EmmaNZ Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Does anybody have any good resources for a first grade project on Japan? The kiddies are enjoying cooking and eating Japanese food at the moment, and I think they'd enjoy learning a bit more. TIA!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoundAbout Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 We lived in Japan and Hawaii (many of Japanese descent) for 5 years. The first thing that pops into my head is the Koinobori - or carp streamers that get hung up on almost every house for the weeks before children's day on May 5th. Each member of the house ( including mom and dad) get a different size and colored fabric carp windsock that gets hung from a pole along with some streamers. There's some history around the day that could be explored and you could make your own streamers as a craft and then hang them up in April as they do in Japan. There's also Gyotaku which is Japanese fish printing. Fishermen would take fish they had caught and dip in paint and press onto paper or do a rubbing to record size and type. You could probably find some great web resources on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairie rose Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno is a favorite here. We also lived in Japan for a while. You could do some simple origami. Look at some of the fancy bento and maybe try to make some yourself. Learn greetings and counting in Japanese. Listen to the Japanese national anthem. Compare how long it takes to get to somewhere they know that is far away (a relatives house that takes a little while to get to maybe) and see how much longer it takes to get to Japan to give them an idea of how far away it is. Watch a Japanese anime. Be careful, some are rather....R rated. Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro are both kid appropriate. Find some pictures of Japanese festivals. Listen to Eisa drums (that's more Okinawan but still part of Japan ;) ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 We have recently read the following My Japan by Watanabe The Way We Do It In Japan by Iijima Japanese Traditions by Broderick Make it Work: Old Japan by Haslam has craft ideas The Golden Thread by Sasaki (folk tales, some a bit surprising, e.g. the one about the birth of Jesus) Old Man Mad About Drawing - chapter book about Hokusai Sumi & the goat & the Tokyo Express or any others from this series (it's a bit old and OOP) by Uchida Allen Say books We also watched these two nice DVDs Families of Japan (part of a Families of the World series by Master Communication) Little Travelers: Japan (best of the 3 part series featuring 2 young girls traveling around; they stay mostly in Osaka in the movie) My kids are origami hounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaNZ Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 Thanks a lot that's a great start! How could I have forgotten origami!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Don't forget about Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) that sit in hot springs with snow all around! We also had fun painting blossoming cherry trees. Here's a Japan library book list: Turtle Bay by Saviour Pirotta The Two Foolish Cats by Yoshiko Uchida This Place Is Crowded! by Vicki Cobb Journey To Japan (nice pop-up book) by Joan Knight Night of the Ninjas (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne Dragon of the Red Dawn (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne The Paper Crane by Molly Bang The Bicycle Man by Allen Say Taro and the Tofu by Masako Matsuno A Carp For Kimiko by VIrginia Kroll How My Parents Learned To Eat by Ina Friedman The Butterfly's Dream by Ippo Keido Japanese Children's Favorite Stories by FLorence Sakade Old Man who Made the Trees Bloom by Jijii Magic Fan by Baker Crane Girl by Charles Painter and the Wild Swans by Clement Ten Oni Drummers by Gollub Girl from the Snow Country by Hidaka Kenji and the Magic Geese by Johnson Yoshi’s Feast by Kajikawa Carp for Kimiko by Kroll Seven Gods of Luck by Kudler Yoshiko and the Foreigner by Little Moshi, Moshi by London Dragon Kite by Luenn Pair of Red Clogs by Matsuno Cherry Tree by MacCaughrean Emperor’s Plum Tree by Nikly Tea with Milk by Say Long Silk Strand by Williams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 The Japanese Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins is a fun read. Available from www.Mainlesson.com as an e-book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Learn to count to 10, the colors, and a few simple phrases. Watch a manga cartoon. Maybe in Japanese instead of English. There is a hamster series that is just adorable that I cannot remember the name of. Research common pets for children there. Watch YouTube videos of them crowding onto subways. I think there is a somewhat active volcano there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I wanted to elaborate that the Little Travelers' Japan DVD (in contrast to the UK one which lacked this) featured quite a bit on the daily lives of small children in Japan, with footage of them playing (in groups and other organized activities as well as at home with the girls) and preschools. It was really a nice episode, and the girls both liked "shushi." ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 The picture book we have enjoyed are Crow Boy Grandfathers Journey (Alan Say as mentioned above) A Pair of Red Clogs (also mentioned above) The vid Big Bird in Japan is wonderful too. We had an Asian meal and at it on the floor (using lap desk as our table), and used Chop Sticks. We use a Cultural Atlas to get a bit more info. We love seeing the *old* Japan in picture books, and then *modern* Japan in the culture atlas. We much prefer the old. Subjects of interest: Samurai Warriors, cherry blossoms, paper walls, song birds, clogs, bamboo forest (and the many things that are made with bamboo) Of course note that Japan is an island, and in the Pacific Ocean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I think there is a somewhat active volcano there? I *think* this is right! Dd and I read a book called Volcanos a while back. In it there were these children who were going to school wearing hard hats because they just couldn't stop living because of an active volcano. I *THINK* this was in Japan. Right now my living room is a HORRID mess with oldest dd's belongings that she is moving out (about to get married), so I cannot get to my books in the cabinet. Otherwise I would find the above mentioned book to be sure that it is in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 There are 108 active volcanoes and many extinct volcanoes in Japan because it's on four tectonic plates (Pacific, Philippine, Eurasian and North American). Here's a list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_volcanoes_in_Japan Magic School Bus Blows It's Top goes well with Japan, too. It's a good time to erupt a vinegar,baking soda, dish soap, and red paint volcano! P.S. Susie...May God Bless your daughter's marriage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 (edited) Thank you so much Christina! She is marrying a strong Christian so we are all happy about that. :) I hope all is well with you and yours! What is the dishsoap for in the volcano. We have done it with the bs, vinegar and food color, but never dish soap. Does it have some really cool reaction? Edited November 26, 2010 by Susie in MS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 What is the dishsoap for in the volcano. We have done it with the bs, vinegar and food color, but never dish soap. Does it have some really cool reaction? Dish soap makes it thicker and move slower. It makes the vinegar and baking soda last longer as well. I learned it from a Schlessinger Media library video called All About Volcanoes. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Oh how cool! Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Simple origami projects are fun. You could also introduce furoshiki, which I think of as origami with cloth :), that can be used as reusable wrapping and other things--very appropriate at this time of year. We did this last year with my Girl Scouts and they enjoyed it. Google "furoshiki" and you will get a wealth of diagrams and videos on how to do it. Large scarves from the thrift store should work well. I used large cloth cotton napkins for the Girl Scouts, but the fabric was a bit stiff for the knots. I've since read that something like nylon or silk works best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re furoshiki, this is a great one page summary: http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 (edited) The anime hamster is Hamtaro. I just bought this Christmas DVD for kicks :-) The holidays are difficult for me. I've been collecting holiday resources that are as different from past holidays as possible. This one is DIFFERENT :-) I've seen crafts and drawing worksheets for the series. I think the series is a good introduction to Japanese anime for little ones. Edited November 27, 2010 by Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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