Hello, Milky Way families!
We hope you are all doing well! It has been another exciting and meaningful week in our Milky Way classroom. Our learners explored different ways of telling stories, worked collaboratively to uncover the elements of familiar tales, strengthened their phonics skills, continued preparing for our Winter Show, practiced important safety procedures, and discovered the wonderful world of books during our visit to Entelus Library in Shiojiri.
Through these experiences, our learners continued to develop their curiosity, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills. Let’s look back at the wonderful learning moments we shared this week!
UOI: Can a Picture Tell a Story?
We began our week with an exciting Unit of Inquiry lesson as we explored another way of telling a story: DRAWING! Our big question was, “Can a picture tell a story?” When asked, our learners confidently answered, “Yes!” without hesitation. We were excited to hear their ideas and discover how much information they could gather from pictures alone.
Using the five scenes from The Gingerbread Man, the learners examined each picture and shared what they noticed. They looked closely at the characters’ actions and tried to make sense of what was happening. One learner, for example, suggested that the fox and the Gingerbread Man were playing tag because the picture showed the fox chasing the Gingerbread Man! What a wonderful example of using visual clues to interpret a story.
Together with the learning facilitator, the learners discussed the order of the five scenes and decided which events belonged to the beginning, middle, and end. Through this activity, they discovered that pictures can communicate events, actions, and ideas, even without written words.
After reflecting on the elements of a story—characters, setting, and plot, the learners were divided into three groups for a collaborative storytelling challenge. Each group received a different story presented through five picture cards. Their task was to discover the story’s title, identify its characters and setting, and explain the plot by describing what happened.
Our young inquirers worked together to examine the pictures, exchange ideas, make predictions, and agree on how to retell their stories. They explored Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and The Three Little Pigs. Once ready, each group presented its story to the class.
Two groups assigned specific parts to individual presenters, sharing the responsibility of retelling the story, while the other group presented in chorus, speaking together as one team. Both approaches demonstrated collaboration, communication, and shared responsibility which are important Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). The learners practiced contributing their ideas, listening to one another, coordinating their efforts, and communicating their understanding in different ways.
To assess their individual understanding, each learner completed a worksheet by drawing the characters, setting, and plot of their group’s story. Their drawings gave us a glimpse into how they understood and represented the different story elements. It was wonderful to see them apply what they had explored together to their own individual work.
Winter Show Preparation: Bringing The Lion King to Life
Our preparation for the Winter Show continued with echo reading and line practice for The Lion King. The learners did more than simply repeat the lines after the learning facilitator. They also began memorizing their individual parts, practicing the words repeatedly, and becoming more familiar with their characters’ lines.
This process encouraged them to develop their listening, speaking, memory, and confidence. As they repeated their lines and gradually recalled the words on their own, they strengthened their ability to communicate their characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Little by little, our young performers are becoming more comfortable with their lines as they prepare to bring the story to life on stage. We look forward to seeing their continued growth as they work toward our Winter Show!
A Fun Afternoon Circle with Ms. Mayu and Ms. Kumi!
This week, our afternoon circle became extra special as Ms. Mayu and Ms. Kumi joined the Milky Way class for some fun and engaging activities!
Ms. Mayu kicked things off with a drawing and guessing game. The learners eagerly watched as she drew different pictures and tried to identify what they were. And guess what? They successfully guessed all the modes of transportation she drew! From buses to ships and other forms of transportation, our learners were quick to recognize them. What a fantastic job!
Next, Ms. Kumi delighted the class with an exciting magic trick. The learners watched with amazement and curiosity as they tried to figure out how the trick was done.
The fun continued with a lively Telephone Game! Two learners from different teams received a secret message from Ms. Kumi and whispered it to their teammates, one by one, until it reached the last person, who had to say the message aloud. This activity brought plenty of laughter and excitement as everyone eagerly waited to hear whether the original message had made it to the end!
It was a wonderful afternoon filled with creativity, curiosity, teamwork, communication, and lots of laughter. Thank you, Ms. Mayu and Ms. Kumi, for spending time with our Milky Way learners and making our afternoon circle extra memorable!
Question Detectives: Sparking Curiosity!
As part of our goal to nurture the Milky Way learners as confident and curious inquirers, we introduced our Question Detectives activity during our morning circle. Through the use of a mystery box, we encouraged the learners to become curious, think deeply, and ask questions to discover what was hidden inside.
This week, the learning facilitator placed a handmade penguin inside the mystery box. The learners eagerly became little detectives, asking questions such as, “What color is it?”, “What shape is it?”, and “Where did you buy it?” Their curiosity sparked a wonderful exchange of questions as they tried to uncover the mystery!
Although the learners did not manage to guess what was inside the box this time, that was not the main goal of the activity. What mattered most was their willingness to wonder, ask questions, and explore possibilities. We want our Milky Way learners to understand that being an inquirer is not always about finding the right answer but also about being curious, asking meaningful questions, and enjoying the process of discovering something new!
Phonics: Building Words with “ck” and “ng”
In phonics, we reviewed the ending consonant digraphs ck and ng. The learners worked in pairs to match letters to pictures and build words using the correct letter combinations.
They carefully examined each picture, selected the letters needed to complete the word, and practiced reading the words they formed. Once they were ready, the pairs presented their words to the class and read them aloud.
Working with a partner gave the learners opportunities to discuss their choices, help one another, and practice reading with greater confidence. They enjoyed the challenge and showed enthusiasm as they worked together to build and read their words!
Safety First: Practicing Our Emergency Procedures
This week, our learners also participated in an emergency drill that gave us an important opportunity to review how to respond to different alarms.
