Seasons and Weather

Curriculum Area

Australian Curriculum: Languages – Japanese (Version 9.0)
Strand: Understanding (Language and Culture)
Sub-strand: Understanding Language Systems
Achievement Standard: By the end of Year 4, students recognise and use simple Japanese language related to familiar topics, including seasons and weather. They use basic hiragana and familiar kanji in context.

---

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Identify and pronounce vocabulary related to seasons and weather in Japanese
• Understand the connection between seasonal changes in Japan and Australia
• Create and present a short weather report using basic Japanese phrases

---

Materials Needed

• Flashcards with Japanese weather and season words (both in hiragana and romaji)
• A map of Japan and Australia for comparison
• A toy microphone for the weather report activity
• Mini whiteboards and markers for practice writing
• Printed weather icons (sun, clouds, rain, snow, etc.)

---

Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up – 'Seasonal Snap' (5 minutes)

• Display images of Japan in different seasons and compare them to Australian seasons.
• Ask students: "What season is it in Japan when it is summer in Australia?" (Introduce opposite seasons)
• Quick game: Hold up a season card (e.g., 春 – haru – spring), and students mimic a matching action (e.g., blooming flowers for spring).

---

2. Introduction to Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Teach key words with gestures and repetition:

English	Japanese (Romaji)	Japanese (Hiragana)	Action for Memory Aid
Summer	Natsu	なつ	Fanning face (hot)
Autumn	Aki	あき	Pretending to rake leaves
Winter	Fuyu	ふゆ	Hugging self (cold)
Spring	Haru	はる	Opening arms like a flower
Sunny	Hare	はれ	Hands up like the sun
Rainy	Ame	あめ	Wiggling fingers down like rain
Cloudy	Kumori	くもり	Covering face as if in shadow
Snowy	Yuki	ゆき	Waving fingers like falling snow

• Students repeat the words after the teacher.
• Use flashcards and actions to reinforce memory.

---

3. Weather Report Role-Play (10 minutes)

• Split students into pairs.
• Each pair receives a location (e.g., Tokyo, Sydney) and weather condition.
• Using a simple structure, they create a report:
  「きょう は [location] で [weather] です。」
  (Kyō wa [location] de [weather] desu.)
  (e.g., "Today in Tokyo, it is rainy.")
• Students present using the toy microphone for fun.

---

4. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Quick quiz: Teacher calls out a season or weather word in Japanese, students write or draw it on their mini whiteboards.
• Reflect with the class:
  • "What was your favourite new word today?"
  • "How does Japanese weather compare to Australia’s?"
• Encourage students to use their new vocabulary at home (e.g., "What’s today’s weather in Japanese?").

---

Differentiation

• Extra Support: Use visual aids and gestures for struggling learners. Allow them to use word cards for their report.
• Extended Challenge: Have confident learners add time phrases like "あさ (asa – morning)" or "ごご (gogo – afternoon)" to their reports.

---

Assessment

• Observation: Are students accurately pronouncing and using the vocabulary?
• Weather Report Presentation: Do students correctly structure their sentence?
• Mini Whiteboard Check: Can students write or draw the correct word when prompted?

---

This lesson makes language learning interactive, engaging, and memorable for Year 3 students, while aligning with Australian Curriculum Japanese standards. Teachers will wow their class with this fun, real-world application of language! 🌏🎤