A Trip to Washington Square Park and “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors”

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This past week we went on two field trips to support our understanding of both historical and contemporary immigration. First, we went to Ellis island and then two days later we were off to Washington Square Park, where students made observational sketches of Ai Weiwei’s artwork under the arch. Then students interviewed people in the park. In preparation for the trip, students read an article about Ai Weiwei’s exhibit, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” which is comprised of over 300 pieces currently installed throughout New York City. Students read the article carefully, (see examples of their note-taking below) and then came up with questions to ask people in the park.

This was our second experience this year going to Washington Square Park, observing art, and thinking about immigration. How fortunate we are to be able to walk out our door and within a few blocks, see things and talk to people who can help us build a better understanding of our world.

From “Huge immigration-themed exhibit takes shape around New York City,” by Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff 10/16/17

 

Harley reports:

And refugees need respect. They’re just people, like everyone else in the world.

I think Ai Weiwei’s art meant refugees leaving their country. I think this because one woman, when asked the question, “What does the art mean to you?” said “It looks like a cage. But people broke through it.” In my opinion, the cage is a country, and the hole in it was made by refugees.

For me, the arch is a reason to leave your country. The cage is the country, and the hole is people escaping. I think the arch is a reason to leave your country because it’s what covers the cage. And the cage is the country. The hole is people leaving because it’s like a big rip as if there was someone in the cage who broke through.

My questions are: Why do refugees come to America? Do they always come to America? And if they don’t, where do they go?

Next, I think we should spread awareness of the refugee situation. I think we should do this because the current president thinks refugees shouldn’t come to America. But if they can’t get into America, they don’t really have anywhere else to go. Ways we can spread awareness are posters, buttons, protests etc..The more people who know about the refugee situation, the more people who don’t respect refugees might start respecting them. And refugees need respect. They’re just people, like everyone else in the world.

Sebastian reports:

I thought that was a good answer because I believe in what they said and it makes sense because everyone on earth deserves a right to speak and get what they need.

The most interesting thing about the Ai Weiwei trip was when I asked someone,“What does this sculpture mean to you?” They said, “It means that people have a right to speak.” I thought that was a good answer because I believe in what they said and it makes sense because everyone on earth deserves a right to speak and get what they need.

I noticed most of the Asian people knew Ai Weiwei and non-Asians didn’t. A lot of people were there. Kids were at the playground.

My reactions were, “Wow the sculpture looks smaller than in the picture.”” I like interviewing, people it’s fun.” “Wow! Ai Weiwei I know him.” “Very good answer.” “I fully agree about what you said.” “This is so fun to draw.” “This is the second time I have seen Ai Weiwei’s work. I have seen it on Alcatraz island.”

Why did we go to Ai Weiwei’s exhibit? If it’s about refugees why were we there if we’re studying about immigrants?

The Amazing Ai Weiwei Trip

by Arlo

The “Arch” is a piece of artwork that is under the arch in Washington Square Park.  There are two refugees passing through the cage. We went there on Thursday. We came up with questions to ask people who were passing through the arch. We came up with five questions for homework on Wednesday. Libi and I interviewed people who were admiring the art and we got a lot of answers.  But some people don’t know anything about the “Arch” and that is not good at all.

I also have some questions about the artwork. I don’t know why Ai Weiwei had to place the artwork under the Washington Square Arch? I wonder what tools the artist used? And why he decided to put a mirror inside of it?  I think the next trip we should go on is to another Ai Weiwei structure about refugees and immigrants. Or an immigration museum like Ellis Island.  Or we can find another immigrant related piece of art.

Libi reports:

On Thursday, December 7 we went to Washington Square Park to see some of Ai Weiwei’s work in his exhibition, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.” We saw some students from the New School there doing exactly what we were doing.

The art was silver, the inside was kind of like a mirror, shiny and reflecting. The outside was barred and looked like a fence (obviously.) Our class interviewed people. A lot of people said that their parents were immigrants from Italy. One person named Naz said that she emigrated from Turkey to get a better education. A very kind man named Dan said that he would rather the Christmas tree be there. He said, “This art is nice, it has a nice meaning, but it’s a tradition for the Christmas tree to be there.”

I think that we should go there again and interview other people.

Hanako reports:

“That’s right!” go to 6th grade and take your friend with you.”

