Tag: early childhood education

The Hoot Owls Blast Off into Space

The Hoot Owls recently embarked on an exciting outer space adventure, diving deep into the wonders of our solar system through books, art, and hands-on exploration.

Their journey began with the shining star at the center of it all: the Sun. After reading Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty, students discovered that the sun is actually a dwarf star. They learned that it is constantly spinning, with its middle rotating faster than its top and bottom, and that all the planets in our solar system orbit around it. The Hoot Owls were fascinated to learn that it takes 365 days for Earth to travel around the sun and that when the moon passes in front of the sun, it creates an eclipse.

To bring their learning to life, students created their own suns by using marbles to roll paint around a circular template, demonstrating the sun’s constant motion. They also worked together to paint a giant glittering sun for their classroom solar system display.

Next, the Hoot Owls turned their attention to our home planet. After reading Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years, also by Stacy McAnulty, they learned about Earth’s dramatic beginnings. They discovered that early Earth was extremely hot and gassy before it experienced thousands of years of rain, which eventually allowed land to form. Over time, life began to appear: plants, insects, dinosaurs, and eventually humans.

To represent “our beautiful marble,” students used shaving cream, blue and green watercolor, pipettes, and squeegees to create stunning Earth prints.

Of course, learning about Earth meant learning about its closest companion, the Moon. Students discovered that the moon is Earth’s natural satellite and explored its phases. They were amazed to learn that gravity is six times stronger on Earth than on the moon. Their curiosity soared as they discussed items astronauts have left behind on the moon, including a hammer, a flag, nail clippers, and even a golf ball. They also explored scientific theories about the moon’s formation, that it may have been created from pieces of Earth after a massive asteroid collision billions of years ago.

The Hoot Owls created textured moons by painting black backdrops, adding white circles, and sprinkling salt to mimic the moon’s rocky surface. They even practiced writing “Moon” on their artwork.

As their solar system expanded, students added billions of stars, using toothbrushes and sticks to splatter white paint across dark blue paper. They wondered aloud whether any constellations could be spotted in their creations.

Through literature, science discussions, creativity, and collaborative art, the Hoot Owls have built a deeper understanding of space while nurturing their natural curiosity about the universe. Their classroom has truly become a place where imagination and learning take flight.

The Owlets’ California Adventure

The Owlets have been busy learning all about California through a joyful, hands-on mini-inquiry inspired by curiosity, creativity, and discovery. Their exploration began in early January with a classroom art project focused on California poppies. After closely studying photos of the state flower and noticing its bright orange and yellow colors, the Owlets used liquid watercolors to create their own vibrant poppies. Although poppies typically bloom in the spring, they bloomed early in the Owlet classroom!

The inquiry officially began with the book Welcome to California, which introduced students to the basics of the state and continued to serve as a reference throughout the project. The Owlets eagerly shared places they have visited across California and quickly realized just how diverse the state’s landscapes are. To bring this learning to life, they worked together to create a large map of California, discovering coastal beaches, farmland, snowy mountains, forests, and deserts along the way.

In small groups, the Owlets used a variety of materials to represent where each landscape is located on the map. They also examined real photos shared by Owlet families and practiced matching each image to the correct region.

The Owlets also learned about California’s weather patterns and the animals that live in each region. They noticed that the desert is hot and home to animals that wouldn’t survive in cooler mountain climates. While studying the California state flag, they spotted the large brown grizzly bear and learned that grizzly bears no longer live in the state. This led to an exploration of animals that currently call California home, including black bears, foxes, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, and quails. Students were especially excited to discover a few “hidden” quails right in their classroom.

The inquiry wrapped in elements of California history as well, including a discussion of the Gold Rush and how people once traveled to the state in search of gold. Through art, literature, mapping, and imaginative play, the Owlets have built a strong foundation of knowledge about California—its landscapes, animals, symbols, and history—while nurturing curiosity and a love of learning along the way.

#SaklanHandsOn

From Horses to Hounds: The Hoot Owls Explore Pets

As part of their Pets Project, the Hoot Owls have been exploring how to care for different kinds of animals—both big and small! When teachers noticed several students showing a special interest in the horses and stable set in the classroom, they decided to dive deeper into learning about how to care for horses.

The class discovered that horses can make wonderful pets, but they also require a lot of care and space. Together, the Hoot Owls learned that horses need shelter, lots of hay and grass to eat, and regular brushing to stay clean. They also learned that taking care of a horse includes cleaning up after them—using shovels to tidy up their stalls! Students found out that horses can be ridden using saddles and reins, which led to lots of imaginative play. To represent what they learned, the class created their own model horse brushes, water and food troughs, and even shovels for stable cleanup.

Next, the Hoot Owls turned their attention to one of the class’s favorite animals—dogs! They were thrilled to welcome two special guests: Saul, Saklan’s Middle School Math Teacher, and Mel, who brought along their two dogs, Banksy and Bixby. The Pre-K students came prepared with thoughtful questions, and Saul and Mel were happy to share their expertise.

The class learned that the amount of food a dog needs depends on its size and age. Banksy eats one small bowl of food at dinner, while Bixby eats twice a day—and even uses a special puzzle bowl to slow down his eating. Students also discovered that dogs can earn treats when they perform tricks. Banksy has already mastered “sit” and “roll over,” while Bixby is still learning!

