KC

The children have been exploring shape. I begin this session by asking the children what a shape is. They call out their own theories and add to and challenge each other’s theories. Ryan: It’s lines Nia: Not only lines, because it’s curves too. Hal: Yes, lines and curvey shapes Nikhil: Like circle because circle is [...]

We have begun a collaborative inquiry into shape. The central idea is that the paths and boundaries of natural space can be described by shape, which helps us to understand and explain our world. We want the children to develop their understanding that shapes have characteristics that can be described and compared, and to begin [...]

In Japan, Shichi-Go-San is a special festival for children who are three, five or seven years. Children of these ages dress in traditional clothes and go to the shrine to pray for long life. They get special, very long candy called Chitose Ame symbolizing healthy growing and a long life. Today, at our meeting, Yuri [...]

Throughout the school year, we shall be visiting the park opposite school to observe the changing seasons. As part of our Japanese Culture program, we will be celebrating the coming of Autumn (Aki). Colorful leaves (koyo) are to the Japanese autumn what cherry blossoms are to spring. Throughout the month of October, we shall be [...]

Today during free inquiry time, I asked the children to use the time to find out more about numbers or patterns, the two mathematics strands we have been working on this term. Together we brainstormed some of the possibilities, and then the children went off to conduct their investigations. The children purposefully selected materials and [...]

The children have been comparing different writing systems in Japanese and English. We have been talking about the difference between alphabets like the English (Roman) alphabet, katakana and hiragana, and symbol/concept based writing systems such as kanji. We went on a hunt around YIS to search for Japanese writing. The children discovered many different kinds [...]

Yeseul found these pattern and home. How would you describe these patterns?

Nikhil found some patterns at home. He took photographs so he could share his work at school.

Daan went on a pattern hunt at home. His mum took a video so Daan could share the work he did at home with the rest of the class.