The cake speaks!

What a cool way to finish off a graded reader! Personalised project after reading "The Cake Machine" (an OUP Read & Imagine book) where she listed ingredients and took ideas from the text...then put her own creation together in text - guided writing with prompts/questions from the teacher (and some spelling help for new vocabulary not in in the glossary). 

As I've previously written here, I love the Chatterkids app to record student voices with their original artwork, to anonymise their output...this reduces stress/panic! They can also practice & re-record (critique & edit themselves, or speed up delivery/polish pronunciation & intonation, to the thirty second barrier.

What do you think of Yuri's cake and her description of it? 

 

Let's talk! Students with after reading projects

We think these two young learners really do speak for themselves! 

 

After reading - "Dummy Invitation to Class Halloween Party"

This is dummy invitation as homework and the party below is not held actually.
--------------------------------
Dear our classmates,

It’s that time of the year again!  We are going to have a Halloween party in the night of Oct. 31, 2018 and would like to invite everyone to attend. This may be last Halloween party for this senior class, so we would appreciate if all classmates can attend and enjoy much.

Please see the details of party as below.
Date:  October 31 (Wed)  Time:  18:00 – 20:00  Location:  Café & Bacaro il nido  Address:  2/F, 1-3-18 Chuo, Matsumoto, Nagano Japan  You can see a map in the site below for your easier understanding.  Cost:  JPY4,000 per person  Dress-code:  Put something of Halloween-esque
We are going to have a Bingo party and you may be able to get wonderful Halloween present!!  We really hope to see you and to spend funny time there!

If you are not able to attend the party, please let me know before Oct. 23 (Tue). Party organizer:  Yuri Kojima  & Ritsuko Ozawa

P.S.  If you have time before party, we are welcome to come to the restaurant around 16:30 to do setting together.

After Reading - Five Famous Fairy Stories

“Love can make everybody stupid.” 

Is this true?

I think this is true. Because love can make me stupid. If I love a man who is in a trouble, I try everything I can do to help him.

Sometime we can’t see everything except lover, and we can’t hear everything except lover’s. So sometime we make mistakes.

Some people received violence from their lover, but they don’t escape from them. After they received violence, the lover say sorry or they won’t using violence from now, they can forgive them. On the contrary they believe that they are only person who can understand about lover. If someone say they should part from their lover, they wouldn’t like to part more and more.

If people are asked to lend money from their lover, some people lend money. Sometimes they are in trouble when they decide to part from their lover.

On the other hand, people love their lover too much, they distress their lover. For example, they too worry about their lover to restraint upon the freedom of their lover. Not to meet the other (sex), not to talk with other (sex), not to found attractive…

I think everybody feel jealousy if their lover talk with other too friendly. I think love can make everybody stupid. Only some people represent their feeling and behave their feeling directly but everybody is same in our heart, I think.

The Black Pearl - Shiver my timbers

What is good/bad about a pirate’s life?

My imagination of pirate is as the pirate in this movie. There are a lot of difference between my life and pirate’s.

I think the worst thing about pirate’s life is they have no home on the ground. So if the weather is bad, they have to stay in the ship on the sea. Maybe they have a lot of stock of food and alcohol. But they are not live alone, so they can’t eat or drink a lot anytime. And they don’t have time to spend alone.

I don’t have good impression for the pirate, but they may lead a well-regulated life. For example, every day they get up, have a meal, and go to bed same time. They look free, but actually they aren’t free, I think. They have rules and if someone break them, it is a matter of life and death to him/her. And they have a lot of dangerous in their life.

When they take something from other ship, the other ship’s crew may attack them to stave off a danger. And also sea is sometimes dangerous as I wrote before.

I don’t think they buy what they need in a shop like us, so sometimes they may not be able to take the thing they want to.

I think there are a lot of bad things about pirate’s life. I think my life is extremely better than them.

Apollo 13 - after reading

Marilyn watched the drama of Apollo 13 unfold on TV...
Do you think she wants her husband to go into space again? Why/why not?

 

The crew of Apollo 13 on board the USS Iwo Jima following splashdown 

No, I don’t. She doesn’t want her husband to go into space never. I think she may be very worried sick. But if her husband says he wants to go again, I think she can’t say not to go. Because she knows how her husband wants to go to the moon. 

If he goes into space again, she always thinks that the same thing will happen such as Apollo 13. But if she says not to go and her husband decides he won’t go into space again, she has to continue to see her husband repress his feeling. I think it’s not good for each other.

