Exploring Nature and Science: The Sun
Preschool
August 4, 2017
The Shizen nature books subscribed to by Jungle class (three-year-olds) were very popular with the children.
Each issue explores one theme from the natural world around us, including living things, plants, food and science.
The many engaging photographs make the books enjoyable to browse even for children who cannot yet read hiragana.
In this Japanese lesson, we read the issue about the sun together.
We discussed the book’s question, “Why does it become light in the morning?” The children offered answers such as “Because it shines!” and “Because the sun is there.” One child also explained that taiyo and ohisama both mean the sun.
We explained that the sun is a star and looks large because it is closer to us than other stars. Placing two same-sized cones at different distances helped the children experience how distance changes apparent size.
To explain how Earth’s rotation produces day and night, we used a flashlight as the sun and a ball as Earth, showing light falling on the turning globe. The children were surprised that the planet they live on is turning. One naturally wondered, “Wouldn’t turning make us dizzy?”
The book also introduced the distance to the sun through imagined travel times by airplane or bullet train, its temperature and its size compared with Earth.
We did more than simply read. Projecting the pages on the classroom screen and using the interactive whiteboard’s writing function helped make the learning enjoyable. Each classroom was equipped with a projector.
Each issue explores one theme from the natural world around us, including living things, plants, food and science.
The many engaging photographs make the books enjoyable to browse even for children who cannot yet read hiragana.
In this Japanese lesson, we read the issue about the sun together.
We discussed the book’s question, “Why does it become light in the morning?” The children offered answers such as “Because it shines!” and “Because the sun is there.” One child also explained that taiyo and ohisama both mean the sun.
We explained that the sun is a star and looks large because it is closer to us than other stars. Placing two same-sized cones at different distances helped the children experience how distance changes apparent size.
To explain how Earth’s rotation produces day and night, we used a flashlight as the sun and a ball as Earth, showing light falling on the turning globe. The children were surprised that the planet they live on is turning. One naturally wondered, “Wouldn’t turning make us dizzy?”
The book also introduced the distance to the sun through imagined travel times by airplane or bullet train, its temperature and its size compared with Earth.
We did more than simply read. Projecting the pages on the classroom screen and using the interactive whiteboard’s writing function helped make the learning enjoyable. Each classroom was equipped with a projector.
Author Profile
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Reiko - Services and Community Coordinator Japan
Reiko joined CGK’s founding team in 2016, bringing seven years of experience in licensed nursery schools in Japan and six years across two international preschools. She has also volunteered at a daycare in Canada and has held preschool leadership roles at CGK, including Principal and Vice Principal.
A qualified nursery teacher and holder of a Class 2 kindergarten teaching license in Japan, Reiko values each child’s interests and strengths. Drawing on her experience in multicultural early childhood settings, she supports an environment where children can explore new interests through hands-on experiences and express themselves in their own way.