work with cake tempera paint and fine nylon brushes. Along with our discussions of art history and shapes, students were able to develop their understanding of color theory. While painting, each child was challenged to mix his or her own colors discovering firsthand how to make particular shades and hues. Students eagerly shared their discoveries with their classmates and answered each other’s “color questions.” Please stop by the Morse Museum (on the first floor) to see the student’s work. The work will also be on display at the Warner Library Children’s Room beginning October 24th. (Posted 10/10/2007) WL Morse Challenge Program The WL Morse Challenge Program is a three-tiered enrichment model designed to provide high ability learners with advanced curriculum in Social Studies and English Language Arts and Mathematics. This model reflects TUFSD’s pedagogical goal of providing an integrated approach to the in-depth and accelerated learning that are the hallmarks of the Challenge Program.
Tier One: Social Studies Challenge Students selected for Social Studies Challenge are among the top academic achievers in their classrooms and in performance on New York State standardized tests. In addition to enjoying advanced instruction in Social Studies content, students in Social Studies Challenge will receive direct instruction in:
These students will also participate in the following National Competition offered at WL Morse
Students who participate in any school-sponsored national competition will receive study materials and tips for competition. Occasionally, there may be classroom work that your child will need to complete. When deciding whether or not to participate in Challenge, parents should discuss this commitment with their child and make sure s/he understands his/her responsibility for obtaining and completing any classroom work that is missed. Participants in the WL Morse Challenge Program have the potential to excel in academic achievement. The Challenge program is designed to allow these students to learn good academic habits as well as to enjoy the opportunity for self-selected research. The WL Morse Challenge Program is designed to provide children the opportunity to collaborate with an intellectual peer group. The general pattern of the WL Morse Challenge Program is that each year is divided into trimesters. In the first trimester, students will participate in a study of Document Based Questions and begin a Geographical simulation. Second semester study will continue that geographical simulation, which will feed into a Creative Story Writing Project using information that was researched in the simulation. Students will use the third trimester for their Independent Study Project, which will be based on the Third Grade Social Studies Curriculum. This will help them to refine their study and presentation skills as they prepare for the WL Morse Creativity Fair. Tier Two: WordMasters Challenge Students in WordMasters Challenge are pulled out of one ELA academic period to receive 45 minutes of enriched ELA instruction per cycle. Students selected for WordMasters Challenge demonstrate high academic potential in English Language Arts as evidenced by classroom performance and New York State standardized test scores. These students will be working on the school newspaper, The Morse Gazette, which will be conceived, written and edited by them. Students will learn the fundamentals of journalistic writing and demonstrate their skills with their articles. These articles will be featured in the hard copy of the paper and the on-line edition. Students in WordMasters Challenge will participate in the following National Competitions offered at WL Morse:
Students who participate in any school-sponsored national competition will receive study materials and tips for competition Occasionally, there may be classroom work that your child will need to complete. When deciding whether or not to participate in WordMasters Challenge, parents should discuss this commitment with their child and make sure s/he understands his/her responsibility for obtaining and completing any classroom work that is missed. The general pattern of the WordMasters Challenge is that each year starts with instruction on various forms of writing. Particular attention is given to target audiences and how the student should write to those audiences. Skills will also be taught how to write in particular forms, such as journalistic writing. Projects will be given to the students that reinforce these skills. Students will then focus on writing for the newspaper, and will be taught aspects of what makes a good newspaper article. Students will learn observational skills as well as research skills for their article writing. They will reinforce grammar skills learned in the regular classroom and have prepared for the National Language Arts League Tests. These activities will allow students to both hone their competitive skills as well as share their expertise of English Language Arts as they work on projects that can be shared with a broader audience. Tier Three: Math Enrichment Students in Math Club are pulled out of two 45 minute period of Extra Math to receive 90 minutes of mathematics enrichment per cycle. The third tier of enrichment offered at WL Morse is Math Enrichment. Students are selected for Math Enrichment by classroom teachers based on an individual student’s demonstrated skill in topics in mathematics. This class provides additional support for students who demonstrate the need for advancement in selected topics in mathematics. These classes will be based on the Growing With Math curriculum, but extend deeper into selected topics at a more rapid pace. Students who participate in Math Club are encouraged to participate in the following National Competition offered at WL Morse:
Students who participate in any school-sponsored national competition will
receive study materials and tips for competition. (Posted 10/3/2007)
How I am
Spending My Summer Vacation! by Kathy McDermott We must continue to support life-saving research. I am making a commitment to raise over $4,000, with the hope of raising $10,000. I am making a personal contribution of nearly $1,000 to cover the cost of my participation. In this way, all donations will go directly to the cause. Online donations can be made at www.active.com/donate/hfdwhv/hfdKmcDerm To learn more about the Hike for Discovery program and the great work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, go to www.hikefordiscovery.org/wch (Posted 6/9/2007)
Introducing The Morse Gazette Mrs.
