Production of Goods

This week, Grade 1 explored the last line of inquiry which is about the production of goods. We sorted out whole foods/real foods from processed foods. Grade 1s realised that whole foods are original foods that we get directly from the sources such as farms, sea, and others. While processed foods are the ones that have been changed to look and taste like something else by adding ingredients in them. Processed foods don't look like the original ones they claim to be. Sadly, they are common in the shelves at the supermarket. Through our readings, we discovered the different changes that happen when original ingredients (products) are processed. From our discussion, we found out that additional ingredients are added to enhance the taste of the products as well as to lengthen the life span of it. These added ingredients are preservatives (chemicals), salt, sugar, spices, and others. We visited Kewpie Kitchen Kobe this week to see how they make mayonnaise that we use as part of our salad dressings, burger, and others. They were amazed to find out the main ingredients for mayonnaise are vegetable oil, vinegar and of course, the main one, egg. They saw how the mayonnaise are packed, checked for quality, sealed, packed and boxed. They saw the machines doing the job of packing 615 bottles per minute. Next week, Grade 1s will look into ways on how they can make their learning meaningful. In what ways they can apply what they discovered in this unit? How can they make connection?

From Supermarket to our Table

This week, we explored the production and distribution of goods. We all discovered that food taken from the farm follow a series of careful steps to make sure that products will be delievered safely to the supermarkets. We also found out that strict quality checking of food is necessary to ensure that the food is safe for people to eat. Apart from that, we also looked at importing food products to other countries via cargo ships. cargo trucks, cargo trains and cargo planes.

To help us also understand how quality checking is ensured from supermarket to homes, we invited Ayumi (Ren's mom) to show us how proper preparation of food is done from shopping to eating.

Next week, we will delve into the production of goods focusing more on processed foods. We will also look into local Japan products and how these products are distributed around the country.

CLUBS 2023/24

Dear Parents, We are happy to announce that club offerings for both students and parents are now open. Kindly click the links below to see the choices for your child or yourself. Have a great weekend.

Where are foods from

 This week, Grade 1s had a very busy schedule. They showed their understanding of sources foods. They have a clear idea that foods come from two main sources: plants and animals. They looked at the first and second lines of inquiry:

            a.     Where foods are from

            b. steps involved in getting food to our table

We were lucky that one of the Grade 1's grandmother is very fond of gardening and planting. She came to the class and taught the Grade 1s how to plant lettuce and komatsuna. Both seeds are fit for autumn season. 

We also planted potatoes behind the MPR. This sparked their curiosity as they noticed that in their first planting activity, they planted seeds while in the second one, they planted the crop (potato) itself.

This led us to looking into different ways to grow plants: 

        a. from seeds

        b. from crops

        c. from cuttings/stemming

        d. from spores

        e. from leaves

They were amazed to learn that not all plants were grown from seeds alone. We are hoping to get the chance to do stemming. If we can find the right flower to use, we may try it in the class this coming week. :)

We are looking forward to harvesting these vegetables (lettuce and kimatsuna) by first or second week of October. As the school is working in partner with FBK (Food Bank Kansai), Grade 1s will donate the Komatsuna vegetables in support of the HUG project.

This week, we also looked into the process of how noodles are made. We visited the first ever cup noodles museum in the world: Nissin Cup Noodles Museum in Ikeda, Osaka. In the museum, Grade 1s learned the history of noodles and cup noodles, and how it spread throughout the world. They also decorated their own cup and created a personalized cup noodles by choosing the flavour and the ingredients they like to include in the cup noodles.

What a great week indeed it is! :)

Oktoberfest Volunteers

It is September and Oktoberfest is getting nearer and nearer every day. 🍻

It is a big event and requires a lot of manpower. We need your help. 🙏🏻

Here is the sign up sheet to volunteer to help with Oktoberfest. We would really appreciate all the help you can give to make this a successful and fun event for everyone. Please get into contact with any members of the team if you have any questions.

Journey of Food

 This week, we looked into the foods served on our tables. We wonder where these foods are from, how these foods are prepared and how they reach the supermarkets where we buy them from.

We looked at one product: CHEESEBURGER. We checked what comprises it and came up with the following:

- burger patty (meat), cheese, buns (bread), lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, catsup, sesame seeds, pepper, oil and mayonnaise.

When asked where we can get these items from, they mentioned supermarket. Then we inquired where the supermarket owners get the items from. Interesting answers came up. Most said from farm/sea. Some mentioned from bigger supermarkets. Others said from factories. ALL answers are correct, but of course, we need to explore why and how are these products moved to supermarkets.

Grade 1s know that most crops and meat are from farms. Fishes and seafood products are from seas and other bodies of water. But how are these products move from the farms and seas to the supermarkets? Who are in charge of them? 

We read the story of Maggie the Dairy Cow. The story explained how the milk from the dairy cows in a certain farm in Michigan gets collected, stored and transported.

Then we ended the week with the learners investigating the journey of other products from the source to the table. The groups researched about the journey of fish, meat (chicken, beef, pork), fruits, vegetables and grains. Their goal is to be able to show the steps of the process using a flowchart. or a picture panel. This they will work on from next week.