The Japan Forum > Click Nippon > Class Ideas

The class activities inspired by the KIDS EARTH FUND charity "Ufufu! Let’s make Charity T-shirts" will provide students with opportunities to learn about onomatopoeias, discuss what is important for society and for the earth, and express their ideas by drawing/painting and writing some texts. In the enriched activities, students will explore sociocultural influences on children around the world through a photo book, and develop an understanding of their responsibilities from a global perspective.

Mr. Kazumichi Miyake, a former rock musician, is now running several businesses successfully in the Philippines. Students will read the interview article and learn about his positive thinking and free spirit, which led him to leave Japan, where he used to have the feeling of being locked up. This will lead students to discuss resilience.

Read the interview article about Mr. Sato, a member of the staff of Kanagawa Animal Protection Center, and learn about an animal protection center in Japan and Mr. Sato's efforts to protect animals' lives. Students then reflect on their own relationship with animals and develop greater empathy for animals through discussion. Students also create a poster to promote animal welfare.

Cara Fletcher, a student at Yokohama National University, interviewed Mr. Sato, a staff member at the Animal Protection Center for a Tokimeki Shuzaiki project. In this issue, students read about Cara’s personal experiences with animals as a child and her motivation to learn more about animal care in Japan.

Read the interview article, “Yokosuka, the town of Curry” and learn how Yokosuka used its ties with the history of serving curry in the Japanese navy in local economy revitalization efforts. Students research food festivals in their regions and recognize its history and natural features. Then they think of what kind of food festival would promote the region, and create a poster or an article in Japanese to promote the festival, reflecting the knowledge gained from their research. Students may also enjoy cooking Kaigun Curry with the recipe close to the original.

The students will watch a video of Mr Komoto who launched a new wave of kendama, answer questions and talk about what they saw. Making kendama and doing kendama dance/exercise are opportunities to connect with other key learning areas. Students will also research the history of kendama and learn about the changes to games and lifestyles over time.

Students will read the interview article on Mr Komoto, who launched a new wave of kendama, and learn what is attractive about kendama. Students are provided with the opportunity to reflect on traditional forms and new skills and styles. Also, by interviewing parents and grandparents on what games they played as children, students learn about the changes in lifestyles of now and then.

Students read the interview article about Ramen Hakubutsukan and learn about ramen, which is so popular in Japan that it is called national food. Students also learn about the objective and the effort of the Ramen Hakubutsukan that was built aiming at the revitalization of Shin Yokohama. This resource also provides an opportunity to deepen students’ knowledge of Japanese history through research about the Showa era.

Learn about Ikeda Mikio by reading the article and watching the video of his training for Paralympics and see examples of Ikeda's resilience.

Students will read the interview with a male childcare worker and reflect on attitudes regarding gender roles and how they are changing in Japan. Students will also discuss about the changes in gender roles in the learner's country and the merit of gender-equal society.

Study the importance of preparing ourselves in case of disaster, especially storing emergency food, which leads to a discussion of what we can do to protect ourselves. Then, by studying some simple recipes, learn about some examples of traditional Japanese dried ingredients. Compare these with ingredients familiar to students, then have students create their own recipes for emergencies.

Using visual resources and text about recycling art and artist, students will learn about creative recycling. By making recycle art and learning the concept of Mottainai, students think about what they can do for the environment.

Students will study the words of the poet who experienced the great Tohoku disaster in 2011, and will reflect on the power of words.

Mikio Ikeda is an athlete who is training hard for the Paralympics. Students will read the text and watch the video of his training, and learn Mikio’s disability, challenges, dreams and goals. Using their knowledge about Mikio, students will participate in a hot seating activity to gain deeper levels of understanding of the text.

Students read "大学生のかんきょう活動" and explore Japanese young people's involvement in activities that help the environment. Then students explore the interview though various activities, which include creating an overview of the interview, matching key expressions, completing multiple choice, comparing and reflecting how people help the environment in Japan and student's local area, writing an email or creating a short play which illustrates their activities.
Through studying this interview, students are encouraged to reflect and discuss what they are already doing and further explore ideas that help the environment.

Students read "大学生のかんきょう活動" and explore Japanese young people's involvement in activities that help the environment. Then students explore the interview though various activities, which include creating an overview of the interview, matching key expressions, completing multiple choice, comparing and reflecting how people help the environment in Japan and student's local area, creating a poster or a short play which illustrates their activities.Through studying this interview, students are encouraged to reflect and discuss what they are already doing and further explore ideas that help the environment.