(December 7, 2017) The arch was huge with statues of Washington, stone angels and a quote by George Washington. Sonia and I interviewed a man. After we finished asking him questions, he asked us this,”Do you know why there are 13 stars on the arch?” We answered,”The 13 colonies.” he said, ”That’s right. If you get this right, you can go straight to 6th grade. What do the 42 stars mean on the arch?” Sonia and I thought for a moment and then Sonia said, “Because at the time the arch was built there were only 42 states.” The man said, “That’s right!” go to 6th grade and take your friend with you.”

Alejandro reports:

My partner Saffron and I walked up to the great arch. It had humongous stone angels with words carved on top. Right inside of it was a huge metal cage just small enough to fit in the arch. Right in the middle of the cage there was a hole that looked as though a stuffed animal bear smashed through the cage. When you could walk through the hole there is silver all around you.

First, we sat and sketched the cage.

After I finished drawing the cage, Saffron and I were petrified to interview someone. We tried to interview someone but everyone was already being interviewed by other students. Then I saw a man just looking at the cage on the left of it. Me and Saffron shuddering, walked over to the guy. She tried walking away but I subtly pushed her toward the guy. She tried walking away again but before she could, I said, “Can we interview you quickly?” “Sure,” he said.  We only asked one question and that was: “What do you see in this piece?” Then he answered, “I see, I see two people on an adventure.”

I think next we should go to another of the 300 art pieces that are from Ai Weiwei.

Wonder: A Reflection

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“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

First, some thoughts about the book:

From Saffron:

Auggie is a boy with a deformed face and he stands out from everyone else because of all the surgery he’s had.    It is his first time going to school. He went to Beecher Prep. He’s in 5th grade and before that he was homeschooled. For a long time, Auggie was growing out a braid in the back of his head, but three weeks into school he cut it off because people were teasing him.

Towards the end of his 5th grade year, his whole class goes on a trip kind of like the farm trip but it was not a farm and it is called The Nature Reserve. When Auggie was packing for the trip, he kept asking his mom if he should bring his favorite stuffed animal Baboo. Auggie’s best friend is Jack Will. They are the same age and in the same class.

My favorite part of this book comes at the end when Auggie wins the Henry Ward Beecher Medal for being a really good student. It also warmed my heart when Nate, Auggie’s dad, brought home a new puppy. 

P.S This was the best book I have ever read!

From Sonia:

This is how I describe Auggie;

At the beginning of the book Wonder, August Pullman is “totally, completely petrified.” In the first part of Wonder Auggie has just heard his mom and dad talking about a new school he might (if he agrees) be attending for fifth grade. When he hears about going to Beecher Prep for his first year of middle school and he knows what he would be able to do there, he finally agrees.

This is going to be hard for everyone going into the fifth grade because it’s the first year of middle school, but it’ll be even worse for Auggie. Why? Because he’s always been home-schooled by his Mom. Also, his face is not the same as the other kids going to  that school.

At the end of the book, Auggie is happy and proud after getting the Henry Ward Beecher Award at school. When his mom hugs him while they are walking home from the ceremony, she says, “I’ve seen wonders in the world but you Auggie, you are a wonder yourself.” After this, I’d imagine Auggie was feeling the love from his mom. It might have been one of the few places Auggie saw it didn’t matter how he looked. His family loved him anyway.

This happens throughout the whole book, but Auggie may have not seen it everywhere.

In other words, at the end of the book, Auggie feels proud to be him for the first time, he feels the love from the people who love him, and he feels he made friends. He saw that his Mom and Dad, Via, Miranda, Jack, and Summer were all he needed to feel happy.

Auggie hasn’t changed in an ordinary way…. He’s changed in a special way. He now knows that it doesn’t matter what he looks like on the outside, and it doesn’t matter what his exterior is like. It only matters what his interior is like. He is kind and caring. That’s what matters.

Next, some thoughts about watching the movie:

In the book, Auggie’s teacher introduced a new precept to the class every month.

Fourth graders used the precepts from the book to reflect on the experience of watching the movie.

Here are the precepts:

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”   —Dr. Wayne Dyer

“Your deeds are your monuments.”   —Inscription on ancient Egyptian tomb

“Have no friends not equal to yourself.”   —Confucius

“Fortune favors the bold.”   —Virgil

“No man is an island, entire of itself.”   —John Donne

“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”   —James Thurber

“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”   —Blaise Pascal

“What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful.”   —Sappho

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”   —John Wesley

“Just follow the day and reach for the sun.”   —The Polyphonic Spree

“Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world.”   —Auggie Pullman

From Hanako:

DS4 and DM4 went on a trip to the movies, but it wasn’t as fun as we expected. There was a class (or more likely a grade) behind us in the movie theater and they were the loudest group I have ever heard in the movies. EVER! Also, there were people in front of us who were laughing, coughing (but I don’t think that’s their fault) and yelling. There was an old lady in the front of the theater and since there was so much noise, she couldn’t enjoy the movie. (That thought of empathy inspired by Saffron Zeff during a class discussion). So, the precept that fits most with this memorable event is, ”Your deeds are your monuments” because when the kids behind us were screaming, we remembered them as loud, annoying kids.

