Talking Heads - young learners introducing themselves confidently

 

 With the new school year, we've found a few new classmates to get to know, and new books to get used to. Great opportunity to brush off an old favourite, Chatterkids app, to record our voices over our super cute self-portraits. Very easily done, and learners keen to 'bling' their pictures and rehearse their output, and willing to speak up with the anonymity cloak! 

Tundra Biome project - taking a text book project home

 

Check out this original work from three of our junior high school students, as a project extension to our class studies in Everybody Up 5. Class one = collecting ideas & googling for images, making notes, with my initial visualisation being a copy & paste job. However, as everyone was already using the PC in my classroom, I decided to let go of the mouse & keyboard & assist from the back of the room, leaving them with a Jamboard canves to populate instead. Two lads in class, sharing typing duties with a third collaborator online chirping in with editing ideas etc. I'm not 100% sure about their animal identification skills!

Biome research - googling!

There is not as much English content as I would have liked, but the task got the boys working together & thinking creatively, adding sticky notes & checking spelling, and learning how to collaborate with this online whiteboard tool. Class two: learning PC skills never did anyone any harm - it always dismays me how little Japanese students can do with tech. Regardless, this output was a personal mission for them & I am sure will settle the 'biome' concept into their memories.

Well done lads!

Expanded horizons - biome take away

Getting older – does it mean your life is getting worse?

Some people say that the childhood is the best time of your life, and that the older you become, the worse your life is. However, there are many older people who look live happily. 

 There might be some advantages for old ages, as well as disadvantages. On the minus side, you have many troubles with your health when you get old. For example, farsightedness or blurry sight from cataract, hearing loss, weaken legs, diabetes or even a serious disease such as cancer will be revealed. However, there are good solutions for your weakness today. 

For aged eyes, glasses for farsightedness or you can regain good visions with only one-day surgery. In most regions, older people can take their health check for free or cheaper and they can reach health service easily so that disease is found early enough to expect good prognosis. When you get worried about your health or any other problem, your friend will help you whom you’ve met through life. In younger ages, people move so fast and so often, only true reliable friends will remain as your friends when you become old.

To sum up, despite the weakness of old ages, I believe that old people can live stronger and happier than we think, with a little help of families, friends and the and the development of science and medicine.

Reiko’s best buddy

His name is H.He's from Japan and he lives at home with his parents and two sisters. He's 14 years old and he's a junior high school student.

He's short and he has curly black hair.He usually wears glasses.

He's shy and quiet, but he's talkative when he is with good friends. I think he's kind but a bit stubborn.

He likes reading books and newspapers. He reads a book whenever he gets free time.He's interested in many things, especially science and mathmatics. He belongs to the Science Club at school and he enjyoys it's activities.

Kaoru's best friend

 My best friend

My best friend is Mitsutoshi. We met for the first time at our elementary school. We went to different high schools and met again in the toy department of Aeon when we were university students.

He is as tall as me, but he is well built. We are the same age, so he is also going grey.

He is an employee of GP, and works in beverage sales. He is very kind. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, when my family was living in Tokyo, he sent us a box of bottled water. We were very grateful to him because we could not buy water at stores at that time.

He was a member of the modeling club during his university days, so he is very good at making plastic models. He taught me the technique of plastic model making.

During the pandemic of COVID-19, we have not seen for about two years.

You may not be able to help laughing at Box Cart Race

It has been decided that the event “Red Bull Box Cart Race” will be held in Matsumoto next year.

The original name is “Soapbox race”. It is said to have begun when American children enjoyed race using a soapbox with wheels. This race is called as below. “Box Cart Race in South Africa and Japan because soap box is less familiar with in Japan. “Red Bull Billy Cart Grand Prix” in Australia. “Red Bull Carros Locos” in Peru which means “Crazy race” in Spanish. “Red Bull Caisses a Savon” in France. “Red Bull Ladeira Abaixo” in Brazil which means “to the bottom” in Portuguese. “Red Bul Trolley Grand Prix” in New Zealand. “Red Bull Zeepkisten Race in Netherland.

