Category: Hoot Owls

Diving Deep

The Hoot Owls have been diving deep into the ocean and exploring the many living things that call the ocean home! First, the class shared what they already knew about the ocean, and then mapped out a topic web. Next, the Hoot Owls started a new wonder wall for all their ocean questions, wonders, and what they hope to learn more about.

Then they started reading books about the ocean and sea animals. First up was “Ocean! Waves for All” by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by David Litchfield. It gave the class a great overview of the world underwater. The students learned that there are many different creatures that live deep in the ocean and some can glow in the dark! The Owls learned that people need to help protect the water and animals that live in it. They also learned about the different zones in the ocean: Sunlight, Twilight, Midnight, Abyss and the Trenches. To further illustrate their learning, the Hoot Owls recreated the ocean zones on their classroom door. The students have also enjoyed tracing and decorating different ocean animals, and then determining which zone of the ocean they live in.

Kind Owls

The Hoot Owls and Owlets have been learning about kindness. The Hoot Owls read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and David Messing. The book taught the owls that we all carry invisible buckets; when people are kind to us or when we are kind to other people, we fill their buckets as well as our own. However, when they are not kind, it dips into their bucket. The Hoot Owls all agreed to focus on being bucket fillers. They started their own kindness jar in their classroom to serve as their classroom bucket. When teachers or a friend sees a kind act, they write a slip and fill the jar. 

The Hoot Owls and Owlets read A Little Spot of Kindness and A Little Respectful Spot to learn more about kindness. The students discovered that kindness spots are part of happiness spots. Happiness occurs when one is confident, kind, respectful and loving. Being respectful is a big part of kindness. The classes talked about different ways they can be kind and then drew pictures to represent them.

The Hoot Owls and Owlets created kindness trees in their classrooms. You may have noticed the Hoot Owl tree blooming on their door, while the Owlet tree grows on their white board. The Hoot Owls painted hearts, then wrote down ways they can be kind or kind acts they have seen amongst classmates on the hearts. The Owlets are noted acts of kindness on hearts and added them to their tree.

Having physical representations around the classrooms serve as reminders to be kind. They also get the students excited to see their jar becoming full and our trees continuously growing.

#SaklanSEL #SaklanCompassion

Hoot Owl Cooks

The Hoot Owls have continued their Meals unit. After learning to eat a rainbow of foods, the owls took a closer look at where food comes from, learning that food doesn’t just magically appear right in front of us.

Lisa, a Hoot Owl parent, came to talk to the owls about working in a restaurant. They discussed who works in a restaurant including chefs, cooks, waiters, hosts, bussers and more. They also discussed the differences between regular menus and kid menus, and looked at a variety of kitchen tools. After, Lisa taught the Hoot Owls how to make soft pretzels. They started by rolling the dough into “snakes” and shaping them, and then boiled them for 30 seconds in water that contained baking soda and sugar. Then the pretzels were brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with salt or cinnamon and sugar. Finally they went into the oven. The Hoot Owls enjoyed making the pretzels, but really loved eating them!

The cooking continued with a cheese making lesson from Phillipa.  Cheese is a food the Hoot Owls eat almost everyday, and they were delighted that is was easily made with just three ingredients! First, they heated up milk in a pan, added vinegar when it came to a boil, and then we sprinkled some salt in. Next, the curds were squeezed in a cheesecloth and drained overnight. The students were excited to try their creation with some crackers, and it was very tasty! 

The Hoot Owls now understand that the food we eat often takes hard work and lots of effort from many people who are part of the process of making it. It can be simple like the cheese or can involve multiple steps like making the pretzels. They are learning to appreciate all of the effort that goes into making our food. 

#SaklanProjectWork

Fun and Learning

An important way that Saklan students practice key math skills is by playing math games. These games are an engaging way to reinforce concepts, build number sense and practice using math vocabulary.

Most math games are played with partners or small groups, and so they also help students practice interpersonal skills like communicating and problem solving.

Games provide an environment in which students can create and try strategies, and can also learn strategies from others.

Students often identify math games as some of their favorite activities completed in the school day and look forward to them as an opportunity to interact with classmates, learning buddies and friends. The games and activities capture their enthusiasm and create environments that make concepts and skills tangible and learning memorable, meaningful and fun!

