Keiko shows us different types of Japanese tea she enjoys

Our last International Club meeting of the season was on December 10, 2009.  It was a bittersweet time for us.  We were very excited to have Keiko join us for our last meeting, but we are sad that she is returning to Japan.  Keiko brought us Japanese snacks and tea to try.   She explained the different types tea she enjoys and talked about special foods they prepare for Japanese holidays.  After eating the snacks, we played with her traditional toys again.  Omar is getting really good with the Daruma Otoshi!

The boys stack up the blocks on the Daruma Otoshi

We will hopefully resume International Club next year.  Thanks to all the students who participated and Mrs. Renfro hopes that you all enjoyed yourselves while learning something new.

Keiko shows a student how to wind a top

A student spins a wooden top

The winner of the Mancala Tournament took home their very own Mancala board

We were disappointed that we didn’t have a guest speaker this week, but we still found ways to have fun.  The students have been learning about Ancient Egypt and Africa in their social studies classes, so we learned a little bit about games played in the African continent.  After looking at information on the internet, we had a Mancala “tournament.”  Eleven students were competing for the title of Mancala Champion.  Each winner faced off another victor until the only players left were James and Taelor.  Taelor was the champion and took home her very own Mancala game to enjoy all the time.

Mancala is considered by some to be the oldest game on the planet. Mancala games have been found in Egypt and all over Africa

Diane shares a picture of the entrance to the Forbidden City with students

Today, we discovered the country of China with the help of Diane.  We looked at three different Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou.   Each of their cities offered a different perspective of lifestyles in China.  We saw pictures of the forbidden city, the “Bird’s Nest” gymnasium built for the 2008 Olympics, and the Great Wall in Beijing.  We looked at the towering skyscrapers and western architecture of the business center in Shanghai, and enjoyed the beautiful, natural scenery of the lakes and gardens in Hangzhou.  We also saw pictures of some Chinese delicacies, and we were all hungry by the end of the presentation! Zài Jiàn!

The Berlin Wall and Brandenburg Gate

Hallo!  Today we had two German students, Franziska and Lisa, present to us about their hometowns.  They shared some pictures of the beautiful architecture in Germany and the crowds during the 2006 World Cup.  They also discussed the significance of the Berlin Wall and the 20th anniversary since East and West Germany has been reunited.

We also listened to popular German music including Tokio Hotel, which is apparently considered “Emo-Pop” in Germany.  Franziska and Lisa also taught us how to introduce ourselves in German.  Danke to Franziska and Lisa.

Photo of fans at the 2006 FIFA World Cup

We also played the fruit basket game using the Japanese words for apple, peach, and grape (Ringo, Momo, and Budou).  The kids raced to find a chair when their fruit was called.  We almost had a few head-on collisions.

Keiko explains the directions to the "Fruit Basket" game

At the end of our hour together, Keiko wrote our names in Japanese and we had a drawing to give away a Daruma Otoshi, a Japanese block toy.  Antonio was the lucky winner!

Students play with a Daruma Otoshi toy

The boys play with kendamas

We made "Arigato" cards for Keiko

Students enjoy a baguette with brie cheese.

This week we learned a little bit about the French culture.  We listened to some common French phrases and watched video clips in French.  We also sampled some fromage with slices of a baguette.  The best part was the cookie with chocolat and framboise.  Once we were finished enjoying our French cuisine, we made thank-you cards to give to Keiko for teaching us about Japan.  The sixth grade boys were quite energetic this afternoon but oh well, c’est la vie.

Keiko writes a student's name in Japanese

Students show off their names in Japanese

Our first Waldo Middle School International Club meeting was a great success.  Our group was small, but we all had a blast.  Keiko, an international student from Japan, presented to us about her hometown.  She also taught us several phrases in Japanese.  We took turns greeting each other in Japanese and Keiko even wrote our names in the language.  I think some of the boys thought Keiko was very pretty dressed in her yukata, because they couldn’t take their eyes off her!

Photos courtesy of Anchen and Brianna from Ms. Festa’s photo class

Keiko and a student greet each other in Japanese