富沢小学校 Tomilishブログ

3rd grade students have been studying Let's try!1 Unit 4 `I like blue`. This week they had their fourth and last class on the topic. In this class they researched the most popular colors in their class in order to pick colors to decorate the signboard for our school festival. Some teachers came to watch the class, too.

After our usual greeting questions and doing the chant we had `Teacher Talk`. Ms. Emily talked about festivals in her country. The homeroom teachers told her about our school festival in Tomizawa.
"3rd grade students have to make a signboard for the festival but it's just plain white letters...do you have any ideas?"
"Let's interview each other and find out the most popular colors in the class! Then we can make the signboard with those colors!"
"Nice idea!"

Next, we reviewed the English names for colors.
"White!"

Then, the teachers gave a demonstration of how to do the interview.
"Do you like red?"
"No, I don't."
"Hint, please!"
"Lemon!"
"Do you like yellow?"
"Yes, I do! I like yellow!"

The students first guessed what would be the most popular color in their class. Then it was time to interview everyone!
"Do you like orange?"

"No, I don't!"

"Hint, please!"

"Sky!"
"Do you like blue?"

"Yes, I do! I like blue!"

"Thank you! See you!"
Great smiles!

After checking with the students about what was the most popular color out of the people they interviewed, everyone wrote their feedback cards. The teachers asked some students to annouce what they wrote.
"I want to use the English I learned to go aboard."
Wow! Nice dream! You can do it!

3-1 and 3-2's top two colors were green and blue.
3-3's top two colors were blue and yellow.
Here is the completed signboard:
Nice signboard!
Good job 3rd grade students!

3rd grade students have been studying Let's try!1 Unit 4 `I like blue`. In this class they used the question "Do you like~?" to try and find the most popular sport in their class.

We started class with our usual greeting questions.
"What day is it today?"
"Let's sing the song as a hint. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday..."
"Friday!"
"That's right! It's Friday!"

Next, the teachers did `Teacher Talk`. We like to show many different situations that the students can use the phrases that they have been studying. In this class they decided to go for a picnic. Ms. Emily brought a basket full of food and asked the other teachers questions such as "Do you like grapes?" before passing them the food. After talking the teachers asked the students what they had talked about.

After the teacher talk we did the chant from Let's Try!1. Everyone enjoyed singing along and doing gestures.

Next, the teachers did a demonstration of the interview activity to find the most popular sport in the class.
"Do you like swimming?"
"No, I don't!"
"Do you like soccer?"
"Yes, I do!"

After watching the demonstration the students all predicted what would be the most popular sport. "Hmmm...maybe soccer?"

Then, it was time for the students to interview as many of their classmates as they could.
"Do you like basketball?"

"No, I don't".

"Do you like soccer?"
"Yes, I do!"

"Ok! Let's write down one point for soccer!"

Half-way through the activity the teachers got some students to give a good demonstration.
Great eye contact! Nice gestures!

Everyone kept the good points of the demonstration in mind while continuing the activity.
Nice smiles!

Clear voice!

Good eye contact!

After the activity we tried to find the student who talked to the most people.
"If you talked to 11 people, raise your hand.."

The student who talked to the most people told us their results.
Swimming was surprisingly popular!

Good job 3rd grade students!

3rd grade students have started to study Let's try!1 Unit 4 `I like blue`. Last year they studied the question "Do you like~?" while learning about colors and vegetables etc. This year we will study sports and types of food, too.

After our usual greetings we listened to the teachers talking and tried to understand what they said.
"I like pink. Do you like pink?"
"No, I don't."

"Do you know what the teachers were talking about? What words did you catch?"
"I know! I know! They talked about what they like."

Next, in order to introduce some new vocabulary the teachers gave a 3 hint quiz. The students could answer the quiz in Japanese.
"Hint 1. Ball"
"Hint 2. Outside"
"Hint 3. 11 people vs. 11 people"
"Soccer!"

"Hint 1. Summer"
"Hint 2. Pool"
"Hint 3. Crawl"
"Swimming!"

After each new word was introduced through the quiz we praticed the English pronunciation with Ms. Emily.
"Swimming! Swimming!"

Next, we did the chant. First we listened twice. Then we chanted the words that we knew while doing gestures. We slowly built up until the students could try to say the whole chant.
"Red. Red. I like red. Wow! Beautiful!"

After the chant, the students did `Activity 1`. They had to color the rainbow in the textbook as they liked. The teachers were careful to not give them any directions.
Everyone colored their rainbows in different ways.

Some students picked their favorite colors.
Other students tried to remember the order that we see colors in a rainbow.

After that we did `Let's Watch and Think1'.
We watched students from around the world color in rainbows.