This race started in 2000 at Brussels. More than 110 races have been held in the worldwide. At the race held in London in 2019, more than 20,000 people visited. Racer can ride a handmade car without engine. All teams are scored in some points of Creativity, Performance, and Time to goal. External design including costume, Car performance etc. are very important to laugh audiences much and to win the race. All teams drive the funniest handmade cars at full power and play it straight.

Due to COVID-19, we had to stay at home almost 2 years and this race will be an unforgettable event for audiences. I recommend our company to sponsor this event.

 

My friend

Her name is S. She is 24 years old. She's an esthetician.  She's from Matsumoto city and live with her boyfriend. She has black hair and is medium height. She is an extrovert and clever but she is a little stubborn... She likes studying nutrition for good health and beauty.

Report about Golden Gate Park

Summary:

There are a couple of theme areas in Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory of Flowers, the de Young Museum of Art, and the Japanese Tea Garden.

Now, each area requires special restriction for COVID-19. You need to check the rule before you visit all areas.

1. The Conservatory of Flowers

This place is highly recommended to whom is true horticulturists. The Conservatory of Flowers is botanical garden opened in 1879. The place has historical and symbolic attraction.

2. The De Young Museum

You can see art displayed in showcase, photograph, and costume from the world. De Young Museum has been a good place to explore in San Francisco for five centuries. Now, following special exhibitions are held. 

1. Frida Kahlo : Appearances Can Be Deceiving

You can see a treasure trove of Kahlo like jewelry, clothing and prosthetics.

2. Uncanny Valley : Being Human In The Age of AI

Contemporary art to ask what it means to be human in age of data.

3. The Turkmen Storage Bag

Some of museum's most prized pieces of Turkish textiles.

3. The Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden is an oasis in San Francisco.

The garden was produced by a Midwinter International Exposition in 1894.

After the fair, Makoto Hagiware, a Japanese landscape architect was in charge of maintaining the garden as a permanent garden. With his passion, the garden grew from one acre to five acres and some of the trees are more than one hundred years old.

Now, the garden gives you quiet and peaceful time away from noisy city, and you can enjoy Japanese sweets in a tea room.

The Japanese Tea Garden will be only open Wednesday through Sunday each week, from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.. Bathrooms will be closed for COVID-19.

A best friend

What’s the definition of a best friend? How long we have known each other? How close we are to each other? How many secrets have we shared with each other? I’m 28 years old,but I’m still not quite sure.

T and M were my best friends, I believe. We met at university, and we lived in the same student dormitory.

I spoke to them for the first time, I was a second year student. We were elected as supervisors at the dormitory. We had spent time together in hard ship, and were closer than anyone else. I thought that we would keep in touch and get on well after graduation.

For some reason, we have suddenly stopped keeping in touch recently. It could be because M is getting married, or maybe it’s because I deleted my instagram account. I’m not sure that we’ll continue to be estranged from each other or not.

Posted for Anna K.

My favorite Knight of the Round Table - Sir Gawain

There are a lot of knights in this story. Among them, Sir Gawain was especially attractive to me.

Sir Gawain was generally said to be the nephew of King Arthur. Gawain’s parents were King Lot of Orkney and Morgause. When King Lot  died, Gawain became the head of the Orkney clan, which includes his brothers Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and his half-brother Mordred.

Though Lancelot is often referred to as the greatest knight, Gawain is also referred to as the greatest knight of the Round Table. He was most recognized from story of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is one of the King Arthur legends.

During a New Year’s Eve feast at King Arthur’s court, an unexpected visited. The knight’s belongings were green, even a horse. The Green Knight approached about the game that he will allow whomever accepts the challenge to strike him with his own axe, on the condition that the challenger find him in exactly one year to receive a blow in return. Sir Gawain took his challenge instead of King Arthur. One year later, he fulfilled the Green knight’s promises. In addition, he met some challenges and coped well it.

According to the story, I can imagine that Sir Gawain had loyalty but also nobility. So, I understood that King Arthur put him trust.