Monday, May 01, 2006
ocoeekids.blogspot.com --This is a new blog by our students in 4th grade gifted class and Japanese students. Open it to learn more. See "Stonecutter" musical in photos, too.
ORIGAMI is the art of paper folding. Type this word, origami, on the internet and you'll find patterns to fold.
ORIGAMI is the art of paper folding. Type this word, origami, on the internet and you'll find patterns to fold.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Tree Hugger
Tree huggers were found throughout the park.
Tree huggers were found throughout the park.
Tanabata Wishes
Tanabata wishes are made for the new year and put on a strip of paper that is tied to a tree. My students made their tanabata wishes at the beginning of our school year with their wishes for music class.
Tanabata wishes are made for the new year and put on a strip of paper that is tied to a tree. My students made their tanabata wishes at the beginning of our school year with their wishes for music class.
Ceramics at school
Parents made ceramic poles to greet the children along their walk to school.
Parents made ceramic poles to greet the children along their walk to school.
School LobbyCeramics decorate the wall inside the front office area. Parents take pride in their ceramic industry.
City of Tajimi 
We visited the schools in Tajimi. Ceramics are the major industry.
The mayor served us tea in these lovely cups!
He also gave us each a special sake cup to keep.
We visited the schools in Tajimi. Ceramics are the major industry.
The mayor served us tea in these lovely cups!
He also gave us each a special sake cup to keep.
Tajimi City Hall
This beautiful wall near the mayor's
meeting room is all made in ceramics.
This beautiful wall near the mayor's
meeting room is all made in ceramics.
Grant for TripThe Japanese government designed this wonderful educational opportunity for educators in the U.S. to visit and learn about the Japanese culture.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
LUNCH
A 6th grade class invited me to eat lunch with them. Everyone eats in the classroom in Japan.
We had sweet brown bread, chicken,
cabbage soup, milk, and a frozen fruit dessert. It was delicious!
They giggled when I talked to them...
in both English and Japanese. They were very shy.
We played piano together. Then I taught them "Heart and Soul." We all
laughed and clapped for each other. Then they asked for my autograph and I got theirs.
A 6th grade class invited me to eat lunch with them. Everyone eats in the classroom in Japan.
We had sweet brown bread, chicken,
cabbage soup, milk, and a frozen fruit dessert. It was delicious!
They giggled when I talked to them...
in both English and Japanese. They were very shy.
We played piano together. Then I taught them "Heart and Soul." We all
laughed and clapped for each other. Then they asked for my autograph and I got theirs.
AssemblyThe elementary school gave a special music performance for us. They sang out with enthusiasm and played on recorders.
We all had to introduce ourselves in Japanese. I was SO GLAD that you all helped me practice! I was good!
Muppet in Japan
Lady Godiva was a big hit at the elementary school! She greeted the students with a smile and handshake.
The students enjoyed trying to speak English to us. They also taught us a cool dance and many fun traditional games.
What game or dance would you think we should teach someone when they visit our school?
Tokyo at night
The city streets glow with colorful lights as evening comes. It's a most beautiful city! And the people are kind, friendly and helpful. I treasure every encounter I had with the people of Japan.
How many people live in Japan?
The city streets glow with colorful lights as evening comes. It's a most beautiful city! And the people are kind, friendly and helpful. I treasure every encounter I had with the people of Japan.
How many people live in Japan?
Tokyo TowerI shot this photo from the sidewalk, looking up at the tower.Then I went up it in a glass elevator. It was scary! It is taller than the Eiffel Tower in France.
If the Eiffel Tower is 320 meters high, and this Tokyo Tower is 333 meters high, how much higher is this tower?
Colors
The leaves were changing to a lovely array of many colors. This happens in October and November.
Do you know why?
My Host Mom & meWe also went up to an observation deck, overlooking the mountain. What a view!
TempleI got a rare chance to go inside this famous Buddhist Temple. It is only open to the local people of Japan for one day a year.I visited many other temples and shrines.I always had to take off my shoes to go inside.
What is this shrine made of?
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Tammy,
I can open my blog and school mail, but it has been difficult to send e-mail from Japan. I have read every comment that has been posted. Thank the students and staff and tell them to keep writing me, even if they don't hear back from me.
It has also been difficult to post photos ever since I left Tokyo.
Thanks for your help.
Gale
I can open my blog and school mail, but it has been difficult to send e-mail from Japan. I have read every comment that has been posted. Thank the students and staff and tell them to keep writing me, even if they don't hear back from me.
It has also been difficult to post photos ever since I left Tokyo.
