Fifth and sixth grade students joined forces with students from the Bay Shore School District to put their remotely operated vehicles to the ultimate test in the open waters of the Great South Bay. After weeks of drafting, planning and hands-on engineering, it was finally time to see whether their creations would hover at the perfect depth to capture underwater video. Excitement ran high as each team launched their ROV and observed the results of their hard work. 

Upon returning to school, each team then delivered an elevator pitch to promote their ROV designs, as if they were marketing them to potential buyers. This phase of the project provided an opportunity for the students to practice persuasive communication and think critically about real-world applications for their innovations.  

Students in both districts not only deepened their understanding of engineering and marine science but realized that learning is more powerful when it’s hands-on, collaborative and a little bit wet. 

Click here to view the Remotely Operated Vehicles Put to the Test slideshow.
 
Date Added: 5/15/2025

Living on a barrier beach means learning to live with the ever-changing shoreline and preparing for the storms that shape it. Woodhull School third and fourth grade students recently became coastal engineers during an environmental education class, diving into the science behind seawalls and how these structures help protect coastal communities like Ocean Beach. 

The students were tasked with building a seawall strong enough to withstand erosion, using only everyday materials and a set budget. Working in small  groups, the students carefully considered how to get the most out of their “engineering funds,” balancing cost, design and function.  

Once their prototypes were built, the students tested their seawalls under simulated storm conditions. They measured the impact of erosion, observed the effects of weathering and reflected on how natural materials like rocks and minerals might make their designs even stronger. 

Through hands-on experimentation and thoughtful collaboration, these young engineers learned how science, creativity and sustainability come together to meet real-world challenges right in their own back yard. 

Click here to view the Young Coastal Engineers at Work slideshow.

Date Added: 5/13/2025

In a time-honored tradition, Woodhull School hosted the annual Earth Day Fashion Show. This year, the students’ imagination was in full bloom as they transformed castoff clothing and clean, repurposed trash into wearable works of fashionable art. The students then strutted the eco-friendly designs down the catwalk for all their peers to admire.

Soda cans became a matching necklace, belt and earrings set and were collected by teacher Karen McNulty for donation to the Ronald McDonald House. Designs also featured plastic eggs, basket wrap and bunnies bouncing down the runway as skirts and bonnets. One student fashioned a newspaper tricorn and aluminum foil cut outs to become a swashbuckling pirate.

Every student brought their outfit to life, creating an Earth Day celebration that could rival the energy of New York Fashion Week.

Date Added: 5/5/2025

The school’s new sewing club launched last week and fifth and sixth grade members were excited to learn sewing skills that transcend age and gender.  

Before being allowed to use a sewing machine, the students learned essential foundational skills such as tracing patterns onto fabric, cutting with precision, threading needles and trying their hands at basic stitching. When they finally sat down at the sewing machines, the students discovered that control was more important than speed and a gentle foot on the pedal made all the difference.  

The students’ first creations were soft, fluffy pillows. With each project, these young creators stitched together confidence, creativity and a new appreciation for the art of making something by hand.  

Click here to view the Thready for Anything slideshow.


Date Added: 4/21/2025

Danielle Flaumenhaft’s fifth and sixth grade students scrambled into action with an “eggs-traordinary” challenge. The students were tasked with protecting a raw egg from cracking or breaking after being dropped from increasing heights during an egg drop experiment. 

Equipped with their knowledge of physics and engineering, they designed protective contraptions that minimize the impact of force brought on by a drop, inviting creativity, teamwork, and trial and error. Some of the contraptions included a parachute aimed to reduce kinetic energy through increased air resistance. Others took a more structural approach by nestling their egg inside sturdy outer shells like plastic pencil cases or tin cans, cushioned with cotton balls or foam to absorb shock.  

Throughout the process, students analyzed their results, spotted flaws, revised their plans and talked through improvements. By the final drop, the students were “egg-static” to see which designs held up and which ones cracked under pressure. They learned that thoughtful design, budget awareness and creative thinking can make a real impact. Most importantly, they learned that the experiment was about cracking open the process of engineering and discovering that learning sometimes comes from the splat as much as the success.

Click here to view the Scrambling for an ‘Egg-cellent’ Egg Drop slideshow.

Date Added: 4/15/2025