Category: Specialists

This week, the 7th grade spent time in the Borneo Rain Forest using virtual reality viewers. Students were able to have a 360 degree view of the forest and see for themselves different plants and animals that make their home there. While their main job was to learn about different adaptations organisms have for living there, the students also seemed to really enjoy the feeling. Whether it was standing in a mangrove forest, being in a cave with bats, or being inches from a cicada, they seemed to “feel” like they were there. If it did get a bit too much, as it is quite a different experience, students could take a time out and use a tablet to experience this as well.

Saklan’s students had a “POSADA” this week. Posada is a tradition that gives the opportunity for students to enjoy a fiesta in a true Hispanic fashion. As part of this tradition, middle school students decorated their classmates’ candy bag to show how well they know each other. In fact, a student said “The person who decorated my bag knows me very well.”

The students took turns swinging at the piñata filled with candy while onlookers sang an encouraging verse “Dale, dale, dale; no pierdas el tino, porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino.” Once the piñata was broken, kids collected the falling candy to fill their bags. It was a party filled with cheerful socializing and wishing each other Happy Holidays, Felices Fiestas, in Spanish.

This Middle School Art Elective focuses on the human form in Sculpture. Students can proportionately sculpt the body or be inspired by artist Alberto Giacometti’s figures. The students create their figures out of foil, pipe cleaners and tape, before using paper mache.

Some of the students are making separate props for their figures such as a skateboard, surf board, book, and a lacrosse stick. The last class will be spent painting the figures.

Each student in the Middle School Green Block (grades 6th-8th) is working on their self-portrait. They are starting the process using the grid method. This is a technique used to accurately draw large scale. The students use their rulers to accurately draw the contour of their face and shoulders. They will finish the portrait in gray scale and learn shading and blending techniques.

The Set Design Middle School Elective is thought by Ms. Natalie and Maestra Padilla. In this class, the middle school students are working hard to complete the backdrop for the Lower School play, James and the Giant Peach. This Art class is in collaboration with the Music program and a great opportunity for the kids to work on a larger scale.

Their main focus right now is completing the Giant Peach! See their work and enjoy watching the Lower School play on Wednesday, December 19th at 1:30 pm!

The 6th grade just wrapped up their volcano unit. They learned about different types of volcanoes and their parts, where they are located, what type of eruptions occur, dangers and advantages of living by active volcanoes, and how they create different rocks and formations.

Students looked at different types of igneous rocks, tested different fluid viscosity to see how different lavas might flow, and then built their own shield volcano and tested off different batches of “magma.” They determined the speed of flow, what minerals make the lava flow slower, and how those different flows cool into different rocks. The students also learned about historic volcanoes and ones we still might want to be concerned about. It was a lot of fun!