The students compared the rainbows in the video to the rainbows that they drew. They announced to everyone what they thought.
"The student from Kenya used the colors of the Kenyan flag. He used black! It was very different from my rainbow."

Good job 3rd grade students!

3rd grade students had their second English class of the year this week. Their first class was an orientation so this class is their first proper lesson. In this class they studied a mix of Let's Try!1 Unit 1 "Hello!" and Unit 2 "How are you?".

We started the class with studying greetings from around the world in Let's Try!1 Unit 1 "Hello!" . After learning about the different greetings we played an evolution janken game.
The students started on the Japanese level. They could make a pair with someone else showing the Japanese flag, greet each other in Japanese and then janken. The winner could move up to the next level (South Korea) while the loser had to find another person on the Japanese level to greeting. The levels we used are:
Japan - South Korea - Kenya - Australia - Any Country
The students who reach the last level can greet anyone which helps students who are on the lower levels to find more people to greet.

The students used an A4 paper that was folded with the different flags. This way they could show what level they were on and it was easier for everyone to find other people on the same level.
"We are both on the Kenya level! Let's greet!"
"Jambo!"

"Let's play rock, scissors, paper!"
"Rock, scissors, paper. 1, 2, 3!"

"Look! I reached the top level!"
Good job!

After studying about greetings around the world we moved onto Let's Try!1 Unit 2 "How are you?". We learned about the different ways to answer the question "How are you?". This was review for the students as they have studied about this a little in Tomilish Time.
First, the students guessed how their teachers felt by looking at their gestures.
Next, we did a greeting game and everyone did their best to do gestures.
"Hello!"

"How are you?"

"I'm sleepy!"
"Oh no!"

"I'm good!"
"Nice!"

"See you!"
"Have a nice day!"

Lastly, the students moved back to their own classrooms where they finished completing their English nametags.
The students did their best to carefully trace their names.

Everyone wanted to make their nametags look nice.
Good job 3rd grade students! You worked hard!

3rd grade students had their sixth and last class on the topic is `Who are you?`. This was the students final English class for this school year. In the previous classes we read the picture book `In the Autumn Forest` and practiced performing a skit. In this class, it was time for everyone to perform the skits that they had been practicing hard.

We started class with our usual greeting game. The teachers demonstrated using the phrase `What is your favorite~?` that we had practiced during Tomilish Time.
"What's your favorite sweets?"
"Guess what?"
"Hint, please!"
"Two circles, sweet, brown and white."
"Donuts?"
"That's right!"

After the demonstration it was time for the students turn.
"What's your favorite color?"
"Guess what?"
"Hint, please!"
"Strawberries."
"Red?"
"That's right!"

Class 3-1 students performed their skits during the parents observation class (授業参観). Everyone was very nervous but they did their best!
"I see something long! Are you a...?"
"Oh, my body! Yes, I am. I am a snake!"

Classes 3-2 and 3-3 performed their skits in normal English class. Everyone tried to cheer on their classmates and watched the other skits carefully. The students had even prepared some drawings of body parts to use in the skits.
"I see something shiney. Are you a...?"

"Oh, my teeth!"
"Yes, I am! I am a horse!"

"I see something cute! Are you a...?"
"Oh, my paw!"

The students did their best to speak in clear voices.
"Oh, my ears! Yes, I am. I am a rabbit."

The students acting as dogs had many things to say but they worked well together.
Nice teamwork!

The students tried to add gestures and sounds to their performances.
"I am a turtle. Splash!"

"Thank you for watching!"
Everyone worked hard and did a great job.
Well done 3rd grade students! You were all amazing!

3rd grade students had their fifth class on the topic `Who are you?`. In the previous classes we read the picture book `In the Autumn Forest` and decided characters and lines for performing a skit. In this class we practiced the movements and English needed to perform the skit.

First, students who were performing the same character got together in groups to practice their lines (セリフ) together. These students are performing the character `dog` who plays hide and seek with the other animals.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Ready or not! Here I come!"

As well as practicing the English together they also discussed what gestures they should do.
"Let's cover our eyes when we are counting!"

Next, the students got together in their skit groups to practice together.
"First, let's check our lines!"

The students took turns to show their group their gestures and lines.
"Oh! My paw! Yes, I am a cat!"

After that, they rehearsed their full skit. Everyone practiced their gestures and lines. The dogs searched for many different animals.
"I see something..."

The other animals poked their body parts out from behind a screen.


In this class the students practiced using a doorway.


The dogs spotted the body parts and tried to guess what animal it was.
"I see something cute."

"Oh! It's me!"

"I see something scary!"

The students practiced really hard. In the next class everyone will perform their skits.
"Let's do our best in the next class! Gambaro!"

Everyone is looking forward to seeing the finished skits.