When the movie finished, some of the kids from a loud group behind us started teasing someone in my class. Luckily, someone stepped in and stood up for him. Some other people saw what was going on and helped. The precept that fits most with this is, ”No man is an island, entire of itself.” because the people who stood up for my classmate, didn’t just say,”Nope, I’m going to regret it if I get involved in that.” They helped and then everything was OK. 

From Bayo:

Deborah and Shelby’s 4 grade and Dan and Marcus’s 4 grade went on a field trip to watch the movie Wonder. When the two classes were at the movie there was another school that had 88 kids at the theater. During the movie the kids from the other school were screaming. One of my classmates politely asked them to quiet down and then they said how about you quiet down, then later in the movie the same classmate asked them to be quiet again and he said something else and the conversation escalated into them cursing at my classmate. The fight later escalated even more from cursing to calling my classmate names like crybaby since he cried when Daisy died. 

My precept was…

“ When given the choice between being right and being kind choose kind”

When my classmate said, “Can you be quieter?” the kids said, “No you can be quiet,” but they could’ve said, “Sure we will be quiet and let you enjoy the movie and we don’t want to get into an argument.” It applies to the situation because instead of them saying, “Sure we’ll be quiet,” they said, “You can be quiet.”

The thing they could’ve done is choose kind instead of being cruel. Some of the kids from both groups were not following the precept of “When given the choice between being right and being kind choose kind.”

From Bo:

I was enjoying the movie Wonder in the movie theater, enjoying it very much. I liked how it was done and it was great. I heard talking, screaming and cursing and there were some loud kids behind me. I said to the kids “I’m watching a movie can you please be quiet.” But instead they started calling me a girl, said I look like Auggie, called me curse words, called me a cry baby and said I was very dumb and stupid. But I said some mean things back like; they are dumb and shouldn’t be talking during the movie. This went on and on like this for the whole movie and kind of ruined it, but it was a great movie.

When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.

The next time….During  this, if I could re-do it I would choose kind and not tell them to be quiet. During the experience, I wanted to be right by telling them to stop, but it did not work but I continued to do it. So next time, I will try to forget they’re there and focus on the movie. I kept telling them to be quiet, but they would not stop, so I should have just let it go and not argue.

From Cy:

When we first arrived at the movie theater there were a lot of middle schoolers from another school. We all just sat down in the first three rows in front of them. When the movie started the middle schoolers all started yelling and cheering during some of the parts so it was very hard to hear. They were also not respecting some of our classmates because they were cursing at them and saying negative comments. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a lady laughing during some of the saddest bits which was one, very confusing because it was supposed to be sad and two, it was very rude to the audience because they were feeling emotional. The middle schoolers were being disrespectful to everyone in the audience.

The precept I chose means that you should be good to everyone, everywhere, everytime, with all that you have. The other children were not being good to us because they were not respecting the audience in the theater. They lacked respect because they were loud, used bad language, made fun of our classmates and made the movie experience terrible. In the end, they were not being good to us like they should have been. We should all learn from this experience so that when we are in a public place we should respect the space and the people in the space.

From Sebastian:

I don’t think middle schoolers should be loud like that. I should not have tried to quiet them down and make it worse. The middle schoolers should have tried to enjoy the movie like most of the people in the theater.  The middle schoolers should put themselves into our shoes and feel how it feels to us. My precept is “Just follow the day and reach for the sun.” And this quote applies to what happened because everyone involved in that should just follow the day and reach for the sun.

 

Jacob Riis Tea Party

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1890 Tea Party by Cece

I went to a tea party yesterday. It was the first tea party I have ever been to. It was at 14 West 23rd Street at Teddy and Edith Wharton’s house. When I walked in, the first thing I saw was Edith standing in the front of the door greeting people. When I met her I did a curtsy and moved along. When I got into their beautiful house I saw J.P.Morgan and his  pockets were stuffed with money. So the first thing I did was go and introduce myself. He was a nice man but all he wanted to do was talk about money.

