A Week Full of Adventure!

This week was full of adventure and exciting learning experiences!

On Monday, we visited the Nagano Meteorological Center to learn about how weather is observed and recorded. We discovered how rainfall, wind, and temperature are measured, and we even saw special tree specimens that are used to determine when certain tree species begin blooming in Nagano. It was fascinating to see how scientists carefully observe nature and weather patterns.

On Friday, we took a trip to the Joetsu Aquarium — and yes, we saw penguins! Everyone was very excited about that. We were lucky enough to have a backstage tour, where we visited the freezer used to store fish for feeding the animals. The freezer was kept at an incredible -25 degrees! There was so much ice, and we even saw a frozen shark.

We also saw jellyfish, octopus, many different kinds of fish, and many other sea creatures. Did you know that the kobanzame is not actually a shark? It is a remora — a type of ray-finned bony fish.

For many students, the highlight of the day was definitely the dolphin show. The dolphins jumped, twirled, and performed backflips and front flips. One dolphin even jumped high enough to hit a buoy hanging from the ceiling! We watched them dance and interact with their trainers. We wondered how the dolphins were trained, and some students also thoughtfully discussed how animals might feel living in captivity.

Of course, many students also enjoyed visiting the gift shop, although we quickly discovered that souvenirs can be quite expensive! Even so, we made wonderful memories together.

This week we also spent time discussing good sportsmanship. We looked at quotes from famous athletes such as,, and. We talked about how top athletes respect their opponents and understand that teams lose together as well as win together. We discussed resilience, perseverance, and how challenges help us grow. Most importantly, we talked about congratulating winners, encouraging our friends, and building each other up.

Have a wonderful weekend — and don’t forget to write your diary entry!

Also, I’ll add some pictures once they are uploaded!