Fifth graders are learning about Earth’s place in the universe. Students have focused on the movements in the solar system that affect how we see shadows. The fifth graders recently created a graphical display that revealed patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows during the school day. Pairs of students worked together to trace each other’s shadow outline early in the morning and noted where the sun was in the sky. Then, when the sun was at its highest (12:00 p.m.) they returned to their chalk outlines and traced where their shadows had moved and where the sun was positioned. Students were amazed at how much their shadows changed at different times of the day!
The students in kindergarten thru eighth grade have been equipped with pedometers while exercising during P.E. lessons. The devices are simple and only measure “steps,” but are equipped with a reset button. P.E. classes have had fun experimenting with what types of activities generate the most movement or steps. Students have had the opportunity to see how dribbling a ball compares to swinging on the swings, and how walking a mile compares to skipping rope. Some of the third graders came to the conclusion that shaking the sensor generates a higher count than spinning it on a finger. Overall, it appears that students focus on generating a count with their pedometers, and that feedback adds a little extra motivation to continue to exert effort while participating in physical education exercises.
Lucas in kindergarten asked Mr. Crabtree to take a picture of the pedometer he was using in P.E. and send it to his mom, as he was interested in one for home use as well. For any other parents that have received requests for pedometers, here are the pedometers the students are using at school:
What is a zine? A zine is short for Magazine and is a self-made booklet that tells a story, informs about an issue, and is fun to make! It’s origin dates back to 1776, with Thomas Paine’s self-published pamphlet, Common Sense, which advocated for the thirteen colonies to become independent from Great Britain.
In returning from Winter Break online and entering into the new year, 1st-8th graders were asked to reflect on what lessons they learned about themselves and the world in 2020 and what they were excited about striving for in 2021. 2020 forced the world to face reality, good or bad, and with so much to learn from, the children triumphed over all of these obstacles to share what they found most rewarding, difficult, and inspiring. In seeing these zines created, we hope it inspires us all to continue to persevere, fight for justice, and take care of each other and ourselves.
The fifth graders recently finished their novel study of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This story is about four children who are transported into a fantastical land called Narnia. It is filled with rich characters and an exciting theme of good vs. evil. During the novel study, the students learned about the concept of story elements in literature. They created posters depicting the components: story setting, story characters, story problem, story solution and themes. Last Friday, the students presented their posters during Flag.
Yesterday, the 1st – 8th grade students met in their first family group lesson to discuss the importance of being accepting.
Students introduced themselves, heard a story called The Crayon Box that Talked, and then discussed the story to understand that sometimes getting to know someone or learning how unique they are can help breakdown misconceptions. While everyone of us is unique here at Saklan, it is our similarities and our differences that make us such a special school. From soccer players to cat lovers, artists and passionate young scientists; the more we listen to others, respect our differences, are kind with our words and think of others, the more accepted everyone will feel.
Students then colored their own crayon with a picture of themselves, and listed something they feel makes them special! These self-drawn crayons are to be returned to Saklan, either by the next connect day or the next swap and drop so they can be inlcuded in the Family Group posters that will be put on display in the breezeway.
***We deeply apologize for any technical issues you suffered that may have caused stress during the Family Group time. Ms. O was not able to get into meeting rooms either as she was trying to help people. Zoom locked her out! 😦 We can only assume others were just as frustrated. If that is the case, please know your student can still draw their crayon and return them to Saklan to be included on the Family Group poster. Their teacher can help them with any instructions they need.
Fifth graders are reading the chapter book Frindle by Andrew Clements. Frindle is the story of a smart, mischievous fifth grader that likes to pull pranks at school. He comes up with a creative prank for one of his teachers by inventing a new word.
Two of the literary concepts students are learning about are character traits and providing text evidence to support the specific trait. In addition, students drew a picture of one of the main characters using what they have learned about the character during their reading. Students presented their completed posters on a Flip Grid video. Way to go fifth graders!
In an effort to do a little something fun with our Friday Flag, we asked families to create their own version of Happy by Pharrell Williams. This video certainly made everyone smile and happy this morning!
Special thanks to Noah M. (8th grade) for putting the video together!
With art museums closed, institutions such as the Los Angeles Getty Museum made their collection accessible online. The museum challenged their viewers to choose their favorite artwork and re-create the painting. What does that look like?
Well, branching off of performance art, the 4th-8th grade took on the challenge. Using household items, costumes, pets, plants and beyond, they re-created the artwork of their liking. Each piece is nothing short of creative! The question is, who did it better?
The Saklan Student Council, along with our partner Pledge to Humanity, would like to thank the Saklan Community for making our food drive a huge success. We collected 1,415 pounds of food for the Monument Crisis Center. Together we made a difference for struggling families in our county.
FRIDAY BLOG 
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