Preschool 2-year-old Class, Sample Lesson

Introduction 1 (Conducted in both English and Japanese)

During outdoor time, the students looked at trees.

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We returned to class and painted a tree.

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The class went to Rinko Park to see a fruit and vegetable display. They connected their knowledge of trees to fruits and vegetables.

Introduction 2 (Conducted in both English and Japanese)

Looking at pictures of the fruit and vegetable display from Rinko park, the children talked about what they saw in the pictures and what other fruits they know. We reviewed our knowledge of fruits and vegetables and became familiar with new ones.

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We prepared pictures of each child’s stickers and coloring sheets of familiar fruit.

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They pasted the fruits they had colored on to the shape of a glass to represent making juice.

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To increase their exposure to fruits and vegetables, they decorated the class with the different fruits and vegetables they had learned about.

Introduction 3 (Conducted in both English and Japanese)

Children were able to connect with nature through play, by a variety of games and activities about fruits and vegetables, such as a simple version of a fruit basket, target practice games, etc.

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Drawings of fruit that the children had already made were pasted on the tree. They were also able to choose to draw more fruits with crayons (but only drawings of fruits that actually grow on trees).

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For fruits that grow from the ground, a similar game will be held with a painting of the ground not a tree, to show the difference.

Main Activity 1: Shopping (in Japanese)

After reading a picture book about a greengrocer "Mikan Kyoudai no Tanken (みかんきょうだいのたんけん)," the class went shopping at a supermarket.

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The students made origami wallets and played with kitchen toys to prepare for shopping.

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Each child chose a picture of a fruit and decided which fruit they would buy. Students then were on the lookout for that fruit.

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At the supermarket, they found their own fruit, carried their own baskets, and paid for their own purchase.

Main Activity 2: Making Mixed Juice (in English)

The teacher cut the purchased fruit in front of the class. Students could observe the fruit using all five of their senses, seeing what the inside looks like, experiencing the smell, etc.

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The fruit was blended in front of them, and the students could see how the fruit they bought transformed into juice.

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We made real juice, (everyone was able to drink it!)

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Students then ate the pulp, stimulating their sense of taste with new experiences.

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What does it taste like? Sour? Sweet? Which do you like?

Post-Activity (In Japanese)

While looking at real apples and bananas and noting what colors are present in the fruit, children took pieces of colored construction paper in the same colors and glued them onto an outline of the fruit.