After reading the book “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet, 4th graders in Ms. Mackin’s class at Slocum Elementary planned, designed and created parade balloons of their own.

“Balloons Over Broadway” is a nonfiction story about the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the puppeteer who made it happen. The students first wrote persuasive letters to Macy’s with reasons as to why their balloon should be in the parade. They then paraded their own creations around the school, showing off their balloons to the kindergarten and first grade classes.

Date Added: 11/22/2023

Kindergarteners at Edith L. Slocum Elementary wrote and mailed letters to veterans, thanking them for their service. Some students have relatives, including fathers, uncles, aunts and grandfathers, who are currently serving or who have served, and they were able to address their letters to them, specifically.

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Date Added: 11/15/2023

Edith L. Slocum Elementary students and primary students across the Connetquot Central School District have been learning how to master phonics rules using a tool called Secret Stories. On Oct. 31, Edith L. Slocum students attended a special assembly in which teachers dressed up as a Secret Story letter character for Halloween.

From September to November, “top secret” envelopes are dropped off at the primary grade level classrooms daily, containing that day’s Secret Story. Secret Stories explain the “secret” reason why letters get together and make the many different sounds that they do and offer logical explanations for letter sound behavior. Rooted in the science of reading and cognitive neuroscience research, Secret Stories targets backdoor learning channels to accelerate phonics skill mastery for reading and writing.

During the assembly, students recognized the letter or sound each teacher was dressed up as, remembering the Secret Stories they were previously taught. They then practiced the sound each letter makes.

“This will help students to read and write words with the correct spelling and phonics rules in the classroom and create a memorable experience,” said first grade teacher Terri-Lynn Guarnieri-Guastella.

Date Added: 11/1/2023

Second graders in Erin Marrazzo’s class at Edith L. Slocum Elementary School in the Connetquot Central School District learned about the benefits of mindfulness breathing during a special lesson.

In reading “My Magic Breath” by Alison Taylor and Nick Ortner to the class, Ms. Marrazzo’s students gained an understanding of the power of using their breath and how to use it to calm down, focus and manage difficult emotions such as worry. “Teaching children to use tools to become mindful at a young age has countless positive effects,” said Ms. Marrazzo. “They are creating healthy coping habits that can last a lifetime.”

She followed up the reading with an activity, creating “jellyfish breathing cups.” The cups are a clear visual for students to become aware of their breath, using a plastic cup as the jellyfish body and streamers as the tentacles. “As students breathe out, they see the jellyfish’s ‘tentacles’ move and know that they are helping themselves mentally,” said Ms. Marrazzo.

Aside from her 21-year teaching career, Ms. Marrazzo has been a yoga practitioner for the past 15 years and last year, obtained a certification in children’s yoga and mindfulness. In looking for ways to share the benefits of these practices, Ms. Marrazzo began a yoga and mindfulness club at Edith L. Slocum Elementary for third to fifth graders and incorporated a weekly yoga practice into her second grade classroom.

As part of the students’ weekly practice, Ms. Marrazzo began using mantras with her second grade students and said the positive benefits were evident. From there, she began writing mantras as part of a children’s yoga lesson plan which naturally evolved into the first draft of her book. Ms. Marrazzo’s children’s book, “Everyday Mindful Mantras for Minis,” is a tool that can be used to build children’s self-confidence and help them cope with big feelings and difficult situations. The book will be available in November.

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Date Added: 10/2/2023