Musical postcard - imagined & illustrated by Takuro

Hi Jim,

I'm having a trip to China. I never been to China before so I am really exciting. It took 4 hours in plane to get here which was really uncomfortable. I can't believe that the quality of the seat is low compaired to Japanese one. It's been a bad start, but I experienced and learned many things about China.

First I went to an enormous castle near to the Great Wall of China. It was interesting to see the difference between the Japanese one. The scenery from there was fantastic. What's more, the sunset was so beautiful that I was watching it for a long time, which made me miss the bus, but fortunately I was able to see an endangered bird.

When I got to a lodge, I watched a famous SF movie which was crap.

What I'm going to do tomorrow is visiting the Mexican City, meeting a man who can play music with bins and go to a disco at night, which is the most exciting event for me.

I especially request China for you to visit. It's a good fun.

Takuro

Musical postcard - as imagined & illustrated by Kanro.

Dear Jim,

I'm in China!

I've visited two places today. They both had wonderful scenery and I really enjoyed them.

First, I visited a Chinese temple. It was so big that I had to set back to see the whole. Dragons and tigers on the sides were just too cool. I had lunch there as well. I ate a little expensive Chinese food. As I love Chinese dishes, I enjoyed it till the end.

After that, I went to a desert called Gobi Desert. I drove on the sand, which was a little difficult. It was a surprise to see one tree standing in the desert alone. I wonder how it's growing there.

Tomorrow, I'll be visiting an aquarium and a zoo. I can't wait to see the dolphins and pandas. I'll tell you about my trip in detail when I am back in two weeks' time!

Kanro

The Orient Express - a strange encounter (II)

Locomotive Class 363, Orient Express, Praha-Smíchov train station, Czech Republic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear Mom.

Hi! I’m heading for Venice. Today, I boarded at Orient Express from London and met two interesting people in the compartment.

First, I met a cute girl who wants to be a musician. She said she got to Europe all the way from New Zealand to major in piano. We had a conversation about music and promised we’d make a performance one day.

And then, I encountered a nice looking guy. He’s from Ivory Coast. He is a magician. Since it was the first time I met a magician, I got interested in his story. He told me he’s heading for Paris and trying to do a great magic trick. He’ll steal Eiffel Tower from Paris! It’s just between you and me…

Anyway, I’ll get to Venetia Santa Lucia Station tomorrow.

I can’t wait to see you.

Sincerely,

Marco

October variety slideshow from Luna's classsrooms

I thought October was suddenly overwhelming with demands for Hallowe'en stuff, but I'm glad I was wrong and we could get on with some significant learning & laughter too!



As you can see, lots of phonics and reading, singing and physical interpretation too - every way to learn! We planted bags of bulbs too, along the edge of the car park...and forgot to label them, so spring should be a nice colourful surprise!

The Orient Express - a strange encounter

Yet to be stolen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hi Anna,

I’m writing this letter for you in Innsbruck. It’s my first time to travel using the Orient Express. When I was on the train, I met two men. One of them is a student from Argentina. Oh, I forgot his name…  He plays the violin. He looks very young but he was brilliant. I hope he will be famous player in the future. Other man was strange, yes, really strange. He said he will steal the Eiffel Tower and it was secret. The young boy and me promised that we don’t tell anyone his plan. He asked us whether we have taken Oriental Express ever. I told him that it was second time and first time had been honeymoon. But I’m divorced. The strange man also has been experienced. I thought it was serious (adult) problems and I wish the young boy will never meet those problems.

I enjoyed spending time on the train. Of course, I could take nice pictures at Innsbruck.

I’ll send some photos to you as soon as I get arrived my home.

Best regards,

Jenny  

Lost keys

There is a master key for my flat. When I moved into the flat, I was informed from landlord that it was only key for the flat and 15,000yen need to be paid in case it is lost.

I was worried to lose the original key, I go to the key shop and made a spare key. I mainly use the spare key to lock the door and keep the original key safely in my room.

One day, I planned to travel to Korea with my mother. As the departure time of our flight is in early morning, my mother stayed my flat, and we went to airport by share-ride taxi. On the day before moving to the airport, my mother planned to go to my flat and wait for me. As I always use the spare key, I put the original key under the potted plant so that my mother can pick up the key and open the door of my flat.

