Category: Owlets

November and December have been exciting months for the Owlets, who have been immersed in the fascinating world of construction!

The Owlets read If I Build A School by Chris Van Dusen to begin the project. From the book they learned that with the right planning and materials you can make any type of building! Since then, our Owlet architects have been busy at school working together as a community to build a lot of interesting buildings.

They built with styrofoam, marshmallows, and pool noodles together as a class, and noticed that when they used toothpicks the materials were easier to stick together. This was also fun because when they were done with one building, they could easily take it apart and build it again!

The Owlets also learned that we can’t make buildings without tools! The Owlets have been enthusiastically learning about the many uses of different tools. To learn about tools, they played a fun game of Tool Bingo! This helped them learn the names of the tools and become more familiar with what they look like.

After they had a good idea of the different tools used in construction, the Owlets were very excited to welcome their first guest expert of the unit, Mr. Javi! Mr. Javi showed the Owlets some really cool tools like a level, hammer and nails, and screws. But the Owlets were even more impressed when he showed them the blueprint to our school! He shared that an architect designs a blueprint before the carpenters begin building the structure. 

David let the Owlets borrow a big binder that was filled with more blueprints of our school! It was interesting to take a closer look at our school’s building; the Owlets were able to point out different parts of the school that they recognized.

With a great understanding of what blueprints are, the Owlets designed their own buildings using a pencil, graph paper and a ruler, just like real architects!

Another important aspect of construction is safety! On a construction site, safety gear like a bright yellow vest, hardhats, gloves, boots and safety goggles are important, as is signage. The Owlets decided to put up signs around their classroom and playground to help others practice being safe too. The students had fun picking out where to put the signs! If you are around the Owlet classroom or walking through their yard, look around to see if you can spot their signs!

Some Owlets worked together to make different types of safety clothing! Some friends made a vest, while others made boots and safety goggles.

Watch this space for more insights into the Owlet Construction Project Unit, or join them for their unit Culmination on Wednesday, December 13th at 8:40 a.m.!

#SaklanProjectWork

The Owlets continue to be actively engaged in discovering the wonderful world of community helpers! Talking about community helpers gives the students a better understanding of what it means to be a community and the importance of working together. Recently, the Owlets read the book Real Superheroes by Julia Seal, which taught them that doctors, teachers, grocery store workers, delivery drivers, and firefighters are all community helpers. The preschoolers were very excited to meet firefighters from the Moraga station when they came to campus!

Before the visit, the Owlets brainstormed about what they already knew, and what they wanted to know about the job of the fire fighters. They had a lot of great questions: “What tools do they use?” and “Why do the firefighters sleep at the fire station?”

During the firefighter’s visit, the Owlets learned that firefighters wear special gear to help keep them stay safe from fires and other dangers. The Fire Marshall told them that all the special gear the fire fighters wear can weigh up to 50 pounds! The preschoolers also learned that in a fire smoke rises, so it’s important to stay low to the ground, and that if they ever see a fire they should tell an adult right away! 

While the firefighters were in the classroom, the Owlets asked them the questions they had come up with before the visit. They found out that the firefighters do sleep at the fire station! Their question about the tools the firefighters use was the perfect opportunity to walk outside and see the big, red fire engine! The firefighters showed them the hoses and tools they use (ax, chainsaw and more), and where they are all stored on the truck.

Most of the kiddos chose to hop into the driver’s seat to see all the buttons and controls in the cab of the truck!

The Owlets couldn’t let our local community helpers leave empty handed, so they presented the fire fighters with drawings they made for them. The fire fighters also had some gifts for the Owlets: firefighter helmets and really cool badges!

#SaklanGuestExperts

Inspired by the book Circles All Around Us by Brad Montague, the Owlet class will spend time this fall learning about different types of communities. Starting with a small circle for each child, then expanding into larger circles of family, school, and neighborhood, the children will learn what it means to be a part of a community. The goal is for the Owlets to answer the driving question: “How can we be helpers in our communities?”

The Preschoolers began their unit by examining the smallest circle of community: their self. At circle time, Philippa read the book The Skin You Live In by Michael J. Tyler. The Owlets learned that all people are different shades and all the colors are beautiful. For self portraits, each Owlet looked through skin toned crayons and found a shade that matched; everyone found the perfect color! Then they looked at a mirror to see what color their hair and eyes are. The Owlets practiced drawing the different shapes of their faces and holding crayons with a pincer grip. Next, the students were offered some loose materials to portray their clothes and hair, including buttons, yarn, feathers, ribbon, and pom-poms. They all turned out so unique and beautiful!

Guest Experts Needed

To supplement this project-based learning unit, the Owlet teachers are currently looking for guest experts to visit their classroom and talk about their roles in their community. Additionally, other classes are currently in need of experts who work in city planning, architecture, and chefs/ kitchen staff or meal services. If you would like to visit as a guest expert, or have a suggestion of a member of the greater community to reach out to, please email Linda Lathrop, Saklan’s Project and Inclusion Specialist, at llathrop@saklan.org

While studying the letter Vv, the Owlets became very interested in volcanoes. The class watched some footage of real volcanoes erupting and decided to make their own volcano to erupt! They made a chemical reaction using baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, and food coloring to make their volcano bubble with “lava.”

Many of the Owlets came up with some great questions about volcanoes that even Ms. Jessica didn’t know the answers to, so they decided to do some research. One of the questions the Owlets answered was “Can you make lava?” Next, they made “lava” lamps using oil, water, and food coloring.

On Thursday, the Owlets had a special guest expert, a Saklan first grader, join them to answer some of their volcano questions. It was fun to learn more about volcanoes from one of the big kids!

During the month of April, the Owlets have excitedly visited Saklan’s Science Teacher, Ms. O, in the Science Lab! During their first visit, the Owlets learned that scientists are very curious, and they use their senses to learn about the world around them. The students used their senses to smell a mystery smell, feel a mystery toy inside a bag, and listen to mystery sounds. Coming up in the science lab, Ms. O will teach them about chemical reactions, temperature, and energy.

In their classroom, the Owlets practiced being scientists by observing seedlings and flowers, and then drawing exactly what they observed. They also made a hypothesis about which seedlings they think will grow the tallest, and then they measured and recorded their current height with a ruler.

On Wednesday, the Owlets we had a special visitor. Rachel, one of the Owlet parents, joined the class to teach them about the holiday Holi. She read Festival of Colors and the Owlets learned that Holi originated in India, and is a celebration of spring and all the beautiful colors that come with it. Traditionally people celebrate Holi by making colorful powders out of flowers, then throw the powders everywhere! The Owlets celebrated in their own way by throwing colorful confetti in the air.

They also made a collaborative “tree of life” using bright flowers instead of paintbrushes. Its colors represent how beautiful the world is when there’s variety, diversity, and individuality.