Robotics

The 1st grade is in the science lab this month learning about robots and coding. Students have taken part in a few challenges. First, with a push button mouse students had to learn how robots think, and how that is different than we do. They moved their mouse through a track to reach food, water and finally shelter after avoiding danger, such as a cat and fire!

Recently, the 1st graders have moved on to Wonder Dashbots. These are app based robots where the students learn to code for different tracks, sounds, lights, etc. They have become awesome little programmers!

Hoot Owls Learn About Nutrition

The Hoot Owls have been learning about nutrition and what better way to do that than help make some healthy and delicious food. Hoot Owls first did an herb taste test to get used to trying new things. We sampled sage, oregano, basil and mint! We recorded whether or not we liked the herbs just like scientists. Hoot Owls also helped chop vegetables for a veggie stir fry. Some Hoot Owls said it was their first time chopping and using a knife. We also made our own stir-fry sauce.

We made flour tortillas from scratch using only flour, olive oil, water and salt. We used the tortillas to make quesadillas!

For Hanukkah, we were visited by Jacob Eddy’s grandmother, Robin, who helped us make potato latkes! We peeled and grated the potatoes, cracked the egg and stirred it all together with flour.

Self-Portraits by Middle School

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.

Lindsay Wildlife Comes to Saklan

On Wednesday, docents from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum came to school and did a wonderful presentation for the Kindergarten through Second Grade on Animal Habitat. The students discussed and saw many wild animals that live in our neighborhood and found out about their habitats and adaptations.

To help their learning, the students also saw and touched some wild friends: a tarantula, a gopher snake and a guinea pig. They learned so much and had a wonderful time!

Atomic Attire

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The eighth grade have been studying the Periodic Table. Each student had to pick an element they were interested in learning more about and create an artistic shirt showing the electrons, protons and neutrons, the history of the element, and uses of that element in real life.

Due to poor air quality before the break, the students were not able to do their fashion show at flag, so we made you a little video of them showing off their element shirt and walking the catwalk.

Set Design MS Elective

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!

Volcanoes in the Classroom

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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!

Alumni Corner

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Exciting news about Nick Barendregt, Class of 2010, recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University

He was at Saklan from preschool through 8th grade and went on to College Preparatory School for high school. He is a huge supporter of Saklan and often attributes his success and love of learning to the academic foundation received here at Saklan.

Currently, he is at the University of Boulder Colorado receiving a full scholarship in their applied mathematics doctorate program. Woohoo, Nick!

Please click here to read the article: http://artsci.case.edu/magazine/2018/a-happy-discovery/

Head’s Corner

Annual Gratitude Fund

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As we take a breather (poor choice of words considering the AQI) this week leading up to Thanksgiving, I have been pondering the relationship between the Saklan Annual Giving Fund and gratitude. As a nonprofit, Saklan depends on the generosity of others to give students a unique experience. A couple of quick examples would be the marine biology field study we took students on a few weeks ago or importing drums from Ghana.  

When I think about the Annual Giving Fund, I want to be sure that the message behind it is that we are grateful for anything that people can give. We sincerely value the fact that families make significant sacrifices to send their children to Saklan and support our community. When we seek a donation for the extra, we want it to come from a place of pride, love, and inspiration.  But more importantly, we want you to know how grateful we are that you support our school.

Some of the things that I am grateful for is the fact that you allow us to spend significant time with your children, that you trust us, that you understand we sometimes make errors, and you help us grow as a school. But mostly, I am grateful that Saklan feels like family and we are all in this together: raising good people.

And yes, to do some of those extra things it takes money, but I do not want this to be about the money. I want it to be about a family school coming together. Thus, we are measuring not dollars, but participation. I ask you to give what works for your situation, be it one dollar or ten thousand dollars. Whatever you decide you can give, I want it given because you believe that what we do together at Saklan is life changing.

Warm regards,

David

Update Alert! The students are loving clay!

The kiln is getting used to its fullest potential! The photo on the left is the middle school Dinner Party Project bone dry and ready to go into its first firing. The photo on the right shows the work completed to bisque ware and ready to get glazed! After the work is glazed, the work goes back into the kiln for its final fire. Working with clay is quite a process, so the students are learning all the science behind how clay works.