This Post Ledes to Our Trip to the Statue of Liberty

 

Fourth Grade journalists in training experiment with determining an angle for their Statue of Liberty field trip article and then writing a strong lede that pulls the reader in. Read their ledes and decide…Are you pulled in? Do want to read on?

Jules 

It was a humid day as the New York Harbor sparkled in the sunlight. A boat carrying 22 4th graders headed to the Statue. “The Statue of Liberty is so beautiful,” said a passenger named Natalia who Jules and Olivia interviewed. All the 4th graders were committed to learning more about immigration. 


Owen 

People from all over the world come to visit the Statue of Liberty every day! The Statue of Liberty is a famous landmark in N.Y. On October 1, 2019 LREI students interviewed people on Liberty Island and on the ferry. The people that they interviewed were from Germany, France, India, Belgium, England, Japan and many other places. Isn’t that amazing! 


 

Kinoti

On October 1, 2019 22 4th graders boarded a Statue Cruise boat to the Statue of Liberty. On the boat they interviewed 2 or more people. These people came from all around the world, one group of 4th graders interviewed people from Greece and China. This proves that the Statue of Liberty is a welcome to all. 


Amelia 

Why did a falcon build a nest on the Statue of Liberty? “It was flying and landing in a bunch of different places,” said Amy Ratner from Australia 


Chloe 

The Statue of Liberty was originally copper. The copper oxidized into green. Oxidizing happens when it touches most air. It took 30 years to oxidize to green. 


Cooper 

On October 1, 2019 22 reporters from LREI went to the Statue of Liberty to learn about the historic landmark. They got there via the Statue Cruises ferry where 4 of the 22 interviewed a group of people. 


Gabby

Lady Liberty has been a sign of freedom to America and it is all thanks to France. Now she is one of the most well known statues in the U.S. and has thousands of people come to see her everyday. 


Wally 

Do you think the falcon meant to build the nest on the Statue of Liberty? Why did it build the nest so high and now it’s a part of history?


Mia

Is it good that there is a falcon living on the Statue of Liberty’s tablet? An employee for the statue said he has to clean up the bird parts but it is easier than cleaning the statue itself. 


Milo 

People come to visit NYC to see the Statue of Liberty. People from all countries from around the world come to see the Statue of Liberty. People are coming to the Statue of Liberty because it stands for liberty and independence. 


Ryan

Did you know the most famous statue in the United States of America used to be brown? The Statue of Liberty is made of copper and it oxidized from the sea water. 


Sabina 

The Statue of Liberty welcomes millions of people every year, and says goodbye to people sailing to new lands. The Statue of Liberty is a very important part of America it tells people to have peace not violence, and never lose hope. 


Lucie 

“What does the Statue of Liberty mean to you?” a fourth grader asked a woman on the ferry. They were going to the Statue of Liberty. Fourth graders were reporters in training. 


Sam 

The Statue of Liberty makes all feel welcome. When asked what the Statue symbolized to him he said it symbolizes freedom and equality and when he sees it it makes him feel good. His son Luis said it makes him feel safe and symbolizes power. 


Noah 

There is a falcon living near where Lady Liberty’s book is. It eats birds for it’s food and leaves them behind for other people to pick up. 4th graders at LREI learned this recently. 

 

 

First Day of School Poems

Sabina

Sabina is blue

She’s a wise owl

She’s a fall day

A warm scarf

A soft chair

She’s a puzzle

A fresh mango

Sabina


Charlie

Charlie is pink

He is a speedy cheetah

He is a summer boater

A desk chair

He’s a juggling drone

A meatball

Charlie


Wally

Wally is blue

He’s a juggling giraffe

He’s fall

All Arsenal clothing

He’s an exceptional xbox

Pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese on the side

Wally


Emmett

Emmett is blue

Emmett’s a perfect penguin

He’s rain

A shoe

A comfy couch

He’s a skateboard

A donut

Emmett


Cali

Cali is blue

She’s a horse

She’s a breezy summer day

A pair of underwear

A bed frame

She’s a purple skateboard

A piece of sushi

Cali


Mia

Mia is light blue

She’s a cozy dog

She’s a warm fall day

A cozy sweater

A fluffy rocking chair

She’s an imagination

A warm molten chocolate cake

Mia


Olivia

Olivia is sky blue

She’s a summer swimmer

A soft baby ducky

Undies person

A soft cozy couch

She’s a skateboard person

A bologna eating monster

Olivia


Milo

Milo is red

He’s a panther

He’s a hot day

A black shirt

A reclining chair

He’s an iPad

A vanilla cake

Milo


Noah

Noah is purple

He’s a fox

He’s a snowy morning

A Phish shirt that is too big

A comfortable couch with three pillows and a blanket

He’s a pink, brown, and tan teddy bear

An octopus salad with chickpeas

Noah


Ryan

Ryan is red

He’s a sunny day

A warm scarf for winter

A sofa with a soft pillow

He’s a blue bike

A cold piece of sushi

Ryan


Chloe

Chloe is light purple

She’s a hummingbird

She’s a colorful fall day

A polka-dotted headband

A fuzzy, cozy sofa

She’s a sleeping queen

A super sushi

Chloe


Oskar

Oskar is light green like an apple

He’s a cow

He’s a cold winter

A pair of black shoes

A big blue couch

He’s a baseball bat

A big hamburger from Bareburger

Oskar


Lucie

Lucie is a teal seal

She’s a cute cuddly puppy

A fuzzy pair of pajama pants

A hot pink couch

She’s a strong tigy

A sushi master

Lucie


Amelia

Amelia is purple

She’s a sloth

She’s a bright sunny day

A soft baby duckie sock

She’s an American Girl doll

A lemon meringue pie

Amelia


Gabby

Gabby is hot pink

She’s a cute alpaca

She’s a pretty spring day

A pretty pink dress

A closet to store my clothes and my shoes

She’s an American Girl doll

A pork roll with hot sauce

Gabby


Sam

Sam is neon orange

He’s a funky chicken

He’s an overcast day at the baseball field

A pair of camouflage shorts

A beanbag chair

He’s a perfect PSA

A slice of Percy’s pizza

Sam


Owen

Owen is deep sea blue

He’s a speedy turtle

He’s a sunny summer day

A pattern pajama pants

A cozy warm couch

He’s a Mr. Avocado roll

Owen


Violet

Violet is plum purple

She’s a cute cat

She’s a cold fan

A wide pair of pants

A pink velvet couch

She’s an earth magnet cube

A pretty potato chip #Lays

Violet


Joshua

Joshua is blue and purple

He’s a fast turtle

He’s a cold day with lots of snow

A comfortable shirt

A bed

He’s a balloon sword

A pizza with garlic knots

Joshua


Jules

Jules is light blue

He’s a chinchilla

He’s a summer breeze

A t-shirt

A large bed

He’s a card trick

A plate of sushi

Jules


Cooper

Cooper is blue

He’s a lone wolf

He is fall

A lifeguard hoodie

A bed

He is a computer

A burger

Cooper


Kinoti

Kinoti is blue

He is a jaguar

He’s a fall day

A baseball cap

A scoop of vanilla ice cream

Kinoti

 

We Are All Wonders

After reading the books, Wonder and 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Precepts by R.J. Palacio, we were inspired to make “Wonder Precept Portraits.” Students drew themselves in the style of the Wonder book cover and then chose and in some cases made up their own precepts. We hope they inspire you to have an excellent summer because after all “Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth.”


Cydney

Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth.


Ziva

The way to find a friend is to be a friend.


Emilia

Your life is a story. Go write it.

 


Selah

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.


Nico

Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known.


Paloma

Laughter is sunshine,

it chases winter from the human face.


Ivy

Fall seven times, stand up eight.


Penelope

If you want to learn about the world,

then go out in it.


Lila

If you try your best there is always a treasure at the end.


Lily

If you are lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change.


Will

You’re like a bird, spread your wings and

soar above the clouds.


Julian

When given the choice to be kind or to be right,

choose kind.


Skylar

You are art.


Shaffer

Time is like your imagination it never stops growing.


June

What is beautiful is good and

who is good will soon be beautiful.


 

Sawyer

The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.


Dante

Keep a green tree in your heart

and a singing bird may come.


Vincent

If you want to go quickly go alone,

if you want to go far go together.


Zara

If plan “A” doesn’t work,

just remember the alphabet has 25 more letters.

Lower School Memories


I loved to see their transformations. But then one sad day we got news that it was the day that we had to let the butterflies go. I was really sad but when our class got to the park I felt happy for the butterflies, I felt excited. It was very fun to watch them all fly away, all in different directions. They seemed excited to be outside, where they belong.

Julian’s  Memory from his Fours Year

Cydney 

The Fours

Rest time was something I loved because I got to sleep/rest during the school day. Also it was the most relaxing part of the day. 1 person actually slept past the end of rest time.

Kindergarden

I loved the 100th day of school when we made a lot of crafts. We made 100 beads necklace, counted to 100, and had bracelets that said, “I can count to 100.” It was so fun.

First grade

I remember the restaurant. It was a great/ fun experience. I was a bartender. That was not fun we hardly did anything. Something funny that happened was Graydon set a pizza on fire!! I was part of the entertainment.

Second grade

I remember Bill dumping the box of snowballs, made out of recycled paper, on my head. I loved it, I also got to start the snowball fights. Having snowball fights was so fun I am going to miss Bill so much.

Third grade

I remember the Lenape museum, it was so fun. Me and Will were explaining the long house. There was to sides the Dutch and the Lenape. I was on the Lenape. Me and Will’s station was right by the entrance.

Fourth grade

I remember making my summer reading poster. I made Captain Underpants, it was so fun and my drawing actually kind of looked like Captain Underpants. I was very proud of my work.


Dante

First year: 4’s.

When I started LREI I loved it. All we did was play with blocks and put one and two together sometimes. We did not have homework as well. We just ran around like maniacs for six hours. Poor Diane. If I could tell my past self something it would be, “enjoy this when it lasts, in 4th grade you will know why.”

Kindergarten: Desperate times

In kindergarten I tried to make some friends but in the process I made some enemies as well. At one point I had more friends than enemies so… I was pretty desperate it feel like ½ of the class hated me and ⅛ of the class actually liked me. So I just made books by myself.

1st Grade: Two New Friends

Kindergarten was going pretty bad for me. When I thought things couldn’t get any worse guess what. They got worse I did not like first grade I got the worst part in the restaurant. I realized that I now had two new best friends, Sawyer and Vincent. We had all been together for all 3 years.

2nd Grade: Awesome

Second grade was awesome. We read cool books, there were cool kids, and one awesome teacher. Sawyer, Vincent and I were in the same class together poor, poor Sawyer and Vincent. Sawyer and I went on vacation together over Spring Break, which would start a tradition lasting a while. Our teacher Bill (William Miller) was the best teacher in my opinion. He was always there. Through every hard time, bad hair cut, normal cut, scrape, or times I was hurt on the inside he was there.

3rd Grade

I don’t have anything about third grade to write about but Sawyer Vincent and I were in the same class Again poor, poor Sawyer and Vincent. When we made the Lenape museum I was a rattlewatch I didn’t even now what that was but it sounded cool so I did it.

4th Grade

I loved poetry in fourth grade so let me recite a poem about it;

Fourth Grade, Fourth Grade

What about you

With heroes and plays

There’s so much to do

I will miss you not just you the whole lower school

I am out of things to say but before I go

Promise me you won’t forget this,

Good bye


Emilia

Kindergarten:

I remember when we went to the Bronx Zoo. It was fun because we got to see a lot of different animals from a nice and cute flamingo to a big and growly bear.

First Grade:

I remember when we did the restaurant and I was a busser. I remember when I had to clean up my sister’s chocolate milk, that we served at the restaurant.

Second Grade:

I remember when we did the block city, we all made different things, but I made the school. For me it was very fun because I loved playing with blocks in second grade.

Third Grade

I remember when we did the Lenape and Dutch museum. It was kind of scary because it was my first day back from vacation and I was sort of unprepared.

Fourth Grade:

I remember when we did the hero’s project/share. It was the best because I got to share work that I was proud of. My exhibit contained: a Malala doll, a school bus, a backpack, a chair and  a desk (and a description card).


Ivy

Diane and Daniel’s 4’s: My memory from the 4’s is letting the butterflies free! We let the butterflies free at Downing playground. Everyone was so happy, but sad to let the butterflies go. They were free and happy butterflies.

Elisabeth and Will’s Kindergarten: My memory from Kindergarten is picking out what chicks we get/picking up the chicks at a farm. Driving up and up with Jasmine, my mom, Ceci, and Jasmine’s mom, up a hill to get the chick eggs. Which ones should we pick but we were running out of time so we picked our chicks. Then drove and drove all the way back to LREI.

Ariane and Sarah’s First Grade: My memory from First Grade is the Restaurant. I’m a “cashier” who delivers the food. People order I deliver. People ask I answer. Back and forth from table to counter, table to counter all day long. All day at the pizza place.

Bill and Shaina’s Second Grade: My memory from Second Grade is snowball fights. Gaby threw a messed up piece of paper at Bill and then it happened, we started collecting crumpled papers. About once every other week we would have a snowball fight. We would dump the bin on top of someones head then started throwing all of the papers everywhere.

Elaine and Julie’s Third Grade: My Third Grade memory is the Lenape and  Dutch museum. Creating the ground and props for the fishing station. Very enjoyable to answer so many questions it was also very enjoyable to use our props that we made.

Deborah and Alicia’s Fourth Grade: My Fourth Grade memory is writing so many poems. I started to really enjoy writing poetry and I do believe that I have gotten better at writing poetry. I also enjoyed getting some compliments about my poetry like for example, “You should be a poet when you are older.”