Rainbow Foods

The Hoot Owls recently welcomed guest expert Thea Shukaliak-Neufeld to their classroom as part of their Meals project. Thea is an occupational therapist who works with children who find regular things more challenging. One thing she does is to help children who have trouble eating food. During her visit, she taught the Hoot Owls to be food scientists! She shared that everyone should always try a mouse bite of any food to figure out if the food is sweet, sour, salty or bitter. She also shared that sometimes it takes one bite to like something, sometimes ten, sometimes over 100, so keep trying!

The Hoot Owls had many questions for Thea about food and meals. To answer a question about junk food, she shared that no food is bad; some foods are only made out of one ingredient and we need a variety of food to keep our bodies healthy. She taught the Hoot Owls about rainbow foods, and that it’s important for everyone to eat lots of different colored foods, as they have different vitamins and minerals to help our bodies grow strong and healthy.

The Hoot owls then worked together to make a food rainbow First they painted the rainbow, and then added foods that come in each of the colors. Check out their rainbow below!

A big thank you to Thea Shukaliak-Neufeld for sharing her knowledge about food and teaching the Hoot Owls to be food scientists!

#SaklanProjectWork #SaklanGuestExperts

Special New Friends

Last Friday morning there was much excitement on campus as our Preschool – 5th grade students met some special new friends – their learning buddies! Learning buddies are a purposeful way to encourage cross-grade friendships, help students develop a sense of responsibility and practice mentorship, and make learning fun!

During the first meeting, the buddies took time to get to know each other and did some reading together. The older buddies marvelously modeled good reading behaviors by reading with expression and fluency for their younger buddies. Some of the older buddies were also honored to listen to their younger buddies read too.

Once a month the buddies will get together to spend time reading, learning and playing together. The buddy program is not only fun for the students, but helps to build empathy and community on campus.

#SaklanBuddies #SaklanCommunity

Reptiles and More!

The Hoot Owls were so brave and curious when Owen, a guest expert from the East Bay Vivarium, came to Saklan to share his reptiles with them! During the visit, the students learned about snakes, turtles, tortoises, lizards, geckos, skinks, bearded dragons, legless lizards and a huge monitor lizard that Owen insisted was a “puppy” because it was cuddly.

Owen even surprised the class with some animals that were not reptiles, like a frog, a toad, a scorpion and a tarantula! Some Hoot Owls were extra brave and volunteered to hold a few of these animals.

A huge thank you to Owen and the East Bay Vivarium for sharing their animals and knowledge with the Hoot Owls!

Moving Up Day

On Wednesday morning, the Saklan Preschool – fifth grade students participated in Moving Up Day. The students and teachers alike were buzzing with excitement!

This annual tradition allows the students to get a snapshot of what next year will hold. The teachers planned special activities that highlighted their grade level and enjoyed getting to know their rising students a little better. Morning meeting activities, questions, stories, art activities, classroom scavenger hunts, and enthusiasm for next year filled the classrooms! If your child “moved up” on Wednesday, please ask them all about it. They will likely have something enthusiastic to share!

#SaklanConnected

Welcoming Jack Wong

On Wednesday, May 10, Saklan’s Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade students had the pleasure of meeting with author Jack Wong. Jack read his debut picture book, When You Can Swim, to the students and shared that the idea for the book came from his own experiences as a kid.

Jack was born in Hong Kong to a mother who had been forbidden to learn to swim. As a kid, he moved to Canada but didn’t like swimming or heights. He said he disliked swimming because being in the water feels so different from what we normally feel. A good friend encouraged and helped him feel more confident to take risks like jumping off a bridge into the water. Through his book, Jack paints a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, and invites others to discover their confidence to explore the warmth and wonder of swimming and the natural world.

Jack not only wrote When You Can Swim, but illustrated it too! He taught the students how to draw different creatures underwater. He explained that by drawing a line around the head of the creature you are drawing and then making ripples out from the line, the animal looks to be poking its head out of the water. He asked the students for suggestions on what to draw. A shark, seal and dinosaur were the winners!

Learning About Ramadan!

The Hoot Owls were excited to learn about the holiday Ramadan from guest expert Nora, a Hoot Owl parent! The class learned that Ramadan starts when there is a crescent moon in the sky. They also learned that during Ramadan grown ups fast when it’s light out and people exchange presents. Nora read the students Ramadan (Celebrate the World) by Hannah Eliot. The class also read The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard.

Thank you so much for sharing your traditions with the Hoot Owls, Nora!