There was lots of food and drinks. I helped myself to a glass of lemonade and a cookie. Later I went back to the food and got a cucumber sandwich. I did not want to try it, but I did because it is polite to try stuff, I did not like it, but others did.

Close to the end of the tea party Edith Wharton announced that she had an entertainer. The entertainer was Jacob Riis. He showed us pictures of what life was like downtown and how life was so hard. Jacob showed us a picture of a girl named Katy the picture was called “I scrub,” because that’s all she did. After the entertainment was over we had a little more chatting time and then the tea party was over.

 

 

 

1890 Tea Party by Macy

On the 15th of November the 4th graders were invited to a tea party on the 16th of November, 1890. Each of the kids dressed up as a 1890 kid. I dressed up as an 11 year old kid with a big baggy skirt, a plain white shirt with a nice vest on top.

Then the tea party started, we got to eat, try new things and have some tea. After that we had a meeting with Jacob Riis about his job as photographer. He explained how the new invention of the flash (for his camera) helped him so much see more of the world. Mr. Riis showed us pictures he took of poor people and kids and and he talked about how hard their life was comparing to ours. One kid, (girl) named Katie had work all day and her family can’t afford for her to go to school. I can’t imagine if I had to work all day and not go to school.

 

1890 Tea Party by Libi

Yesterday we went to a tea party hosted by Edith and Teddy Wharton. We tasted tons of different yet good food. We met Jacob Riis, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P Morgan. We talked to them about their jobs and lives as wealthy men. We found out that Carnegie sold his company to Morgan for a lot of money, and Carnegie decided to become a major philanthropist and give back to the world what it gave him. MONEY!!!!  For the entertainment, Mrs. Wharton asked Mr. Riis to share his work, which he did. In his presentation, Mr Riis showed us the less wealthy people of downtown New York. He showed us pictures that he took with the flash camera that went into his book, How the Other Half Lives. These pictures made me surprised because I didn’t know there were people in downtown NY. It really made me sad seeing how people who are not wealthy live like animals that are abandoned on the street because it surprised me that people treat them like that just because they are immigrants. I feel odd being in a party with food that we never could finish while looking at pictures of people who if they could get one cookie they would be the happiest people in the world.

Purvi Padia Visits the Fourth Grade

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Your family’s story helped me imagine other immigrant stories.

November 14, 2017

Dear Purvi,

Thank you for coming in to talk about your family’s story. My favorite part of your share was when you told us about how your brother couldn’t find his name in English on the board in kindergarten. My second favorite part is when we got to try those special foods like samosas.

Two things I learned about Indian culture are: That elephants are very sacred and you can’t be mean to them or push them. The second thing I learned is that your community is like your family and you will sometimes eat at a random house.

I really liked your share about your family’s story

Sincerely,

Bo K. Gardner

November 14th 2017

Dear Purvi,

Thank you for coming in to share with us. I really liked the quiz and name guessing because I really got a sense of what it would feel like to be in that situation. I learned that in India people relate differently (socially) to each other. I also learned how sacred cows are.

I think it was really cool that there were so many connections between your share and our book, Lowji Discovers America. I’ll just name two: the whole family having a hard time adjusting to America, and being lonely at first.

Lastly, I have two questions: in your story, you talked about a cow blocking the door; did you miss the wedding completely? My second question is, would you get in trouble if you ate beef?

I really liked your visit.

Sincerely,

Sarah

Thank You So Much For Coming!

November 14th 2017

Dear Purvi,

Thank you so much for coming to visit us. Your family stories were really interesting and inspiring.

One of my favorite parts of your share was when you shared about the sacred cow. My mom goes to Mumbai every year for  business so I interviewed her for the book we are reading “Lowji Discovers America” and she mentioned the sacred cow. I knew the cow was sacred, but I didn’t know you couldn’t gently nudge it to move.

Another favorite part was your family stories. Hearing about incidents that really happened, helps me understand how these people felt. Your family’s story helped me imagine other immigrant stories.

One similarity I noticed to “Lowji Discovers America” is that the streets of Mumbai are really crowded, with outside markets everywhere.

Another similarity I noticed is that most people with the Indian culture are vegetarian because of the Hindu religion (my mom also mentioned this in the interview).

A question I still have is, when was the country established?

What does the Indian flag look like? What are some cultural similarities between New York and India?

Again, thank you so much for coming.

Sincerely,

Sonia Stomberg-Firestein

November 14th 2017

Dear Purvi,

Thank you for coming in and sharing the culture of India. I liked the trivia, though it was very tough, and I didn’t get them all right. I learned that India has had a female prime minister.