Kluge's Second Grade Dual Language Class Writes and Reads Poetry in Spanish
Ms. Cristella's
Class Blog Goes Live!
Artist/illustrator Robert Casilla visited Morse Casilla talked to the students about his background as well as the steps required in illustrating books. He described how the words in the books inspire him through visualization and he shared the steps he takes from reading the authors’ words to the final draft of the books. (Posted 4/28/2007)
Third graders have finished their own canvases after studying the Poppy Field Landscapes of Claude Monet (see gallery). Students were introduced to the concept of space and landscape perspective by learning how to define and create: foreground, middle ground and background. Their paintings were executed on canvas as were Monet’s, applying paint in thick dabs of paint. We were all amazed at how all the individual dabs worked together to produce beautiful landscapes. In addition, the third graders are also creating large murals for the auditorium in an Impressionistic style. (Posted 4/26/2007)
Second Graders Use Podcasts to Explain What They Would Do If Elected
President
April is National Poetry
Month.
KEEP A POEM IN YOUR POCKET
Beatrice Schenkde Regniers
Mark will spend all day at W.L. Morse school. He will begin in the morning with his Jump Against Drugs school assembly. For the remainder of the day, Mark will teach rope jumping and fitness workshops to our students. These workshops are an educational addendum to the assembly, and enable students to practice the beneficial skills seen during the show. The character education messages of the assembly are reemphasized, and are a great supplement to our 2nd Step Program. Funding for the Project was made possible by the Foundation and EPTA. (Posted 4/23/2007) Third Graders Visit the
Union Church! The trip is free of charge to students as the BOCES Partnership for the Arts has been gracious enough to grant funding for this experience. Students will be following up with a stained-glass Chagall project back in the Morse Art Studio. This event has become a Morse tradition and students have always thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of these local treasures. (Posted 4/18/2007)
Second Grade
Students Study Longfellow (view our Vodcast)
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Myths
and Legends from China, Brazil, and the United States came to life at Morse
on June 3rd. For the past 12 weeks, Peter Royston has been working with our
3rd grade classes to transform Myths and Legends into their own, original
mini-theater productions. Throughout these weeks, our 3rd graders have
integrated the Social Studies curriculum with the study of theater
dynamics. Peter Royston’s Theater Residency at Morse offers our students a
valuable learning experience as they explore the art of adapting voices,
actions, choreography, and songs to, ultimately, bring their stories to an
audience filled with family and friends. Mr. Royston’s work with children
allows them to gain a different perspective about the art of teamwork and
collaboration outside the classroom. Special thanks to Sue Barrett for her
work with the Art Club in designing our striking stage backdrop. Also,
special thanks to Mrs. Joy Giuseffi for selecting a variety of contemporary
music that allowed our children to enhance their stories with song. This
project was made possible through funding provided by the District
Elementary Arts program, which is jointly funded by the School District, the
EPTA and the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns.
Our
first round of lunchtime literature circles just came to a close at Morse. Seven parents dedicated one day each week to facilitating literature circles
with second and third grade students during lunch and recess. Each group
met to discuss a different book or series of books, ranging from books about
Harry Houdini to a study of Love that Dog, a book about releasing the poet
within. Students all enjoyed and looked forward to the literature circles,
even though they met during recess. One girl reported, "I look forward to
literature circle day the most!" The parent facilitators report that they
enjoyed the types of discussions they were able to have and found it, "a
great way to interact with kids and be a part of school." The staff at
Morse is quite grateful for our parent volunteers and the Foundation's
support, both of which made this possible. We look forward to continuing to
offer literature circles next school year! 
For
several weeks, our second grade students have been learning to be better
readers and writers of non-fiction. We are very proud of all that they have
accomplished! In reader’s workshop, students learned more about how good
readers read non-fiction to learn more about the world. They also learned
to use the features of non fiction to understand information, and take
notes, recording what they learn and new questions for further
investigation. In writer’s workshop, they learned about what a good writer
must do to help teach his or her reader about a topic. Each student
selected a subject to research and write about, from states and countries to
mammals and non mammals. Once they gathered their research, they worked on
writing sentences and paragraphs and designing an informational poster on
which to publish important information about their topic. On Wednesday
morning family and friends joined us in classrooms for a breakfast to
celebrate these remarkable accomplishments and all that our students have
learned during this unit. For family and friends who could not attend, we
welcome you to come and visit the posters. They will remain up through
parent conferences for all to see. Click
month students throughout the country study and celebrate poetry. Students
at W.L. Morse are joining in the celebration by participating in “Poem in
Your Pocket Day” on April 27, 2007. 
