Category: Fourth Grade

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)

Earth day

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

Music With Mr. Isaac

Mr. Isaac has started working with students on Thursday afternoons. Our more flexible online learning schedule has created an opportunity to work with more students one-on-one. He is offering the middle schoolers individual instruction on their instruments. He has already started giving lessons to kids in the Orchestra. You can e-mail Mr. Isaac at inarell@saklan.org if you want to have a lesson and he will try to fit you in.

The Saklan after school music program on Thursdays has continued its normal schedule. 4th graders meet at 3:00 pm, the West African Drumming ensemble at 3:30 pm and individual lessons start after that. If you want to sign up for the after school music program, please email office@saklan.org.

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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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Puff Mobiles

This week, fourth graders wrapped up their Energy Unit in Science Lab. The students learnt about energy and alternative energy.

First, they looked at solar powered cars and raced them. Next, they investigated wind energy and built their own vehicles that can be moved using wind power.

Wind energy in this case came from their mouth. The students called their vehicles “Puff Mobiles.” Starting with a great design led to some amazing quick races!

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Charlotte’s Web

St Marys

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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Mission Dolores

4th graders have recently completed Google slide reports on a California Mission of their choice. Now, they were on a MISSION to see a real California mission nearby. They trekked to San Francisco to Mission Dolores. Students got to hear how the mission was built and the tour guide had a great, great, great, great, great grandfather in the Saklan Tribe who was a part of building it!

Students noted the structure and materials used, as well as the art work on the walls. Each student even got to ring the church bell (named Francis). With this field experience under their belts as good background knowledge… 4th graders are ready to build missions of their own! Come check them out at the Exhibition Night on January 30th!

#SaklanExperiential

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

4th Grade Biography Project

4th graders donned costumes and dressed up like the person they studied while reading biographies. Students wrote 5-paragraph expository essays, which were presented in class to parents. They worked on creating an organized paper which included an introduction, a body that was filled with three main ideas and many interesting supporting details, and a conclusion.

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4th graders practiced their public speaking skills by giving speeches at flag, including words of wisdom!

Buddies at Saklan

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Collaboration is what makes Saklan unique! 2nd and 4th grade buddies enjoyed getting together and playing, “Mouse Trap” outside. They were able to get their wiggles out all while learning about fairness and good sportsmanship. Afterward, they hunkered down together with books practicing fluency and reading with expression.

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4th Grade Self Portraits

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For the most part, our faces are fairly symmetrical. That means if we divided our face in half, each half would roughly be the same measurements and the facial features would be in the same places.

The students learned tricks to help them space the facial features out properly. Cutting their photo in half, students measured out the contour (outline) of their head using the measurements they have from the photo. Making little dots at each point, they measured and then connected all the dots for the contour line drawing. This gave them even more spacial awareness to where their facial features would go next. They measured where their eyes, nose, and mouth begin and end. We are now working on how to draw the facial features and shade.

Drawing a self portrait is probably one of the most daunting projects for kids. They are easily discouraged because it is one of the hardest projects for almost anyone! With that said, the students have been pleasantly surprised how accurate their self portraits are! Way to go 4th grade!

#SaklanCreative