This lesson is a three-part mapping activity that allows students to explore their school environment. Almost every neighbourhood in Japan is being changed, and these changes can have a great effect on the surrounding environment. These changes are so common that often we are not conscious of them. Students need to be made more aware of these changes so they can have a thoughtful and positive influence on their communities and their environment. So take a walk! (Note: the second class can be done as a homework assignment).
Presentation skills.
Some map examples, large pieces of paper, coloured pencils, dictionaries.
Spend the first 15-20 minutes of class preparing students for their walk. Write the word environment on the blackboard and ask students if they know what it means. Draw a simple diagram to help them guess. Environment in Japanese is pronounced kankyo. Explain that there are many different kinds of environments - home, school, and work are all environments. There are also natural environments, the largest one being the global environment. Tell students that they will be making an English map of their school environment.
Next show the class some maps and together identify some of the features of the map. Students can use these features on their own maps. Highlight constructed features such as roads, parks, buildings, statues and ruins as well as natural features such as rivers, lakes and mountains.
Use the last half hour of class to take a walk. Divide students into groups of about four people. The JTE and ALT can each accompany half the class. Encourage students to make sketches of their observations. Specifically ask students to observe examples of physical structures including school buildings, statues, nearby shrines and houses, as well as a local landmark if relevant. Students also should look for any changes they have noticed in the local environment such as a widened road, a new building, a deforested valley, or a new garden. On their maps, they should differentiate between good and bad changes to the environment. Remind students to bring their sketches to the next class.
Hand out mapping materials to each group — paper, coloured pencils, markers — to make a 1-square meter coloured map. Ask students to design two different symbols to mark good and bad environmental changes. Have dictionaries on hand for students to check their English. If they finish early, they can begin preparing to present their maps to the class.
In the third class, groups make short presentations of their maps to the class in simple English. Each member of the group should participate. You may choose to give them guidelines or leave it up to them. All groups must include the environmental changes they have observed.
As a closure activity or homework assignment, ask students to think about what they have seen and fill in the worksheet below.
Students could map their favourite after school hangouts.
Adapted from Katharine Isbell and Ruth Meyer's lesson, "Mapping Our Environment: Exploring Change". Miyazaki International College, Miyazaki Prefecture.