Jump
Against Drugs
Africa:
Customs, History, Music, and Legend at Morse School
Philharmonic
Alive: “Into the Woodwinds”
Second
Grade Celebrates
Issue
2 of the Morse Gazette has hit the newsstands this week
Parent
Math Mornings at Morse
Morse
School Newspaper - The Morse Gazette
Music
Notes: 
Cubism
Returns to Morse!
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Peaceful
Playgrounds
Wouldn't
it be wonderful to look out over a playground where children were distributed
evenly, laughing and playing peacefully, and supervisors were observing this
phenomenon without raising their voices, their whistles, or their blood
pressures? It's almost more than one can imagine. Or is it?
This is now the situation at W.L. Morse Elementary School where students enjoy a
Peaceful Playground Celebration marking the completion of a joint project
between the school and the EPTA.
W.L. Morse’s newly designed Peaceful Playground reveals concentric
circles, rectangles, and various colored shapes, carefully spaced and painted
on the blacktop. In addition to traditional games like hopscotch and four
square, imagine an alphabet grid, a number grid, and a skipping track.
According to W.L. Morse Physical Education teacher Ray Farrell, "The
playground is an essential part of any school and every community.
Children spend many hours of their school experience occupying
themselves with what the playground has to offer. In fact, the whole neighborhood
will enjoy both its appearance and its usages. This joint project was designed
to serve both the school and the community."
To learn more about the
program, please feel free to contact W.L. Morse Physical Education teachers at rfarrell
at tufsd.org or
dbrennen at tufsd.org.
(change at
to @ and eliminate any spaces). (Posted 4/20/2006)
Teachers
and Students Blend Traditional Practices with High Tech Tools
Our students at Morse School learn writing, speaking, and art skills as part
of the established curriculum, but the way they share their work with an
authentic global audience is anything but traditional! These young students
use state of the art technology tools and solutions to share their writing,
oral interpretations, and artwork with the community and the world via their
own blog and podcast/audioblog site,
Students in the Write.
New additions
The site now includes the work of students in Mrs. Bakala’s class (click
to view), who prepared a published piece to record for their audio
blogging experience. They used a reading strategy called “synthesis” to
write summaries for their writing pieces.
The Online Morse Gallery (click to view) is a new section and features the incredible artistic talents of our second and third grade students. As student work is finished, it is placed and organized in the Gallery. Currently, the gallery features photosets of beautiful second grade tributes to the great modern master Joan Miró and samples of a successful 2nd grade lesson on perspective using the SMART Board and Matisse's "Red Studio."
Click to learn more about the history of the Students in the Write project.
Students
At W.L. Morse Are Participating In A New Physical Education Program Called
Log It!
Log It is an optional, at-home fitness
program. Log It helps
motivate kids to become, and remain physically active, by allowing them to
log their daily physical activity steps or miles. In addition to recording
their steps or miles, they can participate in a virtual hike across the
USA with their class, be involved in class competitions vs. other classes,
set daily goals, view their own personal step log, and compare their steps
with other kids of the same age and gender. Log It encourages kids to be physically active, step-by-step!
Our first trip has begun already! We started in our state capital, Albany, traveled through two
states, and are currently on our way to New Hampshire.
If you have any questions regarding this new and exciting program, feel free to email rfarrell at tufsd.org or dbrennen at tufsd.org. (change at to @ and eliminate any spaces). (Posted 3/29/2006)
Morse
Team Is First in the Nation!
A team of Morse Elementary School
students recently won first place in
the nation in a a national language
arts competition. The Morse
team, coached by Judith Hyman,
scored higher than the other 198
school teams competing in the third
grade Gold Division of this year’s
WordMasters Challenge second meet.
Seven members of the team had
perfect scores, a significant
accomplishment considering only
sixteen third graders in the entire
country had perfect scores. Eight of our third
graders also won highest honors for
individual achievement.
Our third grade team scored a total of 197 points, 14 points higher than the closest runner up. Only three schools in our geographical area scored in the top ten. These schools are Morse School (score of 197), The Darien Public Schools Gifted Program (Darien, Connecticut - score of 181), and Julian Curtiss Magnet School of World Languages (Greenwich, Connecticut - score of 175).
