Category: Fifth Grade

Making Sense of Fractions

Fractions have taken center stage in the fifth-grade classroom, with the students focusing on understanding why fraction operations work. Rather than jumping straight to procedures, students have used visual models, discussion, and hands-on exploration to build a strong conceptual foundation—one that allows them to reason through problems, explain their thinking, and apply their learning in new situations.

One particularly memorable example came from the class’s daily fruit demonstrations. When students worked through fraction problems using numbers alone, answers sometimes varied. But when fruit appeared on the cutting board, and students could see fractional pieces in relation to a whole, their thinking quickly aligned. Concepts that once felt abstract suddenly became clear, and earlier mistakes turned into meaningful learning moments.

Students also tackled a real-world-inspired challenge from Mateo of BRAD Co., who needed help organizing 24 quests across game levels. Through modeling and discussion, students discovered that the expression 24 ÷ 2 can represent two valid interpretations: 12 quests in each of two levels, or 12 levels with two quests each. By the end, students demonstrated that both solutions were correct, supporting their reasoning through clear and thoughtful representations.

In another activity, students evaluated mathematical claims, determining whether statements were always true, sometimes true, or never true. They backed up their conclusions with examples, diagrams, and models, strengthening their ability to generalize relationships between factors and products when working with fractions.

This kind of reasoning: making claims, defending them with evidence, and revising thinking through discussion, builds the mathematical communication and problem-solving skills that prepare students well for middle school mathematics and beyond.

Perseverance in Action

Last Friday, Saklan’s February Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) focus on perseverance came to life in a memorable way for students in third, fourth, and fifth grade.

Students gathered in mixed-grade groups of five for a silent puzzle challenge that quickly proved to be about much more than fitting shapes together. Each student began with three puzzle pieces, and together their group needed to complete five square puzzles. There was just one twist: students had to trade pieces without speaking. While they were allowed to offer a piece if they noticed someone needed it, they could not ask for one themselves.

At first, the rules prompted puzzled looks and raised eyebrows. One student even asked, “Wait… we can’t talk at all?” before the challenge began. Soon, however, the pavilion filled with intense focus, expressive gestures, and quiet determination. Without words, students leaned in, carefully studied one another’s progress, and began noticing—really noticing—what their teammates needed.

Gradually, the groups found their rhythm. Students passed pieces across the table, pointed gently to openings, and patiently waited for the right moment to help a teammate. When the final squares clicked into place, the groups celebrated in their own silent way, pumping their arms and grinning with pride.

The activity was more than a puzzle-solving exercise. It was a powerful opportunity for cross-age collaboration and social-emotional growth. Students practiced perseverance as they worked through frustration and uncertainty. They also strengthened empathy and social awareness by learning to observe others closely and respond thoughtfully.

During reflection afterward, many students shared how challenging it was to wait patiently and trust their teammates. Teachers helped connect the experience to friendship and community, encouraging students to look beyond their own needs and pay attention to those around them.

It was a meaningful reminder that perseverance often involves patience, teamwork, and the willingness to support others.

#SaklanSEL #SaklanCommunity

Fifth Grade Leads Redwood Grove Restoration Project

The culmination of fifth grade’s Redwood Grove Project Based Learning unit was a powerful example of student leadership in action. After weeks of studying forest ecosystems and soil health, students led a shared effort to show their beloved redwood grove some love, restoring natural forest-like conditions to support the trees’ long-term health.

The culmination began with a purposeful walk to Outdoor Supply Hardware, where garden staff offered just the expert advice students needed. Rather than “feeding” the trees, they learned that the grove required a return to natural conditions. Mulch would help retain moisture and encourage the healthy decomposition of fallen leaves, needles, and twigs. With this knowledge, students selected shredded redwood mulch, leaf scoops, and rakes, tools that will allow fallen leaf litter to be returned to the grove year-round.

Back on campus, students worked collaboratively and followed their team contracts to prepare for service day. They drafted a formal purchase request, created hearts and ribbons with messages of appreciation, designed and hung posters, unloaded supplies, and set up tables and chairs. Every detail was thoughtfully planned and entirely student-led.

On the morning of the restoration, they were ready. Students shared their research, explained their decisions for the grove, and confidently guided family members through the work they had prepared: loosening compacted sand, carefully spreading mulch, and protecting exposed roots in one section of the grove.

As the first section wrapped up, students received a surprise gift: Dawn Redwood seeds. If successfully grown, one may eventually stand in the new redwood playground, becoming a living learning legacy for future students.

The work didn’t stop there. During recess, fifth graders invited younger students to help restore the next section of the grove, modeling leadership and stewardship. Even steady rain at lunchtime could not dampen their momentum. Paths were raked, clear “go” and “no-go” zones were established, and by the end of the day, the transformation of the grove was visible.

