STEM

Spring Visual Art Exhibit: Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Art, Robotics, and Music

March 31, 2025 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, innovation and exploration are at the heart of student learning, encouraging creativity across disciplines. This year, the Spring Visual Art Exhibit highlights an exciting collaboration between the Visual Arts, Music, and Robotics programs, showcasing how technology and artistic expression can intersect in meaningful ways.

The theme for this year’s exhibit, Carnival of the Animals, is inspired by the compositions of Saint-Saëns. Subject Expert Art Teachers Ms. Nichols and Ms. Shi selected the music first before assigning each grade level two pieces as inspiration for their artwork. This theme provided students with an opportunity to explore both the musical and visual aspects of the animals, blending their creativity with themes of nature and sound.

The new Robotics program, introduced this year by Subject Expert Engineering Teacher Ms. Bhatnagar, played a key role in this interdisciplinary effort. It is the first robotics program at any BASIS Independent campus in the Bay Area to be integrated into the curriculum rather than offered solely as an after-school program. Through this program, students in Grades 1-4 have been introduced to the fundamentals of robotics and computer science. Using the Finch Robot by BirdBrain Technologies, students developed computational thinking skills and applied coding concepts in tangible ways. With features such as a micro:bit, sensors, LEDs, motors, and a pen holder, the Finch Robot became an invaluable tool for incorporating robotics into various subjects, including art.

Once the exhibit theme was established, Grade 4 Engineering students collaborated with the Art department, using robots to create animal-themed artwork for the show. They first learned how the robots functioned, explored new coding environments, and applied mathematical concepts such as angles, shapes, and coordinates to program them. As a final challenge, they coded the robots to create circular patterns—an advanced function that required precise speed adjustments. Through this process, students reinforced their understanding of geometry and coding and discovered how technology can enhance creative expression.

Music was also an integral part of the learning experience. Students listened to the musical movements corresponding to the animals in their artwork. For example, students who worked on lions studied “The Royal March of the Lion” from Carnival of the Animals. They followed a listening map to identify which instruments were featured, answered questions about the composition, and learned about Saint-Saëns. These activities were woven into lesson plans across grade levels, allowing students to make deeper connections between music and visual storytelling. Subject Expert Music Teachers, Ms. Gao, Ms. Zhang, and Mr. Robbins, guided students through these exercises, enriching their artistic interpretations through sound.

Across all grades, students explored a diverse range of mediums and techniques to bring their artwork to life. These included making playdoh molds for plaster, wax resist techniques with watercolor, oil pastel drawings, negative space painting, metal tooling, and paper quilling. By experimenting with different materials, students were able to capture texture, movement, and emotion in their representations of the animals from Carnival of the Animals.

Throughout the exhibit, Carnival of the Animals will play on a continuous loop, enhancing the immersive experience and bringing the artwork to life. It is hoped that the musical backdrop enhances the experience, allowing viewers to engage more deeply with the pieces and develop a greater appreciation for the interdisciplinary connections between sound, art, and technology.

Reflecting on the experience leading up to the show, Ms. Nichols shared, “One of my favorite parts of being an art teacher is watching my students experience awe. Awe in not just great works of art, but also in the potential they see in their own creativity as their knowledge expands. The wonderful thing about the art showcase is that parents get to be part of that experience.”

We look forward to welcoming parents to the Spring Visual Art Exhibit on Friday, April 11, as we celebrate the creativity and dedication of our students. We encourage families to listen to Carnival of the Animals beforehand to extend the learning experience at home and gain a deeper appreciation for the inspiration behind the exhibit.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bobcat community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Finding an Elementary School in NYC: The Checklist for Parents

March 6, 2025 by christineklayman Leave a Comment

Finding the right NYC private school is challenging, especially on the Upper West Side. With a myriad of options, it is no wonder parents seek guidance. To help you find the perfect Manhattan elementary school for your child, we have created a comprehensive checklist.

As a top independent school in Manhattan, we offer a challenging and enriching curriculum led by expert educators.
Our approach to lower school education equally emphasizes social-emotional learning, including critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Our convenient UWS location provides a unique and supportive learning environment for families.

Review this checklist to see how BASIS Independent Manhattan checks all the boxes!

