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Sixth and seventh graders at Pierson Middle School recently participated in a Rube Goldberg Mystery Box Challenge. Broken into teams, the students opened a box full of mystery gadgets and knickknacks intended to help them create a contraption that would lead to popping a balloon. Slides, dominoes and marbles were some of the everyday household materials students got to work with. Middle and High School science teacher, Bill Raney, was joined by a few other students from grades six and 10 to judge the final team’s contraptions. COURTESY SAG HARBOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
Bridgehampton School sixth graders took a field trip to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City on May 17. While there, they learned about the history of aviation and about how forces and Newton's laws affect motion. They were accompanied on the trip by teachers Kam Kaiser and Juliana Pronesti. COURTESY BRIDGEHAMPTON SCHOOL
Springs School science teacher Sean Knight, teacher assistant Eileen Goldman and custodian Nick Nelson were recently honored with SCOPE Education Services awards in appreciation of their outstanding service. COURTESY SPRINGS SCHOOL
In Vesna Rothschild’s sixth grade class at Pierson Middle School, students conducted research on the mental and emotional effects of social media. In each sixth grade section, the students created a Google Slide presentation with solutions to the addictive and harmful elements of social media apps.
Starting with the documentary, “A Social Dilemma,” which highlights the dangers of social media on teenage mental and emotional development, the sixth-graders opened the floor to an in-depth discussion. To reinforce their points, they engaged in research on how social media apps are causing anxiety, depression and screen addiction amongst teens.
“They identified issues such as incessant scrolling, screen time controls and mean posts. The students were very creative and thoughtful, and had some elaborate solutions,” said Rothschild.
During their presentations, which was open to fellow students and teachers in the library, students presented solutions such as removing the like buttons so people do not become obsessed with how many likes they get and creating a video with all the hazards of social media that would be played every time you log on and before you can access your social media account.
“Almost everyone suggested banning TikTok,” said Rothschild.
With one study reporting that teenagers spend an average of eight hours and 39 minutes a day on screens, the Pierson sixth grade class is taking strides to gain control and understanding of the social media apps used daily.
Staff Writer on May 29, 2023