This project was more than a lesson in ecology. It was a lesson in agency. When students are trusted to lead meaningful work, motivation and engagement flourish.

#SaklanPBL

A Splashing Success

Congratulations to our third, fourth, and fifth-grade students on their fantastic performance of The SpongeBob Musical just before Winter Break!

From memorizing lines and stepping into character to finding costumes, designing sets, and applying makeup, it truly takes a village to bring a production like this to life. Our performers showed incredible courage, creativity, and teamwork on stage, and we could not be prouder.

A heartfelt thank you to the parents who supported behind the scenes by running lines, organizing base costumes, and helping with hair and makeup. And thank you to everyone who joined us for the performance and cheered on our talented cast. Your support made this celebration of creativity and collaboration even more special.

Additionally, we have a few special thank yous we would like to share:

  • To Dianne Hurvitz for directing the lower school students’ wonderful performance. Her hard work, dedication, and love for the students were evident throughout the show.
  • To Javier Yacarini for his hard work constructing the stage.
  • To Jayme Feldhammer for her work on the costumes.
  • To Sarah Gardner for her incredible help with providing and applying sparkly fishy makeup!
  • To Meredith Ware for sea anemone support and last-minute sewing on anemone accessories.
  • To everyone who joined us on our Saturday work day to build sets, props, and costumes.

It was a fabulous show! We hope you enjoy the photos from the performance below.

The SpongeBob Musical

All Saklan community members are invited to join us for The Saklan School’s 3rd – 5th grade production of The SpongeBob Musical on Friday, December 19th at 10:30 a.m. The show will take place in the Holy Trinity Cultural Center (next door to Saklan). Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.

If you will attend and haven’t already done so, please RSVP here. There is no cost to attend; we want to ensure we have enough seats for all!

#SaklanCreative #SaklanCourage

Cross-Age Learning in Action

Saklan’s cross-grade learning was on full display as the Owlet buddies and fifth graders came together for a hands-on science experience rooted in their respective Project Based Learning (PBL) units. The Owlets have been exploring leaves, while the fifth graders have been studying trees—making their recent research on Redwoods the perfect launching point for peer teaching.

The fifth graders were tasked with becoming “experts” on several big questions the Owlets had been wondering about: the difference between evergreen and deciduous leaves, why leaf colors change, and how fallen plant matter breaks down and becomes soil, including the important role earthworms play in decomposition.

Students worked in teams with real focus and purpose. They were given 45 minutes to choose a topic and collaborate on a mini-presentation that was both accurate and engaging. Each group created a visual or hands-on element to support their teaching. Another 45 minutes were spent practicing, presenting to peers, and refining their work with the help of candid “Dancing with the Stars-style” feedback. The growth from practice to final presentation was remarkable.

When it was time to meet with the Owlets, the fifth graders were ready. Their presentations were clear, lively, and thoughtfully geared toward 3- and 4-year-old learners. The Owlets eagerly leaned in, asking big, earnest questions such as, “Do worms have eyes?” and “Is that the head or the tail?” Fifth graders knelt beside tiny tables, held leaves up for close inspection, and invited younger students to touch, compare, and wonder.

Not only did the Owlets gain new insights through this joyful experience, but the fifth graders deepened their own understanding by explaining complex scientific ideas in simple, accurate ways—a skill that strengthens mastery and confidence.

Saklan’s PBL focus continues to create meaningful opportunities for students of all ages to learn with and from each other, building both knowledge and community along the way.

#SaklanProjectBasedLearning #SaklanGuestExperts

Learning Through Light, Color, and Connection

Over the past week, many Saklan students learned about Diwali, the festival of lights, which is observed by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs around the world—including members of our own community. Diwali lasts for five days in October or November and honors the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

To deepen their understanding, students read books about the festival and participated in hands-on activities that brought Diwali’s traditions and meanings to life.

Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students gathered in the pavilion to meet with Saklan parents Molly and Manju, who read Diwali by Hannah Eliot. Inspired by the story, students created vibrant rangoli—decorative designs traditionally made on the floor or tabletops using colored powders, rice flour, sand, or flower petals—to celebrate the spirit of joy, color, and togetherness that defines the festival.

In fifth grade, two students, along with their parents, led their classmates in a beautiful Diwali celebration. Together, they explored the meaning of the five days of Diwali, the symbolism of the auspicious colors red and yellow, and the ways families honor the festival through stories, food, and traditions. Students created their own diyas—small oil lamps traditionally made of clay—and colorful rangoli designs, discovering how light, color, and creativity represent hope and goodness shining through.

