Global project: JAPAN and ORIGAMI (Early Childhood Education)

Mr. Usero / Japan EXPO

Project-Based learning offers many possibilities and opportunities of learning in a meaningful way, since it is based on real questions and connections have to be created to answer them. In addition, this projects can be connected to other countries or other realities far from the closest one, enriching our perspective of the world and promoting respect to other cultures. Briefly, this kind of projects can build bridges to other cultures, or at least, open windows to them.

This post shows you our global project about Japan, an amazing country. Adapted to the Pre-K level, we worked lots of activities and we learned a lot. The following  links will offer you all the information and samples of those activities.

This link, as part of our PD training with VIFlearning, is focused on origami. Being focused on the international education, the students will be familiar with Japan, in which they will be able to identify Japan in a map, know about Japan and its geography (volcano, islands,...), and the students will do origami.

We took into account the activate prior knowledge that was the use of paper. Usually, they use paper to write, draw and paint, but there are other uses: origami (3D shapes)

They wanted to know about origami, so we facilitated them materials and resources to investigate about origami and analyze it. After reading a book about origami and watching a short video about it, they have a paper in front of them to be shaped as origami.

Standards Alignment

Literacy PK Guideline: 

*III.D.2. Uses information learned from books by describing, relating, categorizing, or comparing and contrasting. 

*III.D.3. Asks and answers appropriate questions about the book. Highly Effective Objective: I will gain an understanding of the Japanese culture through reading various informational books. 

Social Studies PK Guidelines: 

VII.A.1. Child identifies similarities and differences in characteristics of people. 

Highly Effective Objective: I will use photographs and pictures to illustrate and elicit ideas about how people are alike and different to develop an appreciation for people from a different culture.

My Reflection

By knowing and getting closer to other cultures and by experiencing by themselves they can learn better and respect them besides of being awared of other cultural expressions that are different from their own ones.

The use of ICT is important in this case, because they can see children like them doing similar things and different ones in other cultures and they can learn how to do things from other point of view. Apart from that, ICT and Internet can be very useful to share their work and their learning.

Web/Print Resources

• CULTURA, CURIOSIDADES Y BLOGS 

Kirainet. Un geek en Japón -  http://www.kirainet.com/

Descubrir Japón - http://descubrirjapon.com/esp/index.php Suteki...

Pedacitos de Japón - http://suteki.es/

Un español en Japón - http://flapyinjapan.com/ 

Una japonesa en Japón - http://unajaponesaenjapon.com/

Pepinismo - http://www.pepinismo.net/

Tofugu - http://www.tofugu.com/

• VIAJAR A JAPÓN Y TURISMO 

Surviving in Japan - http://www.survivingnjapan.com/

Japan Travel Guide - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623.html 

Japan Travel Info - http://www.japantravelinfo.com/top/index.php

Viaje a Japón - http://www.viajeajapon.com/ 

Oficina Nacional del Turismo Japonés - http://www.turismo-japon.es/

Embajada de Japón - http://www.es.emb-japan.go.jp/

• ORIGAMI

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami

Thank you all!

This post is dedicated to everyone who has supported me to become the person and the professional of education that I am. THANK YOU ALL!

First of all to my colleagues at Ninfa Laurenzo ECC to choose me as the Teacher of the Year 2016/2017, last year I was the Beginning Teacher of the Year 2015/2016. My email to them:

Thank you very much my NLECC family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really appreciate your support!!!!

This is the second year you trust on me!!!! I don't know how to show you all my feelings of gratitude for that.

It's an honor and a real satisfaction to be recognized by my dear colleagues, who teach me every day to be a better person and professional.

Thanks to the whole school staff, and thanks to Ms Rogina and Ms Tovar for letting me do new things... without your trust nothing of it could be possible.

Thank you a MILLION!!!

I consider that everyone in the campus deserves to be named as a Teacher of the Year, because they contribute to the whole community and I am learning a lot from them, every day! The real recognition is the one of the students and our community. Together we can get better and greater results!

Besides, all my contributions to HISD community have been valued by other professionals: teachers, principals, administrators,... Above all with all the invitations to participate on different chats, and the HISD Multilingual Department with the interview as the "Top Story of the Week": From Sevilla to Houston, fulfilling a dream.

"Sharing projects" internationally about healthy habits and Education.

I am so proud of being part of this international project Factorize your diet: External collaborations: Sharing projects, where my students learn how to cook and be a responsible consumer, besides of more connections with Nature. This school in Spain and their community are working in our international peace project #1000papercranes challenge, too that belong to a international project contest in Finland, StartT


For me, as a teacher who likes networking, it has been a great opportunity to do other great things with my students and a great possibility to grow professionally. Indeed, we are working on healthy habits that include food and sports. It shows that Early Childhood Education should include more values and skills to be prepared for life.

I really appreciate everything we can do in a global way, since we can show how to use digital resources in a responsible way, working all together, and growing all together.

Welcome ideas and collaborations! 

Welcome everyone and everything that add!!!