Lafayette Mills School January Highlights

The following highlights are submitted by Irene Policastro, the Secretary to Superintendent John J. Marciante of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District.

National Geographic Bee
Our annual National Geographic Bee was held on January 9, 2012. The fourth and fifth grade students competed in this challenging competition. The students answered questions related to regional, national, and world geography. Parent visitors where afforded the opportunity to observe their children compete.

Seeing Eye Dog Assembly for Grades 2 and 4
On Friday, January 13, 2012 grades two and four students learned how Seeing Eye dogs are raised and trained for legally blind individuals. Students were able to observe the dog handlers and subsequently ask questions. The students and teachers enjoyed the presentation and appreciated the amount of freedom a blind person gains with a service dog.

STARLAB
The STARLAB was used as part of a third grade curriculum-based activity on January 25 and January 26, 2012. Students focused on the following objectives during their work with the STARLAB.

This resulted in the following two activities being conducted by our third grade teachers. The lead teachers for our STARLAB activities were Heather Schulz and Lisa Firollo. Many thanks to Heather and Lisa for their continued support of our curriculum and developing a minds-on, hands-on experience for our students.

• Day One – Objectives: Before entering the STARLAB, students were able to identify the difference between the Earth’s rotation and revolution. They were able to define constellations, and state how to locate the North Star, Polaris, using the Big Dipper.

• In the STARLAB: 1. Students used Big Dipper Finders to locate the position of the Big Dipper at selected hours and months of the year.
• Students were able to identify the Big Dipper appears to move in the sky from hour to hour due to the Earth’s rotation and not the movement of the stars. - Students were able to identify the Big Dipper appears in different parts of the sky from season to season due to the Earth’s revolution.
• Students were able to identify the stars seem to revolve around one stationary star, The North Star. 2. Students used the pointer stars of the Big Dipper to predict the location of Polaris. They then tested their predictions using the Starfield.

• Day Two- Objectives 1. Students will be able to state the apparent motion of the stars is actually the result of the rotation and revolution of the Earth. 2. Students will review the concept of circumpolar rotation.

• In the STARLAB: Students used their Bear Hunt Constellation Wheels to follow along with a Native American story that modeled the concept that the apparent motion of the stars is caused by the Earth’s rotation and revolution.
• At the conclusion of the lesson, students were able to identify Why Ursa Major (The Great Bear) appears in different parts of the northern sky each season. How Ursa Major appears to move in one year with respect to Polaris. How Ursa Major appears to move in the sky in 24 hours. Why Polaris appears to stay in the same place in the sky all year long

Group Pictures
Students that participate in a co-curricular program had his/her group picture taken on January 27, 2012. A schedule was distributed in advance in addition to the schedule being broadcast over LMTV.

PTA Movie Night for Grades 3-5
The students at Lafayette Mills enjoyed Mr. Popper’s Penguins on Friday, January 27, 2012. I would like to thank the PTA parent volunteers, students and the following teachers for participating in the event: Michele Avidon, Janice Brown, Katharine Fanneron, Howard Gandelman, Nancy Isaacoff, Matthew Kriley, Rachel Kurnit, Danielle Lilonsky, Amanda Sofield, Marcinta Umansky, Sandra Zydzik.