Two sixth graders also shared their family traditions, teaching classmates about Diwali’s symbolism and the use of marigold garlands and diyas. After learning and crafting, the class enjoyed traditional sweets—gulab jamun and milk cake—while connecting their discussion to the novel The Night Diary and previewing their upcoming study of ancient India and Hinduism.

A heartfelt thank-you to the students and parents who shared their traditions and stories with us! Celebrations like this strengthen our community and remind us of the beauty of learning from one another—honoring the many ways light, family, and culture connect us all.

#SaklanCommunity

Fifth Graders Explore the Marin Headlands

At The Saklan School, off-campus education is not a field trip – it’s a field experience: an intentional extension of the classroom that nurtures independence, curiosity, and responsibility. Each year, students take part in experiences that grow in both depth and duration—from a single night away in 4th grade to a full environmental science week in Hawaii by 7th grade, and a culminating cultural and stewardship trip to Puerto Rico in 8th grade.

Earlier this month, Saklan’s fifth graders embarked on the next chapter of this journey with a three-day adventure in the Marin Headlands, combining science, stewardship, and teamwork. From the moment they loaded the van and set up dorms to their final project, preparing seedling pots for NatureBridge’s native plant nursery, students learned through hands-on discovery, cooperation, and reflection.

The trip began with a dorm orientation and an introduction to the area’s ecosystems. Students explored native plant greenhouses before hiking up Hawk Hill, where they studied the park’s only endemic tree—the coastal willow—and observed the biodiversity of the surrounding landscape.

After dinner, the group set out for a night hike to the beach, where they were treated to a magical surprise: glowing noctiluca, tiny bioluminescent plankton that illuminated the sand beneath their feet.

Day two brought a full day of coastal ecology—hiking from Rodeo Beach to Point Bonita, observing harbor seals, and studying plant adaptations, including tasting ice-plant bulbs. Students wrote sensory poems by the lighthouse and collected real scientific data for the National Park Service.

By day three, field science came to life. Students examined plankton under microscopes, studied local plant systems, and discussed how redwood ecosystems sustain life. Their fieldwork concluded with hands-on nursery stewardship, cleaning hundreds of pots to prepare for the next generation of seedlings.

Back at Saklan, this experience has sparked new curiosity about our trees and excitement about the upcoming redwood grove playground. Students are wondering how they might help with its design – how to make the space not only a place for play and discovery, but also the best possible ecosystem for the trees that tower above us, offering shade, shelter, and awe.

#SaklanFieldExperience

Learning Buddies Kick Off a Year of Connection and Growth

This morning, campus was buzzing with excitement as we launched our Learning Buddy program for the year! Designed to encourage cross-grade friendships, foster responsibility and mentorship, and make learning engaging and fun, Learning Buddies are a treasured Saklan tradition.

During their first meeting, buddies took time to get to know one another before diving into some shared reading. Older students modeled strong reading behaviors—using expression, fluency, and confidence—while also listening attentively as their younger buddies proudly read aloud.

The joy was evident on both sides: older students embraced their roles as mentors, while younger students felt supported, inspired, and eager to spend more time with their new friends. By the end of the morning, many were already asking the same question: When do we get to meet with our buddies again?

We look forward to seeing these relationships blossom throughout the year as students learn, grow, and shine together.

#SaklanCommunity

SIGMA Club Brings Coding to Life

At Saklan, student leadership and curiosity go hand in hand—and nowhere is that more evident than in our student-run SIGMA Club. Created by students for students, SIGMA (Science, Innovation, Game development, Math, Activities) is all about exploring new ideas and engaging in hands-on learning in a fun, supportive environment.

For their first club meeting, Benji and Leo took the lead with a creative focus on Scratch coding. They introduced students to the basics of programming by guiding them through the process of creating a simple Ping-Pong game. With Chromebooks in hand, each student had the chance to build their game from scratch, learning fundamental coding skills step-by-step.

But the fun didn’t stop there—once their games were up and running, students spent time customizing and decorating their projects, adding personal flair and experimenting with game mechanics. From changing backgrounds to adding new features, they discovered just how flexible and exciting coding can be.

By the end of the session, students walked away not only with a game they had built themselves but also with a stronger understanding of what coding is like and the endless possibilities it offers.

We’re incredibly proud of Benji and Leo for sharing their knowledge and leading such an engaging, hands-on learning experience for their peers. Their enthusiasm and leadership set the tone for what SIGMA Club is all about—student-driven curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.

Next Meeting

The next SIGMA Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 13th, from 3:10–4:00 p.m. We can’t wait to see what exciting ideas our student leaders will dive into next as they continue to explore, create, and inspire!

#SaklanLeadership