After a short while, I tried to find the original key but I couldn’t find it…I asked my mother where it is, but she said she put the key in my room or returned to me. I couldn’t bring back to memory at all about the original key.

As I still have spare key, there is no problem to open or lock my flat, but I have to pay some money when I move out my flat in the future!
Now I am still looking for the original key in my room…

I hate science

I didn’t like science at all when I was a student.
I’ve never thought over the reason why I hated science, but it’s good time. I shall think it over here.

The first reason is that I was not good at calculation.
Science always comes with formula, and calculation of number to number.
What's worse was that I assumed by myself that I was an artistic person. That’s why I was trying to stay away from numbers.

The second reason is that I can’t see the substance when we experiment.
For example, I raise an electricity. We learned the electricity by making a torch at school. The torch lighted up when I turned it on. Then, I could feel there is electric power going through, but I couldn’t see the power itself, so it was vague to me to understand it. I didn’t have good sense to understand science.

The third reason is that I couldn’t think Science is important for my life. As I grown up, I understand the knowledge from science is very important, and there is a lot of connection with living. It’s a shame, but I was too foolish and I couldn’t find the connection between science and my life.

Now, I understand my life is supported by technology created by science. I wish I could return my time, and study science again.

Yumi

After reading "Gone!" - my first solo journey

I visited one of my friends from university who lived in Okayama prefecture several years ago. She was an elementary school teacher, so it was difficult for her to take days off in weekdays.

It was a long and expensive journey for me, as I needed to take Shinkansen from Nagoya to Okayama station, so I decided to go another near place by myself in a weekday. I went to Kagawa prefecture, as I could go there by local train from Okayama station.

The train crossed the bridge called Seto Ohashi and the scenery was very wide and beautiful from the window on the train. When I arrived at Takamatsu station, I borrowed a rental bicycle to see around the city. I also had very delicious Sanuki Udon. It was very simple, but udon had body and the soup was very tasty.

 After that, I went to the park and walked around for an hour. Then, I went to a park near the port. I sat the stairs and drank coke while seeing very big vessel. I was very excited to see such a big vessel. Then, the vessel suddenly blew a whistle to departure from the port. I was very surprised by big sound, so I spilled coke on my cloth! I could not release my anger on anything…

Posted by Tomoko for Chinasa

After reading of "The Rainbow Girl" - A special rainbow

A sports festival is scheduled every September at my son’s nursery school . But September is the season of typhoon in Japan.

Two years ago, it was postponed due to the bad weather. I don’t remember clearly, but the typhoon was coming towards to Japan at that time. This year, the typhoon came again.

I checked the weather forecast every day, but it told me it would rain due to typhoon on that date. On the day before the sports festival, the weather forecast said it would be 80% chance of rain. I almost gave up and didn’t prepare anything for the sports festival. However, I got a message from nursery school in the morning and it said the sports festival would go ahead as scheduled. I was so surprised, but I prepared quickly then went to nursery school with my husband and son.

When we arrived, we found a beautiful rainbow in the sky. As the typhoon had passed in early morning, it became a sunny day. The rainbow stayed in the sky for about an hour even when the sports festival started with a happy song. The rainbow brought me a lot of happy things on that day. My son won the foot race and I could see his big smiles.

Slideshow from September

Remember back when shorts and t-shirts were the way to go? Long evenings lingered a bit past 6pm and the weather was nice?

Just in case you can't, here's a lovely compilation of photos from around the school as we made ourselves at home in our new surroundings. We finally got the car park sorted out, which has been a very welcome addition (thank you Yukari); Takeshi produced an awesome new sign for us; and all the children helped us make a new garden with lots of lovely little plants, herbs, flowers etc in it.

Enjoy the slideshow - you can also find it on our Luna Facebook page or Jim's Youtube channel



Stay tuned for October's installment...

Fantasy creatures – an incredibly selfish letter

English: nymph aurae (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hello Nymphs. How do you do?

