Japan Day July 2011
School Council
Following the tragic circumstances in both Pakistan and Japan last year, St Andrew’s ably led by the School Council – decided to make this the focus for their fund-raising events.
Over the year the children researched the effects of the flooding and tsunami’s and how the people who survived tried to rebuild their lives. One of our parents who has close links with Japan was able to come and talk with a few classes about their culture, bringing in money, books and photographs for the children to explore.
Many events took place over the year to raise funds – including school plays, sponsored skips, bike rides, infant toddle and sports, selling cakes, open afternoons plus many more. The fund-raising events culminated with an amazing ‘Japan’ day organised by the School Council. Links were forged with the Japanese Department from Tavistock College.
Mr Chambers (Chambers Sense) and three students came and spent the day at school sharing their experiences, resources and teaching some of the language. The day rounded off with each class displaying their work in the school hall and opening the event up to parents and the local community. Julie Lampshire from Shelterbox came and displayed one of the Green Shelterboxes, showing exactly what the money raised would buy.
The School Council were very pleased to hand a cheque to Julie for £2,000 at a special assembly held on Tuesday 27th September. This amount will buy 3½ boxes. A fantastic amount was raised and a really good opportunity for the children to think about and help those in need in other parts of the world.
Further information of the work Shelterbox does can be found at www.shelterbox.org
Year 1
On the 11th June Mr Coleman started our Japan week off by showing class 1 pictures of his trips to Japan for his work. He kept the children enthralled by teaching them to count and say hello in Japanese. He had lots to show the children such as money, examples of food and he explained where Japan was on the world map.
The children brought in Kimono’s and Japanese items along side other objects from other countries which linked with our travel project this term.
We made colourful kites which the children in Japan use in festivals and celebrations.
The children also worked in pairs to make travel posters to Japan researching what the country has to offer. What people might go to see there such a Mount Fuji and Japanese gardens.
On Friday we put on a display for parents and visitors to see our work in the hall.
Year 4
Mr Coleman came to tell year 4 about his time working in Japan. He told them how hot it was and that they eat sushi and quite dry food. Wild rice was very popular. He told us that there were big skyscrapers in the cities. The told them about the harbours and the boats. He brought some Japanese money for Year 4 to look at and showed them a power-point about Japan.
Mrs Hart visited Year 4 to tell them about Japan. She had worked in Japan teaching secondary school children English. Mrs Hart told them about the games they play on Japan like catching the ball into the cup. She talked about the costumes for festivals where women would wear silk kimonos and the men would wear light cotton clothes. She told them about origami and that the Japanese made beautiful cards. Mrs Hart brought a beautiful display of Japanese objects such as fans and toys for the class to look at. She also had lots of photographs of Japan. Year 4 learnt so much about Japan from Mrs Hart.
Year 4 held a fair at breaktime on Wednesday 13th to raise money for Japan. The children brought in items to sell. There was a cake stall, a book stall, a jewellery stall, a toy stall and a sale of ornaments. There was also a raffle with biscuits for a prize, a guess the weight of the cake and two games of how many sweets in a jar. The cake and the sweets were the prizes! There were also prizes to be won from two games - “Holey Cheese” and “Fire the Penny in the Shoe”. A great time was had by all and £88-00 was raised for Japan.
Year 5
Year 5 raised £50 for Japan following their earthquake and tsunami by selling CD’s of the year 5’s class history.
It was great fun trying out spiced peas and Japanese clothes. Some students and a Japanese language teacher from Tavistock College visited our school and taught us how to speak numbers 1 – 10 in Japanese.
A cheque for £2,000 was presented to Julie from Shelterbox.