"Virtual Worlds" And "Machinima"

Virtual Worlds and Machinima are online educational experiences integrated into our middle school technology curriculum. Here are a couple student-created videos that offer an excellent definition.

Raccoon Tracks In The Garden

Wildlife is still very active in our "Wildlife Friendly Garden". Yesterday I was fortunate to find a very clear raccoon track in the garden. I had seen a large male raccoon the previous morning wondering near to the school. It could very well be the same one. He must have had an altercation with the resident skunk as The Chilton House building was imbued with a lingering, malodorous scent. Also seen on the grounds were deer tracks, branches stripped of their bark by deer, and woodpecker marks on an Oak tree. ~Gary Lyon, Director of Environmental Education (Photo: Gary Lyon)

Outdoor Handwriting Lesson!

Taking advantage of the "warm" weather, Mrs. Goldstein's and Mrs. Hur's Kindergarten class took their handwriting lesson outside yesterday by using water and paint brushes to review letter formation! (Photos: Michelle Goldstein)

Eighth Graders Present at Tech Conference

Greek God Avatar. See the presentation notes for a description of the Machinima projects at The Elisabeth Morrow School.

Back in December, technology teacher, Marianne Malmstrom, and eighth-grade students, Zoe Homonoff, Bryan Rubin and Jaeho Lee, participated in a conference called, 21st Century Learning: Virtual Worlds, Real Learning, held at Kean University (Union, NJ). The three eighth graders gave a presentation entitled: Machinima: Gamer Videos Go To School.

Jaeho Lee: “In our presentation, we talked about what Machinima is, and the many projects we have made with Machinima in Teen Second Life. We talked about the Greek Gods project (done in conjunction with sixth grade) as well as the commercials that we made to advertise businesses we created in Teen Second Life. We also gave a tour of our private island in Teen Second Life, showed the process of making a Machinima video and the hard work involved."

The program notes give a thorough description of their comprehensive presentation. Link

At the same conference, Sarah Rolle, Director of Technology at The Elisabeth Morrow School gave a presentation entitled: Quest Atlantis–An Educational, 3D Virtual World for 9 to 16-year-olds. Quest Atlantis provides our students with virtual academic quests, social commitments and interactions with their classmates, along with students from other U.S. and international schools.

8th Grade Haiti Relief Efforts

"Two days after the earthquake in Haiti, my 8th graders had a brainstorming session for fundraising during our current events class. This is what they have put into place since that day;

• Bake sale, everything baked by the 8th graders

• 8th-grade cooking club made lunch for the faculty

• Haiti Relief wristbands designed, ordered and distributed by the 8th graders

• Haiti Relief t-shirts designed, sold and worn by the 8th graders

• Dinner for 8th-grade parents prepared by the 8th-grade class

• They are providing services to teachers for a donation

• Art show and sale

• They are setting up their own table at the International Luncheon on Saturday

• Straight donation collection

With just the first bake sale, faculty lunch and donations, they have collected $1,800. They came up with the ideas and are taking charge of every aspect. They're fabulous and I am so proud of them!"

~Ms. Michele Bower

LS: Fundraising for Haiti

Last Friday, to raise funds for Haiti, Little School children, faculty and staff were asked to make a donation for the priviledge of wearing casual dress. We raised $1,993. Here, the fourth-grade helpers are counting the money that will be given to the Red Cross.

Shark Dissection

"Today each of the three, fifth-grade classes dissected sharks. These are photos of Mrs. Cohen's class. As you can see on the board (bottom photo), they have been learning about the anatomy and physiology of sharks: digestion, reproduction, respiration, senses and evolution. This was the culminating event of the unit." ~Dr. Leslie Day (Photos: Dr. Day)

"Table to Table" To Receive Carnival Funds

Friday's Morrow House assembly featured a presentation by local charity, Table to Table, an organization dedicated to collecting food from restaurants and shops and distributing it to people who are hungry, on a daily basis. Based on the recommendation of eighth-grader student council members, Ryan and Phoebe (pictured in the middle, with T2T representatives, Jamie [left] and Liz [right]), Table to Table will be this year's recipient of this year's Carnival funds.

Today's Visit to C-8

All kinds of things to see and do for Elisabeth Morrow's three-year-olds

PreK and K - Recycling Visitor

The Prekindergarten and Kindergarten classes were visited today by Roxy the Recycling Raccoon. A thirty minute program was shared and the children's knowledge about recycling materials was tested and challenged as they listened to stories, played games and practiced recycling materials with our guests. Sean Park surprised our visitor when he shared that plastics with the number 1 or 2 can be recycled. We are all our doing our part to be Earth Savers in Chilton House!

Singalong, This Morning.

Chilton House Singalong–every Friday morning. In this photo, they singing "I Don't Want To Live On The Moon."

Little School Casual Day For Haiti

The Little School has gone casual...to raise funds for Haiti. This morning, a few students were in the lobby collecting donations from faculty, students and parents. Donations will be given to the Red Cross.

