Safe or Unsafe? Helping Students Think Critically About Transportation- Aurora(February 3rd- 6th)

Hello wonderful parents and friends,

This week, we explored our inquiry on transportation. We focused on LOI 2, which looks at how transportation helps people and things move safely.

To understand what it means to move safely, we learned about safety when crossing the road and getting on transportation. We observed different pictures showing the behaviors of children and adults while crossing the road, getting into cars, and moving around parking areas.

Students carefully looked at each picture and shared their ideas. They thought about the reasons behind each situation and answered inquiry questions. They were able to support their answers by explaining what they saw in the pictures.

Before the sorting activity, on a different day, we watched a video about rules in the car and on the road. After watching the video, we also enjoyed a fun activity where students guessed what type of transportation it was.

On another day, we did a hands-on activity where students sorted safe and unsafe behaviors. Each student picked a picture from the box, thought about whether the behavior was safe or unsafe, and then placed it in the correct section on the wall.

Based on their everyday experiences, most students showed great thinking skills and made thoughtful choices. They did a wonderful job and stayed on the right track throughout the activity!

皆さんこんにちは！今週も「transportation」の探究を続けています。探求の流れ2「Transportation hepls people and things move safely.」に焦点を当て、交通手段が人や物の安全な移動をどんなふうに支えているかを考えました。安全な移動の意味を理解するために、安全な道の渡り方や乗り物の乗り方について学びました。道を渡る、車に乗る、駐車場での子どもと大人の様子が写った写真を見ました。子どもたちは写真をよく観察して、考えを発表しました。それぞれの状況はどうして起こっているのかを考えて説明することで、自信を持って答えることができました。

また、車内や道路でのルールについての動画を見ました。おまけに色々な乗り物の音あてクイズも楽しみました🎵別の日には、これは安全？安全じゃない？に分けてポスターに貼り付けました。ちゃんと説明もでき、しっかり理解していることが分かりました！いつもの生活でのできごとを振り返って考え、ほとんどの子ども達がしっかりと選択をすることができました✨

SETSUBUN

During Setsubun, people throw beans to drive away bad spirits (oni) from their hearts and welcome good luck for the year ahead. This traditional event marks the change of seasons and is celebrated with joy and meaning.

To celebrate Setsubun, we enjoyed our bean-throwing activity at school. We sang the “Mame Maki” and “Oni no Pants” songs together, and many students were excited to welcome the ogres and throw beans at them.

When the ogres arrived, the students threw beans with all their might, symbolically letting go of the bad monsters in their hearts and welcoming good luck. Some children hid behind their lockers and chairs, and a few felt scared and cried at first. However, they found their courage and joined in, throwing beans with all their effort.

After the ogres left, the students felt relieved and happy, as if all the bad monsters in their hearts had been chased away.

節分には、人々は心の中の悪い精霊（鬼）を追い払い、一年の幸運を招くために豆を撒きます。この伝統行事には季節の変わり目を告げる意味があり、喜びと意義をもって祝われます。Auroraクラスにも鬼がやってきました！みんなで作った鬼のマスクを付け、「豆まき」と「鬼のパンツ」の歌を歌いながら、鬼さんいつくるかな？とドキドキしながら鬼を迎え撃つ準備をして待ちました。いざ鬼たちが現れると、力いっぱい豆を投げつけ、心の中の悪い鬼を追い払いました✊少し怖い子は段ボールの柵の後ろへ。ロッカーや椅子の陰に隠れる子もいれば、最初は怖がって泣いてしまう子もいました。でも最後には、エイッ！と、勇気を出して豆を投げることができました！鬼が出ていくと、みんなで大喜び！子どもたちはほっとした様子で、心の中の悪い鬼が追い払われたかのようでした😊

Park Day

It was a lovely day, and we were lucky enough to go on exploring to the park. The students were very excited as they got on the bus, eagerly heading to the park. Along the way, they spotted and talked about different types of transportation they saw.

At the park, there was still some snow left in the shaded areas. The children enjoyed touching the snow, chasing their friends, and exploring the surroundings. Finding insects was especially popular among many of the students. When one child discovered a worm, it quickly caught everyone’s attention. The students were eager to observe and gently touch it, showing care and kindness by making sure not to hurt or step on it.

Together, they provided a shelter for the worm by placing it under dried sticks. The students also had a wonderful time playing on the slide and taking turns on the animal springers, practicing sharing and cooperation.

It truly was a lovely day filled with exploration, care, and joyful play.

いい天気の日、バスで公園へ出かけました🚌バスでは最近、I see a white car！I see a truck! I see a bicycle!と、見つけたtransportationを言い合うのがブームです😊公園では、日陰の部分に残っている雪を触ったり、友達と追いかけっこをしたり、周りを探検したりして楽しみました。特に今回多くの子が夢中になったのは虫探し。ある子がミミズを見つけると、たちまちお友達の注目が集まり、一緒に観察しました。傷つけたり踏んだりしないように、と思いやりを見せてくれたオーロラさんたちです♡みんなで乾いた枝の下にミミズを置き、お家を作ってあげました。滑り台や、動物の遊具を順番に使って、一緒に遊んだり順番で遊ぶ練習をしながら楽しい時間を過ごしました。探求と思いやり、そして楽しい遊びに満ちた、本当に素敵な一日でした😊

Playing with POKKURI

It’s been a while since we played with pokkuri. The students have improved in balancing their bodies and can now even step higher, moving confidently from one ring to the next.

ポックリ遊びにも大分慣れてきました。みんなバランスのとり方が上手になり、リングからリングへと自信を持って移動できるようになり、より高く踏み出せるようになりました！