SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Group 1
Hands-on Training with Japanese High School Students at Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School
On Thursday, April 20, a total of 83 people (68 high school students and 15 supervisors) from the G1 group (including Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile) visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School. The school is designated to be a Super Science High School (SSH) and consistently implements state-of-the-art science and mathematics education at the junior and senior high school levels. SSHP group was greeted by the Fuji school students with flags from each country and region. The visit started with a welcoming ceremony. One high school student conducted the ceremony in fluent English.
Following the welcome speech given by Principal Katsushima Noriko, in the morning, the students were divided into groups for practical experience. The main body here was, again, the Fuji school students. While receiving their clear explanations and enthusiastic guidance, the visitors observed water flea in biology, assembled telescope in astronomy, conducted an experiment for color changes in chemistry, and enjoyed the racing hobby and a sporting experience. While observing water fleas through a microscope, the students sketched how they looked on a plastic plate, and then the students were met with a mystery when the plastic plate was heated in an oven toaster. It quickly shrank in size and turned into a key holder.
The Astronomical Group uses the telescope they made themselves to observe the scenery of Tokyo from the rooftop. In addition, in the racing hobby, after assembling the kit, when running tests on the indoor circuit, there was also a racing hobby that achieved a speed of nearly 30 kilometers per hour. Everyone was very excited and one student expressed: "That's amazing! It's the best record!!"
After lunch, the students experienced Kendo, and Sado (tea ceremony), and some even tried naginata which is rare, in the high school club activities. Also, the students were treated to a special lesson on "Discrete Geometric Analysis" by Dr. Kotani Motoko, a professor at Tohoku University. Professor Kotani used a slide to explain discrete geometry analysis. The field is not yet widely known. In addition, she explained her groundbreaking research and results of applying discrete geometry to materials science. She concluded that by adding a mathematical perspective to material science, there are high expectations for new developments in material science, such as the creation of new substances and the elucidation of material expression.
It was a full program with a variety of practical classes and club activities, as well as special classes. By the end of the day, the SSHP high school students and the Japanese high school students were completely open and like old friends and classmates.
