Special Subjects

Technology/Computer Science

Technology at PS139Q takes place in a Macbook lab. Students in various grades learn to use the MacOS interface to participate in technology activities and projects.

Grade 5 begins the year by making dynamic presentations using Mac's Keynote program. The students begin by creating unique avatars and then make them "magically float" from one slide to the next using Keynote's special feature called "magic move." Students add Creative Commons-licensed images and music and then export their presentations as movie files.

Grade 4 starts off the year exploring the importance of digital citizenship and copyright as it applies to online media. Using Inkscape's graphic program, students create original 2D artwork as they expertly learn to master the vast selection of drawing tools this program offers. Students learn how to change the file format of their images and in the end, apply a Creative Common license of their choice that tells others how they can use their work legally.

Grade 3 students are starting the year using Microsoft Word. They will be creating newsletters about them themselves. Skills covered include changing case, aligning text, using bullets and numbering, adding text boxes, and using keyboard shortcuts. Along the way, they are also learning how to edit and save files, recognize user interface features, perform a spell check, and use the thesaurus.

Grade 2 students will be starting the year practicing keyboarding skills. Using Typing.com the students will become familiar with the letter keys and the three-row QWERTY keyboard layout, the Shift key, and basic punctuation marks (. , ? '). Repeated practice builds muscle memory and improves confidence.

Grade 1 students begin by getting familiar and comfortable with procedures and basic desktop computer skills such as logging in and out and using trackpad gestures to navigate the interface. Students will then learn how to access Portaportal to select links to various online activities.

Keep you eye out for more updates on our progress! See our Gallery for some great project!

Art - Ms. Hadoulis

Visual Arts Newsletter- Welcome to ART!

Kindergarten students have been learning all about lines: straight, zig zag, wavy, dotted, dashed, curly, swirly, castle, just to name a few! Students used watercolor pencils and were amazed to see that when they added water, the colors spread across the paper.

First graders learned about Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and abstract art. They created their own masterpieces using colors, shapes, and lines.

Second graders were introduced to artist Paul Klee. They listened to the story, “The Cat and the Bird,” inspired by Klee and then they recreated his famous Cat and Bird painting that depicts the wide face of a cat with a small bird perched on its forehead.

Third graders created Amante bark pictures. This Mexican folk art was created by the indigenous people of Mexico and the brightly colored scenes depict the perfect blend of culture and nature. Students watched a video of this ancient tradition of paper making and then students chose their own picture to create, being sure to incorporate a nature theme.

Fourth graders started learning about American artist Keith Haring. His animated imagery has become a widely recognized visual language and students are having fun drawing in his art style.

Fifth graders are diving into delicious desserts with artist Wayne Thiebaud. He is best known for his paintings of cakes, pies, and candies. Students will learn about value, the lightness or darkness of color. Stay tuned for their mouth-watering masterpieces!

Physical Education - Ms. Zuckerman

September introduces students in Grades K through 5 to Jogging and Exercise. Jogging is a terrific cardio exercise. Based on grade level, students begin their physical education period by jogging laps around the gym. Grades K to 2 jog two laps. Grade 3 jogs three laps. Grades 4 and 5 jog four laps. Building endurance while jogging is an important physical education goal for the year.

All grades are learning an exercise routine that includes standing and sitting exercises. Students learn exercises that strengthen their muscles and increase their flexibility. Please remember to have your children wear sneakers on gym days.

This past month, students in grades K and 1 have been working on their locomotor skills. They have been running, marching, hopping, and jumping around the gym. They have also had the opportunity to compare the size, shape, and weight of different sports balls and have learned how to throw them properly.

Grades 2 and 3 have started a unit on Soccer. Students need to learn soccer skills before playing a soccer game. They are learning how to dribble a soccer ball while maintaining control of the ball. They have practiced dribbling through cones too. They are also learning the difference between 1 and 2 touch passing to their classmates.

In grades 4 and 5, we have started the NYC Fitnessgram program. It is the city's annual health-related fitness assessment. In grades K -3, only height and weight data are collected. In grades 4-5, height and weight are measured, and 5 fitness assessments are completed. The Fitnessgram program tests endurance, strength, and, flexibility. Students are working on the Fitnessgram's first component. They have completed a practice Pacer Test and are currently taking the actual Pacer Test. The Pacer test tests endurance. Students run laps almost the length of the entire gym while a partner keeps score for them.

Music - Ms. Wilkie

My name is Ms. Wilkie and I am excited to be the new music teacher at P.S. 139. Music is all around us, and it is my goal to help the students understand, appreciate, and create music. Music has been an integral and inspiring part of my life, and I hope to instill a love for music in our students.

To begin the year, we have been studying basic musical concepts through the lens of Hispanic Heritage Month. The younger students are learning the importance of the steady beat, using our four voices (speaking, whispering, shouting, and singing) and moving their bodies to the music. The older students have been reviewing the basics of not just steady beat, but also beat vs. rhythm, vocal exploration, and beginning instrumental notation.

As the year progresses, students in grades 4 and 5 will be eligible to sing in our Glee Club. Students in grades 3 and 4 will learn the recorder. I also have some projects in the works to bring more ways to make music into our school.

Science- Ms. Murphy

We are excited to jump into the science lab and begin exploring the world around us! Throughout the year, students will learn through a combination of hands-on activities and research to grow their curiosity and understanding. They will plan and conduct investigations, make observations, ask questions, and research answers.

Grade 5 kicks off the year by investigating Earth’s systems, learning about the roles of each system, the importance of water on Earth's surface, and human impact. Then we blast off to explore patterns of Earth and sky, discovering gravitational pull, the role of the sun and stars, and the observable patterns caused by Earth’s rotation. Finally, we wrap up the year by modeling matter—understanding how everything around us is made of matter, exploring chemical reactions, and so much more. All of this prepares us for the Science State Test in June.

In fourth grade, we begin the year learning about different forms of energy, energy transfer, and conservation. Next, we’ll explore vision and light, and learn how animals receive and process information to survive in their environments. We finish the year studying Earth’s features, uncovering the history of our planet and how it continues to change over time.

Third graders start the year with the Forces and Interactions unit, investigating balanced and unbalanced forces, motion, and exploring electricity and magnetism. Then we’ll dive into inheritance and traits, learning about life cycle similarities and differences, and how some traits are inherited while others are influenced by the environment. After that, we explore environments and survival, learning how living things respond to changes and finding solutions to environmental challenges. Lastly, we study weather and climate, identifying patterns in weather and comparing climates in different parts of the world.

A Message from the ENL Team - Ms. Tabassum, Mrs. Ravnic, and Mrs. McPhoy

This month we took time to work with our multilingual learners to welcome them to our school and get to know a little bit about themselves and their families. In the lower grades, we are working on our letter sounds and speaking in complete sentences. In the upper grades, we are working on building comprehension through academic vocabulary and writing. We have lots of fun learning to come and can't wait to share more!