Project Based Learning at Saklan is intentionally designed not only to help students build content knowledge but also to encourage them to consider the authentic purpose behind what they are learning. As teachers plan and implement PBL units at Saklan, they consider how adults in the world beyond school use the content knowledge they seek to teach their students.
To make those real-world connections clear, Saklan teachers regularly bring in guest experts—both in the classroom and out in the field.
At Saklan, an expert is anyone with specific content knowledge or experience that can support the student inquiry process. Sometimes, guest experts share their experiences with students; other times, they provide formative feedback on the projects students are creating. Last year, we engaged the help of 26 experts, and each year we look forward to adding new voices—like yours!
We’d love for you, a family member, or a friend to join us and enrich and deepen our project curriculum this year. Please complete the form below to join our Saklan expert resource list. As needs arise, teachers would love the opportunity to connect with you during projects where your experiences and knowledge can help support student inquiry and project based learning.
Have additional questions? Email Linda Lathrop, our Project Curriculum Instructional Coach at llathrop@saklan.org.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller Docent and Saklan grandparent, Nancy Parker, sharing fairy tales with kindergarten as part of their fairytale PBL unit. 
Biophilic design expert and Saklan parent, Lauren Owen, providing group feedback to first graders as part of their PBL unit on homes. 
Author and artist, Marjorie Graham, and Steve Graham, Saklan grandparents, sharing the ancient interpretations of the mythology of Persephone and Demeter as part of a 6th-grade PBL unit on ancient Greece. 
Hinduism guest speaker and Saklan parent, Manju Rajashekhar, sharing with 6th graders. 
Japanese Buddhism guest speaker and Saklan parent, Toshi Baba sharing with 6th graders.
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