Science

2012- 2013 News and Events Archive

CSI Challenge Winners

 

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LBHS Science Symposium

After a grueling yet successful season of local, regional and international competitions, students in the Long Beach High School Science Research Program gathered together one last time to celebrate their achievements and present their research to family and friends at their annual Science Symposium. This year, as in past years, there was much to celebrate. Students won more than 20 awards at eight competitions. On the international level, junior Hunter Rogoff competed at the International Sustainable World (Engineering, Energy and Environment) Project Olympiad, where he earned a silver medal in the Environmental category. Senior Caroline Walsh submitted her research to the Intel Science Talent Search and the Siemens Competition. The senior team of Brandon Levokove and David Velez entered their research in the Siemens Competition. At the New York State Science and Engineering Fair, Brandon and David took first place in Plant Sciences and junior Chandler McMillan earned a second-place award in Environmental Management. Honorable mention went to juniors Arielle McManus, Jamie Morgenstern, Hunter Rogoff and the junior team of Hope Henry, Max Kramer and Melissa Rubin.
    
In the NYSSEF Andromeda Division, sophomores Justin Barry and Mark Pittinsky took home a first-place award in Microbiology, and sophomores Julia Berkowitz and Halle Henry earned a first-place award in Environmental Management. Sophomores Jake Kritzberg and Andrew Luisi earned a third-place award in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. A third-place award went to sophomore Logan Weitz in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Fiona Ambrosini and Hannah Sofield received honorable mention in Environmental Science.

At the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, Chandler, Brandon and David took home second-place awards, while Caroline earned honorable mention. Fiona and Hannah took third in the J.V. division.

At the Molloy Science Fair, Julia and Halle earned honorable mention.

Five students competed at the Long Island Science Congress and were awaiting results at press time.

A total of 41 students in grades 9-12 participate in the science research program at Long Beach High School. Through classroom instruction in their freshman and sophomore years, students learn the key ingredients of the scientific method, present oral and written presentations, develop their research and writing skills, and practice lab safety. Juniors and seniors participate in independent study research. Sophomores, juniors and seniors enter their research projects in local, regional and international science competitions.

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I-SWEEEP Medalist

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BioBus Visits Elementary Schools

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Filling Post-Sandy Textbook Needs

After taking inventory of their losses in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, administrators of Long Beach Public Schools set to work soliciting donations to replace vital learning tools, such a textbooks, that were ruined in the floods that tore through the school buildings on this hard-hit barrier island.

Long Beach Middle School was one of the district buildings that sustained considerable flooding damage. Many of the textbooks that were left in lockers the Friday before the storm were destroyed. Books that traveled home with students did not fare much better, as many homes in the area also suffered considerable flood damage.
One of the corporate donors that came to the rescue was Big Ideas Learning, publishers of the Big Ideas Math series used by Long Beach students in grades 6-8. Hearing of the district’s plight, the company donated dozens of boxes of replacement workbooks, making it possible for middle school students to continue their math studies without further interruption.

Another generous contribution came from Pearson/Prentice Hall, publishers of “Earth Science: The Physical Setting,” which is the Regents review book used by eighth-grade accelerated science students. Through the cooperation of company representative Shelly Newmark, 100 new workbooks were delivered to the district to help these students continue their efforts to excel in science.

“This particular loss was especially hard to accept, since we had just purchased new review books from Pearson/Prentice Hall this year,” said Director of Science Kenneth Graham. “When I told Shelly of our situation, she went right to work to try to help us out.”

“We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of aid that we have received in the aftermath of this terrible storm,” said Superintendent David Weiss. “New supplies from community members and from around the country have been arriving every day to fill the real and specific needs of our hard-hit schools.”

To help alert potential donors of specific needs, the district has set up a special link on its website, www.lbeach.org, that says “Hurricane Relief Donate Here.”

   

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MUST Night

West School students invited their parents to join them for a fun night of math and science discovery at Math Uniting Science and Technology Night, better known as MUST. Using games and hands-on activities, participants were invited to explore the wonders of geometry, symmetry, chemistry, the five senses, computers, volcanoes and more. Families explored a host of scientific and mathematical principles by creating geometric shapes with toothpicks and gumdrops, mixing up bodacious bubbles, creating patterns and symmetry on a computer, and making mosaics and symmetrical masks. They also created their own scents, mixed up a gooey liquid-solid slime called Oobleck, and played carnival games that sharpened their math skills.

At dozens of estimation stations, students tried their hands at estimating the number of gumballs, erasers and other objects found in the many containers that filled a table in the cafeteria. Those who came closest to the actual number walked away with the contents of the container at the end of the evening.

     

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Honing Scientific Inquiry Skills

Four Long Beach teachers collaborated on designing a field guide for a third-grade field trip to the Nike Environmental Center in Lido Beach. Teachers Perry Bodnar, Jen Diamond, Linda Fuller and Christine Toppi designed activities to promote scientific inquiry in the adjacent salt marsh and create literacy connections both prior to and after the field trip experience.

Before the trip, students read the book “A Day in the Salt Marsh” by Kevin Kurtz. While in the salt marsh, the students conducted scientific experiments, including osprey watching, viewing invertebrates under the microscope, identifying plants and learning about the significance of salt marshes.

The third-graders worked with Mr. Bodnar and students from the Nike Alternative High School Program to conduct their experiments. Nike students Alisa Bryant, Jose Diaz, Amber Evans, Cynthia Manzannares and Cara Milch spent the morning guiding their younger charges on a 1.5-hour tour. There were two touch stations set up inside the building. This allowed students to explore living marine organisms collected from local waters under a microscope. They also worked to identify samples of preserved marine organisms. Outside on the boardwalk, students used spotting scopes to observe local bird life. They also went into the marsh to observe marsh grasses and raccoon tracks and learn about the marsh ecosystem.

Upon returning to their classrooms, the third-graders completed a journal activity titled “Marsh Memories.” They were asked to reflect on their knowledge of marshes before and after the field trip and then discuss questions for further investigation about marshes.
 
Throughout the course of the school year, all third-grade students will have the opportunity to go on the field trip and visit this valuable natural resource.

PHOTOS:
Assisted by students from the Nike Alternative High School, Long Beach third-graders conducted experiments at the Nike Environmental Center.