Author: The Saklan School Friday Blog

The Saklan School is a private Pre-K through 8 school located in Moraga, CA. Our mission is to think creatively, act compassionately, and live courageously.

Zooming with NatGeo’s Enrique Lomnitz

Enrique Lomnitz is an industrial engineer who is solving water access problems in areas such as Mexico city (where he was born). This week, Saklan’s fifth graders got to join Enrique live over Zoom, to hear how he is developing water infrastructure for communities facing high levels of water insecurity, primarily through rainwater harvesting using roof catchment, pipes, and rainwater tanks.

Enrique Lomnitz presenting on NatGeo Explorer

As part of NatGeo Explorer Classroom, the students not only got to hear from Enrique, they also got to ask him a question, and in the process were featured live on Youtube.

Connecting with experts in the field, such as Enrique, enriches student learning. Additionally, hearing about the innovative ways he is helping his community encourages the students to think beyond themselves and develop the compassion, creativity, and courage to plan innovative ways to help others.  

#SaklanGuestExpert #SaklanCompassion

What Makes a Good Scientific Sketch?

The third graders recently learned about scientific sketches, a tool used by scientists to record and communicate information, not to make art. Along with a drawing, a scientific sketch often includes labels and diagrams, questions and explanations. You don’t have to be an artist to create a successful scientific sketch. You simply have to take time, observe closely, and record what you see.

The third graders learned the criteria for a successful scientific sketch through the mnemonic: ABCDE

Scientific sketches should be:

  • Accurate
  • Big
  • Colorful
  • Detailed
  • Explained

The third graders then used their careful observation skills and practiced sketching like scientists!

#SaklanLearningByDoing

Getting Ready for Halloween

The Owlets have been getting excited for Halloween! Ms. Erin read a silly, spooky story called Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and the students had fun making their own creepy carrots to hide around the classroom and playground.

The Owlets also got to observe pumpkins of different sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. Philippa opened a small pumpkin to show the Owlets what was inside. She read the book Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson to teach the class about the life cycle of a pumpkin.

Each Owlet got to plant their own pumpkin seed, which they will tend to and (hopefully) watch grow!

#SaklanHandsOnLearning #SaklanCreative

Your Child’s Brain on Sugar

All Saklan parents are invited to join us in the Pavilion on Friday, October 21st, following CLAS for a discussion on how sugar impacts the brain and learning. Vickie Obenchain, Saklan’s Science Teacher, will be our guest speaker for the event. We hope you can join us for this informative talk!

#SaklanPA

Personal Development & Class Growth

Our 6th graders recently spent a week at Westminster Woods, an environmental education and character development program, nestled in 200 acres of redwood forest in Sonoma County. Students hiked through the redwood forest, scoured the Dutch Bill Creek, ventured through a high-ropes challenge course, and took part in many team building challenges.

On Monday morning, the sixth graders loaded into a Saklan van for the ride to Westminster.

On Tuesday, the sixth graders went for a blindfolded hike up a steep hill, waded down a man-made salmon ladder, found a blue scorpion under a log, and meditated on gratitude and the role models who changed their lives.

On Wednesday, the students used microscopes to explore organisms in the creek, discovered wildlife, including a very large giant pacific salamander they named Kleopatra, and wondered aloud about things they are curious about. The sixth graders also had a brave and glorious adventure in the dark, hiking solo, discovering glow worms and shooting stars, and practicing animal adaptations.

On Thursday, there was lots of Gaga ball, connecting with the Westminster staff members, the ropes course, fort building, and most of all sincere and deep sharing of truths between classmates and community.

On Friday, the students returned to Saklan very tired, but thankful to have gotten the opportunity to get to know their individual selves better, to challenge themselves, and develop deeper bonds as a class.

Thank you to Grace, John, Christina and the staff of Westminster Woods for supporting the sixth graders on this journey of personal development and class growth.

