Seth Boyden Students Get a Lesson in Journalism

This spring, Tamar Herman's fourth graders at got a lesson in journalism from Patch.

After being schooled on the basics in news reporting (with a explanation of and emphasis on facts), half the class headed for Seth Boyden's Strawberry Fields garden to interview parent volunteer Virginia Lamb Falconer, while the other half headed for the playground area to interview parent volunteer Caryn Emmons about the newly planned Outdoor Learning Center.

Students also took many photographs to illustrate what they researched.

We'll let the students tell you what they found out:

Strawberry Fields Hasn't Been Here Forever

Do you know the history behind Strawberry Fields? Ms. Herman's homeroom does. The students met with Mrs. Virginia Falconer to discuss the more than 10-year-old garden. They looked at different plants and tasted many things. — Adunni Charles

The idea started when the New York Times published an article about a school in North Carolina. The story talked about the school's outdoor learning center. — Zubin Kremer Guha

Before people started planting at Strawberry Fields, it was just a sandy lot. It had no purpose. — Josie Schwartzberg

The PTA thought of a way to show multiple intelligences through the garden. — Benjamin Ribicoff

Strawberry Fields plays to the kinesthetic and naturalistic intelligence which is part of Howard Gardener's multiple intelligence theory. — Zubin Kremer Guha

Now that Strawberry Fields is here, there is a colorful garden that everybody in Seth Boyden helped create! Almost every class has a garden plot where they can plant lettuce, spinach, roses, peas and lot of other plants. — Josie Schwartzberg

It is named Strawberry Fields because Seth Boyden invented the modern cultivated strawberry. — Ethan Mann

Three hundred to $400 are spent on Strawberry Fields each year for supplies.  — Amori White

We have many parent volunteers that lower the cost. — Ethan Mann

Virginia Lamb says there are at least 100 different kinds of plants in Strawberry Fields. Also, 33 patches. Before spring break 15 classes planted peas. — Laura Ubaechu

Now kids who can't plant at home get a chance to plant at school. — Josie Schwartzberg

The Hexamid Is Just the Start

Do you know how we got our hexamid? Ms. Herman's homeroom class spoke with Ms. Caryn Emmons, a member of the Outdoor Learning Center Committee. — Listella Deriva

Two years ago, the Outdoor Learning Center Committee was formed to improve the outdoor classroom, amphitheater, playground and trees. — Terrel Williams

The amphitheater was old, broken and splintered. Also, no-one was using it. — Joseph Badre

The committee had it removed and the hexamid took its spot. — Terrel Williams

The hexamid cost $35,000: $25,000 for the item and for the shipping, and $10,000 for installation. — Elizabeth DeLuca

The Committee purchased the hexamid in the Fall of 2011. — Terrel Williams

"The hexamid is safe," Ms. Emmons said, "when used in the proper way." — Jayden Cotard

We also interviewed a lunch aide and many kids. — Juan Ponce

When asked if she liked the hexamid, Ms. Vanessa [a lunch aide] said, "Yes, because the kids love it. No, because when it has too much kids on it, it's dangerous." — Jamila D. Vidal

Kids love it! I asked a few kids what they liked to do on the hexamid and here are their reponses: "I like to climb to the top." "I like bouncing on it." "It's freakishly awesome to climb on it!!!" — Elizabeth DeLuca

More plans for Seth Boyden's outdoor learning center are the new amphitheater and a lot of trees so we can have shade. — Listella Derival