Reading

January is the start of the second semester, which means we have a new Elementary School Student Council. One of our 3G students was inducted into the new Student Council at an assembly last Friday. Congratulations!

The first big initiative for this semester is a Valentine’s Day fundraiser. Anyone can purchase valentines from the ESSC during morning recess in the coming weeks. One Valentine is ¥100 or two for ¥150! Valentine senders may choose to add a chocolate or a glow stick to their card.

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Cheer Dance Club

We were treated to a performance by the ES Cheer Dance Club at the assembly. A few members of our class have been working hard with the team to prepare their latest dance. Great work, girls!

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We love to read!

This class loves to read! It is a healthy, lifelong habit. 📚

3G embarked on a research journey this week. After learning how to navigate nonfiction books in 2024, students are now putting their skills to use researching information across a variety of texts and then synthesizing the information. First project: Studying Penguins! 🐧

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IPC – Mummies

We played a Quiz-Quiz-Trade game to prepare for learning about mummification in Ancient Egypt. We learned quite a few new vocabulary words.

We even prepared apples for mummification. We used salt and baking soda in place of natron to dessicate our apple heads.

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Golden Time

…and then some well-deserved down time at the end of the week. At Saint Maur, we call it Golden Time.

3G previewed the 15 new picture books nominated for the Sakura Medal this year. Students who read at least five titles will earn a vote in the Sakura Medal Contest in Spring 2025. Let’s keep reading!

Our latest Book Club is now live! You can shop online for tons of exciting books. Be sure to add “Mr. Geyer 3G” to your order so the books will be sorted properly and sent to school as soon as possible. Every order earns 20% back in rewards for classroom books at Saint Maur. Some families might consider ordering some books as holiday gifts…. Please contact me if you need help with this. Order online until November 22, 2024.

3G was one of the first classes in the school to preview the books nominated for the Sakura Medal 2025. There were so many great titles to excite our readers. Students who read four books in any category will have the opportunity to attend a celebration in the spring, including voting for their favorite book. The winning book from across many international schools in Japan is then awarded the Sakura Medal in Spring 2025. You can read more about this year’s list on the Saint Maur Library Blog. Third graders can participate in the Picture Book, Chapter Book, or Graphic Novel categories. Borrowing begins on October 7th!

Congratulations to the new Elementary Student Council! Representatives had their first meeting this week and have already started planning their charity events. The first initiative is to collect PET bottle caps to raise money for their yet-to-be-chosen charities. If you have PET bottle caps at home, please have your child bring them to school. This collection will continue all year.

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Reading Time

Recently, we spent some time reading with partners to experience sharing a story with a friend. Some people really enjoy reading together and discussing their ideas about a book.

On another day, we explored various genres of books. Students were thinking carefully about the characteristics of each book that place it in a particular genre. What makes a mystery a mystery? How are fantasy and realistic fiction different? Several students found a new book they were eager to read! 📚

We went on a scavenger hunt to find cards hidden around the classroom. Students were learning the difference between common nouns and proper nouns. It was tough to find all 30 cards in the classroom!