#SaklanCourageous #SaklanCommunity #SaklanFieldExperience

Seeing Math

The Hoot Owls made their first graph of the year! The students learned that a graph is a picture that helps people “see math.” The Hoot Owls worked on this activity together during circle time. Each Pre-K student counted how many letters were in their name and then put their name above that number on the graph. After all owls added their name to the graph, the students noticed that no one in their class has a seven letter name. They also noticed that Leonardo has the longest name, and that eight kids have five letter names.

Fall Festival Fun

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Saklan’s Fall Festival last Sunday! From the 3-legged races to the face painting, the students were abuzz talking about all the fun they had at the festival when they returned to school on Monday. It was a beautiful community celebration filled with love, joy and connection.

A huge thank you to the PA for hosting this community social. Special shout out to Andrea Jang, Amy Perkins, and Kendall Walker Koo for organizing the event. Additionally, thank you to the many parents who volunteered during the event. Your help was greatly appreciated!

#SaklanCommunity #SaklanPA

Role of the Library in Moraga

First graders visited the Moraga Library as part of their community study. Ms. Nerit, the head librarian, read stories to the class and sang songs too. The students learned about the role a library plays in a community and discussed the differences between public libraries and school libraries. They also talked about how borrowing a library book is different from buying books in a bookstore. Ms. Nerit showed the first graders examples of damaged books and taught the students how to take care of books properly, so they can continue to be a usable resource for the entire community. The class also got to take a tour the library.

Before the first graders left the library, they were able to borrow books from the library, checking them out using their own library cards!

#SaklanFieldExperience

First Family Group Meeting

On Friday, September 30th, the Saklan first through eighth graders met with their family groups for the first time this year! During the meeting, the students in each group introduced themselves and shared one or two of their favorite things. Then each group had a discussion of what is means to be accepting, including why it is important that we are all accepting of others. They then played a game to help them learn something new about everyone in their group, as sometimes its hard to know someone and accept someone for who they are when you don’t know much about them.

The 8th graders then explained to their family group that as they go through the year together, they are a group or team made up of awesome individuals and they each bring their own strengths to the group. Some may have amazing sports or singing talents. Some maybe be amazing observers, or great listeners. Others might be a great friend to those around them.

Each member of the group was then given a puzzle piece to draw or decoratively write what they feel makes them special or amazing! These puzzle pieces were then all put together, showing that all members of each family group all are important members of the group. Check out their puzzles below!

#FamilyGroups #SaklanSEL #SaklanCompassionate

What is the Ideal Saklan Graduate?

Before the start of the year, I asked teachers to write down words that described the Ideal Saklan Graduate. I then did the same with The Saklan School Board of Trustees and the 8th grade class. What was rewarding to see was the consistency between the groups and the type of traits that came into focus. It was those hard-to-measure but ever-important “soft skills” (confidence, empathy, curiosity, etc.) that were highly valued across our community.

Schools have traditionally seen their primary task as getting students ready for success in high school and college. Unfortunately, this was often translated to mean high grades and SAT scores. I do not want to be quoted as saying those things are unnecessary, but they are also a poor predictor of success in life. Research going back to the 1950s tells us that academic success is a small part of the picture of what makes success in life. 

Word Cloud from Staff, Student & Trustee Ideal Graduate Answers

University of Massachusetts Psychology Professor Seymour Epstein found that success in life has more to do with soft skills than raw intellect (see word cloud). His 10-year study of valedictorians showed that those with high academics had average success in the real world.  While that may be counterintuitive to what we think we know, part of the issue Epstein saw was that these valedictorians lacked those critical soft skills mentioned above.  

One of the things that drew me to Saklan five years ago was the emphasis on helping parents raise “confident, compassionate, good people.” I am so proud to be a part of a school that values the skills that will serve our students well into the future.

With Gratitude,

David

Comments, questions, thoughts? Email David at doconnell@saklan.org.

#headscorner