7th Grade Skyscraper Hotel Competition

Today, seventh graders competed in the 2015 NYC Hotel Skyscraper competition. Developers visited their architecture firms' booths and voted on the following categories:

-best skyscraper design 

-best skyscraper engineering 

-most creative use of building materials 

-architect award for best blueprint

-best in show 

They shared their 3D models and blueprints and explained their engineering techniques and design inspiration. Additionally, the students created travel guides for their hotel guests. Their brochures and posters were on display, and the blog urls are listed below the pictures.

Students were visited by a representative from Distrikt Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Our student's work was featured on the Distrikt Hotel blog, NYC Stoop Talk.

Travel Guide Blogs:

www.apollotheaterronaldgarcia.blogspot.com 

nytmguide.blogspot.com 

statueoflibertymosescohensoyer.blogspot.com  

http://stellareidm.wix.com/stellamstonewallinn
wonderwheel-gabbyc.BlogSpot.com
harperchalfinthehighline.BlogSpot.com
timessquarejlopez.BlogSpot.com
citifield-edwardwong.BlogSpot.com
gigagirl101.wix.com/pennstation-sarahf
themetopheliatucker.BlogSpot.com
brooklynbridgeemmashear.BlogSpot.com
thechryslerbuilding.BlogSpot.com
luluswsp.weebly.com
intrepidguide.BlogSpot.com
thehighlinetravelguide.BlogSpot.com
washingtonsquareparkmalinee.BlogSpot.com
margaretsangerclinicnaomisiegel.BlogSpot.com
bronxzoojeremymoller.BlogSpot.com
theunitednationsdeannasouchet.BlogSpot.com
strawberryfieldsguide.BlogSpot.com
cyclonezacharymiller.BlogSpot.com
taliyahevanspennstation.BlogSpot.com
gaiaxbeane.wis.com/Apollo-theater
grandcentralaryamenon.BlogSpot.com
dylanstimesquare.BlogSpot.com
dianagilstatenislandferry.BlogSpot.com

8th Grade Trip to the ICP

8th graders visited the ICP (International Center of Photography) to view the Sebastiao Salgado Genesis exhibit. Salgado's exhibit brings up the issue of environment and climate change through images of the untouched parts of the world. Students were challenged to think of different strategies of reaching their target audience for their cause marketing campaigns. Salgado uses positive images to change peoples' perceptions of important issues.

ICP staff encouraged our students to apply for the ICP Teen Academy if they are interested. The application can be found here. 

6th Public Place Visit and Whole Foods Tour

On a very chilly day this week, sixth graders visited "Public Place," a brownfield that they will redevelop during our second unit. A manufactured gas plant owned by Brooklyn Union Gas occupied the site from the 1860s to 1959. The plant contaminated the land; coal tar and other toxic materials are estimated to reach 120 feet underground.

 We got a Birdseye view of the plot of land from the subway platform on Smith and 9th. Next, the kids walked around the neighborhood paying special attention to land use to guide them in their rethinking of the brownfield. They looked for specific examples of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional structures and different types of infrastructure. This information about what the neighborhood currently has will be used to reimagine the area. Their project must be sustainable (using goals from PlaNYC 2030) and benefit the people who live, work, and play in the area.

Next, we visited Whole Foods on 3rd street at Third avenue, which is a forma t brownfield. A representative from the Whole Foods education department shared their sustainable building practices. 

6th Grade Queens Museum

The sixth graders visited the Queens Museum to view the Panorama of NYC, built for the World's Fair. They paid special attention to land use and city planning in preparation for their brownfield redesign. They also viewed the Watershed Model to understand an important part of our infrastructure: our drinking water.