Second
Grade Artists at Morse School Study Rembrandt and Create Their Own
Self-Portraits
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606 – October 4, 1669) Dutch painter,
draftsman, and etcher of the 17th century was a giant in the history of
art. His paintings are characterized by luxuriant brushwork, rich color,
and a mastery of chiaroscuro. (Chiaroscuro is a technique employed in the
visual arts to represent light and shadow as they define three-dimensional
objects, from Italian chiaro, “light”; scuro,
“dark”.) Numerous portraits and self-portraits exhibit a profound
penetration of character. His drawings constitute a vivid record of
contemporary Amsterdam life. The greatest artist of the Dutch school, he
was a master of light and shadow whose paintings, drawings, and etchings
made him a giant in the history of art.
As did Rembrandt, second grade artists
created self-portraits by looking into a mirror and learning the
proportions of the human face. We
colored with waxy crayons and then used watercolor to create a dramatic
background in the spirit of Rembrandt.
Westchester
Arts Council Presents Awards to Washington Irving and Morse Schools
Washinton Irving School hosted the
The Westchester Arts Council's Arts Partners Challenge Grants program
award ceremony on January 24. The
ceremony recognized outstanding collaborations between artists, arts
organizations and schools for their collaborative projects in arts
education in Westchester, Putnam, and Orange Counties.
Westchester Arts Council Executive Director Janet Langsam presented
grant awards to Peter Royston and Washington Irving Principal Zbynek Gold
for the 6th grade Ancient World theater residency that will take place at
the school starting this March. In
addition, Principal Joe Carmody accepted the award for a dance residency
that will take place at Morse School with the Tappan Zee Dance Group.
The Hudson Valley Writers' Center also received a check for their
continuing work with Washington Irving School.
Board member Julia Rust and Executive Director Dare Thompson
accepted a check on behalf of the Writers' Center, to continue the Write
Mind language arts program led by writer-in-residence David Surface. (Posted
1/26/2006)
Multicultural
Dinner
What is one great thing about having 70 countries represented in our
school district? The food!
The Eighteenth
Annual Cultural Celebration Dinner at Winfield L. Morse School will be
held on Wednesday, February 1, 2006.
Children and
parents are invited to this exciting multicultural feast!
The only thing we ask it that you bring a food dish (serving 6-8)
that represents a country of your choice.
Hot and cold beverages will be provided.
To ensure a successful evening, we need everyone’s help and
participation.
If you would
like to be a part of this free, fun-filled evening and wish to contribute
an appetizer, salad, entrée or dessert, and/or donate your time, click
here to print the form to be filled out and returned to your
child’s teacher by Thursday,
January 26, 2006.
Seating for second
graders and their immediate families is from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Seating for third graders and
their immediate families is from
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Third
Grade Students Tie for First Place in WordMasters Challenge
A
team of students representing Morse School
recently won highest
honors in the WordMaster Challenge- a national language
arts competition entered by over 225,000 students annually, which
consists of three separate meets held
at intervals during the school year.
Competing in the
very difficult GOLD DIVISION of the Challenge and supervised by Judith
Hyman, the school’s third graders
TIED for FIRST
PLACE in the nation for
the first meet. There were 199 school teams participating at this level
and in the gold division.
Two
of the school’s students won highest honors in the first meet. They both had
perfect scores, where nationwide only 26 third graders did so.
The
WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in Critical
Thinking that encourages students to become familiar with a set of
interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then
challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing
various kinds of relationships. (Posted 1/17/2006)
Disruptive Technology Brings Powerful Changes to the
District
Our district has recently been impacted by a disruptive technology, and we
are quite excited about it! A disruptive technology in education can
produce very powerful and positive changes, and a group of our students at
Morse School are fortunate to be smack in the middle of one; Pod Casting.
Children in Ms. McCabe's class are piloting Pod Casting as a part of their writers workshop. Mr. Calvert, Morse's technology specialist, is working with the students to publish an audio blog, along with student writing, to the web. By providing students with an authentic audience, the writing projects and oral interpretations motivate the students to reach an audience far beyond the walls of Morse.
Principal Joe Carmody says, "Mr. Calvert and Ms. McCabe's project is a wonderful example of how technology applications can lead students across old boundaries and into new, exciting areas of exploration and accomplishment in English/language Arts."
Students have been the center of the entire
program, including developing a name for the site, creating artwork for the
site, and developing original content, both written and spoken, to be shared
with the world. To fully grasp the power of this new medium,
please visit the
Students in the Write site. On the site there is a full
explanation of the project, as well as a place for you to send us your
feedback. We look forward to reading your comments!
