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.

Reading a Map

During their map skills studies, the second graders have been learning about directions. The students came up with multiple mnemonic devices to help them remember north, east, south and west. A few overheard during lunch were:

Never eat shredded wheat.

Never eat Meredith’s shoes.

After learning about the directions on a map, the second graders learned the essential life skill of using a compass. As a class, the second grade traveled around the school using a compass to help them navigate. After learning to navigate with a compass, the second graders learned how to calculate distance on a map, how to use a map grid, and why both of these are useful skills.

#SaklanAcademic

Parachute Play

During P.E. classes with Mr. Crabtree, Saklan students have recently enjoyed parachute play. While the parachute is fun, it is also a great way for students of all ages to strengthen their muscles and to work on their social and emotional skills. Here are a few of the ways working together to use the parachute benefits our students:

  • Works the muscles in the arms, shoulders, and hands.
  • Allows for practice of basic loco-motor skills, such as running, leaping, skipping, and galloping.
  • Helps students learn to listen carefully and follow directions.
  • Encourages teamwork and cooperation.
  • Promotes communication.
  • Introduces physical activity as fun.

Students of all ages love playing with the parachute!

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Five Senses

The Owlet class has been learning all about the five senses: sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing. The students learned that using your senses helps you learn about the world and be mindful and aware of things around you. The Owlets used all of their senses to experience a variety of fruits and vegetables, including celery, bell pepper, lemon, cabbage, and apples from Saklan’s apple tree! Some of the students tasted a new food they’d never had before!

After looking at, listening to, smelling, tasting, and feeling the produce, the Owlets then used the cut fruits and veggies as stamps on ink pads to make beautiful prints.

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Science of Hydrology

Fifth grade kicked off the year discussing what scientists do and how they study and learn. The fifth grade scientists then practiced these skills by selecting seashells from Ms. Siacor’s beach bag to observe scientifically. As part of their observations, the students drew detailed diagrams of the sea shells, and developed inquiry questions about them. This was a great way to prepare for their first Earth science unit of the year, focusing on the Earth’s systems and hydrology.

Next, the fifth graders started learning about hydrology by looking at how much water is in the world. For this inquiry, the students divided world maps between them and added up how many squares of salt, frozen, and fresh water they found on each map.  They then created a bar graph of their results, using math skills to divide the totals of each type of water by 50, and using one sticker to represent each 50 squares. The students were astonished to discover that fresh, ‘scoopable’ water makes up only about 1% of planet Earth’s surface water!

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October PA Events

The Saklan Parents Association is excited to host two events in the month of October. Mark your calendar today so you don’t miss them!

In addition to the monthly parent coffee, the PA will host a parent education evening in November. Here is a sneak peek at the events to come in November!

#SaklanParents

Meet RJ Palacio

Rakestraw Books in Danville is inviting all Saklan families to join them for a virtual event with award-winning and beloved author RJ Palacio (the author of Wonder). She will be introducing her newest book, Pony, which is a truly brilliant story for all ages, about family, loyalty, counterfeiting and ghosts. For this special event RJ Palacio will be joined in conversation by Josh Radnor (best known for his role as Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother).

This ticketed event will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 5 PM. To join the event, the publisher requires that each attendee buy a copy of Pony. The first 30 people to purchase tickets will receive an autographed copy of Pony. Every ticket purchaser will also also receive a gift when they pick up their book in-store.

To purchase tickets, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rakestraw-books-live-at-home-with-rj-palacio-tickets-169659055803

Please contact Rakestraw Books at (925) 837-7337 if you have questions.

Morning Drop Off

This year, we have some new morning drop-off procedures. Along the curb directly in front of Saklan, we have a Preschool Parking Zone for Preschool and Pre-K parents to park and walk their children up to the classrooms, as well as a Drop-off Zone for Kindergarten – 8th grade parents to quickly drop off their children. For parents of Kindergarten – 8th grade students that would like to walk their children up to the front gate, we ask that you park in the Holy Trinity Church parking lot, next to Saklan.

For further explanation of the new morning procedures, please check out the video below, which was previously shared during the ECE and Lower School Back to School Nights.

Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe during morning drop off.

#SaklanCommunity

Class Agreements

The first few weeks of school are all about developing new routines and building relationships with teachers and classmates. During this time, each class works together to create a class agreement (also know as class rules). As part of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching, the agreements are created collaboratively between students and teachers, focusing on what all members of the classroom community can do to help create a calm, orderly and safe environment for learning.

The agreements are phrased in the positive, offering clear expectations of behavior and how students can live up to those expectations. By including students in the process of creating the agreements, the students are engaged in their learning, feel a sense of belonging and safe in school, and view the rules in a positive light.

View some of this year’s class agreements below.

#SaklanCommunity #ResponsiveClassroom