Julian

THE FOURS-  The one main thing I remember about the fours at LREI is when we got a bunch of little caterpillars. We had the caterpillars for about a month, I think, then after that month they turned into butterflies. The fours was when I Earned that caterpillars turn into butterflies. I loved the butterflies, I loved to see their transformations. But then one sad day we got news that it was the day that we had to let the butterflies go. I was really sad but when our class got to the park I felt happy for the butterflies, I felt excited. It was very fun to watch them all fly away, all in different directions. They seemed excited to be outside, where they belong.

KINDERGARTEN-  I think my best memory of Kindergarten was when we got our chicks. What happened was we got the eggs and we waited, and waited, and waited. After some time the chicks hatched out of their eggs. When they came out they looked very adorable. They were very small. The one bad thing about this is I remember one of the chicks passed away. I also remember we named them. The only name I can remember we came up with was, Sleepy.

FIRST GRADE-  My favorite part of first grade at LREI was creating the restaurant. It was so fun to cook food, mostly pizza, for everybody. It was also pretty fun to make come up with the food for the restaurant, the name for the restaurant, etc. The thing I remember most about the restaurant though is when there was a fire. It was a little fire on a trey. I’m not exactly sure how it happened. I think the paper on the trey caught on fire. It was very scary though.

SECOND GRADE-  In Second Grade our main studies were about the city. We went on lots of field trips, and visited museums about the city. We visited all five boroughs in New York City. And at the end of the year we built our own city, out of paper, cardboard, and other materials. We made residential, comercial pieces of land. We all made a few properties with our small groups. Then at the end, we put them all together and made our own little city.

THIRD GRADE in third grade there were two main things we studied. These are the Lenape, and the Dutch. After studying these things for a very long time, and learning a lot about these people, we made a museum about them. It was really fun to make. What happened was there were little groups assigned and each group works on a specific thing. For example, my group worked on the dutch beds. I worked in the dutch section. There was also a Lenape section. Where they talked about the Lenape. It was really exciting to get to share everything we had learned that year and shared it with everyone.

FOURTH GRADE –  Practically all year long, we’ve been studying immigration. We made slideshows, read books, and listened to oral histories, all leading up to our immigration play. This was my highlight for the year because it was exciting to act for my first time ever. It was particularly fun for me because my scene was really funny and it was cool when the whole audience laughed at me.


June

I remember when Daniel told me that capital E’s only had three lines. Not a bunch, like what I was doing. From then on I remembered that.

Kindergarten:

I remember when we went to the Jane’s Carousel with our fourth grade buddies, I remember thinking “I’m so small and they are so big!

First Grade:

I remember when we were trying to think of a name for our restaurant, and then I learned we would vote. I remember thinking “This is so fun! I’m so big!” Then, our name was announced, and I was like, “darn!”

Second Grade:

I remember making the block town. It was pretty big and I was proud and happy. I guess I was a bit rude because I said “OUR’S is the best!”

Third Grade:

I remember when I might had strep throat the day before the Lenape/Dutch museum and I was really annoyed. Turned out I had strep. I was mad, but I got a video of some classmates.

Fourth Grade:

I remember being so freaked out at the beginning of the year about doing the play. I thought that is world be so hard. But it wasn’t.


Lila

Fours

Doing the little skits that we did in the fours was one of my favorite parts. I was in a group with Buster and Will. At that time I was going through a huge Little Mermaid phase, just like my Boba Tea phase I’m going through right now. So, of course, I was the Little Mermaid, Buster was Hulk, and I sort of forgot what Will was! Oops! But it was a long time ago.

Kindergarten

The chicks in kindergarten were really cute. They were soft and fluffy and SOOOOO adorable!!! I was scared that if I held them they would poop all over me, but when I did pick one up it just sat there in my palm and I loved that little chick! Then about ten minutes after I picked my chick up, one of the other chicks pooped in Ivy’s hand!

First Grade

My favorite memory from First Grade was the food court that my class made. I was in the smoothie group, and we sold out pretty quick. Lucie, Sadie’s sister, bought so many smoothies and our group was so happy. Then right before the food court closed she told us she just bought so many because she wanted to waste her mom’s money.

Third grade

My favorite part of Third Grade was the museum. I did the windmill in the New Amsterdam part of the museum with one of my BEST friends! We got real dried corn and made a spinning windmill. Then we let all of the little kids smash the dried corn and spin the windmill and they loved it. For the older kids we talked about what it was like to be a miller in New Amsterdam.

Fourth grade

Fourth grade was one of my favorite years. There were some ups, the play, friends, the geometry, and more. And there were some downs, how it rained on Founders Day, and how it’s coming close to the last day of school. But despite all of those downs I loved fourth grade and it was awesome!!!     


Lily

4’s

In the 4s a memory that I have is letting the butterflies go. I remember after we had the caterpillars came out we had the butterflies for 2 days and then we had to let them go, we took them to Downing and let them go.  Then the next day I remember we all begged to go and try and see them. And we thought that we did.

Kindergarten

I remember when we got the ducks and they were in the thing that keeps them warm. Every morning there was a line to go and see them and if they hatched. Finally one morning they started coming out and everyone was freaking out before all of them hatched we decorate a box for them and then set up everything. And then over the time that we had them we got to take them home for a night.

First grade

A memory that I have from first grade is going to a fire station and we got to try on the big fire suits and when it was my turn I put the whole thing on and I feel over because it was so heavy and then I could n’t get out so finally they had to take it off when I was on the floor and then I was sweating from trying to get up and off the floor.

2nd grade

My memory from 2nd grade are the snowball fights bill would just at any time just start throwing snowballs and we would have thought them at each other. All the balls where full size recycle paper.   Finally all the kids would always scream and then at the end of the year we had a big snowball fight at Houston.

3rd grade

A memory that I have from 3rd grade is after art and shop we came back up to the classroom and it was transformed into a boat. Next we had to say goodbye to our families and then we went on the boat because we were coming to Manhattan to try and live for 6 years with the Lenape. 

4th grade

A memory that I have from 4th grade is going to Ellis island and dressing up as immigrants and we had to answer questions and that was hard because the questions  were on the spot and you had to answer fast. But it was worth it because we got in.


Nico

4s, “Beth and Jen’s class”

I remember when we let the butterflies free. We got caterpillars  and watched them grow. Then we let them out in Downing.

Kindergarten, “ Alisa and Sarah’s class.

I remember when we had ducklings. When the ducklings hatched we practiced holding them. Then we got to take them home. When I brought them home they were very cute. We put them in the bathtub and let them swim. They pooped all over it.

First grade, “Sarah and Lea’s class”

I remember the restaurant. I was a bartender although I wanted to be manager. One day we were working and Graydon set the pizza on fire but luckily that day Sarah was wearing wooden high heels so she stomped on it. And the fire went out.

Second grade, “Bill and Shayna’s class”

I remember snowball fights with paper. There was a cardboard box and we would fill it with crumpled up paper that we did not use. Then sometimes we would dump the box out and have snowball fights.

Third grade, “ Jessie and Wing Mai’s class”

I remember the Lenape and Dutch museum. I was a farmer and I painted a horse that June helped me with. I had corn and tools.

Fourth grade, “Deborah and Alicia’s class”

The play. It took a long time but I would say it went well. It was fun and easy to memorize the lines.


Paloma

Kindergarten was my first year. I remember when we made rooms in the school out of shoe boxes. I remember that we made a map of the school so we could choose the room we wanted to make. We made blueprints for our rooms. My room was the music room – the music room is a bit different, though. For example, there were two chairs at the front of the room and there used to be a big piano instead of the small one, but otherwise it’s the same. I also remember we had chicks, one of the chicks died, though; that was sad. (It died because it was premature.) But otherwise, the chicks were fun!

In first grade we made a restaurant, we set up our classroom entirely different. I also remember that our restaurant had entertainment. I was a hostess and I was very busy at first, and then when everyone was seated I was SO bored. Vincent was the host and he made up a game; we took turns playing it.  We also had a bit of excitement when there was a mini-fire. I also remember our class guinea pigs Calipso and Miss Mixsolot. We got to vote what animal we got and they won!

In second grade we made city. (It was make-believe, of course.) We made a bridge and everything. We each made a block. I made a block with a school, a pool and a police station. ( I don’t remember what else I put on my block. I remember we got to play in the city when we finished it.

In third grade we made a Lenape and Dutch museum. I was on the Dutch side and in the hearth group. The other kids that were in the hearth group was Grace, Sydney and Tyler. I also remember when we did our ideas to make the city a better place. My partner was Ziva we made a robot that planted seeds.

In fourth grade we did the play. I was Josefina in the Esperanza Rising group. It was fun to pretend to cook. It was really fun to make the skit. It was fun to do a lot of things for the play, but Charissa was right, so parts were really boring.


Penelope

4s

In the 4s my favorite time was when we got to go over to the other class and we all got to play together. Then when all the teachers would say that we had to leave we would all soy no! And then hug our friends and say goodbye and then leave.

Kindergarten

In Kindergarten my favorite thing to do was to cook, every Thursday we would cook something as a class. Also I love cooking so that was really fun.

First Grade

In first grade the most fun thing that happened was definitely the restaurant because I was in the smoothie part and I love smoothies! So I got to do something that I liked in school and that is fun.

Second Grade

In second grade the best thing was Bill. Bill. Bill. Bill was soooo funny and he always made us laugh! He always had a joke in his head. Also the city made out of blocks was fun. (And he gave us candy.)

Third Grade

In third grade my favorite thing was the farm trip. We walked cows, slept with friends and had fun. Also Jessie was really great!

Fourth Grade

This year the most fun thing that we did was the farm trip and the play. You know from the thing from third grade what the farm trip was like but the play was sooooo fun! I was Hâ and I was 10 so I pretty much nailed that! And my favorite thing was I was mean to my siblings and trust me I have had practice. But my best thing was I refused to do all the things my mom told me to do and that was easy. Another fun thing about fourth grade is sometimes when a lot of people do all of their homework they all get “non sugar” lollipops.


Sawyer

4s

Having my first pizza at this school in the fours is my first memory. It was so good. It tasted so cheesy. It is the best pizza I ever had. Now I am bored of it.

Kindergarten

In Kindergarten I liked a rest time. We played pattern maker the whole time. It was so fun. Everyone had a good time.

First Grade

I loved first grade. One moment stuck out to me. It was when I had a crossword puzzle. It was impossible. One very important letter was missing! It was so funny when I found out.

Second Grade

I loved second grade even more than first. For the first time the teacher, Bill, was my best friend. My memory was the first time Bill called me Crosby. Everyone laughed even Bill laughed. Bill made a deal. I could call Bill Tasha if he called me Crosby.

Third Grade

I didn’t like third grade that much. My memory is the first time seeing Dr. Art.E.Fact. She looked pretty funny. She was obviously our teacher. She barged into the classroom.

Fourth Grade

Last, but the best fourth grade. The fourth grade play is my memory. My group did the first act. It was nerve racking. It turned out amazing when I saw my mom. It also was so fun when I saw my brother talking to his friends.


Selah

Kindergarten: I remember when everybody in my class had to turn the eggs so they would hatch into chicks. I also remember turning the eggs for a week or maybe two. Finally they eggs hatched in June and they were cute, except one because he died.

First Grade:  I remember when we did the restaurant and I was a chef. Then I made, well I remember, pizza and salad. I also burned my arm.

Second Grade:  I remember when we, I think, went to the NY Skyline.  I was partnered up with someone.

Third Grade: I remember when we did the Lenape Museum.  The whole LS came to the Lenape Museum and our parents.  I was in the Hunting Station with Patrick and Skylar.

Fourth Grade:  I remember doing the immigration play and I played Papa from Esperanza Rising.  My parents and the LS came to the play.


Shaffer

What I liked in 3rd grade: I liked making the Lenape house because it was fun to be creative. I also loved it because we got to paint a lot.

In 4th grade: I loved making my Hopes and Dreams bird and egg at the beginning of the year. I also liked looking back. I completed one of my goals and my goal was to get better handwriting. Math is awesome and I am better at it now too.


Skylar

Kindergarten

In kindergarten I remember the ducklings we had. I also remember the hamsters. At recess we would go to different playground every day. Like on Monday we would go to the Roof. On Tuesday we would go to Meneda. And on Wednesday we went to Downing.

First grade

I remember in first grade we made a restaurant for our restaurant study. In the restaurant there were smoothies, pizza, and chocolate chocolate chip waffles.In first grade was the first grade we had homework but we only had it on Tuesday and Wednesday. For our restaurant study in first grade me and Penelope went to JG Melon and got free burgers and fries.

Second grade

I liked second grade because I got to meet new people like Zara and play charades during grammar with Mala. When I was in second grade, I LOVED my teacher Tasha. Second grade it was like a new year a new time to shin.

Third grade

We studied the Lenape and Dutch and made a museum out of it. It was my first time going to a farm for the farm trip and spend the night with my friends. At the farm, there was a hay jump where we all jumped into hay. There were only a few animals on this farm (2 goats, a few sheep and a tadpole pond). The farm grew vegetables and plants.

It was the first time I met my reading teacher Charissa and with Charissa, my group learned about dogs. We learned if their tail wagged to the left, they are worried but if it wags to the right, they are excited. Another trip we went on was to Phillipsburg Manor which was a plantation where slaves worked. We also went to an old Lenape village in New Jersey where we were able to see how they lived and hunt.

Fourth grade

In fourth grade we learned about immigration. During our study of immigration, we put on an immigration play. Before the immigration play, we went to Ellis Island on a ferry and some of us dressed as immigrants to learn more about immigration. On Ellis Island, we learned where immigrants first came to America. Later on in the year, we went to the Statue of Liberty and my group went up the pedestal with my mom. There was another farm trip but it was not the same farm as the third grade farm and there wasn’t a hay jump either. The fourth grade farm was an organic farm and there were animals there.

