Fifth-grade students in Ms. Graziano’s class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School recently made their own terrariums. The students are observing how earth’s ecosystems react with one another.

First-graders at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School got into the holiday spirit in December by learning about different Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza traditions and celebrations. The students read books about different activities for each holiday and practicing writing some of the words. 

Budding scientists in Ms. Csorny’s second-grade class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School have been learning about the properties of matter. The students performed a “mix it up” experiment by making a mixture out of sand and water. After pouring the water into a cup of sand and shaking it, students have observed and recorded the outcome.

As part of their earth and space systems unit, fifth-graders at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School are learning about the planet and its different spheres. Using a flashlight, students had a lesson on the earth, sun and stars to determine brightness and the stars’ distance from the sun. Students also worked on presentations about the four spheres – geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere – and explained the different parts of the system and how it interacts with other systems.

After reading the book “Flat Stanley” by Jeff Brown, Nancy Csorny's second-graders at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School made their own Flat Stanley. Students will be writing letters and mailing them to relatives or friends that live in another community, state or country. They are hoping to get letters back and pictures of Flat Stanley in various places in their community. When Flat Stanley returns, the class will use his journey to study places in the United States and all over the world.

Flexible seating in the classroom encourages greater collaboration, interaction and communication between students. In Patrice Newman’s third-grade class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School, students have the ability to choose different options – such as bean bag chairs, rugs or even the floor – and pair up for buddy reading with their classmates.

In an effort to ease fears about doctors and hospitals, kindergartners at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School participated in a teddy bear clinic on Nov. 21 sponsored by the Trauma Center at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

The clinic is designed as an educational injury prevention program which focuses on seatbelt and helmet safety. Nursing students spoke to the class about injury prevention and the importance of keeping safe in the car. They also demonstrated how wearing a helmet during sports and other activities can help reduce the risk of injuries. 

As part of the hands-on clinic, the kindergartners took care of their stuffed animals by taking their temperature, bandaging their wounds and nursing them back to health with plenty of hugs. 

Dawn Masure’s third-grade class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School highlighted the importance of responsibility during their monthly character education assembly on Oct 12.

Each month, the school chooses one character education trait to recognize. As a culminating activity, the students presented a skit during a schoolwide assembly to teach about the importance of responsibility, taking action for one’s own well-being, and treating others how one would want to be treated. 

To recognize the importance of responsibility, teachers use character education books and lessons for each grade level. Students who are caught showing off their good character trait receive a character counts card.

Students in Ms. Nicolini’s class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School are combining their art and literacy skills for a Thanksgiving Day project. After making their own turkeys using dot markers as the colorful feathers, the students completed a writing lesson on why they are thankful and what they are doing with their families this Thanksgiving. 

Third-graders in Ann Marie Byrnes’ class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School are reading “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” as part of a class read aloud. The class discussed the different character traits of the individuals featured in the book. They learned about the “Golden Ticket” given out in the book and each student decorated their own ticket for the class bulletin board. After they complete the book, the class will watch the original movie and compare the differences between the two.