It’s not decided the accident will happen. So if I were her, I want my husband to go there again, and I hope he comes home safely. Of course I am very worry and I always think about him. But I want him to make his dream come true.

Maybe Marilyn has heard the story about her husband’s dream from him many times.  

I think she needs time to sort out her feelings. Soon after he comes home, she doesn’t want him to go there again, but after a few months she can change her mind.

Finally, she will support him, I think.

Eyes wide shut - a nervous passenger

Photo credit: Jim George

Is there someone you know who drives badly? Write about a trip you made with them when you were afraid.

A few years ago, I went hiking with my friends. One of my friend drove to the mountain.

She drove fast. Her car’s seats were lower than mine. I felt the ground is close to me. I felt a little scare when I sat the seat.

There were a lot of curve on the way to the mountain. But she didn’t drive slowly when she drove curving road. I was afraid. Because one side of the road was cliff. And some time suddenly oncoming vehicle was appear from the rock. I couldn’t say “Please drive slowly” to her. Because she looked happy and she said “ I love to drive curving road!”

I tried to smile and I put a force with my legs.

I enjoyed hiking. But I felt tire than usual. And I haven’t got on her car after that. If I go hiking with her, I try to get on another car.

We went hiking last month. But I got on another car. She drove in front of ours. But soon we couldn’t see her car. We talked “Sorry to her car’s people. We drove carefully.”

Posted for Yuri

My childhood collection

Colorful Super balls

When I was a child, I collected little balls. They can hop higher than other balls. We call them “ super ball”. There are various colour and size. I put them in a little red box which my grandmother gave me. The box has the lid. So I can easily carry them.

I could get them in the festival. There are many shops at the festival. One of them was a shop of “super ball”. We could get the ball using a wafer, ladle, cup, or bowl. The cost was different which I use to get them. The balls were float on the running water in the little pool. Using wafer was the cheapest, but it couldn’ t get balls a lot. So I always use a ladle. I think I could get them 5-15 at one time. I had over one hundred balls.

Now I have about 50 balls. Some of them I gave to my niece. I played with them using balls. And they are collecting the balls. So they ask me to give the balls to them. It is interesting to hear they collect the balls like me. I enjoy playing with my niece using the balls.

 Posted for Yuri

The Rainbow Girl - after reading, share your favourite mountain

My favourite mountain-top view is from the Mountain Jonen. It was the highest mountain I have climbed. I had never known there were no trees before I climbed the Jonen. When I climbed the Jonen and into the top, I was scared. Because there were no trees, so I could look down into the valley below. I had never looked down at the mountains. It was sunny day, so I could see clearly.
The view was beautiful and so wonderful. I could see mountain next to the Jonen very nearly. And I could see people climbed the next mountain.

 Mount Jonen from Mount Yari (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was hard for me to climb the Jonen. Nearby the top, I was extremely short of breath as I climbed a little. But it was harder for me climbing down than climbing up.

When I climbed down from the top, I was so scared that I didn’t know how could I climb down. I didn’t know where should I placed my foot. An experienced person told me where my right foot on and then where left side on. He told me that all the way from the top to the mountain cottage. So I could climbed down.

I can see Jonen every day and I like it. Sometimes I remember this experience.

Posted for Yuri

After reading the Black Night - describe your favourite art gallery

I like Chihiro Iwasaki. She painted babies and children a lot. Her paints make me feel warm. Children in her paints are so cute. But sometimes they look sad. I want to look them many times over because I don’t know why.

She paints a lot of illustration of books, too. (ex, Andersen) She painted some illustration of war. But she didn’t paint the scene. She painted facial expression a lot. So her paints were very impressive for me.

She painted in water colors. She used a lot of water. So sometimes paints look like India ink drawings. She used mellow colors. I like her colors, too.

When I was a child, my mother bought some replicas for my sisters and me. One of them used only green and white color, and a girl is smiling. I exhibited it in my room. When I was tired, I looked it. It healed me.

There is “Chihiro Museum” near my home town. I haven’t gone there lately. So I want to go there and look her paints. I think many women or girls like her paints.

Posted for Yuri

After reading Daeth at Hadrian's Wall...

Write about an historic structure or building in your country, that you have visited. Include photographs.

 There is a Zenko-ji temple in Nagano city, Nagano prefecture. It was built in seven century.
The main temple was designated a national treasure in 1953. It is the 3rd biggest wooden building in which was designated a national treasure.