Ms. McCabe, second grade teacher at Morse, sums it up well, stating, "We
anticipate that this project will encourage a culture of writing and promote
a positive academic self-concept, while reinforcing speaking skills and
reading fluency." (Posted 12/21/2005)
Winter
Olympics 2006
With the implementation of a grant received by the EPTA, the second
graders at Morse will participate in an interdisciplinary and integrated
unit on the winter Olympics in Torino.
The students will be exposed to geography, sportsmanship, enhanced
vocabulary, literacy, acquiring information through newspaper and magazine
articles, knowledge of world class athletes and related activities in
physical education class. (Posted 12/13/2005)
The
Katrina Project - Handcrafted Rag Dolls for Children in New Orleans
This month, Morse students are busy creating
dolls to be given to young victims of hurricane Katrina at the Lusher
School in New Orleans. The
project was the idea of the Fassa family who generously supplied the
beautiful organic cotton that we are using to make the dolls. Students in Mrs. Bakala, Miss Cimino, Mrs. Sherwood, Mrs.
Cellante’s, Miss Ore’s, Miss McCabe’s, Ms. Sutherland’s and Mr.
Duschenchuk’s classes are all enthusiastically creating and individually
naming their dolls for shipment before the holiday break.
The school connection is being made with the help of the parent of one of
our own students who’s mother and family come from New Orleans. The
project is implemented through the Art Open Studio Program under the
guidance of art teacher Sue Barrett.
Also noteworthy, The Teacher’s Association of the Tarrytowns has
graciously agreed to pay for shipping the dolls to New Orleans. (Posted
12/13/2005)
Morse
Artists study the Art of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages are between ancient and modern times. The Middle Ages
began with the Fall of Rome (500-) and ended with the Renaissance (1400-).
This period is associated with many beliefs and practices that now seem
out of date, for example, the belief that the sun revolves around the
Earth, and a host of popular superstitions. The early middle Ages are
sometimes called the Dark Ages
The later middle Ages, however, saw many notable human achievements. Among
these were the building of modern nations, such as England and France;
expanded trade and the beginnings of the Age of Exploration, some
remarkable works of literature and the building of magnificent churches. The period saw major technological advances, including the
invention of printing, gunpowder, spectacles, and greatly improved ships.
They also improved upon the clock.
Second grade artists learned that most people did not read and write in the Middle Ages and practiced telling stories with pictures. Each student created his or her own hand-colored story-telling picture with more than one scene. Students were careful to include a setting and main characters in their work. Many students drew magical medieval animals (like unicorns and griffins), knights and princesses in their work.
Third graders learned that books were made and illustrated by hand and created their own “decorated letters.” First, students selected a letter. Then, we began decorating the letter with imagery from the period. Crowns, knights, dragons, castles and medieval flower designs are all examples of the imagery Morse artists used in their designs. They then transferred the drawings onto black and gold metallic scratchboard and etched their beautiful designs in gold.
Also in keeping with the medieval
theme…the third grade worked collectively to create two eight-foot
stained glass murals for the auditorium.
The designs are modeled after the rose windows of Notre Dame de
Paris in France. Students
used various colored papers and a paper mosaic technique to create a
stained glass effect.
The work can be seen on display on the first floor of Morse School.
Please come take a look! (Posted
12/13/2005)
Pantomime Demonstration
Ellen Hamdy visited Mrs. Praino’s
class to conduct a pantomime demonstration.
She explained the pantomime portion of the Nutcracker Ballet and
had the students act out pantomime scenes. The class loved watching her
and enjoyed learning about silent communication and entertainment. (Posted
12/13/2005)
Cubism
Returns to Morse!
Every
September third graders begin their year in the art studio by designing
and executing Cubist paintings.
Cubism was an early-20th century school of painting and
sculpture in which the subject matter is portrayed by geometric forms
without realistic detail, stressing abstract form at the expense of other
pictorial elements. The
Cubist style emphasized the flat, two-dimensional surface of the picture
plane and rejected traditional techniques of perspective Cubist painters
used geometric shapes to create abstract paintings.
Unlike other styles, abstract art does not concern itself with
creating realistic representations of the world.
Cubists
used geometric forms in different ways.
Robert Delaunay and his spouse Sonia believed that color and shape
alone could create beautiful art. They
worked together for many years making paintings that looked like
fragmented rainbows. In the
spirit of the Delaunays, the third grade used templates to create designs
filled with overlapping shapes and then colored their work with cake
tempera paint and fine nylon brushes.
Along with our discussions of art history and shapes, students were able to develop their understanding of color theory. While painting, each child was challenged to mix his or her own colors discovering firsthand how to make particular shades and hues. Students eagerly shared their discoveries with their classmates and answered each other’s “color questions.” Please stop by the Morse Museum (on the first floor) to see the student’s work beginning October12th.
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