Activity report 2015

SGH fieldwork was conducted by 6 students who selected SGH Research TaskⅡA in Thailand and Cambodia for 11days from August 1.

They conducted surveys on the subject of “water problems” relating vegetation status and cutting situation of mangroves, conditions of the land which was formally used as shrimp farms and change of local people’s lives after producing commercial crop in brackish-water region” in Ranong, south part of Thailand.

They visited Siem Reap in Cambodia and learned about “Water problems in rapid urbanized agricultural community” and “Angkor as an irrigated city” in collaboration with Sophia University and a local NGO. They also conducted interviews and water surveys with people who live in Tonle Sap Lake and in surrounding rural areas.

The 2nd Mekong River fieldwork will be conducted in December.

　　
A survey in a mangrove forest 　　　An interview with a mayor of a　　　　 Lake dwellings 
(Ranong, Thailand)　　　　　　　　village (Ranong, Thailand)　　　　　　(Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia)

　　
An interview with lake dwellers 　　　A water survey in Angkor Krau 　　　Angkor Wat (Cambodia)
(Tonle Sap Lake)　　　　　　　　 　village (Cambodia)

～The 2nd year students conducted research presentation with “Water problems” as the theme～

The 2nd year students conducted “SR poster session” at Nika Hall on July 17. This was the second presentation as they had already presented it on July 7 for their guardians. They explained it clearly and briskly.

Students set agendas with their free ideas such as “The difference of transparency according to the type of filter paper” “What is “floatation” which supports the world?” “Help TENTARO-kun ～The most powerful collaboration between water and starch ” “Let’s make soft meat with water!” “Project Z ～The fight against water and buildings ～” etc, tested their hypothesis by a steady amount of experiments and came to their own conclusion. The techniques used on stage were like a drama and some groups got a lot of laughs.

Professor Kenichi Tabata, Graduate School for Teacher Training, Miyagi University of Education commented for the 2nd year students, “Each group exercised their ingenuities in making a presentation and it was interesting. I think you had difficulty with digitalization but I want you to emphasize it as it is very important in research. I thought that the group that determined tenderness of meat by putting a certain weight on a toothpick was interesting. In addition, simplification is important to pursuit research. I want you to try not to get too complex in your research. ” He also advised “Preparation is important for research. I want you to use the 2nd year students’ presentation as a reference for next year” for the 1st year students.

It was a fruitful time for the 1st and the 2nd year students.

　　
A class　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B class　　　　　　　　　　　　　C class

The 1st year students asked a lot of questions positively

The 3rd year students conducted “Kitakami River fieldwork” at Osu, Kitakami-machi, Ishinomaki-shi under a cloudy sky during rainy season on July 5. We decided that the 3rd year students conduct fieldwork downriver of Kitakami River to deepen continuity of study between Junior High School and Senior High School as our 1st year Senior High School students conduct fieldwork upstream of Kitakami River in Hachimantai, Iwate prefecture.

After arriving in Hachimantai, students heard a lecture from Mr. Takeyama, an adviser of Riasunomori, incorporated non-profit organization under the title of “Reed bed in Kitakami River, then and now”. Professor Kazuhiro Yamada, Development of Environment and Energy Tohoku Institute of Technology, gave advance guidance for fieldwork and explained the arrangement of regeneration work for reed bed.

After his lecture, students went into tidal land and took out mud from a 50 centimeters square area. They rinsed the mud with river water many times and observed water creatures such as sandworms, crabs, common fresh water clams and so on. They could also scoop a lot of young goby and shrimp. They were delighted by it and felt joy and pleasure to communicate with nature.

Then the students started replanting reeds. They were divided into 3 groups, “Grubbing up reeds”, “Carrying reeds” and “Planting reeds” and acted aspiringly. The harder they worked, the more they lost their footing in the mud and some girl students were completely covered in mud. The replanted area was not large as we did not have enough time, but it was a very valuable experience for them.

After lunch, we moved to Kumagai Master Thatchers Co. Ltd.(Kumagai Sangyo) and heard a lecture about “reeds” from Chairman, Mr. Kumagai. “The construction of pit dwelling house in Jomon period is the same as the way we built reed beds. Almost all reed-screens which we can purchase at home centers are imported. Reeds have a multiplicity of uses. We, Japanese should review the ease of using reeds and should actively utilize it. The best way of preservation of reed beds is to clip and to use and the bad way are to neglect.” He also gave a message to us “A way to coexist with nature is a big challenge for your generation.”

Students could learn many things in this fieldwork which they cannot learn in classroom lecture.

　　
Setting square area 　　　　　　　　Screening out mud　　　　　　　　Researching water creatures
and taking mud.

　　
Grubbing up reeds, Carrying reeds, 　
Planting reeds

～Learned world circumstances through our experiences～

The 1st year students carried out “If the world were a village of 100 people” as the second unit of “Learn about the world” on Jun 19. We understood “diversity” of the world and developed our thinking with a view to a better way of the world. We did this by learning tragedy which was caused by the low literary rate and the harmful effects of expanding gaps between rich and poor. This activity was held by cooperating with IVY, incorporated non-profit organization in Yamagata Prefecture in addition to Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. As one of simulated experiences, they realized an imbalance of wealth distribution in the world by numbers of biscuits which they got (One group got about 70 biscuits against another group who got only half a biscuit) and we are surprised by the big difference.

It was a good opportunity to learn “An appropriate world view” for the 1st year students. It seems that they moved a step closer to being “Global Citizens”. We are planning to learn “The world food situation” as the third unit in second semester.

2 teachers cultivated cooperating organization this time. They visited Samakki withayakhom school (combined junior and senior high school) and Chiang Mai University at Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani University at Ubonratchathani in the northeast of Thailand and we decided to push forward linkages and cooperation for a research task which will start from 2015.

　　
Discussion about the world　　　　　Student who takes poison　　　　　Students who got biscuits
in 30 years　　　　　　　　　　　　not knowing it

Students who are surprised by wealth distribution

～Started study to develop global understanding and international sense～

The 1st year students of junior high school started “IS “International Study”” at integrated study classes on May 22. They learned cultural differences through communication with people all around the world, grasped current situations in the world and clarified the problems at the 1st year stage. It’s the foundation for “English Camp” in the 2nd year and “Overseas study tour” in the 3rd year.

We invited Ms. Carmelita joy Oja Mogami from the Philippines, Ms. Alise　Donnere from Latvia and Mr. Pornrungroj　Chanon from Thailand as instructors who were introduced by Sendai International Relations Association.

They explained about their home country’s history and cultures for Junior High School students. Our 1st year students were stimulated with their intellectual curiosity and were excited for their question time with the instructors. Mr. Chanon was surrounded by students even after his class and inundated with questions. It was a really good time for international understanding.

Our school was specified a SGH (Super Global High School) by MEXT*. Serious Research Tasks start from Senior High School but Junior High School students are required to raise ““An apporopriate world view” as a global citizen who lives in the modern world” and ““The power of empathy” by accepting other people’s feelings”. We are thinking to cultivate the basic power to take a leap towards Senior High School.
*MEXT = Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.