Vincent

Kindergarten:

Chicks

The chicks were very fun because we got to take them home for a weekend if we wanted to. They were also fun because of the incubator and seeing them hatching was great. They were adorable and we all had a favorite. My favorite was on that I called spot. This is because it was all tan and yellow with a brown spot on his back.

First Grade:

The restaurant

The restaurant was an unforgettable memory not only because it was very fun but because of the exciting event of the fire! It was also one of the first times I played the cello in front of an audience. I was the host and it was shocking to see how much money we made. It was also fun to be waiter when someone was absent. Making the plates was also a fun part.

Second Grade:

The Food Drive

I liked helping to organize the St. John’s Food Pantry canned food drive at LREI. It was fun because we got to count how much money we made. It was also fun because we got to go to St. John’s food pantry and help them out a bit.

Third Grade:

Lenape Museum

The Lenape Museum was a great experience because we got to pretend to be in a different time period and be doing the things that people in that time period would be doing. I also had a good time learning about all of the different aspects of Lenape and Dutch life. And lastly, it was a new experience to be in the other class and be with people from the other class.

Fourth Grade:

Everything

So, the happy memories of Fourth Grade were: the Farm Trip, news articles, all field trips, the Fourth Grade Play, everything in Math, everything in Tech, all specials, everything in Reading, and EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!!


Will

I liked Lower School because we learned, we had fun, and more.

In the fours we had butterflies, rest time, and when we had our stuffed animals. I also liked the time in the morning when we had music on and our parents were there. Another one of my favorite things to do in the Fours was the mini doll area because it was fun.

I liked Kindergarten because we had rest time, and we made the apple headed people. I also liked when we went to a zoo and saw the eagle that we made out of clay.

I liked First Grade because we made the restaurant and we had the 100th day of school activities. I remember 3 of the stations with the 100 cheerio necklace, the origami things, and the workout thing. I also liked when we learned how to write lowercase letters and words.

In Second Grade I really liked the study of NYC. I liked how we made the cardboard box city city, the information of our block, the picture that we all made that we could choose which place we wanted to make it from, and I chose central park, and of course the paper snowball fights.

In Third Grade I loved the study of the Lenape and the Dutch, I loved the farm trip with like six hours of free time. But the study of the Lenape and Dutch was still the best. I also loved the team X thing because it was so fun and everybody had a lot of energy when we did it.

In Fourth grade I loved the the study of immigration and all of the field trips we went on like Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, the Tenement Museum, and more. And most of all I loved the play. I also loved when all of the visitors came like the maybe new principals, and the people who wrote books. Finally I loved the news article interviews.


Zara

My favorite memory of second grade is read aloud because all we had to do was sit and listen and back then I didn’t like or want to do anything because I was lazy. Another favorite memory from second grade is the third grade teacher, Elaine, used to come into our classroom to do drama. The last favorite memory of second grade is lunch time being 12:00 because that is an early lunch.

My favorite memory from third grade is doing more drama with Elaine, Another favorite memory from third grade is doing the Manahatta museum. The last favorite memory from third grade is cursive bootcamp with Charissa.

A favorite memory from fourth grade is doing words of the day. Another favorite memory is doing the play. The last favorite memory from fourth grade is art and shop.  


Ziva

4’s (Beth+Jen’s Class)

In the 4’s I remember meeting new people like Delaney, who I met then, and was one of my good friends. I also remember making Flubber and having big red table that would open up and inside would be Flubber! I remember it was really fun and we would use it a lot for choice time. I also remember there being a play area with dolls that were babies and we would fight over who got it because everybody wanted it.

 

Kindergarten (Alisa+Sarah’s Class)

In Kindergarten I remember having an older buddy, Mia, Zoe’s older sister, and it was nice because you got gifts and they read to you and doing art and projects with them and I do remember going to Jane’s Carousel with my older buddy and I remember taking a bus ride with them. I also remember hatching ducks and I remember taking them home and putting them in the bathtub. I also remember that one of the ducks didn’t come out of its egg too well and it was sick and died. Then we buried it right outside of Downing Park and put the duck in a box and it was SO sad.

First Grade (Sarah+Leah’s Class)

In First Grade I remember making the restaurant called the Star Cafe and I was a waiter and I had to serve firefighters, which to me was embarrassing. I also remember there was a tiny fire in the kitchen heating up a pizza so then Sarah starting stepping on it because she was wearing wooden high heels and everyone was getting worried. I also remember we painted a star on the floor because it was called Star Cafe and then that night when the custodians came to clean the room they cleaned off the star, so that was a disappointment.

Second Grade (Bill+Shayna’s Class)

I remember in Second Grade having snowball fights made from paper we didn’t need and crumpling them up into balls and then in morning meeting Bill would get the big box of them and throw them on top of somebody’s head and I remember he put them on top of my head once:) Also, we got A LOT OF EXTRA RECESS because I remember staying out past the third graders and to the fourth graders time at recess. I think it was one of my favorite years also because we walked the whole Brooklyn Bridge WHILE IT WAS RAINING and learned North, South, East and West. It was fun walking the Brooklyn Bridge except that it was raining. Also when we were walking along the Hudson River people kept saying “Can we take the subway?” and “I’m tired!” but then we walked 5 miles without anyone realizing it and Bill was keeping it a secret. Since I was in the front of the line and a few other people, Bill told us and we were so surprised. It didn’t even feel like that long of a walk, but when we heard that, it was actually a REALLY long walk.

Third Grade (Jessie+Wing Mai+Caroline’s Class)

I remember in Third Grade learning about the Lenape and Dutch and using our time machines to go back in time like when the Lenape and Dutch were settling in. I also remember I was in the Dutch museum and me and Gaby did the Wall, which was on Wall Street, and we would talk about it and how the Dutch and Lenape would come and trade there. It was fun making all the things that we would trade, but it was also fun making the gate separating the Dutch and Lenape because we made a lock on it and I remember people would always break it because they would play with it. I also remember we were doing math story problem and we would use the character Muffle’s Truffle’s because we were doing equations on how many could fit in a box because we were learning area. And since it was Muffles Truffles Caroline, our teacher, made homemade truffles for us. They were really good:)

Fourth Grade (Deborah+Alicia’s Class)

In Fourth Grade in the beginning of the year we made birds out of paper and wrote out hopes and dreams on them. We decorated them and used watercolor on them. It was really fun to make. Then later on in the year we made eggs that had our new hopes and dreams on them and we made little nests for them too and watercolored them too. I also really enjoyed meeting our Kindergarten buddies and mine was, Emmie, and I really like her as my buddy. It was fun doing activities with them and doing art with them. I also really enjoyed making the play and especially performing it was the best part. I think doing poetry I also really liked and we did it a lot this year and I think my favorite poem is my Carlos Vegas poem. And I liked the farm trip a lot because there was tetherball and being in the bunks at night was fun too:) I also REALLY LIKED going on the hike because it was steep and at the end we ran through the woods and found our own way back. The hike was REALLY FUN and just being outside was fun. I also liked the burritos there because they were amazing and the apple pie things were delicious for dessert. And I remember at the farm trip the first night when they announced how loud and noisy our bunks were we were got a bad score, so then the night after we tried really hard and were actually quiet and then, they didn’t announce how the bunks did! Also on the bus ride there it took like 4 hours because in the beginning the bus driver was going to the third grade farm, and THEN the bus driver went to somebody’s house, and THEN finally we got there, but we were late. And the bus had no air conditioning so it was REALLY hot. Since when we were on the bus for so long, Deborah, our teacher had emergency gummy worms and gave them to us because it was an emergency! So then we got gummy worms on the bus because it was an emergency. I think Fourth Grade was also one of my favorite years.


Fourth Graders Report on their Trip to the Statue of Liberty

Fourth Grade Explores Lady Liberty In A Field Trip  

by Cydney 

NEW YORK, NY—The Fourth Grade students in Deborah and Alicia’s fourth grade class, at LREI in lower Manhattan, went on a field trip to the Statue of Liberty because they were studying immigration in class. They went on April 9th 2019, the chaperones came, then they got their trip sheets and and left at around 9:15. Then their field trip began.

The Fourth Graders got there by the One train, and got off at South Ferry. Next, they walked to where the ferry was and had to go through security there. Afterwards,  they got on the Miss Liberty Ferry. The On the boat the Fourth Graders asked some people what the Statue of Liberty symbolizes to them, they did this because they were writing news articles. Angelee, a teacher from Utah, who was on the boat,  said “I am excited to see the Statue of Liberty, I have never seen it before,” “I think it it is a great sign of freedom.” Nadine, a women who lives in Germany, said, “I think it is a very important statue to the world, that is why I came.”

When the Fourth Graders got off at Liberty Island, they sat on the ground and took notes on the Statue of Liberty because they were writing news articles they did this on their trip sheets. After, they sat down at tables and chairs in different spaces  and had some lunch. When the Fourth Graders got to the pedestal museum they had to go through security again. Next, they went inside and split up into eight groups and explored the Statue of Liberty with their chaperones. In the museum there were a lot of places that students learned facts like the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall and she is 450,000 pounds. She is green because she is made from copper and copper changes color from brown to green over time. Also she is wearing the crown because the crown is shedding light on the seven seas and continents. The French gave her to America as a sign of friendship. After the museum some fourth graders went from the museum to the top of the pedestal, that is 226 steps in total. The top of the pedestal is basically just a balcony where the Fourth Graders could see around Liberty Island and part of Ellis Island.

The Fourth Graders left the pedestal museum and met at the dock and waited until everyone was there. Next, they boarded the boat, and went on the higher decks. Then some of the students interviewed more people, for example some students interviewed a women named Maluo. Malou is from France, she said,  “It is a very important monument and the Statue of Liberty is smaller than I thought.” Some of the people were finishing their notes in their trip sheet, for example some students were drawing the Statue Liberty, or finishing poem notes that they would soon write. Some students had to sit on the floor and finish because there were no seats. But other students people did not have to finish their trip sheet. The Fourth Graders got off the boat. Then took the one train back to Houston Street. After that they got of and went back to school. When the fourth graders got back they said bye to the chaperones  and went upstairs and had some free time.

In the trip the Fourth Graders learned a lot of facts about the Statue of Liberty that they will use to make news articles.


How Liberty Happened

by Dante 

NEW YORK, NY—Do you ever wonder how the Statue of Liberty came to America? Who came up with the idea? Who helped build it? Who gave it to America? Well, the 4th graders at LREI did, and on April 9th they sought the answers.

On Liberty Island, weighing 450,000 pounds at 305 feet including the pedestal, the Statue of Liberty stands as a symbol of friendship of the French. She was given to United States for  America’s 100th birthday. Representing a women for peace not war, unlike the statue in Greece of Athena Goddess of War and Wisdom, is the Statue of Liberty.

Different people contributed to the making of the Statue of Liberty, such as Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi who came up with the idea and Gustave Eiffel who helped build it. Many others made it happen in New York, such as Emma Lazarus who wrote The New Colossus, a poem about freedom and what the Statue of Liberty means for other people next Joseph Pulitzer,  wrote articles that criticize the people for not funding it, it pressured many people to fund it.

It’s believed that the Statue of Liberty means freedom. To many, that is true. A man named Charles who was visiting the statue from Birmingham,  Alabama said, ”It is what people believe in and it brings us all together. Like all the people on this boat, so many people from so many different countries come to see the Statue of Liberty.”

The Statue of Liberty holds a lamp that leads immigrants to freedom in her right hand, and a book in the left hand,  reading in Roman numerals July 4th 1776 the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, which meant freedom for America.  Mike Dunker, a worker who worked on the flame in the restoration in 1985, believes that the statue is the “greatest thing that France gave to America.” because France fought with America during the Revolutionary War.

The reason there are so many stories of the Statue of Liberty is because the immigrants who came to America would pass by it on there way to Ellis Island. One million people immigrated to the U.S in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many people later told the story of their passage and always remembered seeing it.

The Statue of Liberty, Mother of Exiles, Lady Liberty, The Lady in the Harbor or simply Torch Girl are some of the many names for one women. To many, regardless of her name, she always means freedom.


The Trip Where Children Learn

By Emilia

NEW YORK NY—On April 9, 2019, nineteen Fourth Graders, five chaperones and two teachers from LREI went on a field trip to visit Lady Liberty to learn about the statue’s history. The Fourth Graders took the 1 train to South Ferry and then got on a ferry to Liberty Island.

Three Fourth Graders named Emilia, June and Selah interviewed a family of three on the boat. They interviewed them because one of the tasks of the trip was to get other peoples’ opinion on the Statue of Liberty.  Their names were Kate, Ian and Raymond. “It’s the American dream” said Kate, “It’s the most important symbol in New York” said Raymond, and “The torch is like a lighthouse” said Ian. This family was visiting from Taiwan an island next to China.

Next, a women from Utah was on the boat. Her name was Angelee. “I think it’s an awesome symbol of our freedom and I’m excited to see it, I’ve never been” said Angelee. She was with her husband but he was inside. She had a mint green coat and she wore glasses.

Then the boat made stop a Liberty Island and the Fourth Graders got off the boat. Fourth Graders walked around and took of pictures in front of the Statue of Liberty. Eventually they found some chairs and sat down to eat lunch. After that, all the Fourth Graders had to go through security again to actually enter the museum. They took notes on their trip sheets and walked around the museum. After that, the entire Fourth Grade class, five chaperones and two teachers went up to the top of the pedestal. Some people took the elevator while others took the stairs.

The key takeaway of the field trip was that everyone learned something. The Fourth Graders went on the trip because they wanted to learn more about immigration and the Green Lady’s past. If your wondering, the green the Green Lady is something that immigrants first saw when they came to New York.

