Second-graders chat with peer in Japan

The students in Bryan Wamsley`s second grade class recently had their first Skype video conference with Tsukuba, Japan. One of their classmates, Maddelana (Lane), is in Japan with her family for several months. In a wonderful coincidence, the second graders at Hawken are in the midst of a social studies unit all about Japan. The second graders learned that while it was 8:30 am here in Cleveland, it was 10:30 pm in Japan. Lane told the class about Tsukuba`s New Year`s traditions at the shrine atop Mt. Tsukuba. She also told students about her flight, the terrible jet lag, making new Japanese friends, and getting ready for Japanese public school. The students thoroughly enjoyed getting to say \"Konichiwa\" to their classmate abroad and are looking forward to their next video chat.