Category: Middle School

Once a week, middle school students were assigned a poetry assignment that they would add to their Google Slide of Poems. Mrs. Cashen usually gave them a poem format that she wanted them to write in; and then two topics with a random fun one like Reese’s pencil, pigs, green Covid testing tent, etc. and then a more of a teacher topic like Spring.

• 

• 

Some of the formats were easy and some were far more challenging as time progressed. One of the most challenging formats was the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, where lines A rhymed with lines A and so forth. Students were feeling like poetry should just flow out of their pencil or fingers from the first touch, but they were beginning to learn to erase/delete, and go back and revise their work. They were learning to write with a central topic and with meaning whether it be with emotion or a topic. 

#SaklanAcademics

This week, the sixth grade class hit the road for a field experience at Challenge Sonoma! Next week, it’s the seventh grade classes’s turn!

Like the sixth graders did, the seventh grade class will spend the day participating in a ropes course challenge and other activities that will require them to communicate and work together in order to be successful.

Opportunities for field experiences off-campus have been rare this year, which is why we are so excited by the success of the sixth grade trip, and can’t wait to offer the same fun day to the seventh graders.

If you have any questions, please email Vickie Obenchain at vobenchain@saklan.org  or Kim Parks at kparks@saklan.org.

#SaklanFieldExperience

Over the past few weeks, the sixth graders have been learning about climate change during science class. They’ve gained an understanding of how climate change can impact human health, coast lines, and society, as well as ecosystems and species that cannot adapt quickly enough.

To continue their learning, the students wanted to help a species in need. Students researched several species, including the Adelie Penguin, Arctic Fox, Beluga, Red Panda, and Monarch Butterfly. They found out where each species is located, why they are important to their ecosystem, and what threats there are to the species.

In order to raise money to help these species, students are going to hold an election, and the entire Saklan community is invited to participate. Starting on Monday, you will see decorated buckets on the tables near the office, and you can lend your spare change to vote for the species you want to help the most.

Each cent you contribute will count as one vote. One penny will count as one vote, a quarter will count as 25 votes, a dollar will count for 100 votes, and so on. All of the money raised will go to the World Wildlife Fund, which is working to help these species.

We will symbolically “adopt” the species that gets the most votes, and will announce the winner to the Saklan community.

Thank you for your help!

#SaklanCompassion

On Thursday, April 15, the sixth grade class hit the road for a field experience at Challenge Sonoma! They’ll spend the day participating in a ropes course and other team-building activities, designed to build self-confidence, improve teamwork skills, and get students outside for a day in the Sonoma Redwoods.

We are asking students to return a filled out and signed student release form by Wednesday, April 14.

If you have any questions, please email Grace Chaffey at gchaffey@saklan.org or Kim Parks at kparks@saklan.org.

We are so excited for this opportunity to take students off campus and give them a day to remember!

#SaklanFieldExperience

All of us at Saklan are pleased to welcome Emily Cashen to the Saklan community, in her role covering middle school Language Arts for Mr. P, who is on extended leave. As a teacher by training who educates with her whole heart, Emily is an incredible addition to the Saklan faculty.

Emily has been a professionally trained teacher since 2004, when she received her teaching credential from Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga. Throughout 10 years of teaching in the Orinda School District, Emily simultaneously continued her own education through Columbia University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.

After leaving Orinda, Emily taught middle school math at East Bay Waldorf School, and considers working with those middle school students to be the highlight of her teaching career thus far. After taking some time off to help her daughters transition to new schools and distance learning, Emily is excited to be back working with the students, staff, and families that make up the Saklan community.

Since jumping into her new role, Emily has quickly put together a plan for the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes.

In sixth grade, the class will read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. As they read, the class will dive deep into learning about Malawi, and will align their learning with science class with Ms. O. Students will explore a variety of writing genres as well, and will practice the full writing process, including peer editing, citing evidence to support ideas, and composing bibliographies.

The seventh grade class will share the heartbreaking truth of the Japanese-American internment camps through the book Farewell to Manzanar. Reading discussions will align with Ms. Kim’s studies of Hawaii in Humanities class. Writing will happen in many ways, with a focus on fluency and peer editing.

Eighth graders will read Animal Farm by George Orwell, and will study the allegorical meaning of animals, not only in Orwell’s work, but also through shorter stories. They will learn about the historical context of Orwell’s work, as well as how he uses character development and language to get his points across.  Students will write in a variety of genres, with a focus on peer editing.

In all three grades, weekly book shares will help expose students to new genres and unfamiliar authors, and help to broaden their awareness of worlds other than their own.  

Please join us in welcoming Emily to the Saklan community in her new role!

#SaklanCommunity

On Wednesday, the sixth grade class went to the local Moraga Garden to do some nature drawing, writing, and learning about the space itself. The visit was in connection with the Ecology and Energy science unit.

At the garden, students learned about how the ground is prepared each year before the planting season, what gets planted, and the garden’s practice of using local, organic fertilizer.

During the visit, students also spent time drawing, journaling, and getting a sense of the space. When asked what they thought was beautiful in the garden, they had a lot to share:

“The lemon beebalm flowers.” – Noah
“The birds chirping.” – Damon
“The soft grass below me.” – Danny
“The fresh oxygen – I mean fresh air.” – Sonia
“The hawks flying around us.” – Juliet
“The tangling roots that are growing up the trellis.” – Loralyn
“The chickens!” – Sadie

#SaklanInquiryPromotesCreativity