What did you the reader learn from going on this journey with Fourth Graders? What do you think the trip is going to be like next year?


Kids Learn About Lady Liberty

By Ivy 

NEW YORK, NY–On April 9th, 2019, a group of fourth graders from LREI, went on a field trip to Liberty Island in order to learn about the Statue of Liberty. The fourth graders persevered through the windy, cloudy, chilly weather, one security check and a cold ferry ride. And then, the students finally arrived at Liberty Island.

On a cloudy day before they even got to Liberty Island, the students began their research by interviewing visitors on a ferry.  When asked about her thoughts on the Statue of Liberty, one tourist, Annemieke said, “Statue Liberty means freedom.” Another visitor from Brooklyn said, “I am going to work on the new museum that is opening on Liberty Island. The Statue of Liberty is interesting for many different reasons. For one, it was a gift from France.”

The students visited the Statue of Liberty museum at the bottom of the pedestal and learned some important facts. One fact that the students learned was that the Statue of Liberty was brought over to America in 1884. Also, the Statue of Liberty stands at 151 feet tall, and the copper shell weighs over 62,000 pounds. The iconic green color is due to oxidation, a process where copper changes color when exposed to oxygen. Each spike on the crown represents one of the seven seas. The broken chains attached to her back foot are broken, symbolizing freedom. There are over 300 sheets of thin copper, 3/32 of an inch thick, that form the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is a landmark, and a monument because the French gave it to the people of the United States as a gift of friendship.

After lunch, the students climbed stairs up the pedestal of the statue. Then they boarded the ferry back to Manhattan and asked more questions to visitors. When asked, a tourist on the ferry back to Manhattan said, “I like what it stands for, freedom, liberty, and friendship. It is also a big gift. One way it is interesting to me is that Alexandre Gustave Eiffel helped create the structure,” said Simon a teacher from London. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel also created the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France.

The students learned many facts and discovered why the statue is recognizable, and everyone who sees it knows where they are. ¨I think that the Statue of Liberty is an iconic site,” said Vincent, a fourth grade student, from LREI.


Fourth Graders Roam The Statue Of Liberty

By Julian 

NEW YORK, NY—At Little Red School House the students in the Fourth Grade are studying immigration. Therefore, they visited the Statue Of Liberty on April 9, 2019. Their trip to the Statue of Liberty is relevant to their immigration studies because it is a sign to welcome in new people to America. A fourth grader named Shaffer said, “I learned a lot from the field trip.”

On the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, the Fourth Graders interviewed random people who were also going to visit the statue. They interviewed people to get a different point of view on what the statue meant. The Fourth Graders went inside the statue, inside the pedestal, which is just the thicker area around the bottom of the statue. In the pedestal, there is a museum with some displays, stories, and photos about the Statue Of Liberty that the Fourth Graders all discovered. For example, students learned that the Statue of Liberty is three hundred five feet and six inches tall from the bottom pedestal and up, and one hundred fifty one feet tall without the pedestal. Another fact that they learned is how it turned green, and it and it used to be a reddish brown color. The Statue of Liberty turned green because of oxidation. This means that when the copper is exposed to oxygen it changes its color changes to green. They also found out how much it weighs; two hundred twenty five tons!

One person on the ferry named Ike, a person from Japan, said, “This statue is a sign of freedom.” What he said is important because it means that people feel welcomed by the statue. Ike’s wife, Kei Ko, added, “It’s the American dream to visit the statue.” Ike and Kei Ko also said they were “really into the statue” and were “amazed” by it. This means that the statue is drawing the attention of people in Japan, and makes them want to come and visit America just to see the statue. They said that it has been their favorite part of America so far. In addition, Kei Ko said, “I’m sure all the immigrants and everyone will be amazed by this statue.’’

A man named Mike, from Brazil was interviewed by the Fourth Graders in the museum. This is what he had to say; “when I came here in 1966, with only eighteen dollars and had not seen much, and I first saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time I was amazed at… everything.’’ It was one the most exciting things he had ever seen at the time. He read about the Statue of Liberty a lot and says that he has and always will be very interested in it.

Will the statue always be as amazing as the interviewed people said, or will it get old to people?


A Green Welcome For Immigrants

by June

NEW YORK, NY—What is one of the most famous and well known monuments the world? The Statue of Liberty. The Statue was built by three men because they wanted to show New york how much they were friends. The statue now lives on Liberty Island, which used to be called Bedloe’s Island in New York.

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel and Richard Morris Hunt made the statue. Bartholdi designed the statue, Eiffel made the inside, and Hunt helped also to design it. It has always welcomed new people, ever since 1885. It was built in September 1875, and first shown on October 28, 1886.

The statue is based on a roman goddess. The statue’s face is based on Bartholdi’s mother. The statue weighs over 450,000 pounds and was finished in 1886. The statue was a gift from France to symbolize the friendship between France and New York. The statue is on Bedloe’s Island, now called Liberty Island and she is 151 feet tall. The statue is green because of the air. When copper is exposed to air it undergoes chemical reactions that turn it green.

Cydney Klass, a fourth grader, said the Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous things in the world. There are so many stories in museums and in history of people seeing the statue because she is one of the most famous things in the world. The stories are stories of freedom for everyone of any type. If someone were to see the Statue of Liberty from a bird’s eye view, that person would see that there are broken chains at her feet. This symbolizes that the Statue of Liberty was in chains. Then she broke free and is moving forward.

Approximately 3.5 million people visit the Statue of Liberty every year. “It’s the American dream,” said Kate, who was on the boat to go to Liberty Island. “It’s the most important symbol of New York,” said Raymond, another passenger on the boat. “The torch is like a lighthouse,” said Ian, who was with Kate and Raymond. They were all from Taiwan. “I think it is an awesome symbol of freedom and I am excited to see it for the first time,” said Angelee, who is from Utah, another passenger.

The Statue of Liberty will get to see a lot from up on her perch. She has welcomed many immigrants coming to New York. She is one of the most important landmarks of New York.  There have been a lot of people to see her and her glory since she was built which was 1886.


The Facts of Ms.Liberty Explored

By Lila 

NEW YORK, NY- On April 9, 2019, a class of LREI 4th graders went to visit and explore the Statue of Liberty. The 4th graders were going for a school project and got to climb up the statue. The class got on a boat to Liberty Island where the Statue of Liberty is located. They had tickets to go up to the pedestal and walk around the base of the statue. Once the students got to Liberty Island they got off the boat and started to look at the and pedestal museum for facts.

Liberty Island has a couple of places for tourists and even locals to have fun and roam around. There is a little square with some benches and trees. There are gift shops, a cafe, and the Statue of Liberty. The students met one woman named Laura while on the boat. Laura is designing a new museum on Liberty Island that has more facts about the Statue of Liberty. It is going to be opened for business in a few weeks.

The Statue of Liberty is 305 feet tall including the pedestal. The fourth graders did not climb all  305 feet but they did climb about a quarter of that. “I wish we could go to the crown,” said Lily, one of the fourth graders. The crown is now the highest place you can visit in the Statue of Liberty but is not the highest point of it.

Inside the Statue of Liberty is another museum with some information about the statue. It holds information  like the weight which is around 450,000 pounds.And that she was first made of plaster as a model. “She’s Huge,” said one of the fourth-grade chaperones named Caitlin Zaloom.  

Since the Statue of Liberty has been around since 1886 it has gone through some changes. One of the changes is that the torch has been rebuilt. The makers/owners of the Statue of  Liberty replaced it in 1985, 99 years after they built her. Also, most people know the Statue of Liberty as the green lady but originally she was red or a brown because she is made out of copper. And when copper gets old it goes through oxidation. Oxidation is when copper gets old and changes color. It goes from a reddish brown to green. Oxidize means to combine something with oxygen, in this case it’s copper.

“The Statue of Liberty is amazing,” said Will a fourth grader who was at the Statue of Liberty. “I loved the trip.” said another fourth grader, named Vincent, who went to the Statue of Liberty. So is the Statue of Liberty a strong crowd pleaser?


Do People Really Know About the Statue Of Liberty?

By Lily 

NEW YORK, NY—The Statue of Liberty has been on Bedloe’s Island since 1886 and is still around today. People from not only New York, but around the world, know about the Statue of Liberty. People, such as Annemieke who is from the Netherlands, are excited about it, but how much do people really know about the Statue of Liberty?

The Fourth Graders of LREI went on a field trip and found out information that not everyone knew about the Statue of Liberty. But, what people did know, is how much they adored the statue. The Fourth Graders interviewed a lot of people on the ferry there who shared their thoughts on the statue. Three people who they interviewed were Loura, Annemieke, and Simon. Loura is from Brooklyn and is working on a museum at the Statue of Liberty and loves her job there. She said, “I love my job!”. They talked to Annemieke, who is from the Netherlands. She was very excited to see the statue. She said, “I have only seen [it] on TV and I am excited to  see [it] in person!!!” Then they talked to Simon, who is a teacher in London and did not go inside the statue, but walked around and said, “If my students saw this they would be so happy!” He said that he likes what it stands for, but Simon did not know the history about it, for example, that the guy who made the Eiffel Tower helped make the Statue of Liberty.

  While they loved it, the people who were interviewed didn’t actually know much about the Statue of Liberty. For example, Simon did not know that Gustave Eiffel helped build the structure of it. Other facts that people might not know are that it is 151 feet tall and weighs 450,000 pounds. Also, the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France. Another fact is that it was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with help from Gustave Eiffel who made the Eiffel tower in France. Also, they made the Statue of Liberty by making molds out of wooden pieces and then filled plaster around them.  Then they would get copper and melt it to make it flexible. There were 300 sheets of copper that they had to use to cover the whole thing. Then they hammered it on to the mold and then nailed it down. The Statue of Liberty was built in France and then transferred to the US in 214 separate crates.

The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom and liberty enlightening the world. The Statue represents those things because her crown is symbolizing the 7 seas and the torch is guiding people to the US where they could have a better life. For over 100 years it has welcomed immigrants to the US because immigrants passing by it would know that they are in the U.S. and are free. It is still common to go because a lot of people like that it stands for freedom and liberty which is something people still care about today.

The 4th grade class learned about the making of the Statue of Liberty, how the Statue of Liberty got here and about many peoples thoughts on the Statue of Liberty. People continue to go to the statue and still love it and a lot of people continue to see it change over time. People also still honor the people who helped create it.


The Statue of Liberty Has A Story

By Nico 

NEW YORK , NY—  Lady Liberty, otherwise known as The Statue of Liberty, is a statue which is one of New York’s most famous landmarks. It is located on Liberty Island, originally named Bedloe’s Island, it is in New York Harbor. The Statue gets hundreds of people coming to see her every day. But do you know the story behind it?

The Statue of Liberty was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a Frenchmen who  was born August 2, 1834, in Colmor, France. The Statue of Liberty was a present from France to America. France gave it to America as a thank you for being allies in the American Revolution. It was shipped in 350 pieces to America in crates. Standing 151 feet and weighing 450,000 pounds it is one of the most recognizable icons of the United States throughout the world.

The Statue of Liberty is very important to America and others who come to America, like immigrants, because it represents freedom. It is the first thing that many immigrants see in America when arriving by boat. The torch lights the way to freedom which leads the path to liberty.

There is much more history to the Statue of Liberty. Others who participated in the creation of the Statue of Liberty are; Gustave Eiffel, who also made the Eiffel Tower, designed the structure of the Statue. Joseph Pulitzer, a newspaper publisher of the St. Louis Post- Dispatch and the New York World, helped raise money to the make the Statue’s pedestal.

And Emma Lazarus, an American poet born in 1849,  wrote The New Colossus.  This famous poem is on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

Many people come to see the Statue of Liberty. One school group from England came to see the Statue. The students said, “We like the green color of the statue.” Did you know the original color of the statue is not green since it is made out of copper it changed from oxidation? The torch was replaced on November 25,1985. One of the people working on it was an immigrant named Miguel Dunko who came from Brazil in 1964. He summed it up by saying, “I think the statue is the best gift to America.”


The Statue of Liberty is Popular Around the World

by Paloma Sherak

NEW YORK, NY— On April 9th, some fourth graders from LREI went to the Statue of Liberty for a field trip. They met some people on the ferry when they were going to and from the Statue of Liberty.

Since the Statue of Liberty is a famous statue, lots of people from all around the world come to see it. Many people were met in the ferry. Lots of them were from different places such as Germany, France, but some people were from America. The Fourth Graders interviewed some people on the ferry because they wanted to see what people thought of the Statue of Liberty for there article they were making at school. Many people said that they thought the Statue of Liberty was very important and that is why they wanted to visit it. Like this teacher from Utah her name was Angelee. She was very excited to see it. “I think it’s a great symbol of freedom,’’ Anglee said. “I have never seen her before.’’

People come with their family and friends, so they can enjoy the statue with someone. Some people come alone There is lots of groups of people on the ferry because of that. A lady from Germany brought her baby, the woman’s name was Nadine. “I think it is a very famous statue and that is why I want to visit it.’’ she said.

People come from all over world. A woman named Maloe came from France.  “Very important monument,” she said. While she liked the Statue of Liberty, she thought  it would be much bigger.

That day the fourth graders learned from the field trip. And one of the things they learned was that lots of people around the world come to New York City just to see the Statue of Liberty.


Interviews Near Lady Liberty                            

By Penelope

NEW YORK, NY—On a gray and foggy Tuesday in April, a fourth grade class went to the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island for their study of immigration and journalism. They have been studying immigration. and all the immigrants that came through Ellis Island passed the Statue of Liberty

Every month each child in the fourth grade writes a news article and they interview someone in their school about what they have been doing. But this time it was fourth graders first time interviewing people outside their school, so they were nervous. “It was like going up to a stranger and asking them to give you information because you want to show it to your school,” said a girl who was in the fourth grade class. Three children chose to interview a woman on the third to last row of seats on the boat because she said she was really fascinated by the Statue Of  Liberty. Her name was Marina, she was from Venezuela she said that she had never been to New York and that she was excited to see Statue Of Liberty.