Thanks for your help.
Gale
My Host Family
Today my host family picked me up. The mother is named Kazumi. She is very nice and very pretty. She knows some English.
She took me to a beautiful park, the Flower Park. I saw beautiful Japanese gardens! The roses were large and smelled like sweet perfume.
There were also colorful flowers that I didn't recognize. I saw "tree huggers" too. I went up to the top of a tall tower and saw the fantastic view of the forests and mountains! Wow, it was exciting!
Her 12-year-old daughter, Ayano just came home. She is a little shy. She has a lovely singing voice. She says she likes to swim. She is a good student.
School visits
My group visited many schools this week. I liked the elementary school the best. The children were so excited to see us, especially Lady Godiva, my new muppet. She is famous now!
The students set up learning centers to teach us their traditional games and crafts. It was fun! When I get home, I will teach you the games.
Lunch is always in the classroom. I ate with a class, using chopsticks. It was "oishi", delicious. The bread was sweet. I had milk, cabbage soup, a mini egg omelet, some thin vegetable slices and a cup of frozen fruit ( like sherbet.)
Now the 14-year-old daughter, Mayu, has just come home with her dad, Ken. She likes to play the piano and tennis.
Ken likes to read books. He also likes to watch Dvds and detective shows like Columbo.
Today my host family picked me up. The mother is named Kazumi. She is very nice and very pretty. She knows some English.
She took me to a beautiful park, the Flower Park. I saw beautiful Japanese gardens! The roses were large and smelled like sweet perfume.
There were also colorful flowers that I didn't recognize. I saw "tree huggers" too. I went up to the top of a tall tower and saw the fantastic view of the forests and mountains! Wow, it was exciting!
Her 12-year-old daughter, Ayano just came home. She is a little shy. She has a lovely singing voice. She says she likes to swim. She is a good student.
School visits
My group visited many schools this week. I liked the elementary school the best. The children were so excited to see us, especially Lady Godiva, my new muppet. She is famous now!
The students set up learning centers to teach us their traditional games and crafts. It was fun! When I get home, I will teach you the games.
Lunch is always in the classroom. I ate with a class, using chopsticks. It was "oishi", delicious. The bread was sweet. I had milk, cabbage soup, a mini egg omelet, some thin vegetable slices and a cup of frozen fruit ( like sherbet.)
Now the 14-year-old daughter, Mayu, has just come home with her dad, Ken. She likes to play the piano and tennis.
Ken likes to read books. He also likes to watch Dvds and detective shows like Columbo.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Answers to some of your questions:
To say "monkey" in Japanese, you say: "monkey-monkey"
BAMBOO is very strong. It's so strong, they even use bamboo to build houses!
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Visiting Schools In Tajimi
I rode the bullet train "Shankinsen". This is the fastest train in the world. It goes well over 100 miles an hour. I went to the city of Tajimi in the prefecture (state) of Gifu. I met the mayor and the superintendent of schools.
Today I visited a middle school. I ate lunch with a class and took lots of video of their choir. They let me play french horn with the band. That was so fun!
The students all helped to clean their school. They swept with brooms and polished the floors on their hands and knees. Wow, was it clean!
I rode the bullet train "Shankinsen". This is the fastest train in the world. It goes well over 100 miles an hour. I went to the city of Tajimi in the prefecture (state) of Gifu. I met the mayor and the superintendent of schools.
Today I visited a middle school. I ate lunch with a class and took lots of video of their choir. They let me play french horn with the band. That was so fun!
The students all helped to clean their school. They swept with brooms and polished the floors on their hands and knees. Wow, was it clean!
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Shopping
I rode the subway here to go shopping in Tokyo today. I found gifts for you. It is something very sensible that you will value. Just wait and see!
I bought myself a kimono that is made of light weight cotton. It is called a yukata. It is beautiful! I asked how much, "Ikura deska?" The saleslady showed me with numbers like ours on a piece of paper.
I found a 100 Yen store. I really liked shopping there. It is like our dollar stores, because a yen is close to our penny. Their money has the numbers on it like our numbers.
Food
I have had many Japanese meals. The food was delicious (oishi des). I:ve had many kinds of vegetables and lots of white rice. I can eat with chopsticks, but it is tiring.
I ate at McDonalds just to get the happy meal. The toy is their fast train. I'll show you when I get home.
Tonight I ate at a restaurant that is like our Denny's but with Japanese food. I had mushrooms and other veggies over pasta (like fettucini). The waitress showed me pictures of the food because she didn't know English.