I am a human being. My name is Reiko. When I walked in the forest I saw you around the pure source of water in forest. I was amazed. I believed that Nymphs is fantasy creature. But Nymphs is (exist). How wonderful it is! And how beautiful you are!

You are full of charming grace and intelligence. According to the book which I wrote(read), it is written that Nymphs is forever young.

I have a wish.

Please give me forever beauty and forever young by your magical powers. I am sorry for doing the wish so suddenly. Please, please grant a wish.

To beautiful and peaceful Nymphs.

From Reiko

Fantasy creatures – a dwarf’s diary

English: dwarf  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today I mined for gems. I got a big diamond, rubies and sapphires. It is maybe 3 carat diamond.

I went Shimosato’s house, there were milk and bread. So I cleaned the house. There were many rubbishes. How dirty house! But I got a big diamond. I was very happy I work very well today.

I wish there will be much more milk and bread Shimosato’s house!

Fantasy creatures – a letter to goblins

CG depiction of Gollum created by Weta Digital for the Lord of the Rings film trilogy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear Goblins,

Do you know Gollum in the Lord of the Rings? Is he your group? Recently Gollum is the most famous Goblins  all over the world.

The movie made a strong impression on me. His image is very weird and strong.

In USA I heard you are traditionally costume in Halloween. But I have never seen your costume in Halloween in Japan. What are you thinking about this?

If possible please give me e-mail!

From Yoko

Fantasy creatures - a letter to the elves

Elves as portrayed in the 1977 Rankin-Bass version of The Hobbit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear elves,

How are you? I have some questions. Have you felt hungry? What do you eat and drink, or you don’t need any food?

I heard you like dancing in moonlight. If I (mankind) want to see dancing, will you welcome me?

You live northern district in the woodlands. Have you wanted to travel in southern warm countries with your magic power?

You live very very long life. Have you been attracted by human being and fell in love? If you have how the matter had gone?

From Misako

Our favourite teen TV shows

Momo:

My favorite TV programme is Sekainohatemadeittekyu. It's tells us about it's the world. Sometimes it's about animals other times it's about world festivals. My family watch it on Sunday in the evening. When we watch it,we laugh. I like it very much.

Yuu:

Everything (Arashi song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My favoriteTV programme is "VS Arashi". I see it in the evening on Thursdays. It's very interesting because Arashi is very nice and great. I watch it in the living room with Mam.

Mizuki:

My favourite programme is "Zip". I often watch it every day. It has a lot of short programmes, so I can choose favourite programme. It's interesting and funny programme. I can watch news, music, animal and culture programme.

Horrible Halloween - what can a monster do?

Kotone's crazy creature's

Now I do realize I’m a little late to the party with a Halloween post, but this is what happens if you rely on 10 year olds to get their homework done and handed in on time!

We have been learning to use “can” and “can’t” for abilities recently, so I thought it would be interesting to combine these abilities with some spooky creatures. We started by sharing our own ideas on what a monster/vampire/ghost etc can or can’t do: “Can a bat drive a car?”, “No it can’t!!” Don't be daft Damian.

Moeka's mysterious mummies

We then set about putting our ideas down on paper. We did this by drawing a park scene which depicted Halloween creatures playing/having a picnic together; incorporating the various actions and abilities we had covered in lesson. Everyone did an excellent job showing what each creature can or can’t do, and we followed this up by writing sentences to describe our pictures on handwriting paper. Eventually we managed to arrive at the finished product and had a bit of show and tell session to show off our work, just in time for… Well classroom decorations for next Halloween I guess.

Student project on health & lifestyles - we need some answers!

Rui is doing a project on health & lifestyles...do you have 5 minutes to do his homework for him?

(All your answers are confidential, of course, nicknames only please!)



Thank you for taking the time - please share with friends too!

Are iPad good or bad

Many people are against iPads, but I think they are good thing. Some people say that we play too much with iPads.

Today lots of people wear glasses because they play too much with iPads. In addition, some apps cost extra money and some people spend a lot of time playing with them so they become fat and unhealthy

I don't agree. I think that iPads are a good thing, because you can communicate with people around  the world. Also, you can play with games, watch videos and use as a mini PC.

So some people think that iPads are a bad thing. But I think they are a great way to have fun and learn.