Another person that the fourth grade interviewed was in the museum of the Statue of Liberty that was interviewed was the person who made the second torch! His name was Mike Dunker. He is from Brazil and came in to America in 1996 with $18.  He thinks of the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom. He loves it so much. “I just think there are so many things that you can see and learn about Lady Liberty, ” he said.

On the way back from Liberty Island a group of  fourth graders interviewed a high school class that went to Lady Liberty and they had just come back so they had a few things to say. “I used to live in South Spain but moved to England for a job,” said the teacher. The Fourth Graders asked her why she and her class of ten were in America and she answered with “school trip.”       

In the end of the trip a few kids said that is fun and in the end the sun came out and it turned into a good day. After the trip of the field trip a child named Penelope said “I loved it and I think the trip was worth it even though it was cold, gray and wet.”


The Fourth Grade Explored the Statue of Liberty

By Sawyer 

NEW YORK, NY—On April 9, 2019 Deborah and Alicia’s LREI fourth grade class went to the Statue of Liberty. They went to write an article outside their school and to learn more about immigration. The Fourth Graders took a boat to Liberty Island. The students walked up to the top of the podium after they went to the museum.

Two people named Jessica and Vincent shared information on the boat about the Statue of Liberty. Jessica, from Alabama, said “The Statue of Liberty means freedom and immigration” to her. Vincent, from the Fourth Grade class, thinks the meaning of the statue is “a monument.” He has been to the Statue of Liberty three times. Vincent is here because of a field trip as well as an immigration study.

The Fourth Graders entered the museum in the Statue of Liberty. They learned some new facts about the Statue of Liberty. At the crown, the copper is as thin as a penny. Also, Gustave Eiffel designed the Eiffel tower and designed the Statue of Liberty. The statue was originally brown, but now it’s green because of oxidation. The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall and the Statue of Liberty is 450,000 pounds. Also, the French gave the Statue of Liberty as a gift to America for being a country for a 100 years.

The Fourth Grade took a boat from Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty and back to Manhattan. Dante, from the fourth grade, said, “The boat was rocking.” When the boat got very close to the Statue of Liberty everyone went to one side of the boat. The boat leaned and Sawyer, a student in the Fourth Grade, almost fell over in the boat.

In all, everyone on the field trip liked the Statue of Liberty. Cydney said, “I really liked the Statue of Liberty because I liked learning all of the different facts in the museum. And I liked walking to the top of the pedestal.”


Fourth Graders Explore The Statue of Liberty

by Selah:

NEW YORK, NY—On April 9, 2019 a fourth grade class went to the Statue of Liberty.  

The trip to the Statue was complicated for the fourth graders.  They took the subway and then got on a ferry. In addition, they had to pass through two securities to get into the statue.  Both the trip there and back the boat was rocking like someone rocking a baby side to side. The weather on that particular day was frigid, windy and cold.They went to the Statue of Liberty because they are learning about Immigration. The statue relates to immigration because immigrants would see the statue when they entered New York Harbor on a boat.  The statue stands for freedom.

The fourth graders interviewed passengers on the ferry to get their ideas of the statue. “The Statue of Liberty is a statue that represents freedom of US citizens,” said Angelee, a passenger on the boat who was from Utah.  Angelee also said, “ It is an awesome symbol of our freedom.” The fourth graders interviewed three other passengers on the boat named Kate, Ian, and Raymond who were coming to visit. Kate said, “This is the American dream.” Ian added, “The torch is like a lighthouse”, and Raymond pitched in and said, “This is a symbol of New York.”

The statue is a warming welcome to the immigrants who come to America. In her hand there is a tablet with the date of The Declaration of Independence. The reason the statue has a book because it symbolizes enlightenment. There are hand chains on the ground of her feet representing freedom.  There are two names for the statue, the Statue of Liberty and “Liberty Enlightening the World”.

In conclusion, while our trip is not that long for immigrants it was long maybe days, weeks, months.  However the fourth graders feelings might be the same about the Statue of Liberty as immigrants.   They were feeling excited and impressed to see the statue.


Freedom and How it Came

by Shaffer

New York, NY–What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize, and what is its origin?  On the trip to the Statue of Liberty the fourth graders of LREI learned this on April 9th.

As the waves were crashing onto the ferry, a Fourth Grader spoke with a Japanese couple by the names of Ikya, the man and Keiko, the woman.  They said “This is our second time here at The Statue of Liberty and we think that it says freedom …or, means freedom, and it is a statue that symbolizes the American dream.” The Statue of Liberty weighs 7.67857148763393127 imperial tons and is equal to 4428.5714380214285484 of stone.

Also Jennifer an artist, activist and film director from NYC said, “The Statue of Liberty is a symbol that reaffirms, on a visual level, the absolute necessity of welcoming and enforcing liberty for all. It is a sign of hope for the days since, today and the future.” Did you know the Statue of Liberty used to be brown but now it is green because the air.” changed the color of the copper? The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall. Also the skin is over 62,000 pounds and the inside is not made of copper equal to  28,122 kilograms.

31 US ton and 28 Metric  28,122,727 grams plus 281,22,72,70,00,010 micrograms that is how heavy it was imagine how much time it took.‍Interestingly, the creator died before it was finished. Another cool fact is that the actual weight is over 450,000 pounds that is equal to 7,200,000 ounces. And you can make 30m pennies out of the entire Statue of Liberty.

Stated from a woman, “Whether from far away or a native New Yorker, the statue symbolize freedom.”


Fourth Graders Explore The Statue Of Liberty

By Skylar 

NEW YORK, NY—On April 9th 2019 the Fourth Graders of LREI went to the Statue of Liberty for a field trip. Do you know what the Statue of liberty is? The Statue of Liberty is a statue in New York harbor, but the statue is on its own island, it is called Liberty Island. Liberty Island is where  the Statue of Liberty stands to this day. There were three French people who made the Statue of Liberty. The statue’s face was based on one of the creators mothers.

A Fourth Grader’s mom, Kinshasa Best, was one of the chaperones on the trip. Her daughter was also in her group. They went to the ferry with the class and the other chaperones. They had to take the 1 train to the ferry.  The class took the ferry to Liberty Island. “The boat is moving back and forth,’’ said Kinshasa.

On the boat, the class were interviewing passengers to make an article. In Kinshasa’s group her daughter’s buddy for the trip was her friend Lily, a fourth grader in the class. In the pedestal there was a museum. The class went to the museum and they looked at so many artifacts from the Statue of Liberty, they were even in the statue. The students learned how big her toes are. The statue’s toes are 305 feet and 1 inch.

In Kinshasa’s group they ran into some of Lily’s friends when they were walking up to the pedestal. When they started to walk up the pedestal it was a very long way up. There were 175 stars to get to the pedestal. “There are a lot of people’’ said Skylar a fourth grader in the class. Skylar was referring to the amount of people in the pedestal.


4th Graders Explore Immigration Through New York Monument

by Vincent

NEW YORK, NY – On April 9, 2019, Deborah and Alicia’s Fourth Grade from LREI, a school in Manhattan, New York, visited the Statue of Liberty as part of their classes’ study of immigration and journalism.

All year, the Fourth Graders have been studying immigrants from the early 1900’s to now. They have also been studying the way immigrants have historically lived. The Fourth Graders have gone on many field trips, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory building. Going to Ellis Island helped them learn about how some early immigrants to America arrived, while going to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory building helped them learn what the jobs were and what job conditions were like in the early days of the Lower East Side. By going to the Statue of Liberty, which took 300 sheets of copper to make, the Fourth Graders will be continuing their field trip based learning.

One of the Fourth Graders’ last field trips of the year was going to the Statue of Liberty, a one hundred and eleven foot tall six inch statue. On the ferry to Liberty Island, the Fourth Graders had to interview people about what they thought about the Statue of Liberty. The interviews are going to help the Fourth Graders with their Statue of Liberty Articles that they will be making after the trip. The article is going to tie together the two main things they have been working on in Social Studies over the course of the year. Those two things are journalism and immigration. They are linked because the Statue of Liberty has a big part in the history of immigration in America and the Fourth Graders are writing a news article about it and, as previously mentioned, immigration and journalism are the two main things the Fourth Graders are studying in Social Studies.

Throughout the year the Fourth Graders have been creating news articles about various topics normally related to their school events and what other classes are doing. The news article they are writing about the Statue of Liberty is the first news article they have created in which the Fourth Graders interviewed strangers. Each of the Fourth Graders interviewed at least two or three people. One of the people that a Fourth Grader interviewed was a person from the Netherlands named Margot. Her main reason to go to the Statue is to “enter the statue and see the view from the top.” To her, the statue means freedom. She was visiting with her family.

The Statue of Liberty helps the Fourth Graders not only learn about journalism, but about immigration, too. The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of  American immigration to many, including a Fourth Grader, Nico. She thinks “The Statue of Liberty is a big part of American immigration because the torch lights the way to freedom which leads to the way to liberty.” The Statue of Liberty also teaches the Fourth Graders about what it might have felt like to be an immigrant that had just arrived in America from another country in the early 1900’s. By experiencing what it felt like to arrive by ferry, they got a taste of what it might have felt like.

After the Fourth Graders took a tour of the statue, which included a 195 step walk up to the pedestal, and exploring the museum located in the pedestal, they took the next ferry back to Manhattan. They will be doing more work related to the trip in the coming weeks, including writing a poem and, as previously mentioned, a news article.


The Statue That Spreads Freedom

By Will Taschler

NEW YORK, NY—On April 9th, 2019, the fourth graders of the Little Red School House went on a field trip to the Statue of Liberty. The fourth graders went because they are studying immigration, and the Statue of Liberty was one of the first things the immigrants saw when they arrived in New York.

To get to the statue, the fourth graders took the subway to a ferry which took them to Liberty Island. On the ferry, the fourth graders had to ask two strangers questions. One student interviewed a woman from the Netherlands named Margo. Margo said, “I have never been to the Statue of Liberty.  I am looking forward to seeing it. I am also looking forward to seeing the view of the city from the top of the statue.” When asked, Margo said she thought the statue represented freedom.

The statue is 151 feet tall and it weighs 450,000 pounds. She has a crown representing the seven seas. The French gave the statue to the USA because they wanted their Friendship to keep going on. The Statue of Liberty is made out of copper that turns green because of oxidation.

Gustave Eiffel helped make the Statue of Liberty as well as the Eiffel Tower. The book in the statue’s hand says the date July 4th which is when the Declaration of Independence written, and America became a country.

After the fourth graders left the statue, they went back on the ferry and headed back to school. One fourth grader named Lila said, “The Statue of Liberty is an amazing statue.”


What is the Statue of Liberty?

By Zara

NEW YORK, NY—How tall is the Statue of Liberty? How much does the Statue of Liberty  weigh? What is the Statue of Liberty made out of? Why is it green? What was the Statue of Liberty’s natural color? These questions were answered by visiting the Statue itself.

The Statue of Liberty was finished on October 28th, 1886. The Statue of Liberty is also known as the New Colossus and Mother of Exiles. It was built and designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and Richard Morris Hunt.

The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall and it also weighs 450,000 pounds. The Statue of Liberty is made of steel and cast iron but only the skin is made out of copper. The statue of Liberty is green because of oxidation. Oxidation is when copper gets old, and overtime it turns a different color, which is green. But oxidation happens to not just copper. Oxidation happens to all different types of metal. The Statue of Liberty was naturally brown, like a penny but oxidation happened and so it is green.

The Statue of Liberty has many symbols. For example, she is wearing a crown because some of the spikes are shedding light on the seven and seven continents of the world. Also, when immigrants are coming from all places, they see the crown and it helps them know that they are in the United States of America. It also helps the immigrants know that they are safe in the United States of America. “I think that the Statue of Liberty is really cool!” a random girl said.  

The Statue of Liberty was and is a symbol of Freedom.


Fourth Graders Explore Statue of Liberty

By Ziva 

NEW YORK, NY— On April 9th, 2019, the Fourth Grade students, from LREI, went to the Statue of Liberty for a class trip. They came to the Statue of Liberty as a part of their study of immigration. They learned how the Statue of Liberty represented freedom and welcome to the immigrants, when they arrived in America.

When the 19 Fourth Graders were still at their school, they broke up into smaller groups. The Fourth Graders got to the Statue of Liberty Ferry Terminal by taking the subway from their school, LREI, to South Ferry. Then, they got on a boat called Lady Liberty and went to Liberty Island, which used to be called Bedloe’s Island.

Once the Fourth Graders got there, they went through security. The lines were big, but went fast. After that they found a place to sit down and write in their journals about what senses they had so after they could write a poem. The boat was swaying back and forth. It was cloudy and foggy, and wet out. It was 40° when they went. The water was calm and it was windy. The wind was blowing in their faces. Then they found a place to go sit down and have lunch. Then, there was more security.

After that, the Fourth Graders went into the Statue of Liberty museum and looked around. The Fourth Graders interviewed some people on the boat, for their articles, to Liberty Island and at the Statue of Liberty museum about their thoughts on the Statue of Liberty. “My favorite part was the freedom. I like so much of the Statue of Liberty,” said Miguel Dunko, who is from São Paulo, Brazil. He came October 31st, 1964 and is one of the people who designed the second torch. The students also saw many artifacts, facts, writing, paintings, sculptures and some videos at the museum. There were plaques that contained facts like, the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall from the foot to the torch. Also, each point on the crown represents one of the 7 seas. That is why there are seven points, for all seven seas. Additionally, in 1886, America got the Statue of Liberty from the French, as a present for being allies in the American Revolution.