The clothes reminded me of the book, Lowji Discovers America. I also learned that the Indian flag colors are orange, white, and green. I didn’t know all off this information, like you can’t move a cow or touch it.

It is so great that you taught us all of that, it was amazing,

Love your good friend,

Theo  


                        

Bosco Sodi Writes Back

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I’m happy you realized that even when a wall has to be dismantled brick by brick, there is no wall in life (physical, social, or mental) that cannot be removed. Please never forget that!

Bosco Sodi

When we returned from the farm trip, a package was waiting for us at the front desk. So of course we opened it and were so excited to find an invitation, a beautiful book, and a letter from the artist Bosco Sodi, whose art happening we participated in on the second day of school at Washington Square Park.

Yesterday, during our weekly community meeting, our class spent some time with Bosco’s letter discussing the idea of removing walls whether they be physical, social or mental. The discussion was very lively and we were excited to see how readily students connected to these big ideas.

His gallery exhibition, “Caryatides” opens this Thursday at the Paul Kasmin Gallery, 515 West 27th Street and you are invited!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings from Hawthorne Valley Farm

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Day 1

Our first day at the farm has been full of sensory experiences. It all started on the bus when one fourth grader shared his jelly beans. Their flavors were as follows: rotten egg, booger, cherry, cinnamon, dirt, earwax, grass, green apple, marshmallow, sausage, soap, and last but not least, vomit. And it was only 9:08am. What did the rest of the day have in store for us we wondered.

By noon, our bus was pulling into the farm driveway. Once unloaded, students were very eager explore. In no time students were both relaxed and becoming more and more excited by the potential of the farm.

Below are just a few of the comments overheard as our day progressed:

In the afternoon:

“It’s good to get away from the concrete city and get a breath of fresh air.”

“I can hug a chicken.”

“Henry’s chicken noises literally attract the chickens.”

“Can I jump off the top?” (of the bunkbed)

“Let’s get everything that’s not nature out.” (of the bush fort)

“Is it true that we can drink milk straight from the cow?”

“You know when horses poop… the hole opens wide and then a huge mound comes out, it’s just so amazing.”

“Oh my god, I just drew the most amazing picture of my life!”

In the evening:

“I can do red light and blinking light” (with headlamps during flashlight tag)

“Aren’t the stars so pretty?”

“I just sleep in the same clothes I am wearing the next day.”

“Goodnight!”

Day 2

On our second day, fourth graders delved into new and familiar activities, putting our classroom norm to “be positive, strong and open” into action.

Students describe our day well in their daily written reflections. Below are some snippets…

about the morning….

“I went outside to the smell of horse manure and fresh dew.”

“As I look up at the bottom of the bed above me the mattress pattern of blue stripes and the frame pattern of waves become the rise and fall of the sea…”

“Today was amazing. First, I woke up to the hustle and bustle of the four girls I bunk with.”

about working with animals…

“We went to the horses. I was so excited my whole body was jittering.”

“The horses’ names were Sierra and Daisy. We had to feed them. While I was refilling the hay I was thinking how scared I was if the horse came back and kicked me.”

“It felt scary when the horse started to gallop because it bounced up and down and I almost fell off.”

“When I rode Daisy I got to ride her backwards, it was really fun.”

“A cow has four stomachs. It eats grass and then spits it out four times.

“We walked in, first I looked at the baby calf in the stall. I saw a small white cow, one of the cutest ever.”

“So there was a bull named Monty. He was scruffy, huge and pooped a lot (based on the stall).”

“After a long and trying walk we reached a road, crossed it and ended up in a grassy field. We didn’t see any cows…BUT THEN a stampede of them came walking.”

“We stopped traffic and we were in the back tallying them (the cows). Slowly, smelly and long we got to the farm.”

about meals…

“At lunch I tried a lot of things I thought I never liked but they were actually really good.”

“Part of the process of making the tablecloth clean was running around in the wind while tossing and turning the table cloth.”

about farm chores…

“While we were putting the apples into the machine I smelled it. It smelled so good. I could smell the sweetness and the freshness of the apples.”

“Then we went out into the bitter cold weather. It was so cold, it felt like my hands were going to fall off.”

about free time…

“We also played in the chicken coop when we weren’t supposed to – it was really fun when we did that.”

“My favorite part of the day was going on a nature walk with Shelby. I am going to press flowers. Yay!”

Good night!!

