Japanese Resource Page
_Recommended resources for exploring Japanese language and culture with your child!
Elementary Foreign Language Programs (FLES) are relatively new to the United States, especially in critical languages such as Japanese. Therefore, there are limited resources available for studying Japanese at the elementary level. All of the curriculum and materials used by the Japanese Program at Shady Grove Elementary are designed by our team of teachers under the Shelby County School's World Language Department. Therefore, it is not likely to find resources that necessary align to the content from class, however, there are additional resources that will encourage students to learn more about Japanese language and culture.
Read Books
Children's Books about Japan (written in English)
-I Live in Tokyo
-Suki's Kimono
-The Way We Do It In Japan
-Wink: The Ninja
-My Japan
-Japanese Traditions
Sing Songs
Sing Along Song Books allow you and your child to easy learn new words and experience a part of Japanese culture!
-Sing 'N Learn Japanese has a song book and accompanying CD filled with songs. English translations and illustrations are included.
-Teach Me Everyday Japanese is another song book that has fun songs on many different topics.
-Sing 'N Learn Japanese has a song book and accompanying CD filled with songs. English translations and illustrations are included.
-Teach Me Everyday Japanese is another song book that has fun songs on many different topics.
Play Games
Kanamoji introduces students to the Japanese alphabet by teaching them to pronounce and write the characters. It is presented in a very colorful and fun way.
Touch! Moving Picture Book introduces students to simple phrases in Japanese in an interactive way. Simply touch the illustrations and they come alive. Note: Please do not be intimidated by the Japanese script on the website. If you would like to download the program, the Japanese teachers would be more than happy to assist you.
Experience Culture
Try an authentic Japanese meal - be sure to eat with chopsticks!
Sekisui is a chain restaurant that serves up Japanese food more orientated to western tastes. They have restaurants in Midtown, Collierville, Cordova, and Bartlett!
Edo, located at 4792 Summer Avenue, is a traditional Japanese Restaurant that serves the most authentic Japanese food in Memphis.
Eat Well located at 2965 N Germantown Rd serves up a delicious buffet of traditional and modern Japanese dishes.
The Botanic Garden regularly hosts Japanese cultural events. Please check their calendar for upcoming events. Please note, they have both family and adult-orientated events; members of the garden receive discounts on events.
Take Classes
Mori no Ike (森の池), Japanese Summer Immersion Camp - Mori no Ike is part of the nationally-recognized Concordia Language Village Programs that provides authentic language learning experience to students in second grade through high school through its summer camp and weekend programs. Located in the backwoods of Minnesota, students will be surrounded by caring staff who will teach both language and culture through immersion in Japanese. Students will engage in daily, small language groups and have a choice of culture clubs in the afternoon such as martial arts of aikido, judo, karate, or kendo, and try out traditional Japanese creative activities such as origami (paper folding), ikebana (flower arranging), sumi-e (ink painting), sado (tea ceremony), odori (dancing) or shodo (calligraphy). At Mori no Ike, counselors love sharing Japanese culture and activities -and they're great at helping you learn new Japanese words and phrases. There's no better way to learn Japanese than to practice using practical words and phrases all day, every day. Note: all levels of Japanese are welcome and students will be placed into language groups according to ability.
Disclaimer: The Japanese Department do not endorse any of these programs or products nor are we responsible for the content of these materials. The views expressed in these materials are not those of Shelby County Schools, Shady Grove Elementary School, or the Japanese Department. Please ensure students are supervised using these materials at all times.