The Fourth Graders went into the pedestal and sketched Lady Liberty. There were so many different angles to sketch. “I did it from the bottom angle!” said one Fourth Grader. “This is my favorite angle to take a picture of!” said Deborah, the Fourth Grade teacher, while taking pictures of students from the bottom angle on the pedestal. After the Fourth Graders went to the pedestal and looked at the museum, they met up with all the other Fourth Grade groups. They got onto the Ferry, called Lady Liberty, and headed back to the train station. They got seats upstairs on the third floor of the boat. Once they got off the boat, they went to the train station and went back to Houston Street. Then they went back to school and finished their day.

Only Deborah and Alicia’s class went on that day, and the other class Fourth Grade class, Dan and Wing Mai’s class, will go in May. The other Fourth Grade class will do what the Fourth Graders did on April 9th, visit the museum and the pedestal. Deborah and Dan’s classes in the future, will go to the Statue of Liberty as a field trip.

Poems Inspired by the Paintings of Carlos Vega

Fourth Graders Contemplate Heroes at the Jack Shainman Gllery

Powerful women

Stuck in a frame

Colorful strokes and drips of paint

Tells a story

-Nico

 

Women with all different stories

from all different times and places

Colors, texture, movement, objects

and setting and all different faces

-Ziva

 

Joan of Arc

By Cydney Klass

 

Heard a voice from God she claimed,

And she fought untrained,

Joan of Arc.

Fought at nineteen

And went on to succeed,

Joan of Arc.             

She forced the English to retreat,

It was quite a defeat.

Joan of Arc.

She lead the troupe,

It was a large group!

Joan of Arc.  

She fought in the Hundred Years’ War,

But she might have done more,

Died at nineteen

Maybe she fulfilled her dream.

Joan of Arc.

Modern clothes

Why I don’t know

Joan of Arc.

The blood looks like fire

Because it went higher,

Joan of Arc.

She was a saint

Her image was preserved in paint.

Joan of Arc

Captured and killed,

Her life was not filled

Joan of Arc.

Long dark hair

Blew through the air,

Purple shirt, white jeans,

Black and navy blue background

Joan of Arc.

Died at nineteen

Maybe she fulfilled her dream.

Joan of Arc.

Patterns everywhere.

Where were they not?

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc barefoot in the painting on the wall

The painting did not fall.

Joan of Arc

So young

Maybe or maybe not having fun.

Joan of Arc

Hands placed at her back

Not moving

Only staying.

Joan of Arc

Two first drafts,

And one big final one

Joan of Arc.

Hair different here

Hair different there

Joan of Arc.

Different designs and patterns

So cool.

Joan of Arc.

No drips

Not that much of a background

It was dark and empty

Joan of Arc.


The One

Dante Tejerina

 

Lines and stripes Stripes and lines

Carlos Vega keeps drawing

The one that is the saint of the blind

Lights a bright light to show the way

The one who looks like a normal teenager

Heads to Orleans where she will soon face a brutal decay

Stripes and lines Lines and stripes

Carlos Vega keeps sketching

The one who loses the loved one

Shows all her pain

The one in the bright red dress

Will turn into a crimson mess

Stripes and lines Lines and stripes

Carlos Vega keeps painting

The one with the pink backpack

She shows her strength to keep fighting

The one who is so smart

Will be questioned for the Christian art

The one who pushes the four wheel cart

Is showing her struggle to keep thriving

Unlike Carlos Vega she keeps working

Lines and Stripes Stripes and Lines

Carlos Vega keeps going

 


FIERCE WOMEN

By Emilia M. Kravetz

 

She’s moving her hand and feeling the pain

She has an umbrella with flowers

Her name is Vilomah

 

She’s opening up her studio

She makes sculptures of Jesus

Her name is Luisa

 

She’s lugging her cart around

She’s a homeless in the world

Her name is Nakesha

 

She likes to take care of disabled people

She’s with a handicapped women

Her name is Berta

 

She has two sisters

She looks like she’s in pain

Her name is Hope

 

She’s a powerful New Yorker

She was born enslaved

Her name is Sojourner  

 


 

FREEDOM PAINTINGS

By Emilia M. Kravetz

 

The paintings were as still as some plants that were growing

Some paintings made me sad weeping, leaping, crying,

Other paintings made me happy laughing, running, kind,

Free trapped free trapped

Repeating like a heartbeat

Alive paintings hero paintings he paints anything possible

Small paintings big paintings

All different sizes

Flowers

Abstract

Women

Enjoyable

Inspiring

Magical

Carlos likes his art , I like it,

It’s wonderful


Nakesha Williams

By Ivy Van Blerkom

 

Stripe, stripe

And back again

To the start

So much to see

What else could it be

Curvy and straight

Stripe, stripe

And back again

To the start

More and more

What else to see?

Lines

Curvy and straight

What else to see?

Bare feet

Details, details

Dark skin

Lines

Curvy and straight

All over the place

What else to see?

Metal cart

Push past, past, and beyond

NYC

On the street

What else could she be?

An activist for illness

Has a mental illness

So much more

Helps other people

Williams College where she was

Now on the streets of NYC

Didn’t quite get it right


 

Heroes Of The World

by Julian

Hope very sad but not bad at all,

World’s greatest heroes, together, hand and hand,

 

Brush strokes all around different colors together safe and sound,

An Unfinished painting is a finished painting,

Beautiful colors beautiful personalities,

All together as one

 

Sad people, happy people

In a painting there can be more than one,

But still altogether living as one,

 

All went through violence in a period of their life,

But died as heroes,

Heroes, heroes, heroes,

So many of them on one wall all down the room and across the hall.

 

These are the heroes of the world safe and sound,

Living together, like earth’s gods,

Living as one


Alive Paintings

By June

 

A paintbrush in a hand

Painting swirls and pictures

To form a work of art

 

Expressions

Serious, strong, meaningful

An alive painting

 

Brave women

Each who stood up for herself

But maybe failed

 

Symbolic

But unfinished

An alive painting

 

Brushstrokes  

In different patterns

Forming together

 

Colors

Swirling like rainbows all around

An alive painting

 

Carlos Vega

Painting a wonder world

An alive painting

 

In motion

Feet staying in one place

Never going anywhere

 

Maybe

A spark of curiosity

Will appear


Impossible

by Lila

 

On artwork so fine a drip of paint is divine

Many different colors waiting for another watching  to see what comes next

IMPOSSIBLE

 

Many women that are hero on the wall looking at each other seeing that each drip of paint is divine

IMPOSSIBLE

 

But when I look to the ground I see all the hero’s sitting around get up heros and go walk and talk you heroes deserved more to being shot,

You have done so much to help make this a better place like being an activist or an artist in hard states

IMPOSSIBLE

Your paintings have you and your background too it’s almost like you could come out and keep going on with your heroic ways,

IMPOSSIBLE

Or even end to say….

NOT IMPOSSIBLE


All Around Paintings

By Lily Rosenthal

 

All around paintings, Paintings all around,

All the paintings clear as can be, but with brush strokes different, brush strokes different,

Which one first, which one

 

Pick and choose, pick and chose,

write and look, write and look,

Look close but do not touch,

 

Draw and study, draw and study,

More more o- my o- my,

Look at the little man with the mohawk, the man is small

Look at her hands, Nuwa’s hand is big,

In front of the rainbow wall that she created,

 

Hold the man, hold the man,

In the hoop,

 

Do not fall, do not,

Study him close, study him close,

 

Look around, look around

At all the figures in the paintings  and how they are in motion,

 

And how they are better in person,

All around paintings, all around.

 


 

Powerful Women

By Nico

 

Powerful women

Stuck in a frame

Colorful strokes and drips of paint

Tells a story

From now or then

They look in your eyes

With sad with happy

Smiles or frowns

Powerful women

They were brave.

And still are now

Just normal people like you

Who change people’s perspective

Powerful women

They stood up

And made a mark

In Carlos Vega’s heart

Powerful women

Dancing in a frame

And their minds screaming out their name.


The Stripes

By Paloma

 

Walk into the door,

All the paintings on the walls,

And so many!

 

One Paloma,

Two rooms,

And so many paintings

To choose

 

One was Malala,

A backpack,

And

A cart

A cart that’s blue, against the many colors

 

Her expression was

Mixed

A combo of happy and sad

 

The stripes all over,

The many colors,

The small brush,

Everything separate, yet together

 

Pink scarf

Like pink hair

Green pants

Pink backpack

Blue cart

 

The backpack

It shows

School

It shows what Malala did


Wandering Through Color

By Penelope Schab

 

Walking into a green glass door that leads you into a new world full of color,

wandering through paintings that come alive as soon as you look,

Fighting for what they think is right,

They look alive!

So colorful,

 

All about famous women,

All about their history,

About to burst with color,

Doing their own thing,

Their own story,

So colorful,

                                   

But still colorful,

There shape is as they are in the moment that second,

Some are about to finish the job,

Yet some are just started,

So colorful,

Their eyes reaching for something,

That you have,

Saying I want it I want it,

So colorful,

 

but still bright and colorful in their own way,

About to burst with color…

BURST! go on BURST!


Shown Paintings

By Sawyer Gersh

 

2 rooms,

White walls,

Lots of symbols,

12 had objects,

 All about women,

One huge one small,

Makes two drawings,

5 had no objects in hand,

Carlos Vega used stripes,

Little details about old life,

Most sad people in paintings,

At least one painting each side,

Made 17 hero women drawings,

Some saints some regular people,

In most paintings there were drips,

16 paintings had the color blue,

One painting looked unfinished to me,    

The women almost filled the painting,

They are as big as a Giant,

One painting starts with a h,

And ends with an e,

And op in the middle,

Did great things but,

No respect in life time


Paintings

By Selah

 

All the artwork

All the scenes

Very delightful as I seem

Paintings

 

Lots of colors

Lots of lights

Lots of things I see with my eyes

Paintings

 

So many objects

So many symbols

Too many brush strokes

Dry drips too

Paintings

 

Some unfinished

Some Done

All good

Some patterned

Some not

Paintings

 

Too many things for my eyes

Can it stop

Paintings

 

Tons of emotions

Tons of feelings

My head is too weary

I feel too dizzy

Paintings

 

Some figures static

Some in motion

Paintings


Carlos Vega: Correspondences

Shaffer Helfer

 

Today, today, today.

We went walking to the subway.

The train was bumpy, and went pop, pop, pop,

And then we got off on the second stop.

 

We went to a gallery where the ceilings were tall,

The art was big, I was scared they would fall.

Carlos Vega, the artist, did a lot of art

And I’m pretty sure he is very smart.

His topic for the show

was strong women in the know,

Yo.

 

The background of them were very pink

And none of them used ink.

He used a lot of colors in the paintings in his show.

His topic was strong women in the know.

 

And I could see some still sink

And the place did not stink

And I forgot the link.

His topic in the show was people in the know.


Observing Painting of Hypatia

By Skylar

 

Looking at the painting

Noticing the painting

Feeling the vibes of the

painting

Feeling like I’m in the

painting

Like the painting is looking

Back at me

Like the painting is

Talking to me to

 

The colors of the painting

Shine like sparkling

water

in

The sea

The colors of the painting

Are like a rainbow is

coming

The expression on her

Face is more serious

Than a soul diving

In the deep blue sea

Her fascination in math

Is like me in a way

I am interested in

Math myself

Just a bit

 


Balance On

Nuwa

Part One

By Vincent Fernandes-Vogel

Thinks a thought,

Repair was made;

Through the limestones,

through the jade.

 

Made repair,

Repair was made,

Through the limestones,

Through the jade.

 

Balance on, in the hoop,

Hoop of loop,

Loop of hoop.

 

The wall was built to keep the sides apart,

Apart will keep the sides.

 

A rainbow wall,

Up in the sky,

Up in the sky,

The rainbow wall.

 

The time has come,

Jade of shade,

Leave behind,

Jade of shade.

 

Balance On

Part Two

 

Splish and splash,

Splash and splish,

Swish, swish, swish.

 

Paint as you wish,

More no more,

No more, more.

 

Painting heroes,

More and more.

 

Saints for a start,

The rest left for last.

 

Hidden decoding,

Decoding that’s hidden.

 

Discover the secret,

Hidden the secret,

The secret is hidden.

 

Paint on,

Paint on,

 

Carlos Vega.


Hope

By Will Taschler

 

Reds, blues, pinks, whites, blacks, yellows

The woman has a candle on a bigger plate

That represents her

Hope

 

She is being dramatic, her hand is behind her head

Like a waitress

she is carrying a bigger plate

 

Why is she putting her hand behind her head?
Why is she holding the tray?

Why is she wearing a long red shirt?

 

She looks like she is from the past

But her red dress looks like a modern dress

She could be going to a party or a fancy restaurant

 

Her expression is a frown

She is looking up at the sky

Like she is feeling hopeless

 

She is barefoot

Where do you think she is going?

Possibly to an outside party so her feet could feel the soft grass

 

She wears a flower crown around her head

That has patterns of blue, green and orange

Her red dress is as long as her

 

I look at the painting

It looks unfinished

With a black background and nothing else


The Amazing Sojourner Truth

By Zara Seegars

 

The amazing Sojourner Truth

Survived Slavery. The amazing

Sojourner Truth escaped slavery

with and alive newborn child.

The amazing Sojourner Truth

said an important statement.

The amazing Sojourner Truth

Stated “Ain’t I a woman?”

The amazing Sojourner Truth

Fought for women’s right to vote

And changed the law.

The Amazing Sojourner Truth was

an abolitionist.

