The theme is [Ski x History x Exploration] GLI Winter Camp 3DAYS!

Hello, this is Brandon, a GLI instructor.

Well, it is that time of year again! Yes.GLI Winter Camp."It is!

This year,January 4-6, 2024The GLI Winter Camp will return to "Snow Country" in Yuzawa-cho, Niigata Prefecture!

This year's theme is...

"Skiing x History x Exploration"

It is! In addition to last year's popular ski and snowboard lessons, this year"New Learning Themes and Activities."(before a negative form) even (e.g. "not even a single person")The History of Snow Country and Its Land Use."We will explore the following

How have people survived in this snow country environment from the Jomon period to the present day?A variety of lectures, English lessons, and hands-on learning experiences will be offered to explore this topic.

Specific details to be updated as needed.We will be doing so, but if you participate in this three-day event,It will be a great experience for your child and lead to his/her personal growth. We hope you will join us!

If you are "I want a seat at the table!" that you absolutely want to attend this Winter Camp,Click on the "GLI Official LINE" button below,Message from "Winter CampPlease send us a

Priority will be given as soon as details are available.

↓↓↓↓↓

Review of last year's "Winter Camp"

Here's a little more to give you an idea of what Winter Camp looks like,Last year's Winter Camp PreviewWe will deliver the

The first is the "M" in the "M".

It was held from January 6~8, 2023.Winter Camp 2023."has come to an end. All students and staff had a wonderful time in Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture.

We spent these three days skiing, snowboarding, exploring, and socializing. There were many challenging activities, but all students rose to the challenge and experienced more!

Tour Highlights

Here are some highlights of what we spent and experienced during these three days. I would like to highlight what we spent and experienced during these three days.

~Day 1~.

I took the Shinkansen to Gala-Yuzawa Station. There was a lot of snow spread all over the place. We enjoyed an exciting gondola ride and had lunch halfway up the mountain.

A two-hour ski lesson with an English instructor. It was an exciting and thrilling two hours for many students who were experiencing skiing for the first time.

In the evening we had dinner at the villa. The local staff were very friendly and spoke English to us.

We then had a STEAM lesson. Theme.The Science of Snow."We used a microscope to look at snow and observed water freeing itself in a soap bubble experiment.

~Day 2~.

Three-hour ski lesson. Students were able to ski more than they thought they could with their newly acquired skiing and snowboarding skills.

They became even more enthusiastic about skiing and each was immersed in winter sports.

Dinner was at the usual villa. Smiles were all over our faces as we enjoyed a hearty meal after a long day.

Then, STEAM lessons inGeothermal energy.and learned how hot spring water is heated and the power of steam is used to generate electricity.

~Day 3~.

The three days were reviewed and an awards ceremony was held.

Afterwards, after congratulating the students for their hard work, they played in a heated pool surrounded by snow.

After that, we headed home. When I asked the students, they replied, "I don't want to go home. I think it was because we had so much fun together.

Individual Assignments" at Winter Camp

In this Winter Camp, we set challenging tasks for each individual and asked them to work hard to complete them.

First, on the first day, we set a challenge for what we wanted to accomplish in these three days. For example, for the students who are skiing for the first time, the challenges are,You can ski the green course (beginner level) on the chairlift.The goal was to become a

Considering that I had no previous skiing experience and was starting from scratch, this was not an easy task. But with the support of my instructor, I practiced the basic skills one at a time, and by the second day I was able to achieve that goal.

From there, they were able to stop and turn, and the joy on their faces was evident as they skied.

We were also lucky to be blessed with hot and sunny weather on the second day. Intermediate students who already have skiing experience are set the challenge of completing the Red Course (advanced level)I did.

One student had skied the blue course (intermediate course) several times, but the red course was a bit intimidating. With the help of an instructor from Scotland, she was able to finish all the red courses in the mountains.

Besides that, she was able to improve her skills in steep turns, jump turns, and sudden stops. In the end, she helped the beginner skiers improve their skills during the free run time, and I felt that such camaraderie was also a wonderful thing.

About STEAM Lessons

At the end of the day, we always had time for reflection and a STEAM lesson. We are in a snowy country famous for its snow and hot springs.The Science of Snow" and "Geothermal Science."to the

In the first experiment of the first day, we observed snow under a microscope. It is said that each snow crystal has a unique shape due to atmospheric changes.

So to study this, we learned about the water cycle and some of the factors that affect snowflake changes.

Due to the temperature inside the villa, the snow we collected melted quickly and it proved difficult to observe the intricate beauty of each snowflake. However, with the help of the teaching materials we had prepared, we were able to see and understand the concept.

The second experiment was to observe snow freezing. The goal is to understand that when water freezes, it combines to form a crystalline structure.

Using a simple scientific tool called a soap bubble, the students blew soap bubbles on the freezing snow and observed the process. The soap bubbles slowly froze, leaving behind a shell of soap and water.

On the second day we learned about "geothermal science". Our first question was.How do the hot springs spring?"This was the case.

After a brief explanation of the earth's layers, lava, and magma, we set about our first experiment.

I filled two cups with food coloring, one with hot water and one with cold water, and with great care and precision I placed the cup with hot water on top of the cup with cold water, but even after removing the divider, the colors did not mix. Why is this?

Next, we placed the cold water on top and the hot water on the bottom, and when we removed the partitions, the colors mixed immediately. The scientific principle we observed was called "thermal convection.

Warm water rises. In other words, our hot spring water comes from deep underground and is heated by hot rocks.

The last experiment was to demonstrate how to use steam to generate electricity. We used a steam generator to generate pressure to turn a piston, which in turn turns a generator, which converts the motion into electricity. This is how geothermal energy works and it is a renewable energy resource.

Unfortunately, our device could not create enough pressure to turn the piston, but the students understood the concept and were able to think about the problems with our experiment.

Personal Growth

During Winter Camp we carefully observed our students' social skills. Improved self-competence, problem-solving skills, and teamwork were among the growth characteristics we observed.

We therefore awarded the following prizes to our students

The Great Communicator.: Awarded to the student who demonstrates outstanding conversational and collaborative skills.

Young Scientist: Award sent for deep thinking and hypothesizing using the "spirit of inquiry" in a STEAM lesson.

Best EnglishThe award is given to the student who has done his or her best to express himself or herself and use English during the three-day period.

Challenge AcceptedAward: Awarded to students who have worked hard on their assignments and have worked hard to develop the skills to achieve their goals.

Most improved" (Most Improved): Award given to the student who has made the most improvement in social skills.

Team Leader AwardThe award is given to a student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in group decision-making and in the ability to organize action.

Big Sister.: The award is given to the student who has compassionately taken care of her younger "sisters" over the course of three days.

summary

We are very pleased and proud of the students who participated in Winter Camp 2023.

Because they are,Because we worked hard, focused, developed skills, were considerate of our peers, treated people outside of our group with courtesy, and most of all, had fun and enjoyed the experience!It is.

We hope that this experience will be a lifetime memory for our students.

The first is the "M" in the "M".

Thank you for reading this far. We are happy if we can give you some idea of what Winter Camp is all about.

We are definitely looking forward to next year's Winter Camp, as we will definitely provide an environment for your child to grow and develop.

Thank you very much!

GLI Instructor Brandon (Japanese translation by Erica)