Ink and Paws

Each month, we’ll share all the exciting things happening at Bardonia including awesome stories, creative poems, amazing artwork, and so much more! It’s a fun way to see what our students are learning, making, and discovering all around our school.

We hope you enjoy catching up on all things Bardonia Elementary. Have a spooktacular and Happy Halloween! 👻🎉

On a nice fall day in October a man named Brad grew a pumpkin. He was trying to win Sawlington’s Biggest Pumpkin Competition. The day before the competition Wyatt told Brad that he was not going to win because he had the smallest pumpkin in town. Brad woke up and his pumpkin was 8 feet wide and 6 feet tall. He drove to the competition and saw some other big pumpkins. When the judges came to his booth they said, “Wow that pumpkin is big!” Brad was in the top 3. The top 3 were Wyatt, Brad and John. 3rd place Wyatt, 2nd place John and the winner is Brad! Brad got 5 hundred pieces of candy and a first place medal.

On Halloween morning everyone was getting into their costumes. Ivy and Taylor were getting ready together. When they were finished they met up with Bean. They started to walk to school. On the way they picked up Pumpkin at her house. Those four are the best friends in the whole school. When they got to school everything was normal. Pumpkin found spooky {normal}. Bean got breakfast {normal}. Ivy gave Ms.October a hug {normal} and Taylor got a Dojo point for doing what she was told {normal}. Then Bean noticed Benny was not in his normal spot. She thought someone moved him but no! She walked back to class. Later that day Pumpkin saw Benny through the window on the door. Then there was an alert that he was walking and alive. Winston was like, “I’m not hiding.” Then Benny saw him and kicked the door down. He said “I see you Winston.” Taylor said you should have hidden. Winston was so scared. Then the security was even scared. “What is happening?” Pumpkin asked. Pumpkin was the youngest in the class and the easiest to scare. Then the weirdest thing happened. A kid took a hat off. It was just a costume. Everyone started to laugh. That was the best Halloween the friends ever had. Ms.October woke up and told her dog,“I’m not going to school today.”

One day I went to the mall with my friend Mia. Mia and I wanted to go to the Squishy store but my sister doesn't care about Squishies. So we did rock, paper, scissors and I won, obviously. So, we went to a couple of Squishy stores and I got the Gumdrop Nee Doh at Chill Stop. At first I didn't like it because it was too hard. But, then I liked it because it got softer and softer. Then, we went to another Squishy store and I saw the Fuzzball Nee Doh and I wanted it so bad. But, I already used all my money.Then, we went to Sephora to look for skincare and then we went home. I called her when she got home

and we played Roblox.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Hannah and she wanted to go on her boat with her little sister named Leah. Hannah got into her sailor’s outfit. They packed a couple of things. Then they set sail. The water was a little choppy and the girls didn’t feel that well so they looked at the water and they saw something big. Something really big, almost like a monster. The girls jumped back in amazement. Leah said, “Was that a monster?” Hannah said straight away, “Yeah Leah like no duh.” Leah rolled her eyes. The girls were going on and on when they suddenly saw some water in the boat. Then they saw more water. Suddenly they realized something was going on. They realized that they were starting to sink. Hannah said, “Are we sinking?” Then Leah finally got her back when she said, “ Well duh Hannah.” Then Hannah started to stress and eat everything they had packed. Leah said, “Girl you’re eating all my food.” Then they saw something pop up out of the bottom of their boat. It was the monster they saw in the water before. The girls screamed. Then the monster popped back in the water and he created a giant hole in the boat. The boat was sinking faster than ever. The bottom of Hannah’s pants were starting to get wet from all the water in the boat. The boat was about to fully sink but when Hannah closed her eyes and then reopened them she was in her bed and Leah was shaking her and telling her to get up. Hannah was so confused but before she could say anything to Leah she had left the room with a smile on her face. When she got up out of bed she realized she was in her sailor’s outfit and her pants were still wet. So was it a dream or not?