 


The Tales of Women

By Ziva DeMattia

 

Each person, each story

All with their own unique glory

 

ALL REPRESENTING A WOMAN’S STORY

 

They stand tall and proud

With a voice that can be loud

 

ALL REPRESENTING A WOMAN’S STORY

 

Women with all different stories

from all different times and places

Colors, texture, movement, objects

and setting and all different faces

 

ALL REPRESENTING A WOMAN’S STORY

 

A tale can be told in many different ways,

When she stands tall and lays on the wall,

Her alive on a wall is not just a phrase

With colors of all sorts and

Drips and drops and splatter and splots!

 

ALL REPRESENTING A WOMAN’S STORY

 

They are all different,

But very much the same.

Hard times and bad times, but never them to blame

 

ALL REPRESENTING A WOMAN’S STORY

 

Ariel Kaminer, Senior Investigative Editor at BuzzFeed News, Visits Fourth Grade

“The goal is to make sure that people who have power use it responsibly.“ -Ariel

 

(Illustration of Ariel by Penelope)

 

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming and sharing so many stories with us, I loved them so much!

My favorite part was learning about interviewing strategies, I will use them for sure!

I thought it was surprising that so many people did not answer you no matter what you did. I think it is interesting you write so many stories.

I learned interviewing strategies that I really want to use!

From,

Cydney


You taught me how to dive deeper and I will use that in reporting.

Dear Ariel,

Thanks for coming to our class. I did not know that people don’t have to answer you. Is it true that BuzzFeed could be shut down? Are you sure that your article is 100 percent real?

You taught me how to dive deeper and I will use that in reporting.

Sincerely,

Dante


Today I learned that when you are writing an article even if you make one tiny mistake, you must fix it.

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming and telling us about your experience on working at BuzzFeed.

My three favorite things that you did were: 1) telling us what articles you have done, 2) telling us the process of making the articles accurate, and 3) telling what you do as a journalist.

Today I learned that when you are writing an article even if you make one tiny mistake, you must fix it.

Sincerely,

Emilia


Dear Ariel,

Thank you for sharing sharing your story.

Here is a list of my favorite parts: when you told us about your most exciting story, telling us how everyone says no when you ask things, and when you talked about yes or no questions.

Something that I learned is always ask follow-up questions. I also learned that you should always persist as long as you can get a good story. I think it is really cool that you work at BuzzFeed, I know that it is a big deal.

From,

Julian


…you didn’t just publish what you want, but what is correct.

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming in and talking about your work/job.

One thing I thought was interesting was how much people didn’t want to be interviewed. Another thing that I liked was that you didn’t just publish what you want, but what is correct. What I thought was interesting was that people thought your article was so wrong, but it wasn’t?

I learned that when I report, I will try to write down my questions.

Sincerely,

June


Dear Ariel Kaminer,

Thank you for sharing about what you and your team do, and for sharing your tips for us.

Something that I found interesting is the story about Trump, also, that Trump told Cohen to lie. Another thing that I found interesting is that sometimes you guys have to call, email, go to the office, and go to their personal home to get an answer.

One thing I learned is don’t use your background knowledge.

From,

Ivy


I liked the suggestion of looking the person you’re interviewing in the eye.

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming to our class. Your story about people thinking your article was fake was interesting. Also, tell Penelope her intro was great too.

I learned a lot from you and will use it in my articles. I will definitely record sometimes. And I liked the suggestion of looking the person you’re interviewing in the eye.

Sincerely,

Lila

PS: I liked hearing about your work and love doing journalism too!


It is so cool what you do, lead a group of people and find out the facts and secrets.

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for taking time out of your day to come in and talk to our class about your job!

I enjoyed when you talked about the guy who was told by Trump to lie to the Congress. It is also so fascinating how you find out secrets (facts) about people, like how you found out facts about the police. It is so cool what you do, lead a group of people and find out the facts and secrets.

I learned so much and to use add on questions when I am reporting.

Best,

Lily


I learned that you should ask the same question to other people to see their point of view.

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming and teaching us about your job. I thought it was very interesting how you and the BuzzFeed crew get the story.

I was surprised that so many people believed you were lying about Cohen lying to Congress under oath. And I thought it was cool that you can learn about secret things by reporting.

I learned that you should ask the same question to other people to see their point of view.

I learned that if people don’t give me the information I want, I keep on asking.

PS: Your stories are very interesting.

Sincerely,

Nico


It was really surprising when you said that it sometimes takes years to do an article. We have a month, but years are a lot longer!

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming to talk about journalism.

Why would people say your article was wrong when it was right? Or is it because people didn’t know? Another question: How do you get enough information if people refuse to talk about whatever you are writing about?

It was really surprising when you said that it sometimes takes years to do an article. We have a month, but years are a lot longer!

Sincerely,

Paloma


Dear Mommy,

Thank you for coming to our classroom. Everybody loved it but I love you!

To me it was surprising that you only report on secret stuff. I loved when you told us the stories about what you have been writing about. It was funny when you said, “…and Trump might go to jail…” and everybody cheered. Afterwards, people came up to me and told me how good it was!

PS: When I am reporting if someone starts to say something that is not your angle, start to do the thing that the person is talking about because there is probably more information.

Love,

Penelope


Dear Ariel,

Thank you for making me better at journalism. I can’t believe the police covered up information. The first amendment is about journalists, that’s so cool. I liked the saying that, “if your mother tells you she loves you, check it.”

I learned that you should think of questions at two different times before you do the interview and while you do the interview.

From,

Sawyer


Is there any story that you did and you’re still thinking about today like, I could do better?

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming to share your job. Three of my favorite parts are when you talked about Trump when he could almost not be president. Another is WHY is Trump still President if he broke laws? Is there any story that you did and you’re still thinking about today like, I could do better?

PS: I learned that I should dig deeper when I interview.

Sincerely,

Selah


Dear Ariel,

I loved when you talked about that crazy story. I also loved when you talked about Trump and how he might be kicked out of the office. It was also fun to see everyone’s reaction.

I also liked when you talked about tips on how to report better, like the one where you get their address and give them a letter.

PS: Shaffer said, “You taught me to be persistent and to keep trying so then you will be able to achieve your final answer.”

Shaffer


I find it crazy that they didn’t include freedom of the press in the first draft of the Constitution!

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming in and telling us about your experience as a reporter and giving us some tips about reporting.

One thing that I found interesting is how little some people like to give information. It’s crazy how you even went to the boss’s house to get information and the answer was still no! Something else that I found interesting that I didn’t know before is how the first amendment to the Constitution was freedom of the press. I find it crazy that they didn’t include freedom of the press in the first draft of the Constitution!

I was also surprised that an investigative case can last for years! I had a question about that too. Do you write many articles over the course of those few years?

I will keep in mind that you have to keep pushing until you get a solid answer.

Best,

Vincent


Dear Ariel,

Thank you for coming. We all were so happy that you came.

My favorite part was when you talked about the stories you worked on. Do the people you work with usually help you with your stories? Is the place that you work in hard for you? When did you start working for BuzzFeed News? Also, when you are done with stories, and there are no other stories to write about, what do you do?

PS: I learned to always look into people’s eyes.

From,

Will


Dear Ariel,

Thank you for taking time from your day and visiting Deborah and Alicia’s Fourth Grade classroom.

I learned that journalists are so important to the world. I also learned that you should look people in the eye when reporting. I never thought to do it because it would be awkward.

I learned that you should look the person you are interviewing in the eye.

Love,

Zara


Dear Ariel,

Thank you for telling us journalism stories and how to be a journalist! One of my favorite parts was that some people refuse to be interviewed. A thing that surprised me was in some places you can’t be a journalist. It also surprised me that someone lied to Congress.

I learned to ask follow-up questions and I will do that in my interviews.

Love,

Ziva

 

“Here I am… AMERICA” Oral History Poems

Glazier Berman

Housework

By Cydney

 

Housework in Lithuania,

Housework in America,

 

Same old thing, same old thing,

A whole new world

Yet same old housework,

Not very new

 

Sweeping, cleaning,

Washing clothing,

Washing dishes,

moping.

 

Same old thing,

 

Washing clothes and dishes,

Wish for some new thing.

 

Hard work, alone some days

And same old thing.

 

15 years old,

A new country

 

Here for a better life.

 

Will housework change?

Same, old housework.

 


HE FIRST

Dante Tejerina

 

He first moved to Switzerland,

It felt like living in black and white

Compared to Peru this was quite a fright

Then he moved to the land of the free

His eyes dizzy from the tall buildings

The landmarks

The museums that are filled with glee

And since then this is how it came to be


Francisco

By Emilia

 

He built a company

Created a pharmacy

Not in his old country

Francisco

 

 

He traveled far away

For war to go away

To make his life his way

Francisco

 

He had two vineyards at sea

With grapes and olive trees

And he was happy in his old country

Francisco


Jacob Van Blerkom

By Ivy

Goodbye Rotterdam

 

Rotterdam was Rotten

 

Long journey

 

Off at last

 

New home?

 

Far away

 

Tired legs, Tired arms

 

Hello, Shalom

 

Hallo

 

Buildings

 

Busy Streets, Crowded

 

Loud, Dirty

 

New friends

 

New, new, new

 

Free, free, free

 

Hello New York

 

Hello new life


One Small House, One Big Family,

One Big boat

By Julian

 

One big family,

One big ship,

One small room,

Twenty days on one big boat,

With One big family,

And One small room

 

Swaying from

Side to side

Right to left,

Left to right

From Italy to

America,

Where the streets are paved with gold

 

All kinds of different people,

Different languages,

Different clothes,

Different food

And different everything

 

Giacchino Costa,

And his family

Have one small house,

one big family,

And one big life

 


Steerage

By June Binnard, inspired from Goldie Gutman’s immigration story

 

A long trip

On the ship

 

In the dark and grey

Still a long way

 

To America!

 

Goldie Gutman

 

The waves choppy

Feeling so floppy

 

Never in the light

It is quite a fright

 

To America!

 

Goldie Gutman

 

Try to go to bed

But I fill with dread

 

Meals bad

So I feel sad

 

To America!

 

Goldie Gutman

 

Finally i feel a chug

Oh I think I have a bug!

 

Oh, we are here

I am filled with fear

 

In America!


A NICE LONG TRIP

By Lila Klinenberg

 

One Baby one ship 5 siblings 5 places to sit, 1 parent watching all along to find the ending where they belong

 

The Father went first all the children with him,

 

The mother came after the family left, too lonely to stay where she knew the best.

 

Laughter cries through the air as the family sees each other from long across the seas.

 

I can hear my great grandmother’s laughter still crawling in my head but I hear joy and happiness instead.

 


Helen Lishnoff

By Lily

 

In the house and on the water down the stairs and then up again on to Ellis island,

Of the boat and through inspections

 

Two more people and….

 

In the house and on the water down the stairs and then up again on to Ellis island,

Of the boat and through inspections,

And to the tenement home at last, America !!


THE MAGIC FLYING MACHINE

By Nico Rudder, inspired by Akilah Petronella Charles Immigration story

 

The year was 2001

Beaches

Sand

Palm trees

Oh boy

 

To

 

Tall buildings

Taxis and paved cement streets

 

A magic flying machine

Took us to an unknown

Land

Unknown to us

But not forgotten

 

Has taken us from a land of beaches

To

A land of crowd

Mixed culture

And new smells

 

So many people cover the streets

Sounds of gibberish to me are the sounds of music to the others

Me and my brother standing there

With my mom crying laughing and having fun

 

Here to stay for a month or two

But no, a life time was what to expect.

 

My name is Akilah Petrinela Charles

I flew in a machine that levitated in the sky

With my younger brother

To visit my mom.

But she said that we were staying with her

I was just 16.

 


The Store

By Paloma

 

Outside then inside and then l own the store

I walk to and from the same place-even in the cold

Outside then inside and then l own the store

 

Swish

Swish and swash

Swish  and swash and swish again

Swish

 

Click

And click -clackity-clack

“Hello, good bye!’

Click

 

Click click

Click again

Clickity-clack

Click!

 


The Way To A New Life

By Penelope Schab

 

I got on the boat,

To come to America,

Was crammed into steerage,

The place was as smelly as rotten fish,

 

Was very scary,

Our mother got sick,

Me and my siblings were scared,

I was so mad we had to come:(

 

Got of the boat,

 

Passed inspection,

 

I Saw my dad,

 

And started a new life!


Huguette

By Sawyer

 

A women,

left France,

an immigrant,

Huguette as beautiful as my mom

loves Edward Vincent Moffitt

left in WW2,

a model,

a lover,

a reader,

=

All equals Huguette!

 


Angelica

By Selah

 

Coming to the USA,

22 years old,

Came in a plane,

 

Before,

Spoke Spanish,

Difficult life,

Poor,

Little money,

 

What Angie left behind,

Her stuff,

Her home,

Her  friends,

Her  pets,

Her  feeling,

Her  family.

 

What she’s excited for,

A new life,

A new home,

Going to work.


Vencheca Guido’s Immigration Story Poem

By Shaffer Helfer

 

She came to America

 

She got across with a special pass

 

And she knew where to go finally at last

 

Her husband served in the war

 

To get his family through the American door

 

It took a lot of courage to do what he did

 

He did it for his wife, he did it for his kid

 

He served ice and coal

 

to fill his dark soul

 

If they did not travel over the sea

 

I would not be born, I would not be me.

 

She traveled miles and miles

 

and she tried to smile

 

It took her very long in fact it took a while

 

She was going to break but she tried to overtake

 

She had a fear and she thought it was clear to go back to Italy

 

But that would be silly to go back to Italy

 


Freedom: My great granddad Joseph Brown

By Skylar

 

He walked walked

He talked talked

With his mind

On freedom

 

Small town in

South Carolina

He had to leave it

because he was treated badly

He left

With his mind on freedom

 

He had 5 brothers and

3 sisters

They all left the South their mind on freedom

 

He was in World War II

He saved lives

Always with his mind on freedom

 

He raised his family so they can have freedom

 

Skylar Bonsu always has  freedom on her side

 


Travel

By Vincent Fernandes-Vogel

 

Traveling is a trip,

Immigration is a travel.