Teachers: Passion and Expertise

We believe in the power of expert-led instruction. Our students in grades 1-4 benefit from 50-minute classes in core subjects like math, science, English, and Social Studies/History, taught by passionate Subject Expert Teachers (SETs). These experts bring their deep knowledge to the classroom, igniting a love of learning. Complementing the SETs is our Learning Expert Teacher (LET), a dedicated educator who is the guiding force for students, providing personalized support and ensuring each child thrives. This unique model allows for both expert instruction and individualized attention, a hallmark of our world-acclaimed primary program.

An Advanced Curriculum with Essential Enrichment

Beyond the core subjects, our curriculum includes essential classes: engineering, Mandarin, visual arts, drama, and music, fostering well-rounded development. Our commitment to comprehensive liberal arts-focused education with STEM offerings ensures that students are challenged and engaged.

Social-Emotional Learning: Nurturing the Whole Child

We believe academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with social-emotional growth. Our PurposeFull People curriculum, powered by Character Strong, develops essential soft skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation for students in PreK-Grade 5. Our dedicated Student Affairs team delivers these lessons, supports students, and guides parents throughout their child’s academic journey.

Active Learning and Play

We cater to the age and stage of children while providing them with what they need — physical activity and outdoor play. They have periods of study and focus, which are broken up by three 20-minute recesses during the school day. Our daily schedule also includes P.E., ensuring students have ample opportunities for play and movement. After-school clubs, ranging from soccer and tennis to arts and STEM, further promote active engagement.

Transparency and Community: A Different Approach

At BASIS Independent Manhattan, transparency and community are at our core. Unlike many NYC private schools, we do not engage in traditional fundraising. We believe in providing an exceptional education without the added pressure of constant requests. This empowers families to invest in our vibrant community in ways that are meaningful and aligned with their commitments, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

Get Parent Reviews

Nowadays, more and more families scour the internet for school recommendations to find the perfect fit. Sites like Niche.com use anonymous reviews and rankings to provide “the good, the bad, and the honest.”

Here are a few excerpts from recent BASIS Independent Manhattan reviews written by our current families:

“A great school which balances out an academic focus with play and creative time for the kids.”
“A hidden gem in NYC, that’s for sure.”
“A great choice for families seeking a rigorous academic program with amazing support.”
“Academics are second-to-none, teachers are caring and helpful, kids are challenged and happy.”
“I would recommend attending an info session. If it doesn’t seem right for your kid, you will know it. If it does, apply, you won’t regret it!”

Visit Our School

Experience BASIS Independent Manhattan firsthand. Meet our passionate teachers, interact with current students and parents, and learn more about our unique approach. Discover why we are among the best schools in Manhattan for grades PreK-5 and a leading choice for UWS families seeking exceptional education.

BASIS Independent Manhattan, a private school offering PreK through Grade 12, is based in Manhattan, New York. Students thrive alongside Subject Expert Teachers as they engage in a liberal arts program with STEM offerings.

A Day in the Life of a BASIS Independent Manhattan Kindergartener: Where Learning is Playful and Purposeful

January 30, 2025 by editor Leave a Comment

Picture a day filled with laughter, learning, and boundless curiosity. That is a typical day in the life of a kindergartener at BASIS Independent Manhattan. With our small class sizes, outstanding teacher-student ratio, and world-inspired curriculum, we believe in nurturing the whole child through joyful teaching, social-emotional learning, and support for students to achieve their highest potential.

Let us peek into a typical day and find out more about what it is like to be a BASIS Independent Manhattan kindergartner.

A Schedule Built for Success

Our thoughtfully designed daily schedule ensures a balanced blend of academics, social-emotional learning, and physical activity.

8:00 a.m. Morning Meeting

The day begins with community time in Morning Meeting, where routines like discussing the date, weather, and daily schedule set the tone for learning. Then, kindergarteners dive into a focused math block. On any given day they could cover lessons like adding two numbers, subtracting zero, and subtracting a number from itself. They also use tactile activities to learn how to tell time, skip count, measure, or understand the value of coins.

What are Dojo points?

Our Early Learning Expert Teachers (LET) implement differentiation by splitting the class into two groups based on level to provide support and advancement. For example, those eager learners ready for a higher-level concept take on the “Top Ten” grade 1 level problems that prepare them for the next academic year. These activities not only reinforce learning but also motivate students with opportunities to earn Dojo points.