One day there were four friends playing at one of their houses.They were having so much fun until something happened. It was really bad all of the girls were so scared because there were zombies. The zombies looked so familiar and it was because they knew them.Well it was their other friends IN fourth grade! They said, “Come with us we were about to go to the zombie run!” The zombies said that they were sick and tired of waiting to be zombies so they ate all of the fifth graders. So then they became the zombies instead of the fifth graders!

Introduction

Once upon a time there were three cheerleaders. They were sisters. The oldest sister's name was Lily. She was very nice and that reminds me of Rachel. She is the middle child and she was very energetic in a good way.Oh no we can’t forget Mia the youngest sister. She is brave. One Halloween they saw a very realistic costume that spooked them on Halloween night.

Chapter 2

Halloween Night

All three cheerleaders Lily, Rachel, and Mia went trick or treating with their friends .They had a blast and they sipped hot chocolate while popping candy in their bags. Rachel loved the sound of Halloween. Every year she would help her neighbors on Wonder Street decorate. The three sisters heard a zombie. It was their baby brother. The sisters picked his costume. The baby’s name was Lil Timmy.

Chapter 3

Spooky Cake Surprise

The girls were eating their candy until it was cake time. Every year the neighborhood gathers around to eat the most spooky cake. You're probably wondering who made it?Nobody made the cake they bought it from the best bakery in the world. The cake had ghosts and bats on it. The cake was delicious and beautiful. Then they sang their Halloween song they sing every year after cake. Then everyone said, “Happy Halloween to everyone on Wonder Street. We hope you have a great Halloween!”

Chapter 4

The Pumpkin Run

Everyone grabbed their pumpkins and decorated. Lily did a dog, Rachel did a witch and Mia did a watermelon. When they finished decorating they had a race while holding their pumpkins. Most people tried to get the lighter ones but usually they didn't get them. While they ran they trick or treated.

Chapter 5

Spooky Sleepover

The three cheerleaders got invited to a sleepover. On the way there they came across a zombie!!They were so so scared. Then they got chased by the zombie but little did they notice it was their dad. He said, “Boo!” Everyone laughed then went for ice cream.

The End…

About the author

Hi my name is Anaya. I am 9 years old and in 4th grade. I have a sister named Lily and a dog named Ariel. My favorite colors are pink and white. I’m allergic to nuts. My birthday is in October!

Prologue⬇

It all started with 2 seeds, both very small but very important.The farmer who planted them was very wise and he planted them where it was not too sunny but not too shady. The soil was soft and it had just rained.The 2 seeds had many life forms. The farmer planted them in the top right corner of his gigantic yard, that's where I, Maple, was born.

Part 1: The Start⬇

Hi i’m Maple and I’m inside 1 of the 2 seeds we just talked about in the prologue. Right now I'm at the top of the seed with all of my sisters and brothers. At the bottom of the seed is where the roots are. A few days ago the roots started to form underground even further than we are!

My Mom (even though we were born on the same day) said, “Do you want to be a leaf, flower bud, another seed, or all?”

Maple thought about it but she kept thinking, Aren't I going to be all?

Part 2: Growing⬇

1 week later… The roots were at least 2 feet deep and a seedling was forming.The seedling was from the other seed. Maple saw this happen and eventually his seed did that, too. Only one of his sisters became a stem, but his brothers were becoming leaves. He kept thinking that since his brothers were all leaves that he'd be one, too. Unfortunately, he never became a spring leaf.

“Why is this happening to me,” he said, “how come I’m not a leaf?”

He thought since he wasn’t a leaf right now, that he would never be a leaf, ever!

Another week went by but he still didn’t become a leaf, or really anything. He started to travel up the stem to see if that would turn him into anything. Surprisingly it helped, but he only turned a growing particle. ):

“Why, why, why,” Maple cried. “Am I the only one who is a tiny particle? I want to be a leaf!”

Part 3: The Tree⬇

The seedling in the ground then turned into a trunk that gained bark which then had its upper tree body and then some sticks with flower buds. After that, it made summer leaves.