Day 3:

“Today was better than the udder days. Hahahahahaha… puns!

“This morning I woke up and I totally forgot that I was on the farm. I felt weird because I usually wake up and my sister is next to me.”

“My favorite was the warm toasted raisin bread with melting rich creamy gold butter.”

“I smelled the peppers. It was a good smell, but faint. The peppers were smooth and silky.”

“I tasted sour chew for the first time – it was so good.”

First we were introduced to lemon balm…and then a plant that you can brush your teeth with, then a plant that some people thought it could make you fall in love in the olden days.”

“We got to play with the baby calf, she was so playful. She licked my face.”

We fed the pigs. Their snorts were like kids screaming.”

“In the soccer field, we reflected.”

“When we dumped the chicken food into the buckets they went crazy like a bunch of chicken pigs.”

“It feels like the game is never ending. You jump as high as you can and slap the ball over and over. I played everyday on the farm.”

“I ran around looking for a place to make a grave for a caterpillar but then I forgot about it so I played a game. Then I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out the caterpillar and it was moving.”

“When was this forest found?”

“Another crazy experience was when a group of children went too far into the woods. Turns out they got stuck up a 100 foot cliff. It was really rocky with tree stubs to hold onto and moss was everywhere.” (Editor’s note: students were exploring the woods on the Hawthorne Valley Farm School campus next to the farm when they happened upon a big leafy mossy hill and decided to climb it. Next they discovered that oddly enough climbing UP can be a lot easier than climbing DOWN. Some students felt stuck at that point but with the help of their classmates and a teacher they made a successful descent.

“We all went to the playground safe from poos.” (after a cow herding session).

“I ride (on a horse) no hands, both hands and more. I pass the bouncing tetherball and the swaying swings.”

“At the end of the day we shaped the butter into cow poop with a calf footprint in it. At dinner everyone LOVED it!”

“Today was a natural wonderful day full of adventure and many feelings.”

“As I hear the wind slide nimbly past my ears I feel complete coming home to family.”

Getting Ready for a Trip to Hawthorne Valley Farm!

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We are getting so excited about our upcoming farm trip! In preparation, we invited Yukie Ohta,  LREI’s archivist and mom to Hanako, to come in and share artifacts that pertained to our school’s farm trips of the past. Fourth graders were very excited to see that they were a part of a long tradition. In response, students wrote thank you letters to Yukie. Below are snippets from those letters.

“Each time I had a lot of fun and I think my classmates did also….There is not a thing I don’t like about June Camp.”

Also included in this post are a few examples of the maps students created detailing the route from LREI to the Hawthorne Valley Farm.

Now all we need to do is pack! Hawthorne Valley Farm, here we come!

Alejandro: “It was so different then because you could go in the lake and you go for a month and it starts when you are six.”

Arlo: “One of my favorite parts of your share was the crushed flower from the LREI archives. Also, I like the cool pictures from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.”

Bo: “My two favorite parts of your share was the fact that long ago they went for a month! And the second is that they even went in kindergarten.”

Bayo: “Thank you for teaching us about archives and LREI history. One of my favorite parts of your share was when we looked at photographs from the 1920s.”

Cece: “When you showed us the picture from last year’s farm trip I remember the moment those pictures were taken.”

Cy: “I thought it was really cool how their artwork is so similar to ours…Another similarity is that both of them were awesome…I was so so so so excited for the farm after your share.”

Giselle: “I loved when you showed us the picture when Elisabeth Irwin was taking people on the farm trip.”

Hanako: “The differences are that back then they stayed a month and we only stayed three days and they went in June so they called it June camp and we go in October so I don’t know why it’s not called October camp)…I’m looking forward to getting away from the city and the construction.”

Harley: “My favorite parts were when you read about the farm trip in a book. I notice that in both farm trips the kids had fun. I can’t believe they used to go for a month.”

Henry: “Thank you so much for learning this so you can teach us about all of the farm trips….I am looking forward to seeing a chicken named Bob that my sister saw and named on the farm trip.”

Libi: “I learned that we both had to do dishes and brush our teeth.”

“Responsibility for oneself”

Macy: “My two favorite parts of your share was the song and the flower and the book about our school that was published.”

Palma: “One of my favorite parts was when you told us that there had been 91 farm trips so far.”

Saffron: “I also liked the pictures of the farm trip last year.”

Sarah: “I loved the song written by kids at the farm. I also loved the pictures of past trips. The similarities are animals, a beautiful landscape, community work, and most importantly fun!”