Recess (15 mins)

Now it is time to get outside and get moving! Students head to our spacious outdoor terrace where they have active playtime (developing essential gross motor skills), while also navigating social dynamics (learning the importance of cooperation, sharing, and conflict resolution). After expending the necessary energy, they are ready to return to academics.

9:25 AM – Mandarin and Essentials

Mandarin lessons come alive through singing, storytelling, and hands-on crafts, that immerse students in the vibrant Chinese culture. They actively engage both sides of their brains through visual and creative activities, helping them think critically and connect ideas across different subjects.

The arts are just as important as academics, and students benefit from a daily rotation of our Essentials classes, which include drama, music, visual arts, and engineering. Our unique two-teacher model allows students to dive deep into these subjects with our Subject Expert Teachers (SETs), who have specialized degrees in their respective fields.

10:25 AM – Literacy

Kindergarteners explore storytelling and start writing! A special “Writing Boot Camp” has our budding authors tackling missions to earn star badges. They brainstorm imaginative story ideas, plan narratives, create sentences, and identify nouns and verbs.

Students take on exciting writing adventures, crawl through obstacle courses, go on sentence-fixing hunts, and don ‘writer’s helmets’ for inspiration. By the end of an exhilarating week of boot camp, students have reviewed sentence writing fundamentals and can proudly craft a personal narrative’s beginnings.

11:30 AM – Lunch and Recess

Lunch is a time for social connections, whether students bring meals from home or enjoy healthy options from our partner, Butter Beans. Then, more outdoor play!

12:25 PM – Phonics & Centers

At BASIS Independent Manhattan, we use the Logic of English and Heggerty programs to help students master phonics, surpass reading benchmarks, and build confidence in reading, writing, and spelling. Each day, a “Heggerty Hero” leads a fun warm-up to practice phonemic awareness, with one standout student earning the coveted Hedgie the hedgehog as a reward.

1:30 PM – Physical Education

Having daily P.E. classes means more than just exercise. Here, coaches instill valuable life skills like teamwork, sportsmanship, and following instructions while fostering a love of movement and healthy habits.

Recess (15 mins)

Another chance to recharge with fresh air and free play!

2:30 PM – Civics, History & Science Foundation

These blocks cover everything from space, oceans, and continents, to world discovery and history. Lessons often follow student interests, keeping curiosity at the heart of learning.

One final period allows for activities or crafts. Each Friday, a parent/guardian surprises the class with a read-aloud session in a Mystery Reader series, fostering family involvement in the classroom and a love for reading!

Cross-Curricular Learning in Action

In one interdisciplinary project, kindergarten became ‘Detectives in Training’ seamlessly combining math and literacy to solve a mystery. Using the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why), they analyzed clues, solved math challenges, and honed literacy skills like making inferences. This activity exemplifies how our curriculum fosters critical thinking and demonstrates the interconnectedness of different subjects.

Learning Through Play: A Holistic Approach

At BASIS Independent Manhattan, learning is joyful and engaging. Our curriculum is designed to foster a love of learning while nurturing the whole child. By blending advanced academics, social-emotional learning, and creative exploration, our kindergartners develop a strong foundation for future success.

What Our Parents Are Saying

When our daughter came to BASIS Independent Manhattan, she did not know English. She is now in her second year here and she has learned to speak English very well. We have been so impressed to see her master the alphabet and begin reading.
Ekaterina M.
We feel that the STEM approach BASIS Independent Schools takes at such an early stage has given our little one a slight edge/a head start as he begins elementary school!
Ameya B.
Since joining the Early Learning Program, I’ve noticed significant growth in my child’s academic and social skills.
Tiffany J.
When our daughter came to BASIS Independent Manhattan, she did not know English. She is now in her second year here and she has learned to speak English very well. We have been so impressed to see her master the alphabet and begin reading.
Ekaterina M.
We feel that the STEM approach BASIS Independent Schools takes at such an early stage has given our little one a slight edge/a head start as he begins elementary school!
Ameya B.
Since joining the Early Learning Program, I’ve noticed significant growth in my child’s academic and social skills.
Tiffany J.
When our daughter came to BASIS Independent Manhattan, she did not know English. She is now in her second year here and she has learned to speak English very well. We have been so impressed to see her master the alphabet and begin reading.
Ekaterina M.