3rd grade students had their fourth class the topic is `Who are you?`. In the previous classes we read the picture book `In the Autumn Forest`. In this class we started to prepare to perform skits of the story.

After doing our usual greeting game we jumped right into planning the skits. First, we decided on everyones' roles. We split the class into four groups. We split the story into two parts so that each group only performed half of the story. We also increased the number of students who performed the part of `dog` since it is the main character.
Everyone took time to decide what animal they wanted to be.

After deciding on the parts, we listened to the story again to check what each animal said.
"Let's listen!"

The students paid attention and listened carefully.
"I wonder what the `cat` says..."

When their character appeared the students took notes on what they said.
"Let's remember!"

The students practiced saying their lines at the same time as the digital storybook.
"Oh! My ears! Yes, I am a rabbit!"

Everyone tried hard to practice what to say. In the next class they will practice their movements, too. Good job everyone!

This week we had an International Day for 3rd grade students. In July, 7 ALTs from schools around Sendai came to Tomizawa Elementary School to talk about their countries. You can see that event: here. This week, 8 ALTs came to listen to the students give presentations about Japanese culture.
We are very grateful that they could take time out of their teaching schedules to come and talk with us. Three of the ALTs who visited us in July came to the school for a second time. For the other ALTs, it was their first time to visit Tomizawa Elementary School.
They were very friendly and everyone was excited about talking with them.

The students split into 8 groups (one for each ALT) and took turns in their groups to give presentations to the ALTs.
The presentations were in Japanese but the ALTs tried their best to understand what the students were saying.

The students did their best to make eye contact and use clear voices when they were speaking.

Some of the students used pictures to help everyone understand.

The students prepared presentations about many things including Sendai, Date Masamune, Aoba Festival and our school.

After the presentations it was `Performance Time`.
First the students showed the ALTs what to do.

After that, the ALTs also tried, too.

As well as Taiko Drumming, the students showed:
Sendai Sparrow Dance

Spinning tops

Statues / Daruma-san ga koronda

String game / Ayatori

Origami

Everyone had a lot of fun teaching the ALTs. The ALTs also enjoyed it, too!
"Taiko was so interesting! Thank you!"

Thank you ALTs for coming and good job 3rd grade on your hard work!

3rd grade students had their third class the topic is `Who are you?`. In the first two classes we read the picture book `In the Autumn Forest`. In this class we looked at the story in more detail in order to start preparing to do skits.

As always, we started class with a greeting game. Just as last class, we used the phrase `What is your favorite ~?` that we have been practicing in Tomilish Time.
"What is your favorite sushineta?"
"It's maguro."

After that we sang the `Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes` song, did the `Please Game` and then we refreshed our memories together about the story.
"What animals do you remember?"

Then, we listened to the story again.
We checked that we remembered correctly.

We also matched the animals to the body parts.
"Oh! We could see the rabbit's ears!"

We checked the answers together as a class.
"What part of the snake did you see?"
"Long body!"

Students also wrote down some English words that they heard. This will help them in future classes when they make skits.
"Turtle. Splash!"

The last activity was to try to say the words at the same time as the digital book. Then everyone thought about the skits they would make and what animal they wanted to be.

In the next few classes we will make skits. I wonder what animals will appear in the skits!

3rd grade students had their second class the topic is `Who are you?`. In the first class we listening to the first half of the `In the Autumn Forest` picture book. Everyone was looking forward to the second half.

First, we started with a greeting game. We used the phrase `What is your favorite ~?` that we have been practicing in Tomilish Time. After the greeting game the teachers got some students to give a good demonstration.
`In the Autumn Forest` does not have a chant so we have been using the 4th grade chant (you can see it on the T.V.) as a signal for the end of the greeting game.

Body parts appear often in the story so next we sang the `Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes` song and played the `Please Game`.
Mr. Shuhei was the first person to give instructions.
"Touch your head, please."
"Touch your back, please."
"Touch your nose!" "He didn't say please! Don't move!!"

Next, it was the students turn.
"Who wants to give instructions?"
"Me! Me!"

"Touch your head, please!"
"Touch your back!!"

After the game the students reviewed the animals that had appeared in the story so far.
"We listened to the story up to the fox. Let's see what animal appears next!"

On the last page of the story there is a big picture with many little animals. "Let's try to find all the animals!"
Everyone got close to the T.V. in order to search for the animals.

Here are just some of the animals that the students found.
They found even more animals in the picture after this.

Next, the teachers asked the students if they had noticed anything about the animals in the story.
One student noticed that all the animals have the letter `a` before them in the story. "Are you a cat?"

Some other students noticed that the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac appeared in the story.
All the students noticed many things about the story.
Nice job everyone!