Today's level up moment was kicking off the 5th and 6th grade students committee activities. Even in schools with students between grades 1 to 9, grades 5 and 6 are the highest grades for elementary school. In order to be role models for younger students, good behaviour as a senior student is required.

At the centre of the discussion was the goal for each grade. Listening to the teacher, they thought about what ideas they wanted to keep, and what key topics to work on.

By combining the key topics that came up, and putting into words what they wanted to do, each grade completed their task. The thought of being able to play an active part in the community appealed to both grades.

After the committee activities, we discusseed what we could do to improve the current school life. Thinking about it, there was several tasks the teachers were in charge of, such as watering the flowers in the classroom, and cleaning the whiteboards. How can the senior students take control of their school life? Thinking of this, a new engaging activity was born. Tasks were assigned to students, and the full-scale plan is to start next Monday.

The 3rd grade students are raising larvae of cabbage butterflies in insect cages. When we looked closely, we could see one had stopped moving. Maybe they've started to become a chrysalis? "What's the difference between normal larvae, and larvae that have started to pupate?" It seems that there are still new things to discover.

Mr.O, a second grade student, found a dragonfly flying in the classroom. We just don't know what kind of dragonfly it is. He opened an insect picture book kept in the classroom, and looked up the name. Was it a slightly bluish dragonfly? Maybe a thread dragonfly? We will have to ask Mr. O again.

[Aizu school building]
The school in Aizu is also moving forward, despite the classrooms being empty.

The children who spent most of their school life in Aizu might be surprised to see it now. The scenery of the classroom since last year has completely changed, very different to how it was when we moved in in March.

Along with moving, the work of organising the books is progressing. On the first floor of the new school, Yumenomori's original system is used, which is different from the standard Japanese Decimal system.

A bookshelf was beginning to take shape little by little while we were exploring the new school. It will be a school filled with books so that you can pick up a book wherever you are. Thank you to all the teachers who continue moving, and sorting everything in Aizu. We will continue to do our best in our new school in Okuma.