Girls' Basketball Off To A Great Start

"The girls' basketball teams are off to an excellent start this season; with the more experienced team (there are two) enjoying a 3-1 start to their season. The girls won their first two games last week, 21-10 over Saddle River Day School and a 15-14 nailbiter over Horace Mann School. This week, after suffering a tough defeat at Montclair Kimberley Academy, the team rebounded for a 19-9 win over Tuxedo Park.

Upcoming home games include Teaneck Charter School Wed. Jan 27 at 4:00, Dwight-Englewood School Thursday Feb. 4 at 4:00 and two games vs. Tuxedo Park on Wednesday February 10 (3:30 and 4:45)." ~Aaron Cooper

Yoga And Relaxation

Yoga and relaxation is offered as an elective to 7th and 8th graders in the spring semester. Today, instructor Trena Rauner (from the Stone Center for Yoga and Health), worked with a few Morrow House students on positions and breathing techniques.

Lunch for Haiti

"The Cooking Club, with the help of its instructing chefs, Gail Winter, Joann DiGirolamo and Christine Fiocchi, prepared and served a lunch for teachers today. At least 40 faculty members signed up, donating a minimum of $5.00 each to the relief efforts." ~Dr. Lowry

(Photos: C. Fiocchi)

Dye Job (2)

This morning, fourth graders learned about natural dyes, which they used to color yarn. Ms. Hantman, a former Art teacher at Elisabeth Morrow, led the activity in Ms. Smithline's class. Ms. Hantman created three natural dyes from onion skin and lavender. The children took turns dipping their skeens of yarn and will eventually use the yarn, once it dries, for a weaving project.

"I Have A Dream"

In honor of Martin Luther King Day (next Monday), Ms. Lustberg's class presented excerpts from Dr. Kings legendary speech, "I Have A Dream," at today's Little School assembly. When one of the students uttered the phrase, "let freedom ring," the audience was asked to echo the phrase resoundingly.

Dye Job (1)

Fourth graders are hand dying yarn in Ms. Smithline's Art class today, which they will weave later. Here, a few students are collecting the boiled yarn. More photos later.

Homework Club Continues!

"Little School students in grades two through four continue to learn organization techniques and other skills while completing their daily homework assignments. This popular After School class began again on January 4th and will run through March 19th. Mrs. Keller leads the group on Mondays and Tuesdays, while Mrs. Lustberg leads the group on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The students are enjoying their time together and are getting a lot of work done!" ~Liza Jones Hards, Director of Auxiliary Programs (Photo: Liza Jones Hards)

Little School Science Donation

"Thanks to Maggie who donated a beautiful oriole’s nest and a complete wasp nest (less the wasps) to the Little School Science room." ~Ms. Milne (Photo by Carolyn Milne)

LIttle School Science

Here's what's happening in the Little School Science room. Thanks to Science teacher, Carolyn Milne, for sending in the photos and update:

These kindergarten students are completing books of their science work to date for their parents.

These third grade students are exploring the effects of static electricity.


These fourth grade science students are experimenting withthe design and structure of maple seeds for maximum dispersal.

First and Fourth Graders Assist Animal Shelter

"Here is a photo of first and fourth grade students loading my car and Michelle Connolly's car with items that the children collected throughout the month of December to donate to the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro, N.J. The shelter receives very little money from the state, so they rely on donations to help take care of the animals. With these dire economic times, the shelter has more homeless animals than ever before, so our donations were greatly appreciated." ~Kristi Evans (Photo by Kristi Evans)

To The Top

The Eighth-Grade Drama Elective put on Kathleen Warnock's play, To The Top, this morning in the Tedesco Theatre. The play centers around a women's basketball team at southern college. Director Matt Okin (of Black Box Studios) had this to say about the elective: "By learning and developing improv skills--in combination with tackling the production of an intense script originally intended for more mature actors–-we have made great strides in a number of vital aspects of theater: confidence, risk-taking, follow-through, stamina, and the excitement of true collaboration…the performers worked together both in and outside the classroom to deliver their best work possible, and we are proud to present it to you in To The Top.”

The play will also be presented tomorrow (Saturday,Jan. 9) at 7 PM.

(Photo by Amber Coe)

Today's Little School Assembly

Head of School for the day, Ryan, opened the assembly and Dr. Lowry told the students a fable about the god Mercury, the woodsman, and the axe.

The Little School students then sang the "Kookaburra Song" in rounds while Ms. Spaeth directed and played the piano. They were asked to stand every time the sang the word Kookaburra; after three rounds, it was quite a workout.

Next up, the teachers and students sang "Hello, My Name Is Joe," he's the one that "works in a button factory." Above, Ms. Hards and company are "pushing the buttons" with their left and/or right hands. Below, the crowd was about to push the buttons with their elbows, heads and tongues (which was hilarious to see and hear).