When the alarm sounded, the learners initially went under their tables, thinking it was an earthquake drill. The learning facilitators promptly clarified that it was a fire drill and instructed everyone to put on their hats and evacuate. The learners then came out from under the tables, put on their hats, lined up, covered their mouths and noses, and followed the evacuation procedure.
Firefighters also came to observe our fire drill. The learning facilitators had the opportunity to practice using a fire extinguisher, gaining valuable hands-on experience in fire safety. After the drill, the learners enjoyed a memorable experience taking photos with the firefighters and the fire truck, making the activity both educational and exciting.
After the drill, we gathered in our classroom circle area for a reflection. When asked why they had gone under the tables, one learner explained that they thought the alarm was for an earthquake, while another shared that they had forgotten the fire evacuation procedure.
To help the learners distinguish between the two alarms, the learning facilitators played the earthquake alarm sound on a phone. We discussed the different responses required for each emergency and reinforced the importance of evacuating promptly during a fire rather than hiding under a table.
This experience reminded us that emergency preparedness involves not only practicing procedures but also understanding when and why to use them. Through discussion, listening, and repeated practice, we will continue helping our Milky Way learners develop the confidence to recognize different alarms and respond appropriately to keep themselves and others safe.
Our Library Adventure: Discovering Stories at Entelus Library in Shiojiri
One of the highlights of our week was our visit to Enpark Library in Shiojiri! This visit was part of our Unit of Inquiry exploration into the many ways stories can be told. We were excited to step into a new learning environment, explore a variety of books, and discover how libraries help people connect with stories and information.
During our visit, the learners had the opportunity to experience Kamishibai, a traditional Japanese form of storytelling that uses illustrated picture cards presented in a small stage-like frame. This gave our learners another example of how pictures and oral narration can work together to bring a story to life.
We also learned about how books are organized and how librarians support readers and the wider community. One particularly fascinating experience was seeing the library’s motorized mobile shelving system. The librarian guided us through the shelves and showed us how pressing a button moves the shelves sideways to create an aisle, allowing people to access the books stored between them. Our learners were curious about how the system worked and had the opportunity to press the button themselves!
Throughout the visit, the learners were encouraged to observe carefully, listen to the librarian’s explanations, and ask questions. They also practiced following library rules and demonstrating appropriate manners in a shared public space.
This experience helped us extend our inquiry beyond the classroom. By exploring different kinds of books, experiencing Kamishibai storytelling, and learning how a library operates, our learners discovered that stories can be shared through illustrations, spoken words, and many other forms of expression.
Most importantly, the visit encouraged them to remain curious, ask questions, and appreciate the many ways people tell and experience stories. We are grateful to the librarians for welcoming us and providing such a meaningful learning experience!
A Spooktacular Halloween Celebration!
What a spooktacular day it was! Our Halloween Party was filled with excitement, laughter, and unbridled joy! The ISN learners arrived with their parents, proudly dressed in their cool, creative, and wonderful Halloween costumes. It was lovely to see families joining in the fun and bringing the Halloween spirit to life!
The gym was filled with cheerful voices as we kicked off the celebration with our lively “Happy Halloween Boo!” song and dance. The Milky Way and Rainforest learners proudly took center stage to lead the dance together, showing their confidence and enthusiasm. It was a delightful sight to see both classes leading the way and filling the gym with Halloween cheer!
As soon as the emcee announced that the games were ready, the excitement grew even more! The learners eagerly lined up at each game station and enjoyed playing the different Halloween games thoughtfully prepared by our learning facilitators. With every game they completed, they proudly collected their stamps, making the experience even more exciting!
A big congratulations to all our costume contest winners! And of course, no Halloween celebration would be complete without treats! Everyone went home with a little Halloween surprise and, most importantly, wonderful memories of a fun-filled celebration.
It was truly a boo-tiful day filled with smiles, laughter, and happy memories!
Looking Ahead: Another Week of Exciting Learning!
Next week, our Milky Way learners have more exciting experiences to look forward to!
As we continue our Unit of Inquiry, we will explore puppet show as another way of telling a story. The learners will discover how puppets, voices, movements, and dialogue can bring characters and stories to life. We look forward to seeing their curiosity grow as they explore another creative form of storytelling.
We will also continue practicing our lines for our upcoming The Lion King play. Through regular practice, our young performers will continue developing their memory, speaking skills, and confidence while learning to work together as an ensemble.
Inspired by our recent visit to Entelus Library, the learners will create a special thank-you card to express our appreciation to the librarian for welcoming us and sharing wonderful learning experiences with us. This will also be a meaningful opportunity to practice expressing gratitude and communicating our thoughts through drawing and writing.
Alongside our inquiry and Winter Show preparations, we will enjoy our swimming lesson, tennis, and Music lesson. These experiences will provide further opportunities for our learners to develop their physical skills, coordination, creativity, confidence, and ability to express themselves in different ways.
We look forward to another week filled with discovery, meaningful connections, and joyful learning!
Have a Wonderful Weekend, Milky Way Families!
As we close another wonderful week, we hope our learners enjoy a relaxing and happy weekend with their families. May they have time to rest, play, explore, and share stories about the things they discovered and enjoyed at school.
Thank you, dear families, for your continued encouragement and partnership in your children’s learning journey. Every little discovery, thoughtful question, and shared experience contributes to their growth and helps nurture their love of learning.
We look forward to welcoming our little inquirers back next week, ready for more adventures, new discoveries, and wonderful memories together!
Have a beautiful, peaceful, and refreshing weekend, everyone!
