Videoconferencing

media type="custom" key="392365"

Paulette Mandarino and Adele Epstein California Avenue School Library Media Center

California Avenue School is thrilled to be involved with Nassau BOCES Distance Education Videoconferencing Service. We have already selected 7 videoconferences that will occur between January and March.

Our kindergarten students in Ms. Francis and Ms. Impagliazzos’ classes will be combining the curriculum areas of art and science when they explore the world of dinosaurs and butterflies through puppetry. Ms. Barrins will be highlighting the scientific aspect of dinosaurs and butterflies, and in library they will be delving into fiction and non-fiction stories that will continue to support their understanding of these topics.

Ms. Dismore and Ms. Bryant’s classes will be exploring the sports world through a virtual visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Our focus will be on the importance of Jackie Robinson in breaking the color barrier in the sports arena. In preparation for this videoconference, the students will be exposed to literature on Jackie Robinson and civil rights and participate in completing research writing assignments in the California Avenue School Library Media Center with Ms. Mandarino and Ms. Epstein.

Four of our first grade classes including Ms. Bailey, Ms. Harris, Ms. Borg and Ms. Wilson will be having a “real-life” experience by “going” to the Indianapolis Zoo or the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and speaking in real-time conversations with experienced zoo educators. The topics covered in these visits include nocturnal animals and penguins. Follow-up activities will be conducted by the librarians, special area and classroom teachers.

In the area of social studies, the librarians are developing a unit for third, fourth and fifth graders on the American Revolutionary War including various literature and research activities. This will be in preparation for a virtual visit with one of our country’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. In this virtual visit, the students will learn about his influence on science, music, philosophy and history.

Future videoconferences covering several curriculum areas are currently being planned including literature, music, science and social studies. We eagerly are looking forward to videoconferences that will effectively enrich the curriculum and bring history, science and the cultural arts to life!