Greetings!

This week, our class conducted an outdoor pool earthquake drill to prepare our little ones for any natural disaster that might occur. Everyone did a great job following the rules, such as staying where they are, covering their heads, holding on to the pool’s frames until the shaking stops, and evacuating quickly from the pool with their teachers’ help. Well done, Rainforest!

In our phonics lesson, we started learning about vowel teams like “ai,” “a-e,” and “ay.” This week, we focused on the long vowel /a/. We thought of words with a combined long vowel /a/ that make one sound. It was amazing that our young ones could think of and provide some examples. Great job!

This week, we had our first-ever closing open day in the Rainforest class. Students ate their afternoon snack with their parents and had a fun afternoon circle time, where they listened to a Japanese story and played a game with their parents. To all the parents who came to our closing open day, thank you so much for your time. We truly appreciate your support in our various school activities.

Teamwork in Japanese Class!

This week in our Japanese class, the Rainforest students had a fun and meaningful experience while practicing teamwork through a game-based activity! We played a “territory game” where children took turns reading hiragana characters — ones they’ve already learned how to read and write in previous lessons. After the first round, we introduced a “strategy time.” It was so inspiring to see each team discuss their plans together: some teams changed the order they stood in, others encouraged each other with phrases like “Let’s read faster!”, and many made thoughtful decisions about who would help friends that might need support. The Rainforest children are really beginning to understand what it means to work as a team! Later, we shifted our focus to carefully observing the hiragana “ろ” (ro) and “る” (ru) — two characters that look very similar. After noticing the small differences, everyone took their time to write them neatly in their workbooks. We are so proud of how well they are paying attention to the fine details, such as using the correct stops and hooks in their strokes. Great job, Rainforest!

Matsumoto Bonbon Fun!

Last Saturday, many Rainforest students and families joined the Matsumoto Bonbon Festival. Despite the long two-hour Bon Odori, the children danced all the way through with big smiles! Thank you to all the parents for your wonderful support — it was a night to remember!

Have a wonderful long holiday, everyone!