Category: First Grade

Make Your Own Play Dough

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Since we’ve started our distance learning program, Miss Maggie K. has been preparing science and art projects with Kindergarten and first grade. She tries to find activities that are easy so kids can do it and with materials that are common household items. These projects usually explore a science concept and/or promote creativity.

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Last Thursday, Miss Maggie shared how to make your own play dough with a few simple ingredients and had two recipes ready in case some items weren’t found at home. She posted the recipes with instructions and one recipe also had a video tutorial that she found on Youtube.

#SaklanDistanceLearning

Earth Day-April 22nd

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of the first Earth Day. The first Earth Day in 1970 mobilized millions of Americans for the protection of the planet. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans – 10% of the U.S. population at the time – took to the street, college campuses, and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet. The first Earth Day is credited with launching the modern environmental movement.

Earth Day is now recognized as the planet’s largest civic event and it led to passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States, including the Clean Air, Clear Water and Endangered Species Acts.

Normally, we make a whole day Earth Day at Saklan, but this year we thought we’d make it a week. Here are some ideas for your students to help celebrate this coming week:

Earth Week Activities You Can Do At Home

Save it Sunday – have your child make a sign to hang in the home or other shared space to remind people to save resources (turn off the lights, save water at the faucet)

Make it Monday – encourage your child’s engineering/artistic side, allow your student to create something that had been made from recycled materials (for example, turn a jar into a vase, create sunbutter and pine cone bird feeder, or artistically make a milk jug into an animal)

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Teach it Tuesday – have you or your students learn and then teach a friend or family member something about sustainability (for example, an idea about saving water or reducing waste)

Walk it Wednesday (Actual Earth Day) – take you and your children on a walk (even if it’s just in your backyard) and enjoy the wonders of our planet. Enjoy the beauty of your community, create a nature treasure hunt or even pick up trash in your community to help celebrate Earth Day.

Be Thankful Thursday – Even in uncertain times, the sun rises each day, our birds chirp, and we are blessed to have this amazing community. Encourage your students (and family members) to share what they are thankful for.

Farm it Friday – Spring has sprung and what better time to plant and plan for the future. Let your students put their hands in the dirt, plant some seeds or small plants, water them, and tend to their flower or vegetable filled future.

Set a new Habit Saturday – Encourage your students to make one environmental gesture a habit; maybe always using a reusable water bottle, never using a plastic straw again, riding their bike short distances instead of needing a ride, etc. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something! 

Here are some great picture books as well to get your students in the mood:

Want to hear from Scientists in the field?

National Geographic Explorer classroom lets you hear & chat with real scientists, sign up here: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/student-experiences/explorer-classroom/sessions/#inthefield

Want a Family Movie Night? These are always a hit:

  • Our Planet
  • Disney’s Ocean
  • Wall-E
  • Planet Earth
  • Blue Planet

#SaklanDistanceLearning

The Hokey Pokey

This week in PE, the students worked on their dance moves and learned the hokey pokey. Check out this instructional video created by Mr. Crabtree and start moving.

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The Act Of Art Making!

Art can change a person’s outlook and the way in which they experience the world. The act of making art has the power to heal, bring hope, create willpower, and spread positivity to one another. It is important to note that making art doesn’t start or stop in the “art room.” Right now is an absolute testament to that. Our studios as artists can be in the bedroom, backyard, or at the kitchen table. As this time is one that limits our capabilities with respect to resources, it also gives us a chance to appreciate the fundamental aspects of life, family, and community. Do consider making art with your kids to experience the emotions they have in the process. I am sure they will teach you a thing or two!

The little Saklan artists have been more than excited to share their artwork online. These videos are bringing BIG smiles to our Google Classrooms! Here are a few projects they have found joy in making and sharing this past week. Enjoy!

Kindergarten & 1st Grade – Make a Card for Someone Special

Wishing you could send a happy message and bring a smile to someone’s face right now? Students were asked to think of someone near or far that they miss. Using lines, shapes, and colors, kids created a one of a kind card for their special friend or family member. With parent help, they can send their card to that special person.

Sisters that do art together, thrive together! 1st grader Peyton and Owlet Logyn sharing what shapes and colors they used for their card.

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Eldana’s card to her friend Gabby
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Cameron’s card to his grandma

2nd Grade Picture Books

One thing that kids have stronger than most adults is their vast imagination and right now is a great time to exercise it! Students chose a subject they wanted to draw for their picture book. Each page was to have a drawing and a sentence telling a short story. In this project they are able to tell their own story right now, while illustrating those ideas in their own creative way.

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Kai sewing the spine of his book

Mabel reading her Book About Dogs

Willow reading her book Princess Panda

#SaklanDistanceLearning

Rocks And Minerals

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In first grade Science, the students learned all about weathering by water, wind, temperature, and chemicals. They did experiments with erosion. The first graders used graham crackers (pretend dirt) and answered questions such as “What happens to rocks?”.

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They have been learning so much about rocks. First, the students learned how 3 types of rocks are formed: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Then, they discussed the “properties” of their rocks and learned the difference between rocks and minerals.

#SaklanScience

Math Matters

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First graders have been working on telling time and learning how to estimate. Learning time and money is a very difficult concept in first grade. It is an introduction and then repeated again  in second grade. Here are some suggestions for home:

  1. Practice recognition of coins. What’s a dime, penny, etc.
  2. What’s the value of the coin.
  3. Practice adding a few coins.

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In addition, the first graders learned the following lessons: place value, review of numbers 0-100, estimation, expanded form, one more and one less, numbers before and after, counting by 2’s and 5’s, and lastly learning odd and even numbers.

#SaklanAcademic

Charlotte’s Web

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At the end of January grades K to 4 went on a field experience to the Children’s Theater at St. Mary’s College in Moraga.

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The St. Mary’s students there gave a fantastic production of a classic of children’s literature, beloved by youngsters and adults alike. Charlotte’s Web is a book that all Saklan students read in 3rd grade. The acting was amazing and the sets impressive. Tears and laughter (you know how it ends…) were had by all.

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Moving Up Day At Saklan!

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Every year, preschool through 5th grade students get to “move up” to next year’s grade for part of the day. The teachers plan special activities that highlight their grade and the students get to experience what next year will look like. Here are a couple of activities from Wednesday’s Moving Up Day:

3rd graders had the opportunity to ask questions and hear about all of the exciting adventures they will have in 4th grade.  They were encouraged to be Bookworms and read nightly, as well as become fluent in their multiplication tables to prepare!  They thought like engineers and designed their very own paper airplanes. Congrats to Jack Z. and Henry for constructing airplanes that flew the farthest!

One of the fun activities the current 4th graders had in 5th grade was a STEM Ski Challenge. Students designed and tested their skiers, and then they raced their teammates!

#SaklanConnected

First Grade Invention Convention

The first grade class learned about simple machines. There are six types of simple machines. They are levers, pulleys, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, and screw. They learned about each of these during their Science unit by doing fun investigations in class and each student made their own simple machine log book.

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They invented their own machine and then created those machines using various scraps of recycled materials. During their presentation, they had to explain how this invention would work and why it was helpful. Way to go first grade!

#SaklanCreative

Can You Hula Hoop?

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The physical education students have been practicing with hula hoops since the beginning of the year. Did you know that you can build with the hula hoops? Six hoops can be stacked to create a stand alone structure.

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The Saklan students didn’t stop with six. During recess, a few ambitious builders have begun to stack the structures. The builders are looking for different locations which will allow them to reach greater heights. The tower is growing to four and five stories! Today, the students broke the record with four stories and this structure will go down in Saklan history!

Let’s go Saklan!

#SaklanWellRounded