These are just a few examples of the positive impact our Early Learning Program has on our young learners. We are proud to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment where every child can thrive.

The Senior Project, the pinnacle of the BASIS Curriculum, is a prestigious program where students undertake an off-campus research project or internship of their choice during the final trimester of their senior year.

Each senior selects a BASIS Independent Schools faculty member as an advisor and collaborates with an external mentor at their research site. They develop comprehensive project plans, compile bibliographies of resources, and create personal syllabi, all of which must be approved by a committee of teachers and administrators.

At the end of the trimester, students return to campus to present their findings to peers, staff, and parents. To stay engaged with the school community during their time in the field, students blog about their experiences throughout the project.

To explore a sample of this year’s STEM Senior Projects and to access a link to their blogs, keep reading below.

AKSHAYA A.

PROJECT TITLE: A Combination Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PROJECT LOCATION: BioCurious

ABSTRACT: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with a mortality rate of 51.6 per 100,000 for men and 34.4 per 100,000 for women. Out of these, about 85% of cases are non-small cell lung cancer, a more common and less aggressive type. Yet, treatments for lung cancer are not extremely effective in combating the lung cancer cells. This project focuses on immunotherapy, a type of treatment used for cancers that essentially activates T-cells to attack cancer cells. With my project, I hope to find a novel potential treatment for non-small cell lung cancer that is also cheaper for people to use. This experiment can help increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatment in lung cancer by combining two natural compounds, curcumin and quercetin, that have been known for their immune modulatory effects. This project employs a proliferation assay, called the alamar blue or resazurin assay, in order to take the data measurements – which measures the metabolic activity by measuring fluorescence. The expectation is that the combination treatment will lead to the best data points, meaning the lowest fluorescence, because it will kill more of the cancer cells. In the future, if the combination therapy works, this could be incredibly important in unlocking new and cost-effective treatments for the disease, although it would require a lot more research. Research for this project is conducted at Biocurious under my onsite mentor, Dr. Ulrike Pflueckhahn, as well as with my remote mentor at Brown University, Dr. John Santiago.

To view Akshaya’s project, click here.

SIDHANT C.

PROJECT TITLE: Analyzing the Action Potentials of a Zebra Finch’s Photon Orbits and the Geometry of Black Holes

PROJECT LOCATION: KU Leuven Institute of Theoretical Physics

ABSTRACT: By using black hole telescopes such as the EHT (Event Horizon Telescopes) on relatively nearby black holes, we are able to extract certain features of objects around the black hole. The “photon ring,” which is really an infinite sequence of self-similar rings of photons getting asymptotically thinner, are formed by the “nearly-bound” geodesic trajectories of photons near the black hole’s bound-orbit radius. The precise shape of these rings as viewed from Earth is determined by the metric of spacetime around the black hole which depends on certain parameters of the black hole such as mass, spin, and charge. With the help of Dr. Mayerson at the KU Leuven Institute of Theoretical Physics, we attempt to use the equations of general relativity to derive, either analytically or computationally, several characteristic quantities of these photon rings (namely, the 3 “critical exponents”) for black holes with different metrics. Not only would deriving the relationship between these critical exponents and the black hole metric provide a very strong technique to very precisely measure the mass, charge, and spin of nearly any black hole, but these expressions would also provide a novel test of general relativity. Despite its great accuracy, general relativity is known to be an incomplete theory: it has several major issues, such as nonphysical singularities and fundamental inconsistencies with the quantized paradigm of quantum mechanics. One of the central flaws is that it implies the no-hair theorem, explained above, which in turn leads to an issue called the black hole information paradox (the lack of “hair,” i.e, extraneous information, in black holes, “destroys” the information of infalling matter, which violates the no-hiding theorem of quantum mechanics). By developing models of black holes that both do and do not obey the no-hair theorem, we would lay down the groundwork for future black hole telescopes (with greater resolution than the EHT currently has) to test the no-hair theorem by testing whether or not the gravitational metric of real black holes perfectly follows the Kerr-Newman paradigm (as expected if general relativity is completely correct), or if it violates that paradigm and perhaps even follows a different proposed metric.

To view Sidhant’s project, click here.

MAX P.

