Share Stover’s Educational Adventure to Japan!!!!

 Japan’s coastline is 16,500 miles long.  Therefore, fishing has dated back to 10,00 -300 B.C.  Each part of Japan  is no more than 75 miles from the coast. Japan also has one of the largest fishing fleets in the world.  Japan is one of the world’s leading fishing nations.  There are many different kinds of fish and seafood in Japan such as tuna, squid, salmon, sea trout, shrimp, lobster, scallops, oysters, saltwater fish, and octopus!

  Restaurants and individuals go to the fish market each morning to purchase fish and seafood to make fresh dishes for consumption .

   Tokyo, where Mrs. Stover spent most of her time, specializes in seafood and various kinds of seaweed. to eat. A popular dish in Japan is called sushi, which is often made with raw fish!!

     One of the JFMF SCHOLARS documenting the OCTOPUS  she found!!

****CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE A LARGER VIEW!  WOW! LOOK AT THE OCTOPUS LEGS AND THE SUCTION CUPS ON THEM!!!!!

 As Thursday, November 30th grew closer it was hard to believe that I had lived in Japan for three weeks.  This was a professional development experience of a lifetime, and I  hope to share with as many individuals as I can the wonderful culture, customs, and educational experiences that I was able to partake of during my JFMF experience during the month of November, 2006.  On my journey home I would live the day of November 30th two times because of flying over the International Date Line.  My journey has ended, but the great memories live on.  Since I have returned to the office, I have been extremely busy with day and evening meetings. My commitment to share with all of you however will continue, and I hope during Christmas break to be able to add to the webblog and will continue to add all spring so that educators and the community can use this information as an educational tool toward a global international perspective and vision to bring our world closer together.  Please call or email me to make an appointment for me to share with any classroom or community or educational group, and I will tailor my presentation to your audience.  My journeys allowed me to visit one university, one highschool, one middleschool, two elementary schools, and one preschool center, as well as the Tokyo National Museum , many temples, castles, and historic Japanese sites.  I look forward to sharing Japan with all of you!!  

I WILL BE WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS UNTIL I RETURN TO TOKYO LATE NOVEMBER 27TH!!!  I WISH I HAD TIME TO ENTER MORE PAGES WITH PHOTOS BUT I promise I will as soon as I can!!   SAYONARA!!!

 Try to guess where I went on Saturday!!   HINT:  A FAMOUS MOUSE LIVES THERE IN TOKYO!!!  I WILL UPLOAD PICTURES AND VIDEO LATER!!!

HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!!!!  IT WILL BE DIFFERENT NOT BEING HOME WITH MY FAMILY, BUT I DO FEEL VERY BLESSED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD FIRST HAND!

 TRADITIONAL MUSIC FROM THE EDO PERIOD OF JAPAN…….DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT YEARS THAT WOULD BE??

t These musicians entertained the November JFMFers as well as past alumni and  past US Fulbright Scholars. We were put into groups of four and greeted and taken out to dinner.  My Fulbright Scholar had attended the University of Texas in 1954.  My gentleman was in his late seventies.  He had been a teenager during World War II.  He has also visited many places in the United States such as Charleston.  He continues to work after his retirement.

We experienced an original Japanese restaurant with menus in Japanese.  We had to take our shoes off and place them in a closet. We sat cross-legged on the floor.  If you had to go to a restroom, you had to put on special bathroom slippers supplied by them.  I had miso soup and my favorite food at home, peel and eat shrimp!!!  Notice the lighted screen on the right side of the table. That was an electric menu.  When you are ready to order, there is a button to ring for the waitress.

                                                                                       These are some of the instruments used thousands of years ago at

the Gifu Castle.

japanese-flags

  GIFU FLAG

Lots of flags for communities, cities, regions and for the country of Japan.  Do you know which one is the flag of Japan?  On Wednesday we went to the Japanese House of Represenatives.  It is called the National Diet of Japan.Why would they give it such a name ? When I return ask me or do a search on the internet and you can see a Japanese flag and the DIET!

Diet Building is like our House of Represenatives

Japanese guard helps Flat Stanley cross the street.

 FLAT STANLEY ENJOYS STUDYING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT IN JAPAN, AND HE DID A VENN DIAGRAM COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE UNITED STATES SYSTEM.  WHY DON’T YOU TRY ALSO?

Do you realize that I am now a day ahead of North Carolina because I traveled over the International Date Line?  See if you can find out what it is.

Go to http://web-japan.org/factsheet/flag/flag.html  to find the flag for the country of Japan.  Japan is in the continent of Asia.  North Carolina is in the continent of North America.  Tell your teacher how many continents that there are and name them.

WOW!!!  My journey began at about 5:30 this morning as Flat Stanley, Leo, and I left Louisburg to go to the RDU airport.  We were told that the airlines were on Code Orange today which means that they did not allow more than one one quart ziplock bag with toiletries in your carry on bag.  Flat Stanley had to leave his toothpaste behind because it was more than a 3 ounce tube.  First we flew into Chicago and then made a connection to San Francisco.  Have your teachers review with you how time changes from North Carolina to the cities I went to today.  I will give you a hint I kept gaining time all day as I reached California!!!  I had an extra long day.

     The highlight of my day was our invitation to the Japanese Consulate’s home (more like a mansion) in the Pacific Heights section of the city.  We felt very honored.  He told us that out of 2600 applicants only 200 of us were chosen for this honor.

     Flat Stanley made an impression on the Consulate.  He gave Flat Stanley a bow and took a photo with both of us.  Enjoy the photos, and look at Flat Stanley eating all the sushi on the buffet table!! 

 Click on the following link to see photo: Japanese Consulate

photo taken from http://www.flatstanleyproject.com

As the Reading First Coordinator for the Franklin County School System, I am always looking for ways to entice our children to love to read books as much as I do.  So naturally as I began to decide what to pack for my Japanese journey, I remembered two of my favorite characters.  The fictional book character of Flat Stanley is a young boy who woke up one morning flat and only half an inch thick because a bulletin board fell on him.  Stanley got rolled up, mailed, and flown to various destinations.  I hope all the children have read this book, and can follow my website this month as Flat Stanley and I discover the wondrous country of Japan. 

    Leo the Lion is the Open Court mascot who helps all the children decode and blend words.  He loves to help all the children with their phonological awareness activities.  Leo will try to learn letter sounds, words, and phrases in Japanese!

       When Mrs. Stover, Flat Stanley, and Leo the Lion return in December, we hope that your classrooms will invite us to visit and share what we have learned with you.  Mrs. Stover promised Leo and Stanley that maybe the children in Franklin County would help them to be authors and illustrators by writing a book about their Japanese adventure!

JFMF GRADUATE COURSE DESCRIPTION:  To immerse U.S. educators in

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Welcome to my educational blog highlighting my trip to Japan November of 2006!  It is a great honor and privilege to have received this scholarship opportunity to participate in the educational and cultural lives of the Japanese people.  My goal is to share with the people of my community all that I will be privileged to see and do during this adventure to Japan!

      Two hundred American primary and secondary teachers and administrators have been selected for a three week study visit to Japan.  This opportunity will increase the understanding of the U.S.. educators.  The JFMF program gives educators first-hand opportunities to experience Japanese culture and education.  We will visit schools, have interactions with teachers and students, as well as participate in seminars and a homestay with a Japanese family.

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