Maple thought that he was going to stay a particle until he realized he could move since the tree was bigger. So, that's what he did. It took a few days, but eventually he got up there and he actually became a leaf. He was so happy, but so exhausted, that he just closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Part 4: Autumn Is Here!⬇

Summer leaves turned to fall leaves, and pumpkins were around. Maple was happy because he really, really, really wanted to be a fall leaf. When Maple saw his mom, she was a growing particle, and he thought,
“Seems like it was good to be a particle, because they help trees grow and be healthy.” He was happy being a leaf. Besides, he didn’t want to lose his spot!

“I am a leaf, I am a leaf,” he sang, “woohoo!”

What Maple did not know was that he’d have to fall during Autumn, so that's what happened. He was not the first leaf to fall. As a matter of fact, he was almost last. He saw his brothers and sisters fall, and was actually scared about it, even though he was towards the bottom of the tree. He was very smart and this tree was the biggest in the park. He estimated that he was at least 12 feet high!

“Oh no, oh no,”he cried, “no, no, no, no, no, no, noooooo!!!! MOM, MOM do you see them falling?” he yelled, but his mom was too far away to hear him scream.

Part 5: The Fall

“No, no, noooo!!! I feel the wind, I feel the wind!!!”

Maple was horrified, so he started making his way to the end of the leaf. Remember, it took him 3-4 days just to make it to the tree's upper body. Sadly, he did not make it to the end.😥 The leaf began its way down to the ground.

“Wait! Wait! Don't fall! Don’t fall! Maple cried.

What he did not know was that the leaf was flat, so he swayed his way down to the ground.

“Phew,” said Maple on his way down. “Might as well sing my way down. La, La, La, La, AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!”

Part 6: OH NO!!!

“Get away from me you person! Leave, leave, please, please!” Maple cried, and cried. But he knew it was no use. A kid at the park grabbed him, as one does when they have nothing to do. The kid who grabbed Maple was running around and doing whatever he wanted. He was jumping, doing cartwheels, pulling on grass, and now grabbing leaves. He dropped all the leaves, but did not drop Maple. The kid brought Maple back to his house.

“I guess I'm the chosen one,” he chuckled, even though he was still frightened.

Leaves curl up in the winter, so that's what he did. After all, it was very cold in the house.

Once upon a time I was trick or treating with my friends around me and my friends' neighborhoods.The first house we went to was old with bricks. When we knocked on the door an old lady with fangs opened the door. She was really creepy but that’s what Halloween is all about. So, when we said “trick or treat” she said, “trick,” which was awkward but then she actually did a trick but it was lame so me and my friends just pretended we were amazed. Then we just left without any candy….sadly!!!

Then we went to a house that looked abandoned on Bardonia Road. When we got closer to the door there were a lot of spider webs, 2 black cats and moss. Eventually we got to the door and when we knocked on the door no one answered the door. Three minutes later someone answered the door,but this time it was a man.The man looked like he was in his 80’s and this time when we said, “trick or treat,” he gave us candy unlike the lady.

After we left the “abandoned” house I hopped into my friend Brayden's car and then went to his development and trick or treated there while my family went back to my house and my friends went back to their houses. Eventually we got to his neighborhood and started trick or treating.The first few houses we went to were normal.Then we approached a house that had a haunted maze where people were chasing visitors. I asked my friend Brayden if he wanted to go in with me and he said, Yes!” So then we went into the maze.For the first minute no one was chasing us until one guy with a face mask jumped out behind a wall and started chasing us.Then we finally escaped the maze, and continued trick or treating. Twenty minutes later…It was getting dark out and we were calling it a night. So Brayden and his mom drove me home. When I got home my mom and Brayden’s mom were talking,so I asked him if he wanted to play in my house until our parents finished talking. So, we played inside my house for 20 minutes. Half the time we were eating our candy and the other half we played in my basement.Then his mom told him he had to go so we said, “Goodbye,” and he left. After they left, my mom told me I had to go to bed. So I did.

Happy Halloween!!!