PROJECT TITLE: Industrial Characterization of Coconut Shell Ash’s Viability as a Supplementary Cementitious Material

PROJECT LOCATION: Fortera, Cemex

ABSTRACT: The climate crisis is one of the most pressing global challenges. One large contributor to this problem is the concrete industry, which generates 7-8% of global CO2 emissions (mostly from reactions inherent in cement powder production). Additionally, there is an urgent need for even more sustainable concrete solutions as the developing world
increases in population (projected 2.5 billion people in Africa by 2050). For this reason, this project seeks to test the agricultural waste, Coconut Shell Ash (CSA), as a partial cement replacement (aka Supplementary Cementitious Material; SCM) in concrete. CSA has had relatively little research so far. Especially lacking is characterization of CSA concrete in industry-standard conditions (instead of a lab), so this porject uses Cemex’s industry-standard concrete facility to test the real-world effectiveness of CSA in terms of strength and other parameters. Guidance from advisors Dr. Bozidarevic from BISV and Nick Barnett from Fortera helps diagnose problems in the project and create a better understanding of the concrete industry. The project contextualizes this work by evaluating CSA effectiveness compared to existing waste SCMs such as Coal Fly Ash, Blast Furnace Slag and Rice Husk Ash. Evaluations based on multifactor analysis, including economic, transportation, political and environmental considerations create a holistic view of the current cement replacement industry and CSA’s potential place in it. Potential challenges include weaknesses of the CSA concrete and inconsistent data while researching. Still, a good estimate of the future of concrete will be constructed.

To view Max’s project, click here.

SANSKRITI S.

PROJECT TITLE: A Better Understanding of Water Consumption Using Machine Learning

PROJECT LOCATION: Yale University

ABSTRACT: Freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce due to rapid population growth and recurring water crises, making water conservation a critical issue, even in regions like California, where heavy rainfall has recently occurred. Californians are exploring ways to reduce their water usage after enduring high water bills. This project aims to address this issue by developing an AI/ML model that analyzes continuous water consumption data to identify unique signatures of different water-using activities. The data generated by the model provides detailed insights into water consumption patterns across various household appliances and activities, including showers, dishwashers, and laundry machines. This information allows users to understand the breakdown of their monthly water bills and take steps to reduce their usage, thereby saving money and promoting environmental sustainability. To achieve this, this project implements a combination of supervised and unsupervised learning techniques to ensure seamless integration and effective analysis. The project leverages a variety of machine learning algorithms, including k-means clustering, recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and feedforward neural networks (FNNs), among others, to deliver a comprehensive analysis of water usage patterns. This work, conducted virtually at Yale University under the guidance of Weicheng Dai, is designed to help individuals make informed decisions about water conservation, contributing to a broader effort to manage water resources responsibly.

To view Sanskriti’s project, click here.

CINDY Z.

PROJECT TITLE: Photogrammetry: Reconstructing 3D Scenes using Bit-sliced Indexing

PROJECT LOCATION: San Jose State University

ABSTRACT: 3D models are used not only as references in animation but also in urban design for observing changes in the integrity of infrastructure and in agriculture to map tillable land. Currently, drones using LIDAR are at the forefront of technology used for generating 3D models. Considering how expensive LIDAR equipment can be, this is not a method readily available to remote places with less funding. A fitting alternative to LIDAR mapping is photogrammetry, a technique for generating point clouds using information from images. Photogrammetry can create dense point clouds using the images taken from the average digital camera mounted on cheap drones. The caveat with using photogrammetry is that it is computationally expensive and can take hours to generate a result. To make photogrammetry applicable to time restricted operations, this project focuses on improving OpenSfM, an open source incremental structure from motion implementation of photogrammetry. By using a bit-sliced indexing based data structure developed by Professor Gheorghi Guzun, the time and space complexity to run OpenSfM can be reduced. Since the most expensive operations are in generating reconstructions that minimize error from discrepancies in different images and in reproducing point clouds from information about the depth of points in the images, this project includes work on not just implementing matrix operations but also adapting the input and output to map correctly to and from bit-sliced indexing. Rather than using the IEEE-754 convention for writing floating point numbers in binary, I quantize the numbers, so there may be a loss in accuracy. The project will test different quantization thresholds to make this method as near lossless as possible.

To view Cindy’s project, click here.

To view our entire collection of 2024 Senior Projects, click here.