 

Work where else,

Elsewhere work,

U.S. work for work where else.

 

Karla Fernandes-Vogel,

Left, went, came back,

Stayed.

 

The travel was smooth,

Smooth as a stone,

But then comes a bump!

 

Bump not a lump,

But a lumpy bump.

 

The bump of staying,

The bump of starting.

Starts again,

But stayed already.

 

Ongoing forever,

Forever ongoing.

 

When adventure awaits,

Wait not for adventure,

Wait for the chance.

 

She took her chance,

Threw it towards her hope,

Her everlasting desire,

She climbed the hill,

Back from Brazil,

Not newest to America.

 

27 years,

2001,

Broke through the wall,

Climbed up the hill,

Right to the top,

But did not stop.

 


A Long Journey

By Will

 

When my grandmother, (Ida) got on the boat she went to steerage

 

She brought very little money, so she had to go to steerage

 

I don’t know what she did next, but I’m sure it was bad

 

The next thing that she did, I bet she was not glad

 

Then when she got off the boat after a long, hard, and boring trip

 

They are finally at the United States of America!

 

When Ida got off the dcek she went to the Great Hall

 

She did mentel, legal inspections she did them all

 


Awesome Immigration

By Zara Seegars, inspired by Jiovana Seegars

 

Haiti to America Jiovana

What should she think

Cars, trains, planes and taxis

Would be out of sight

 

Jiovana; child of loving

Her vacation

is very mild

 

She flew with

her mom’s friend

Tons, tons and tons
of people

 

She misses Haiti

Mom’s friend

is a lady


Celia Schved

By Ziva

 

Coming on the ship.

Storms coming people yelling “Quick!”

Crowded, feeling overwhelmed.

 

Pushing, shoving, feel the waves are coming.

Hungary to Chicago,

Very hard, feel like crying.

 

Living with cousins in America,

People!

Dozens!

In the bottom of the boat, no air,

Bad food with not a lot of care.

 

Missing parents,

Living on my own for the first time…

Got to get a job for the first time!

 

Now I clean for a person,

And it’s hard work!

But that’s my job!

 

Climbing up a hill that never ends.

Working, chores, so much more.

 

Only 16, living with cousins,

Here I am…

AMERICA


 

Tenement Inspectors Investigate 97 Orchard Street

Inspectors Face Challenges Enforcing New Housing Laws

by Vincent

“There is always something and it is usually the children.”

97 ORCHARD STREET, NY— After the Tenement Housing Act of 1901 laws were passed, inspectors have been going to check to see if the new laws are being followed. One of the buildings that they inspected was a tenement on 97 Orchard Street. It’s the inspectors job to ask questions to the landlords of the building and some of the tenants who live in the building to see if the building is following the laws passed by the Tenement Housing Act of 1901.

“No toilets on this floor work. You take away the outhouses, where will I go?” was Becky’s response when the inspectors asked her the question “Are there still toilets outside? These should be removed.” Becky Goldstein is one of the tenants that lives on 97 Orchard Street. Becky’s husband, Wolf Goldstein, is not working. “Wolf is not working because he fell of a ladder,” said Becky. Because Wolf is not working, the landlord, Barnett Goldfine, is letting the Goldstein family stay for free, except that they have to help to keep the building looking good a bit. “I don’t want trouble, only for the water to work,” said Becky. Becky, who is pregnant, said, “I am too big for all this schlepping,” after telling the inspectors that she had to go upstairs to get water.

Barnett, the landlord, has a different view of things, though. He blames the tenants for the toilets not working. “People are flushing rags down the toilet,” he said. “There is always something and it is usually the children,” said Barnett. Barnett goes to 97 Orchard Street every Friday to tidy up. He said that if the inspectors came back in a few months, he would have things sorted out better. Barnett needs a new plumber to fix the toilets and sinks.

The inspectors also have another point of view. “We cannot be sure if they are lying or telling the truth,” said an inspector called Vincent. Becky had said that her boy does not break any rules and is good. On the other hand, Barnett said that most of the things he has to fix has to do with the kids. The inspectors also have the right to say if the building should have a janitor or not.

The Tenement Housing Act is very important because the condition of the building is also the condition of the tenants living in it. But the enforcement of the law can be tricky because there are different points of view, so the inspectors have to choose which one to believe.


Tenement Inspectors Inspect

by Ivy

“Do any tenants keep farm animals in their apartments?” asked a tenement inspector. Barnett Goldfine can smell a chicken, can hear a chicken and sees feathers and chicken eggs all over the tenement.”

ORCHARD STREET–On 97 Orchard Street, on the first floor, a group of tenement inspectors inspected. On the other hand, the Landlord, Barnett Goldfine, thinks his tenement is in an alright condition. But is it really in an alright condition?

 

The tenement on 97 Orchard Street is not in the best condition. For example, “People are flushing rags down the toilet, I am doing better than the law,” said Barnett Goldfine. Rags are fire hazards and could make a fire spread quickly. Is Barnett Goldfine doing better than the law?

 

“Are there still toilets outside?” asked an inspector. “Yes, we use them because not all of the bathrooms inside actually work properly,” said Becky Goldstein, a tenant. It is unsanitary for there to be toilets outside.

 

“Who is taking care of the the building?” asked an inspector. “I have been trying to. I have spent $20,000 to upgrade this building. Is this a problem?” said Barnett Goldfine, the landlord. It was a problem for the tenement.

 

“Do any tenants keep farm animals in their apartments?” asked a tenement inspector. Barnett Goldfine can smell a chicken, can hear a chicken and sees feathers and chicken eggs all over the tenement. The children cause some of the issues in the tenement. “One of the tenants children were playing with a ball in the hallway and broke the window in the hallway bathroom,” said Barnett Goldfine.

 

In the end, tenants in the tenement at 97 Orchard Street are not so happy with the condition of the tenement. The conditions of the tenement on 97 Orchard Street are not as good as Barnett Goldfine thought. “You still have some work to do on the tenement inside and out,” said a tenement inspector.


Tenants Complain to Landlord

by Penelope

“Cockroaches are falling on my baby boy when he is sleeping.”

LOWER EAST SIDE- In 1906 a tenement owner claimed that he was doing better than the law. “I can do everything that the law says and I am doing better than the law!” said the landlord, who owned the tenement on 97 Orchard Street. The landlord says that he is doing better than the law but the tenant says that he is doing much worse,  “Cockroaches are falling on my baby boy when he is sleeping.” said the tenant, Becky Goldstein.

Becky Goldstein has been living this Tenant for 10 years for free so she doesn’t want to get in trouble and her son has just broken a light and she and her son have been trying to hide it and not talk about it. she also thinks that when inspectors come and say “open your window for fresh air t does not make sense to her because her windows leed straight to the air shaft she thinks that they are horrible and useless. “The smell in my bedroom is awful the neighbors drop their garbage down the airshaft.”

Her landlord is named Barnett Goldfine. He says, “I do better than the law!” Becky, the tenant, disagrees. According to Becky, “The toilets are not working and there is no running water.” Barnett has only followed the easy laws. For example, the steps are 8-10 inches high.

“Are there layers of wallpaper in the apartments? Bugs, rats and mice like to eat wallpaper glue.” asked an inspector. The Inspectors looked around and saw bits of wallpaper on the floor and saw that it was peeling from the walls. The wallpaper needed to be taken down because of rats.

The tenement inspectors came to the building and said that a lot of things needed to be changed. The results are that the landlord said he needed time to fix everything. Come back next year and it will be done, Barnett said.

 

  


Explorations Of The Tenement Inspectors

by Will

“My husband, Wolf, is not working because he fell off the ladder. So I am trying to make extra money selling rags.”

LOWER EAST SIDE-Today, on the 15th of February in 1906, a group of Tenement Inspectors visited the tenement located at 97 Orchard Street to see the condition of the building. They met with Becky Goldstein, a tenant in the building, and Barnett Goldfine, the landlord of the building. They wanted to meet with them to see if the new Tenement Housing Act was being followed. And if not, they wanted to make any changes that were needed.

The inspectors met with one of the tenants, Becky Goldstein. They asked her about the rags on the floor. “My husband, Wolf, is not working because he fell off the ladder. So I am trying to make extra money selling rags.” The inspectors told her that the rags on the floor were a fire hazard and she should clean them up. The inspectors also mentioned that they were going to remove the outhouses because they are not safe or clean. Becky said, “No toilets work on this floor. If you take away the outhouses, where will my family go to the bathroom?” The inspectors were shocked. They did not realize that none of the bathrooms were working. They needed to add it to the list to talk to the landlord about.

 

When the inspectors first entered the building they met with the landlord in the hallway. The landlord was cleaning the hallway and stairway. He said he doesn’t have a cleaning person and he does all of the cleaning himself to save money. There were cockroaches on the floor that he was sweeping up. The inspectors told him that the law says that all buildings should have a housekeeper or janitor.  They then started to discuss the bathrooms. “Is there a window in the hallway bathroom?” asked one of the inspectors. “There is, but it is broken,” said the landlord. “Some of the children broke it playing ball. I am going to replace it soon.”

 

After the inspectors finished interviewing the landlord and tenant they had a list of many things that needed to be fixed. They prepared a report to give to the landlord and said that all of the changes had to be made within one month. They will go back again in one month to see if everything has been fixed.


Tenement Inspectors stop by the pickle vendor after a long day of inspecting…

New Immigrants Visit With Victoria Confino

January 18, 1916 – Our first day in New York. We had just arrived off the boat from Ellis Island and made our way to the Henry Street Settlement House. We needed to find a place to live. At the Settlement House, a kind settlement house worker said he could help us. He took us to 97 Orchard Street to see a tenement. When we got there, the landlord wasn’t there but Victoria Confino, another tenant, was. She welcomed us into her home. Below are some of our journal entries from our first day in America.

 

January 18, 1916

Dear Diary,

When we got off the boat I was freezing and starving. I felt sick and homesick. I felt new – all these people – different clothes, skin, and languages. It was so different from home. I was super tired and drowsy.

I met Victoria in her house on Orchard Street. Victoria is nice, Jewish, and tall. She has a lot of brothers. She is 14 years old and wears pretty fabrics. She is smart and normally wears bright colors. She is happy but she has to sleep in the kitchen and doesn’t get a lot of sleep. She has a good work ethic because she is the only one doing chores.

Victoria’s tenement is small, cramped, and cozy and only has three rooms. Victoria didn’t go to school in her home country and learned to write in English by looking at books.

Our family did decide to live in Victoria’s building because we came to be good friends with Victoria and her family.

So today was a fun learning experience.

Sophia (June)


Dear Diary,

When I first walked in New York I was scared that people would think I was weird because sometimes when people see someone who is new to their culture they think there is something wrong with them, but they just look different.

Victoria was wearing a shirt, a red shirt, and a bandana. Victoria had three rooms: kitchen, living room, and a big doorway. Victoria told a story about her brothers and her culture. One of her stories was about how David, her brother, slept on the floor. Every night she would get up and put coal in the fire to make it warmer. Victoria didn’t get much sleep because of that. We did not want to rent an apartment here because it didn’t have enough rooms. The oven was in the wrong place. It looked like garbage and it did not have a home-like feeling to it.

It was a very intense moment for me.

Francesco (Shaffer)


Dear Diary,

Today we met Victoria Confino. She is a fourteen year old girl who immigrated when she was ten and lives in tenement house. The apartment holds ten families and there’s not a lot of space. Victoria sleeps on the kitchen floor!

Victoria told us where a candy store was and how she used to have a goat in Kastoria, where she used to live. She showed us books and said that’s how she learned to read and write English. I tried to read a little bit of the book and I couldn’t read ANYTHING. It’s okay though, I’ll learn.

Victoria told us about American coffee. She even showed us how to make Turkish coffee.

The landlord wasn’t there today, so we couldn’t get a tenement apartment. So, we decided to talk to him when he came.

Ariana (Paloma)


Dear Diary,

I am Emma a girl from a family of nine. We arrived in New York yesterday from Italy. The first thought I had was, “How do so many people live here?”

This man took us to a tenement home but the landlord wasn’t there. So, he took us to a girl named Victoria’s tenement. She was kind but very energetic. Her tenement was very small but cozy. It was kind of like her, she was two feelings that were very different.

In the end, we decided to try to get a tenement in that building. It was nice to have a friend downstairs from us. But I had my family anyway. It was an interesting day in America.

Sarah (Lila)


Dear Diary,

I am very excited to start over and make new friends and fix things with my life.

We went to visit an apartment with a woman in it named Victoria Confino. I learned that she was ten in the second grade. I also learned that she did not go to school where she used to live.

Her tenement apartment was very small – it had three rooms. Apparently back in Kastoria, she had a bigger house and a baby goat.

We tried to get an apartment there because it was bigger than normal but we are still waiting for an answer from the landlord.

Emma (Emilia)


Dear Diary,

We arrived in America feeling lost. We met a man who took us to a tenement building on Orchard Street. We were supposed to look at a tenement apartment for us, but no one had the keys so we saw Victoria Confino’s tenement instead. Victoria was a teenager who had a lot of brothers. In their tenement, some of them would sleep on the floor. Victoria wouldn’t get much sleep because she had to put the coal in the furnace to heat the house. The mom and dad sleep in one room, but it is very hot in that room.

The Confinos brought blankets with them that were special from Turkey. Victoria wanted to wear colorful clothes like in Turkey, but she wore darker clothes in America so people wouldn’t think she was new.

Victoria was not the happiest living in America. She would rather go back to Turkey which is home to her.

Giorgio (Ziva)