Konichiwa! Since blogging the last time, I've moved to Japan, changed grade levels, and had to live in a hotel for three months. Now that I'm all settled, I am so happy to be blogging again. I don't know how these other amazing bloggers do it! After grieving the loss of my mother and overcome with hopelessness, I received an email then a call from a school located on a military base that was interested in hiring me. I couldn't believe it. I'd applied for this position four years prior but kept my application updated each year. I needed a change and this was it. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to teach overseas and to teach military children, at that! What a way to give back, right? So far, my journey has been phenomenal! I've learned basic Japanese greetings, tried soba, and explored Tokyo but what I love most about Japan is the culture. Everyone is so kind, gentle, and respectful. Plus, it's super safe. Here's some cool pics from my adventures so far:
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| Enoshima Island |
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| Enoshima Beach with Mount Fuji in the background |
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| So Yummy! |
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| Yummy Italian! |
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| I live on the outskirts of Tokyo in Fussa. |
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| Roaming through Tokyo |
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| Famous Red Gate |
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| Odaiba |
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| Cruising in Odaiba |
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| The figure on the right is said to bring mercy to worshippers, the one on the left, wisdom. |
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| Mount Fuji |
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| Robots Galore! |
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| Peace |
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| Snow Monkeys of Nagano |
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| Beautiful landscape! |
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| First shopping trip at the Japanese Daiso... Best store ever! |
As mentioned before, I changed grade levels. Before moving, I was teaching 2nd grade then I was offered a kindergarten position. Never teaching kindergarten, I was a bit nervous. Well, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE kindergarten. Who knew? I taught first grade but kindergarten is even more fun! I have become more creative than ever and most importantly, I've become more patient, too. For the past few months, I have been implementing interactive science centers and the kids have been so excited about all of them so far. Most of the ideas, I borrowed from Pinterest and would love to share with you.
1. Penguin Blubber
Brrrrr! I introduced Antartica by creating a "museum" of pictures around the classroom. Students wrote their thoughts on a sticky note and we discussed it in group. I read a book about Antartica and showed a 6 minute video about Antartica's animals. After discovering Antartica, we focused on penguins and how these amazing creatures adapt to their environment which is unbearable for human life. I simulated the environment using two mixing bowls, water, ice, and a few drops of blue coloring. I created a "penguin blubber" glove using Crisco shortening and two sandwich bags sealed with masking tape. Wa-lah! The kids couldn't get enough. They quickly discovered that blubber keeps the penguins and other animals warm. To record my students' thinking, I used this
freebie from Miss Kate. I also purchased Reagan Tunstall's,
Penguin Science Interactive Activities, and the kids loved creating their penguin foldable. Of course, being that their teeny-tiny, I adapted it to their ability level. Overall, this exploration was very successful and my students LOVED it!
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| Loving it! |
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| Antartica Museum |
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| Penguin Blubber Glove |
2. OOBLECK
In honor of Dr. Seuss and National Read Across America Day, we explored matter and OOBLECK. We learned that oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, having properties of both liquids and solids. We read Dr. Seuss’
Bartholomew and the Oobleck and used the following simple recipe to create our own. Students were thrilled and got to take some oobleck home in a small storage bag.
Oobleck Recipe
1 cup water
1.5-2 cups corn starch
Drops of food coloring of your choice
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| We used an aluminum pan for easy cleanup. Do not put oobleck down the drain or you'll need a plumber. LOL! |
3. Soil, Seeds, and Plants, oh, my!
We got super messy and loved every minute of it while dissecting our plants. As you can see, my kinders got down and dirty... They practiced naming the parts of the plant with their partner and talked about what plants need to grow and survive. They also discussed how plants help the earth and people. After students dissected their plants, they created a
lapbook.
Upcoming Experiment
I found a super engaging and fun but yucky Earth Day experiment from a homeschooler named Cindy,
here. We are going to explore water pollution using a big clear tub and garbage (simulated, of course) including a banana peel, oil, ground coffee, tissue, and other food items. I will provide students tools to remove the pollutants. My goal is for students to understand the harm caused by pollution and steps we can take to help. Can't wait for this exploration.
Thank you for reading my blog! Please share ideas if you have any.
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