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.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Category: Specialists
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.
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.
Mabel reading her Book About Dogs
Willow reading her book Princess Panda
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Flower Dissection
On Tuesday, 7th graders had a virtual Science Lab with Miss O. The students did a flower dissection using a Stargazer Lily. They identified the different parts of the flower, learned their function, and how each part contributes to its reproduction. Check out the video above to learn more.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Week 2 of Distance Learning is a wrap. Here are some videos to brighten your day.
3rd graders sing Little Light of Mine during virtual Music class with Mrs. Chaffey.
The Kindergarten class is spreading love, hope and happiness with their virtual Beatles concert.
Carson (K) sings Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da by The Beatles during virtual Music class.
2nd grade Art Class with Miss Natalie.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Building For Hurricanes
The past three weeks, the 3rd graders made their way to the Science Lab to learn about our earth’s atmosphere, including how air reacts and moves, and how weather is created. After learning about air pressure, wind, clouds, precipitation, and types of weather, students had the challenge of trying to create a house that could withstand a weather pattern not experienced by most Saklan students.
This weather phenomena has quite an effect on the air pressure, wind, precipitation and clouds of the land masses it comes across; a hurricane. Each build had to be able to withstand wind, waves and precipitation. The goal was to make a waterproof house that would remain standing in the tray through the different elements.
Each design was quite different, but all successful in their own way!
#SaklanCreative
Recycled Weaving Project
Chilean born artist and educator, Indira Urrutia, visited the Art Room last week. Both the 4th and 5th grade have been introduced to weaving, but only using traditional materials like yarn or raffia. Miss Natalie thought it would be very interesting for the students to learn about the journey of an artist, how an artist is inspired, and how that translates to their own artwork. The process of weaving with thin wire has its form of challenges, but the Saklan artists persevered through those moments because they were so excited to weave! Lots of the students enjoyed working with a new material and process, not to mention some of the parent volunteers were just as excited! The 5th grade is to start an abstract wire sculpture project following this activity and the 4th grade will work with on a recycled weaving project.
#SaklanCreative
Middle School Ceramics
Each color block of middle school students has been working with clay for the month of February. Learning to hand build with coils, slabs, and pinch pots is an essential part of understanding 3D artworks.
Green block has been working with the figure. ArEach work of art has a story to tell.tists could take inspiration from Ancient Greek, African, and contemporary figurative sculpture. Next, Orange block has been working on creative teapots. They are developing functional design while creating a one of a kind teapot. Artists made their own teacup set as well for when they test their designs. Finally, Blue Block has been working on animal sculptures. They chose an animal they love and/or want to learn more about to report on.
Figuring out how to make your artwork stand, function, keeping it hollow, and making your idea from start to finish, is a process of perseverance, problem-solving, and creativity. We are finishing up projects by glazing their artwork and firing for a second time in our kiln.
#SaklanCreative
6th Grade Ecology Unit
The sixth grade, as part of their Ecology Unit, have been looking at species interactions. They learned about:
- Mutualism, where both species benefit
- Commensalism, where one benefits and the other gets nothing
- Neutralism, where neither species affects one another
- Ammensalism, where one is harmed and the other gets nothing
- Parasitism, where one species is harmed and the other benefits
- Competition, where both species lose out
In order to fully understand, they had to portray these different relationships with a few partners by choosing a real example of that relationship found in nature. They then took pictures of the portrayal and then made a comic strip with them. They used their laptops to create these impressive comics! Come check out more of them in the science lab!
#SaklanHandsOn
News From The Sports Court
The Saklan Suns came together and played amazing basketball this week!
After a rough start due to illness, the 2020 basketball season started on Tuesday. Six players: Alex (8th), Jack (7th), Charlie (7th), Carlito (6th), Mac (6th), and Thomas (6th) played two grueling games this week. Tuesday’s game was against The Berkeley School, and Thursday’s was against the Contra Costa Jewish Day School. Both opponents were larger in size and numbers. The Suns exhibited great courage and determination during this sport field experience, playing each game with only five players.
Two games remain and the Suns need players! All students in middle school are invited to join. They play Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley on Wednesday, March 4th, and The Pacific Boys Choir on Thursday, March 12th. The last game is here at Saklan so come out and cheer on the Suns.
Let’s go Saklan!
#SaklanWellRounded
Talavera Tiles
The Annual Auction is just around the corner and the Art room is working with grades K-8th on inspired Talavera Tiles. The Talavera tiles of today are a specific style and ceramic earthenware from Puebla, Mexico. It actually originated from the town of Talavera de Reina, Spain, also known as La Cuidad de la Ceramica (The City of Ceramics), however, the Spanish settlers brought to Mexico this artform of glazing in the 16th century. The people of Puebla inherited the knowledge the Spanish brought to their people and created tiles with the colors and patterns they loved, which ultimately became the iconic Mexican Talavera. Many of us have seen these tiles in Spanish style homes, missions along California, and used for other indoor and outdoor decor.
After learning a bit of the history behind these beautiful works of art, the artists began to work together to create their own tile. Talking about symmetry and asymmetry, artists are working together in each grade to create a cohesive tile using color, lines, and shapes. Pictured above are the tiles after glazing and still needing to be fired in our kiln.
#SaklanCreative
FRIDAY BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.