Ingredients

Ghosts:

4 firm, ripe bananas

8 lollipop or ice pop sticks

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 teaspoons coconut oil

24 chocolate chips

Dip:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)

1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Candy spiders, for decorating, optional

Directions

Monsters:

6 ounces dark-green candy melting wafers

1 to 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening, if needed

1/2 cup dark-green sanding sugar, plus more as needed

12 large strawberries with green tops, rinsed and dried well

24 small candy eyeballs

1 ounce chocolate chips, optional

Ghosts:

6 ounces white candy melting wafers

1 to 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening, if needed

12 large strawberries with green tops, rinsed and dried well

1 ounce black candy melting wafers or chocolate chips

Pumpkins:

6 ounces orange candy melting wafers

1 to 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening, if needed

12 large strawberries with green tops, rinsed and dried well

1 ounce chocolate chips

First grade went to Cropsey Farm to learn about planting seeds to make flowers, vegetables & fruits! They made their own seed balls to plant at home in the spring.

They even got to feed & pet goats, pigs, hens & chickens! First grade had a fantastic time on the farm!

🚀 5th Grade Enrichment Update: Mission to Mars!

Our fifth graders have been exploring all things Mars during Enrichment, and their learning has been truly out of this world! 🌎🔴

Students have been learning about NASA’s Perseverance Rover and how it explores the Martian landscape, using advanced scientific tools to collect information and send data back to Earth. Inspired by this incredible mission, our students put their creativity and engineering skills to work by designing and building their own Mars rovers!

Students created a unique rover equipped with essential tools and features, such as cameras, X-ray technology, solar panels, and other innovative gadgets to help their rover carry out its mission. Their designs showcased impressive creativity, thoughtful problem-solving, and a growing understanding of how science and technology help us explore beyond Earth.

What’s next on our Martian adventure? Students will investigate the concept of drag and explore how engineers design spacecraft to slow down and land safely on Mars.

Our exploration of the Red Planet is just beginning! Stay tuned for more exciting discoveries from our fifth-grade Enrichment scientists and engineers. 🚀

4th Grade News: Starting Our Native American Unit with Ozobots!

We’re kicking off our Native American unit in a fun and exciting way! This month, 4th graders got to work with Ozobots...tiny, smart robots that can follow codes and paths. First, the kids practiced by coding a map that was given to them. Then, they got creative and made their own maps for friends to try and solve!

Next up, we’ll be building with Legos and working with energy. After that, we’ll dive into learning about Native American history and culture, along with some cool new engineering projects. It’s going to be a fun, hands-on adventure!

🌿 Rainforest Engineering Challenge! 🌧️

We’ve been exploring the rainforest and learning about the mighty Amazon River! Did you know that there are relatively NO bridges crossing the Amazon because the river can become so wide and its water levels can rise dramatically?

We also discovered that many homes in the region are built on stilts to help protect them from rising water. These homes need to be strong enough to withstand wind, heavy rain, and sometimes flooding!

Now, we’re putting our engineering skills to the test! We’ve started building our own house prototypes to see if they can hold weight and stand up to wind. We began with just five index cards...and you won’t believe how much weight those five little cards were able to hold! 🏠

As part of Cybersecurity Week, second-grade students in Mrs. Savino’s library class at Bardonia Elementary enjoyed a reading of Ollie Outside, written by Michael Oberschneider, Psy.D., and illustrated by Guy Wolek.

In Ollie Outside, Ollie builds a fort out of a cardboard box while his family is so busy on their screens that they don’t even notice! The story inspired students to get creative and plan their own dream forts, complete with swimming pools and helicopter pads. What fun ideas!

Congratulations to Selena, our Mystery Student of the Week!
She earned a prize for following all the library rules and she had a great response to the book!!! Way to go, Selena!

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is a fun outdoor Halloween event in New York where you can see thousands of glowing, hand-carved pumpkins! The pumpkins are set up in amazing shapes and scenes and some even move and light up to music. It all takes place on cool historic grounds, and you can enjoy tasty treats and spooky drinks at places like the Gourd & Goblet or the Headless Horseman's Hideaway. It's a magical night full of lights, laughs, and Halloween fun!

Catch the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton on Hudson, NY until November 8th!!! 🎃