Its honzon (the principal image of Buddha) is Amida Sanzon-zo (the image of the Amida Triad). But we can’t see the honzon. We can see the copy instead of honzon once in seven years. The period is called Gokai-cho. The copy is an important cultural property built in Kamakura period, made of bronze.

Zenkoji in Nagano, Nagano prefecture, Japan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A pillar called Eko-chu is built in front of main temple when Gokai-cho. If you touch the Eko-chu, you will happy in your next world. When I went to Zenko-ji in Gokai-cho, there are a lot of people. So I got in the line to touch the Eko-chu over one hour.

There are some idioms including “Zenko-ji”. For example, “Ushi ni hikarete Zenko-ji mairi” = Never see me as just a cow, the mind of mine let you to go to Buddhism. It mean you are unexpectedly brought to somewhere with others. And an invitation from someone or unexpectedly chance will lead you good or lucky.

I think Zenko-ji temple look very beautiful. I like it.

Posted for Yuri

After reading "Shopping for Trouble" - Describe your very best friend, and explain why you stick together.

My mother and her mother are good friend. So I and my best friend have known from we were 4 or 5 years old. But we have been best friend from we became adult. Of course we were good friend from we were children.

I don’t know why we became best friend. I think one of reason is we like same artist.

From ten more years ago, we go to their concert every New Year’s holiday. And we stayed same hotel room two or three days. I find I don’t care about my life style when I stay with her. And I don’t care about her life style, too. So I feel comfortable with her. We only can meet twice or three times every year. But we can understand each other.

One day, I understood she felt uncomfortable about her friend. She said nothing. But I could understand. After few years, I said to her about this. She was surprised, and she became smile. I think she understand me, too. If we say nothing when we stay together, we don’t care. And we don’t feel uncomfortable.

My sister said to me, “Your friend is always looks like her.”

Posted for Yuri

After reading "The Show Must Go On"

Write about your contribution to a play/performance from behind the scenes

My mother teaches the piano and Koto (Japanese traditional instrument). She gives a music recital for her students every year. Almost students join the recital and they play in front of audience.

When she gave the recital last year, I helped her. I announced player’s name and their message before they played. That was my first time to try indoor announcer. Before the recital started, I felt nervous. But when the recital started, I didn’t feel that. I tried to speak slowly and clearly. And I enjoyed the being indoor announcer. Each player was more nervous than me. So I tried to being smile.

I think if the announce has a lot of mistake, the player felt more nervous. And they couldn’t play well. But it was difficult to say each player’s name. Sometimes their name was difficult to say clearly.
I think my announcement was good! I did not play the piano, but I felt I join the recital.

I will try to be indoor announcer this year, too. So I try to practice I pronounce clearly. I think this year’s announce is better than last year!

Posted for Yuri

After reading Murders in the Rue Morgue: a true story from Japan

 What is the most unusual story you have ever heard involving an animal?

This was an actual story which was happened in the World War Ⅱ.

There were three elephants in the Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, but because of the war, there was no food for the animals. Breeders in the zoo thought elephants were dangerous for people when they couldn’t control them. So they decided to kill the elephants. However, the elephants' skin was so hard that they couldn’t inject the poison. So they thought they should starve to death the elephants.

Elephant (Photo credit: Averain)

A few days later, elephants were very hungry. One of the elephants began to perform tricks to get  food. Then the others began to perform, too...The end of story was that elephants starved to death. But they were performing till they couldn’t move.

I like elephants because of their eyes. They look very kind. But I know they attack people or other animals when they protect their-self or their family.

When I was a child, I read this book. I was very shocked and I couldn’t stop crying. First, I thought why animals were killed for people. But if I was in the time, I thought the same thing as the breeder. I think these elephants were so clever and I would like to see them.

Posted for Yuri

A letter from beyond the grave - creative writing after reading "The Bride Wore Black"

"Ghost" letter written by Yuri

Dear Kate,

I am very sorry to you. I didn’t know Bea is so dangerous woman. And I can’t believe she killed me. But it was true. I am happy because you and your sister are well. My thought wasn’t wrong. I should get marry you, not Bea. But I can’t.

Thank you for love me.

Now I love you more than when I lived.

I wish you will be happy.
Good-bye and see you next world.

Love Steve

The importance of attending a funeral

 After reading "The Bride Wore Black" - writing exercise:

In my memory, I have been to funeral twice. One was for my grandfather, and other was for my friend.