Sebastian: “Thank you for taking time out of your day to speak to us about the farm trips past and present…I am so excited I am going to burst into flames.”

Sonia: “Thank you so much for telling us about the evolution of the farm trips and how they’ve changed.”

Theo: “I loved the history share and the archives….I am looking forward to playing with the animals.”

 

Curriculum Night

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We had a spectacular evening sharing with families the work that goes on inside the classroom and what it means to be a fourth grader. It was a joy to share the work our class has accomplished so far and show your artifacts of the students’ learning. Even though teachers guided parents through an activity done with students and prepared a presentation, nothing conveys the experience Fourth Grade better than the words of a fourth grader. The following link is a video compilation of student interviews reflecting and looking ahead after the first three weeks of our year together.

Fourth Grade Thoughts (video)

For specific curriculum information, a .pdf copy of the presentation shown at DS4 Curriculum Night is provided below. Along with the details, insights into our reasoning, intentions and teaching practices are peppered through the overview.

Curriculum Overview

To Build a Wall and Then Take It Down

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Photos by Robert Banat:   RobertBanat.com  RobertBanat@gmail.com

FOURTH GRADERS WENT  TO WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK on the second day of school and participated in an art installation with the artist, Bosco Sodi.

On the day of the trip, we let students know we were going on a mystery walk and we did not give them any background information beyond the fact that an artist, Bosco Sodi, would be there creating a piece of art in a public space. Their job was to make sense of it.

When we arrived in the park, the artist and his team were in full swing building a wall with timbers made in Mexico by local artisans. Fourth graders perched close by with their clipboards and took notes. 

Soon enough, the artist, Bosco Sodi, offered students the opportunity to join in and help. “Sure!” they chimed. In no time, fourth graders formed an assembly line from the crates of bricks to the growing wall and passed the timbers to their temporary destination. Even our most reserved and careful students were stepping into line. It was a beautiful moment! Students experiencing first-hand that they have powers and a voice.

When we returned to the classroom, students enthusiastically shared their predictions, assessments, and questions. Just as we had hoped, they came up with a spectrum of interpretations ranging from the installation being a community-building event to a protest against the president’s wall proposal. We read more about the project and the artist, including the artist’s statement,

“It’s my first political performance and I just felt I had to do it now. I wanted to show that any wall is dismantlable. We, the public, can tear down walls when society gets together. It could be a mental, physical, or political wall – the point is, it’s ephemeral.”

We also found out that the bricks were boxed up in Mexico and traveled to New York via a route often taken by undocumented migrants.

That afternoon, at 3:00 the wall was dismantled. Timbers were given away to anyone who wanted one. We have one in our classroom now as a reminder of our special experience and as a metaphor to consider as we learn more about historical and contemporary immigration.

The next day, students wrote letters to the artist. Of course they were filled with thoughtfulness. We include just a few examples here. If you would like to see all of the letters, copies of them are all posted on the bulletin board outside of our classroom. We sent the originals to the artist.

Dear Mr. Sodi,

Hello my name is Cy. I saw “Muro.” I thought it was really cool. I noticed that you put lots of hard work and effort into making it. I think people should respect that. I felt really helpful because I helped make “Muro.” It felt good to be helpful.

“Muro,” made me think that projects could build community. I went back later that day and got three timbers. I think it’s interesting that you signed every timber. It was like each timber got your autograph on it. What gave you the idea to make “Muro”? I would really like to know. I hope you make more cool projects like this.

Sincerely,

Cy


PS: I just heard about the earthquake. I hope everything is okay.

 

Dear Mr. Sodi,

My name is Hanako and I really like the art that you made in Washington Square Park. I saw when you were building the wall you fit the clay timbers in very well, it reminded me of the work of a Japanese carpenter! When I was helping build the wall I felt like I was helping a lot of people and at least making a small difference in the world.

 

The experience made me think about how confused I am about the fact that Trump wants to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. What gave you the idea of the specific protest? One more thing, you have really inspired me to think about the problems in the world a lot more.

Sincerely,

Hanako

 

 

Dear Bosco Sodi,

I really liked your wall. I noticed how the wall was built. When I got there I was confused because I didn’t know the wall was there. I thought about what the wall could represent.

I connected your wall to how the world was built by community. A question I have for you is, you have homes in NYC and Mexico but where were you born?

I really liked your art.

