Author: JOHN KOCH

Second grade students at Allapattah Flats K-8 School were treated with a very special guest visitor recently. Former Allapattah Flats principal Patti Heffelfinger visited the school and read the popular holiday story “The Polar Express” to the students. After listening to the story, students completed a project to show the sequence of events that occurred throughout the book. Pictured is Ms. Heffelfinger, right, as she captivates students with her reading.

Third grade students at Allapattah Flats K8 School recently got up close and personal with Florida’s native wildlife and ecosystem on a trip to the 4-H Farm. Students were able to view gardens, rain barrels, and hydroponics. Cows and donkeys were just some of the animals students were able to touch. In the herb garden, students were educated on how herbs are used in cooking as well as being able to smell the various herbs. Pictured are Trey Devercelly, left, and Hannah Hudson.

Allapattah Flats K-8 students recently held their own student-led conferences, proudly showing off their work for the first nine weeks of school. During these conferences, students were able to show a parent or staff member their academic performance on things such as their classroom work and grades, benchmark scores, and progress for the first quarter. Students also discussed how they achieved their grades, what grades they plan to get next quarter, and their plan to improve academically. Some 180 parents attended a conference with their students to get more deeply involved and hear from their child about their school progress. Pictured … Read More

Eighth grade students at Allapattah Flats K8 School recently created traditional Thanksgiving native headpieces with a twist with the Kids at Hope philosophy as a twist. After reflecting on the four destinations of Kids at Hope — home and family, community and service, hobbies and recreation, and education and career — students listed what they were hopeful for, and then wrote down one reflection per feather. Pictured are students with their “hopegiving” feathers.

Allapattah Flats K8 recently held its annual Hispanic Heritage Night. Guests who attended were treated to an authentic Hispanic dish, student performances from band and chorus, a student dance performance that crossed grade levels, and a student PowerPoint presentation on a notable Hispanic figure. Guests were also taught how to create a PowerPoint in 12 simple steps from technology instructor John Koch.  The event was very student-oriented, as behind the scenes students were video recording the performances and running the lights and sound. Pictured are students and families enjoy the musical performance.

Third grade students at Allapattah Flats K8 School continue to demonstrate their scientific minds. Recently, students had an opportunity to travel to other classrooms and participate in five different experiments related to matter. Students did experiments with oobleck to demonstrate the states of matter. Another experiment demonstrated the chemical change when a penny is dipped in a vinegar and salt solution. Students made connections relating the Statue of Liberty’s copper material to the copper in a penny. Pictured, from right, are Raul Andrews, Mea Quinones, and Miguel Sanchez.

Fifth grade students from Allapattah Flats K8 School recently visited the Oxbow Eco-center in Port Saint Lucie. The Oxbow staff presentations provided students with information about the importance of water-conservation, nature preservation and the maintenance of “natural Florida”. During their visit, students had the unique opportunity to enhance their understanding of Florida’s complex eco-system through the use of hands-on activities and animated presentations. Pictured are students enjoying the staff presentation.

Students in grades kindergarten, first, and second grade at Allapattah Flats K-8 School watched a special performance titled “Men in Plaid: The Kilowatt Connection.” The performance was put on by The National Theatre for Children and it was sponsored by Florida Power and Light. The performers conveyed important messages to students about energy conservation in order to make the world a better place. Pictured, from left, are Kaylee Harris from Kylee Dvorak’s second grade class and visiting performers Zack and Nate.

First graders at Allapattah Flats K-8 are investigating about fire safety with the help of retired Indian River County Fire Department Battalion Chief John Freeman.  Mr. Freeman read an informational text about firefighters and their responsibilities. He also brought his bunker gear including a helmet, boots, pants, coat, and gloves to show the first graders how firefighters stay safe. Students vigorously asked him questions about his gear, job, and his bravery.

Students in Joe Kline’s eighth grade science classes at Allapattah Flats K-8 have been recently studying atoms. The students completed a hands-on science lab where they created atoms from clay. Students had to create the protons, neutrons, and electrons. In addition, they are building their own periodic table using their own elements — all while calculating the important parts of the atom. Pictured, from left, are Jordan Williams and Matthew Madera.

As part of their science curriculum, students in Bethany DiTullio’s fourth grade class at Allapattah Flats K8 recently studied physical and chemical changes of matter. As a culminating activity, the students performed four different experiments using baking soda and vinegar, salt and water, glow sticks, and crumbling paper. Students then decided whether a physical or chemical change occurred in each experiment based on their observations and knowledge. Students filled out their lab sheets with hypotheses, observations, and data as they went. Pictured, from left, are Chloe Perlmutter, Kyleigh Reese, and Christopher Daley.

Third grade students at Allapattah Flats K-8 School have been studying scientific investigations. To get the students excited about science as well as to practice the scientific procedures, teachers and students conducted a scientific investigation using Diet Coke and Mentos. The students enjoyed seeing the experiment and it reinforced their skills and encouraged them to hypothesize, write detailed steps, and write a conclusion. Pictured are students from Amy Rittenhouse’s class.

Allapattah Flats K-8 School recently held its annual Title 1 and Curriculum Night. Parents and students were treated to a pasta dinner and given a Title 1 presentation. After the presentation, parents were then able to break out into different sessions held by grade groups and departments where they could learn about what their students were going to be learning and participating in throughout the school year.  Pictured, from left, are teachers Mallory Ziegler, Nicholas Spagnuolo, and Ann Hartman.

Allapattah Flats fifth grade students use the steps of the scientific method to determine which household items, such as nail polish remover, vinegar, and tiki torch fluid, would continue to burn when put in water. This activity enhanced students’ learning about scientific inquiry and also prepared them for creating their own scientific investigations. Pictured is a demonstration by fifth grade teacher Kenya McGriff.