How does a penguin stay warm and dry in the freezing cold conditions? The second graders at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School tested their knowledge during a STEM penguin day experiment on Feb. 25. Dressed in their penguin colors and matching masks, the students colored penguins using a waxy crayon. They then put droplets of water on their creations and noticed how the water repelled from the paper, the same way the oils on a penguin’s feathers repel water to keep them dry.

In celebration of Black History Month, the kindergarten students at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School learned how to paint like artist Alma Woodsey Thomas, who started her painting career at the age of 70. She was the first African American artist to have her work displayed in the Whitney Museum in Manhattan.

Fourth graders at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School in Ms. Dunn and Ms. Basso’s class recently combined their math, art and critical thinking skills to make origami hearts for Valentine’s Day. The students were tasked with following the directions step by step to create their own hearts using the folding technique.

Fourth graders in Ms. Ayla’s class at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School in the Copiague School District have been learning about animal adaptations. The students recently completed animal research project as part of their science unit. The fourth graders were given a choice of six different animals to research. The students read articles and researched the animal’s habitat, adaptation, eating habits and interesting facts. They then created a Google Slide presentation to share with their classmates.

The third grade remote learners in Ms. Rosario’s class at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School in the Copiague School District had a virtual presentation by meteorologist Nelson Vaz from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

government agency on Feb. 3. The third graders have been learning about climate and weather during the last few weeks, and Mr. Vaz’s presentation gave them some unique insight into how weather forecasts are done. Mr. Vaz spoke about weather models, how meteorologists predict weather and how his organization forecasts for different groups including aviation, land and marine. He showed them examples of the different tools meteorologists used to made the best possible forecasts. At the end of his presentation, the third graders had a chance for a question-and-answer session.

The third graders in Marie Fodera’s class at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School are learning all about the solar system. As part of their science unit, each student choose a planet to research and write a report. They created their own models of their planets within the solar system using a medium of their choice. When the models were complete, the students each presented them to the class along with facts from their research.

Third grade remote learners in Ms. Barrett’s class from throughout the district learned about respect during a recent social emotional lesson. The students created a circle map and described different ways they could show respect and how respect feels to them. The students divided into different groups in breakout rooms to discuss respect. Afterward, they shared some of the ideas their classmates touched upon during the breakout sessions.