Stonecutter’s Wishes
This week the wonderful Martha has been researching some ideas and activities linked to the story in classes! This is a Japanese folktale about a humble stonecutter who seeks to gain riches and power, but later learns what it takes to be truly happy with the help of the mountain spirit…
Play:
- The weather! This story has extremes of scorching sunshine and storms and tempests – can you make a storm soundscape with body percussion? (thunder… lightning… light rain… heavy rain…winds…) How will the storm start and stop?
- What is the weather like today? Can you do a weather forecast? You could make a poster with symbols, or make a video!
Arts and crafts:
- It would be a crime not to include some traditional Japanese origami, and all you need is paper (…and some patience). Here are some traditional instructions to start you off… https://origami.guide/instructions/traditional-origami/
- There are some lovely ideas for craft around the subject of Japan – including some beautiful, simple blossom trees – here: https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/japan-crafts
Music:
- The world of music has some pretty good emulations of storms and tempestuous weather extremes and songs celebrating the world in all its many forms… here are some of our favourites…
- The Welcome Arrival of Rain – Judith Weir – The Welcome Arrival of Rain
- The Storm from Summer – Antonio Vivaldi – Antonio Vivaldi – Summer thunderstorm “The Four Seasons”
- The Storm – Pytor Tchaikovsky – Tchaikovsky: Overture The Storm, Op.76
- What a wonderful world – Louis Armstrong – Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World (Official Video)
Active:
- Try one of Andy’s wild workouts in the mountains… https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/andys-wild-workouts-the-mountains/zhypwty
Or
- Mindfulness your way through a snowstorm with Cosmic Kids Zen den….Whirly Burly Snow Storm | Cosmic Kids Zen Den – Mindfulness for kids
Watching:
- Find out where mountains come from with this video… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd_XqYE2BWY
- You could have a look at some different kinds of weather and how we can manage it with these science kids videos… https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/weather.html
Reading:
- Find out a bit more about Japan with National Geographic… https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/japan
- What is the weather like in the stories you are reading?
- We love My Friend the Weather Monster! It’s a lovely story… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K_7cfCi_Vw
Educational (probably best for slightly older kids):
- Have a think about mountains and what they are and where you can find them.
- You could make a factfile about a mountain using some of the information from here: https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/mountains