Fifth-Graders Learn from Ossining High School Students through Science Nation Project

There was a stark contrast between the sketches of the human form Roosevelt School students drew before and after an art and math class with their older peers at Ossining High School. The initial sketches lacked muscular definition, and some looked like robots.

“We didn’t actually have any directions,” fifth-grader Ben Mahood said of his “before” picture.

Referring to the portrait sketched by classmate Josh Cruz, he added, “He said his looked like a pig standing up.”

After spending 45 minutes with students in the Math in 2D and 3D Art class and learning new techniques, the fifth-graders left with drawings that showed bulging biceps, well-developed calves and body parts that were symmetrical and in proportion to one another.

The collaboration was part of the Ossining School District’s Science Nation Project, which pairs up Claremont and Roosevelt students with their high school counterparts for lessons in living environment, physics, robotics and other subjects. This is the second year of the program.

Science Nation is an Ossining-based initiative aimed at sparking younger students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math. These skills are critical for today’s students because there is an ever-increasing need for adults with expertise in the STEM fields.

"I am not sure who enjoys these lessons more, the elementary kids, high school students, or the participating teachers,” said Alexandra Greenberg, director of science, engineering and math – SEM – at OHS.

In the recent Math in 2D and 3D Art class, students learn the math behind art, from two-dimensional tangrams to three-dimensional sculptures. The course is “a great fusion of math and art,” teacher Zachary Yonkler said.

The exercise with the fifth-graders on Feb. 15 involved using Leonardo da Vinci’s proportions. “What we’re hoping is today, with a little math help from our high school students, that you’ll be able to draw a person a little bit better than when you came here,” he said, addressing the Roosevelt children before they began sketching.

Teachers involved in Science Nation collaborate before students visit OHS. Mr. Yonkler sent fifth-grade teacher Kristine Hayden a list of vocabulary words to review with her class. The Roosevelt students have been learning all the math skills that they used during the high school assignment, such as fractions and ratios.

“The high school students are doing such a great job,” Ms. Hayden said. “One girl said, ‘I love doing this. I love teaching a kid and I didn’t think I would.’”

Senior Cristopher Illescas said he really enjoyed helping 10-year-old Jason Calderon with the drawing. “I like doing this. I want to be a teacher,” Cristopher said.

Ten-year-old Angelica Illescas, who is not related to Cristopher, said she liked that she was able to draw in the class and that “I got to experience something with the high school students.”