I think funeral was the time to send-off the late person to the other world. And people can say good-bye to the late person. And also people can forget to cry because of busyness for preparation the funeral.

When I attended my friend’s funeral, I met a lot of my old friends. We talked about our student’s life and recent situation. Of course we talked about late person. She was a leader of one of girl’s group. I could remember about her clearly.

When the dates of funeral have come, I remember about them. I think this is also important for them or their family.

There are some pictures which we took them at the day of my grandfather’s funeral. They are family’s pictures. But all of us were smile. I was shocked and very sad when he died. But I was smile. Because I could talk about him a lot and I could say good-bye. I thought all of our family was same.
So I think it is important to attend the funeral.

Posted for Yuri

A respected teacher - Jungle Book after reading

Mowgli gets a lot of good avice from his teachers. 

Write about a teacher you respected and why their advice was important for you.

My 1st grade’s teacher was an old man. He looked very scary face. But he was kind for me. He taught us not only studying but also how we should spend in the school or society. He taught us school discipline, too. The most impressed his advice was that when I come back home, I have to talk about one of my today’s news with my parents. I talked my news every day. This was good for me and my parents. For me, it was good opportunity that I talked with my parents a lot. And for my parents, they could know how I spent in the school. So we talked about my school life a lot every day. I still talk about my news when I meet my parents. He wrote a letter which was written about what we studied that day, almost every day to our parents. And he sent students handwriting New Year’s card every year till he was in poor health. I think if I wasn’t a his student, I spent a different school days. I thank him very much.

Posted for Yuri

Huckleberry Finn - after reading

Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer are very famous names. Why isn't Jim?

I think there are some reasons why Jim isn’t very famous name.
One is because of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer is name of story. So people have some chances to hear their name.

Second is that Huck & Tom are boys. So if readers are boys or girls, they may be able to be Huck or Tom when they read the story. Or they may be able to be Huck & Tom’s friends. And they had adventures with them. But Jim is older than readers. So people couldn’t to be him when they read the story, I think.

Third is because of Jim is a slave. I got some information about slave from the story of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. In this story (“Huckleberry Finn”), Jim’s master was not a bad person. But I don’t have a good image for slave. People worked very hard. But they couldn’t get any money. And they didn’t have any freedom. I think Jim is a good person, but I don’t want to be a slave. Some readers may think so, too.

Fourth is Huck and Tom are active and positive person. So I think they are attractive. They are admired by readers.

Posted for Yuri

By these reasons, Jim isn't a very famous name, I think.

After reading The Canterville Ghost - cultural comparisons Americans & Japanese

 The Americans in this story are very different to the British. 

How are Americans different to people from your country?

I think there are many difference between Japanese and Americans. For example looks, culture and religion…etc.

I think Americans are franker than Japanese. Many Japanese don’t good at saying their true feeling to others, I think. In Japan, sometimes it is better hiding the true. We have the custom to talk modest. So we are not used to saying true feeling. But this may confused other country people.

I think Japanese are shyer than Americans. In Japan, people don’t talk to next man/woman when they are in the plane or train. But sometimes Americans are talk to next man/woman who haven’t meet before. When I took a train before, the next man who is from America talked to me. And we talked from Matsumoto to Nagoya in English. I couldn’t speak English well, but he had a dictionary, so we used dictionary and talked. It was fun.

I think Americans have more interesting idea for an entertainment. Maybe Japanese think whether it will be dangerous, first. But Americans do the first. Snowboarding, American football… I think many race of people live in America so many culture mixed and new entertainments and sports were appeared.

Posted for Yuri

Dracula - Interview with a Vampire (after reading)

Question 1

Which blood do you like man’s or woman’s ? And which do you like older or younger ?

: I like man’s blood because woman’s blood is weak for me.
And I like both old and young healthy man’s not too old or too young.

Question 2
How do you choose the person who you will drink his/her blood ?
: I choose by good looking and good smell. If he/she has plenty of muscle, his/her blood is very good.

Question 3
How much blood do you need a day ?
: I don’t need blood to live every day.
I need the blood once or twice a month.

Question 4
Do you eat any food without blood ?
: No, I don’t .I need only blood .

Question 5
How many vampires live in near here ?
: I think many vampires live in near here.
So if someone died and people doesn’t know why he/she was ill, he/she killed by vampire.

Question 6
If you can live under the daylight, what would you like to do?
: If I can live under the daylight, I would like to swim in the sea.

Posted for Yuri