富沢小学校 Tomilishブログ

Every Monday morning we have reading time for 15 minutes. Usually, the students read books by themselves. However, sometimes teachers or volunteers will read a story aloud. Ms. Emily tries to visit a different classs every week. She reads a book to the students in English.


We try to choose books that the students will find interesting and that are related to their English classes. The 3rd graders were studying about food so we read `The Hungry Caterpillar`.


The 1st graders have been learning the English names for animals. The book `Dear Zoo` has many different animals in it.



From time to time, other teachers also read stories in English. This book `Five little monkeys` helps practice counting numbers.


Homeroom teachers have also tried hard to read books in English. Great job!

Reading time is a great way for the students to enjoy English!

2nd grade students have been learning how to ask "Do you like...?"
As part of their classes they have been reading the book `Ketchup on Your Cornflakes?` by Nick Sharratt.


The teachers use the last five or ten minutes of class to read this book. Everyone listens very well!



First, each page asks a normal question.

Do you like a woolly hat on your head?

You can flip the top or bottom half of the pages. This makes the questions very funny.


Do you like a woolly hat in your bath?!


The students answer "Yes, I do!" or "No, I don't!". They do gestures, too.
It's really fun to laugh and answer all the strange questions. We really recommend this book.

The Display Committee (掲示委員会）have been working hard this year to create displays introducing foreign culture and traditions to the students. Most elementary students cannot read English so the posters are written in Japanese. The students use pictures so they are easy to understand.

Last month, they made posters introducing Christmas in Scotland (Ms. Emily's country).

There are lots of different kinds of Christmas lights. Some families cover their houses in lights! In the town, there are lights between the buildings.



Christmas cake is very different! Japanese Christmas cake has cream and strawberries. Christmas cake in Scotland is made with dried fruits and marzipan! Ms. Emily doesn't like Christmas cake.



We used a picture of Ms. Emily's Christmas dinner. It wasn't chicken. She made goose, ham and many other dishes. We wanted to eat it, too.


The posters are displayed in the entrance to the school so all the students can see them easily. If you come to school, why don't you take a look?

Do you know Anejiro? He is Tomizawa Elementary School's mascot character.



He is very popular, especially with the younger students.
We use his name to teach students how to act.


Each letter of his name starts a sentence. He is helpful!

Did you know he has an English cousin? His name is Anejiro, too!
You have to say his name with an English accent: Anejiro.



He has blue eyes and rainbow clothes. He helps the teachers to tell the students how to act in English class and Tomilish Time.


His name tells the students how to act, too.

Most importantly, his pictures are in every classroom.


The students look at them before Tomilish Time and English class. They made us remember what we should do.


We have to make eye contact when we talk.


Japanese Anejiro helps, too. Let's all smile!


Don't forget to listen and speak in a clear voice!

Sometimes Anejiro comes to class, too! When there is only one teacher in English class, Anejiro helps to demonstrate conversations to the students.


In this class, 2nd grade students are asking Anejiro what pizza toppings he likes.

Japanese Anejiro and English Anejiro help the teachers a lot. The students love them, too!

Today we'll introduce another game we played with 3rd grade students earlier this year. The Missing Game is a good game to play when you need to practice some new words. Here are some pictures from two different classes.


First, after putting the new word flashcards on the board, everyone closes their eyes.


No peeking! Keep your eyes closed!


Open your eyes! Look! Some flashcards are missing! What's missing?


I know! I know!


It's potatoes!


Let's practice saying it again together. Potatoes! Potatoes!

This is a simple way to practice new words. It's fun, too!

Our 2nd grade students started learning English for the first time this year. They had their first class last month. We did many fun things.

First we sang songs (Hello Song and Seven Steps Song) and danced.


We also did the Hi, friends!1 chant "Do you like apples?"


Even if we can't say the English, just doing the gestures is fun!

Then we learnt the English names of different vegetables.


What's this? Potato!

The main activity for the first class was 'Sink or Float'. Shima-Sensei brought a surprise for us.

What's under the blanket?


It's a tub of water! Let's guess if the vegetables will sink or float!


Do tomatoes sink or float? What do you think?
The students near the corridor are guessing 'float' and the students near the windows are guessing 'sink'.


Do green peppers sink or float? Are you ready? 1, 2, 3!


Please float!!


They float!!


Eggplants float, too!

It was a fun way to introduce vegetables. We had a great first class!

The 6th grade students have been learning how to speak about different countries. They had to pick one country and research what you could do there. In this lesson we had different tables for each country.


This is the Finland table! Customers came to visit each table and the travel agents would introduce their country.



You can buy beautiful jewellery.


You can visit a winery.


You can eat olives.


After introducing their country the travel agents asked "Where do you want to go?"


I want to go to France! Let's go!

The students did a great job researching and introducing their countries in English!

Do you like parfaits? Let's make parfaits for our friends! This was the last activity that we did when studying "What do you want?".

First you need some boxes of supplies and delicious ingredients.

There is lots of different kinds of fruit and ice cream too!


Look at this ice cream! What flavour is it? It's vanilla!


Last year, our English Volunteer made these ice creams for us! She made 4 different flavours: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and neopolitan (mixed).
Thank you so much for making them!

The first step in making parfaits is to split into two teams. The teams take turns to make parfaits for each other.


What do you want?


Hmmm...let's check the ingredients. What should we pick?


I want pineapple, please. Let's cut the pineapple.


I want lemon, please. He he he. This parfait will be sour!


I want chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice creams, please. 3 ice creams!!


Finished! Wow! What a great parfait!

We had so much fun!

We had a great lesson with 5th grade students. They have been studying Hi, friends!1 Lesson 6 (the alphabet and "What do you want?"). We used pages 22 and 23 of the textbook to do a word making activity.

First the students made groups and each group split into two teams.


The first team picked a sign on pages 22 and 23 of the textbook. What should we pick?


Then the second team asked them "What do you want?"


The C card, please. Doing gestures helps too. This is a great C gesture!


Here you are!

Once the word is finished, the teams change roles. They can make many words!


TV. Supermarket. I wonder what word starts with B? What do you think?



This team had a great idea. They spread out the cards so they were easy to find. Good job!


It was a great activity!

Today we'll introduce a good warm-up activity. It's called the Chain Game.
5th grade students played this game when they were practicing:
Q: What do you want?
A: I want the C card, please.

First the teachers and some students did a demonstration. Everyone has to janken to decide who is first.



Ms. Emily lost so everyone laughed!



In the demonstration we use big cards so everyone can understand. Everyone asks the first person "What do you want?" They pick one alphabet to answer. I want the O card please!



Then we ask the second person. They have to pick an alphabet and answer with the first person's answer too. I want the O card and the D card, please. The chain gets longer and longer!



The students played this game in groups. Without holding cards, it is a little difficult to remember!



They could practice the question "What do you want?" many times.



The students gave each other hints and made alphabet shapes with their hands. It's a good game to warm-up!