Exercise was another key topic. The students were amazed to hear that Banksy and Bixby had already walked a full mile before arriving at school! To stay active and engaged, dogs also need toys like ropes, chew toys, and stuffies. The class discussed how important it is to keep dogs clean—by brushing them, especially as they grow their thick winter coats, and giving them baths when needed. They also loved hearing about Banksy and Bixby’s matching jackets and learning that collars and leashes are important tools to keep dogs and people safe.

After the visit, the Hoot Owls had the opportunity to apply what they learned by creating their own “pet care kits” for small toy dogs. They made leashes, collars, food and water bowls, treat bags, toys, and even jackets! Each student thoughtfully considered what their dog would need and designed items to help care for their new pet.

Through hands-on exploration, creativity, and expert insight, the Hoot Owls deepened their understanding of what it truly means to care for an animal. From brushing a horse to walking a dog, these young learners are discovering that responsibility, empathy, and kindness are at the heart of being a good pet owner.

#SaklanProjectWork

Can Maggie Have a Hippo as a Pet?

The Pre-K class has officially launched their Pets Project. To get the Hoot Owls thinking about what a pet is, the teachers posed the question: “Can Maggie have a hippo as a pet?”

This simple question sparked a flurry of ideas. Students quickly pointed out that a hippo would need a really big house, a lot of water (maybe a pool!), and a door big enough for it to fit through. One thoughtful student even suggested that Maggie would need to be a zookeeper with her own zoo! From there, the class began to wonder — what actually makes an animal a pet, and what makes it a zoo animal?

Building the Project

In every Project Approach Unit, students begin by mapping what they know and what they want to learn using a Topic Web. This living chart helps track their growing understanding as they explore through research, activities, and expert visits.

Alongside the topic web, the class also created a Wonder Wall — a special space where students’ questions and curiosities are collected. These “wonders” help guide the project and shape future lessons and activities.

One of the first big questions to emerge was: “How do we take care of different animals?” To start exploring that idea, students dove into the question, “How do we take care of a turtle?”

Learning Through Exploration

Through research and observation, students discovered that turtles have different needs depending on their type. Aquatic turtles and box turtles, for example, require very different homes. The class looked at photos of real turtle habitats and then created their own visual charts, drawing and labeling the items a turtle needs to stay healthy and happy.

Guest Expert Insights

To help deepen their understanding of pets versus wild animals, the class met biologist Taylor Rubin via Zoom. Taylor, a former zoologist at Zoo Atlanta who now studies urban wildlife, helped the students define two key groups:

  • Domestic animals – animals that have lived alongside humans for a long time and rely on people for care, like dogs, cats, horses, and chickens.
  • Wild animals – animals that can survive and care for themselves in nature.

When the students revisited their original question about hippos, Taylor helped them see why a hippo can’t be a pet. Hippos need to eat about 150 pounds of grass per day, live in large pods of 10–30 hippos, and require plenty of water to swim in. Clearly, even the most dedicated pet owner couldn’t meet those needs!

The class loved learning from a real scientist, and they now have an even clearer understanding of what makes an animal a pet — and why Maggie’s hippo dream might have to stay imaginary for now!

#SaklanProjects

Owlets’ Curiosity Sparked

As autumn settles in and the trees around campus begin their seasonal transformation, the Owlets’ curiosity has been sparked by the changing colors and falling leaves. This curiosity led to their Leaves Project—an exploration designed to deepen their connection with the natural world and build on their observations.

The project began when the preschoolers noticed that some trees in the playground had already dropped their leaves, while others just beyond the fence still held on tightly to theirs. Together, they recorded these observations and began wondering why this might be—a question they will continue to investigate over the coming weeks.

To launch the project, each Owlet brought in leaves from home. The classroom quickly filled with excitement as students examined their growing collection, noticing that leaves come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Throughout the first week, the class spent time observing and sorting leaves. They worked together to group them into small, medium, and large categories—discovering that even leaves of the same shape can vary greatly in size.

As part of their study, each preschooler received an Observation Notebook for recording detailed drawings of leaves. Using graphite pencils, they practiced looking closely and capturing what they saw—tracing edges, noticing veins, and identifying shapes. This led to a deeper exploration of leaf anatomy, including terms like apex, base, midrib, veins, and leafstalk. When one student commented that humans also have veins, he wondered aloud what purpose they serve in leaves—a thoughtful question now posted on the class Wonder Wall for future exploration.

Through observation and hands-on discovery, the Owlets are deepening their understanding of the natural world—and finding joy in every leaf along the way!

#SaklanProjects

Creativity & Fine Motor Skills

The Owlets have been working on a mini-inquiry into one of their favorite things: sticks! To kick off their exploration, the Owlets brought in sticks they found at home to examine. They noted the differences in the sticks and brainstormed many ways they could be used.

After brainstorming creative ways to use sticks, the Owlets practiced wrapping sticks with ribbons, threading beads on them, painting them, creating pictures with them, and transforming them into unique wands, and beautiful nature-inspired paint brushes. It’s been a wonderful way to nurture their creativity and fine motor skills.

The preschoolers had a wonderful time experimenting with making their sticks into nature-inspired paintbrushes! They crafted their own brushes using various materials from nature and then had fun painting with their creations to see the unique effects they could achieve.

Their work with sticks has been a wonderful way to nurture their creativity and fine motor skills!

#SaklanHandsOn