Japanese

During the first week of May, our students celebrated Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day), a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to celebrating the health and happiness of children. Our Prep students enjoyed colouring in Koinobori (carp kites), a symbol of strength and perseverance, as part of the celebration. Year 1/2 students made kabuto (samurai helmets) using origami, honouring the tradition of samurai courage and protection.

Students from Year 1 to Year 6 took part in a special activity combining Japanese culture and physical wellbeing. As part of our involvement in the Jump Rope for Heart Foundation, they participated in Rajio Taisō – a Japanese radio exercise routine performed daily across Japan. This was a wonderful way for students to explore different cultural practices in staying healthy.

In the classroom, it has been a busy and exciting term across all year levels:

• Prep students have been learning basic Japanese including numbers, age, colours, and simple greetings such as “How are you?” It has been lovely to see their confidence grow with every lesson.
• Year 1/2 students are currently learning about “My Body” and are enjoying practising a fun and catchy Japanese song to help them remember the different body parts. We will also be revising the numbers from Term 1 to see if we can create our own monsters by combining numbers and body parts—a creative and engaging way to reinforce vocabulary and counting skills.
• Year 3/4 students have been working hard on a puppet show based on The Zodiac Story. Students have been busy making puppets and rehearsing lines, and we look forward to their performances in class in the coming weeks.
• Year 5/6 students are continuing their unit on fashion. This term, we’ve been exploring and comparing traditional and contemporary clothing from both Japanese and Australian Indigenous cultures. It has sparked thoughtful discussions and curiosity about the similarities and differences across cultures and time periods. As part of this unit, students learned about traditional Japanese garments, including the kimono and yukata. Some students had the opportunity to wear these garments, gaining firsthand experience of their cultural significance and craftsmanship.

We have had a rich and rewarding term in Japanese, and are proud of how engaged and enthusiastic the students have been across all year levels!

Arigatō

Ryoko Sensei

Japanese Teacher