Sincerely,

Harley

Dear Mr. Sodi,

I am Theo from LREI. I thought the installation was really cool because you made 1,600 timbers and made it into a wall. Being there felt really awesome because it was a very good way to protest about Trump’s wall. That wall made me think about Trump’s wall and it looks like you were building it. It looks like my wall at home. Why did you do it in Washington Square Park? I think you gave away the timbers because you wanted people to remember to help the people in Mexico.

Love,

Theo

First Day of School: About Me Poems

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Theo

 

Theo is dark blue

He’s a baby leopard

He’s sunny and cool in the summer

A comfy sock

A big soft bed

He’s a baseball video game

A juicy raspberry

Sonia

 

Sonia is violet purple

She’s a jumpy Siberian shorthair hamster

She’s a calm autumn morning

A new pair of heels, bright and shiny

A nap on a bunk bed

She’s color switch on a phone

A California sushi roll

Sebastian

 

Sebastian is sky blue

He’s a strong tiger

He’s sledding on a winter day

A Go Bananas shirt

A book shelf of white

He’s playing with his squishy donut

A simply scrumptious sushi roll

Sarah

 

Sarah is turquoise

She’s slick fast fox

She’s a hot humid summer day with a nice breeze

A pair of snuggly warm fuzzy pajamas

A big fluffy bed

She’s a big book you can sink into and become a story

Some fluffy matzo meal pancakes

Saffron

 

Saffron is neon green

She’s a sparkly unicorn

She’s a cold winter

A pair of jean shorts

A big fluffy bed

She’s addicted to her phone

A yummy sushi roll

Palma

 

Palma is lavender purple

She’s a happy Saluki dog

She’s a warm spring morning

A cashmere sweater cozy and warm

A cozy comfy soft warm bed

A bowl of spaghetti nice and yummy

Macy

 

Macy is neon green

She’s a little monkey

She’s a light sprinkle of snow

A big bunk bed

She’s a big inspirational book

A little salty edamame

Libi

 

Libi is strawberry red

She’s a domestic fuzzy alpaca

She’s a summer heat with sudden breezes

A pair of silk pants bouncing up and down on your legs

A warm bed waiting for a cold person to jump in

She’s a book ready to be opened up and read

A delicious bowl of Greek salad with salty feta cheese

Henry

 

Henry is light turquoise

He’s a brown baby beaver

He’s a windy fall day

A red flash hat

A white bunk bed but the bottom bunk is a desk

He’s a lego Star Wars

A yummy Percy’s pizza

Harley

 

Harley is pastel yellow

She’s a light brown adult alpaca

She’s a cold and windy day in autumn

A blue sweater with a cloud on it

A comfy white egg chair

She’s a hedgehog beanbag

A plate of macaroni and cheese

Hanako

 

Hanako is emerald green

She is a giant panda

She’s a cool breeze in autumn

A new jean jacket

A twenty year old couch

She’s an old teddy bear

A plate of mac and cheese from LREI

Giselle

 

Giselle is a midnight black sky

She runs like a white horse running through the wind

She’s a cold winter night when the owls are hooting

A pearly white dress through the soft cold air

A soft breezy bed ready for a great night

She’s a handmade wooden doll

A hot tasty pasta waiting on the table.

Cy

 

Cy is bright neon green

He’s a furry, sluggish, slovenly sloth

He’s a thrilling cold winter

An orange and white western bull baseball cap

A big comfy bed

He’s a world of D and D layed out

A hot hotdog with ketchup, mustard, and relish

Cece

 

Cece is light blue

She’s an English Bulldog

She’s a sunny summer day

A colorful pair of exercise pants

A soft big bed

She’s a skateboard

A big red watermelon

Bo

 

Bo is forest green

He is a black farm duck

He is slow snow falling all day

A yellow and purple striped tie

A big fluffy brown couch

He’s a great big box of legos

A salmon sushi no spicey stuff over rice with soy sauce

Bayo

 

Bayo is dark teal blue

He’s a fast tall bronco

He’s a light rain but not drizzling and warm

A Neymar kit with blue Neymar shoes

A bed with fluffy pillows

He’s a boy playing Fifa17

An Italian sausage in a sandwich

Arlo

 

Arlo is sky blue

A cute beagle

He is spring on a sunny day

He wears a black guard’s hat from Buckingham palace

A chair at shop

A Playstation4

He’s tuna with olive oil on a plate

Alejandro

 

Alejandro is neon green

He’s a water buffalo attracted only to the ocean

He’s a dark blurry snow day in winter

A black and white pair of Air Jordans

A red personal bed

He’s a lego demon

A cooked crocodile tail you get in New Orleans