Thematic Links
 
  • Classroom instructions/interactions
  • Obentoo Bako song
 
Story Overview
 

Some students are practising a song for a performance with their teachers. They have to do it over and over again. Their teachers never seem satisfied with how the song is sung.
 
 
Cultural Notes
　
Bentoo
O-bentoo 		　 is a traditional Japanese boxed lunch. There are many kinds of bentoo - the simplest is the hinomaru bentoo which is rice with a single umeboshi (picked plum) in the middle (representing the Japanese flag). Many mothers make their children's bentoo for special events or daily school lunch - sometimes going to great lengths to make them visually appealing (see http://www.o-bento.com/f_park.html). Bentoo can also be purchased in from convenience stores and supermarkets. Bentoo sold at railway stations are called eki-ben (see http://eki-ben.web.infoseek.co.jp/) and often contain the local speciality foods
　 　 　
Bentoo-bako
O-bentoo-bako 		　 is the lunch box itself, or the bentoo container. wide range of bentoo-bako an be purchased from the very cute to the very elegant, and they made from plastic or wooden lacquer. See http://www.tiara-smile.com/plist18923/12.
　 　 　
Obentoo Bako song 　 is a very popular children's song about making up an obentoo lunch box - listing all the foods that are going into the box.
Go to http://sensei.jpf-sydney.org/spring06/sensei_01.htm and see appendix.
　 　 　
Foods from Obentoo Bako song 　
  • Goma shio - a seasoning made from black sesame seeds and salt, which is often added to the top of onigiri.
  • Shiitake - a type of mushroom used in Japanese cooking.
  • Goboo - burdock root (a long, brown root vegetable, often steamed or grated)
  • Renkon - lotus root. Renkon is purchased whole (about the size of a large sweet potato), then cut into 1cm thick slices. It is often cooked in tempura dishes. Renkon is white with several large holes.
  • Fuki - a vegetable, known as butterbur or coltsfoot in English. It grows all over the countryside in Japan and some say it has a flavour similar to fennel. It is generally boiled and used in soup based dishes. The outer leaves may also be used for wrapping rice and yam dishes.
    (http://www.tsuji.ac.jp/hp/zai/dt/12.htm)
　
　
Web Links
　
　
　
Language Concepts
 
  • wakarimashita
  • moo ichido
  • adjectives (urusai, genki, shizuka, atsui, samui etc)
  • ~mashoo
　
　
Characters
　 　
  • Narrator
  • Sensei x 3
  • Koochoo Sensei (principal)
  • Kyootoo Sensei (deputy principal)
  • Student Leaders x 3
  • Student Chorus (any number)
　
　 　
　
In the Japanese Room
　
　 　 (All students are gathered in a group, teachers are nearby in disussion)
　 　 　
ナレーター 　 It is only two days until the performance. The students will be performing the Obentoo Bako song … and they really need to practise. However, none of the teachers can agree on how they should be performing it, so the students have to practise again … and again … and again.
　 　 　
せんせい 1 　

さあ。　うたの　れんしゅうを　はじめましょうか。
　 　 　
がくせい 　 はい。 　　(move into positions)
　 　 　
リーダー 1 　 おべんとうばこの　うたです。　一(いち)、二(にい)、三(さん)。
　 　 　
　 　 (Sing all of the Obentoo Bako song)
　 　 　
こうちょう 　 ううん、ちょっと、つまらないです。　もう　いちど。 もっと、　しっかり　うたいましょう。
　 　 　
がくせい 　 はい、わかりました。
　 　 　
リーダー 2 　 しっかり。　一(いち)、二(にい)、三(さん)。 (Start to sing 'with attitude'.)
　 　 　
せんせい 2 　 (stopping the song) 　だめ、だめ。　うるさいです。　
もっと　しずかに　うたいましょう。　Ssshh!
　 　 　
がくせい 　 はい、わかりました。
　 　 　
リーダー 3 　 しずかに。　一(いち)、二(にい)、三(さん)。
　 　 　
　 　 (Start to sing very quietly.)
　 　 　
きょうとう 　 だめ、だめ。　きこえません。　The audience won't hear you.
もっと　げんきに　うたいましょう。　もう　いちど。
　 　 　
がくせい 　 はい、わかりました。
　 　 　
リーダー 1 　 げんきに。　一(いち)、二(にい)、三(さん)。
　 　 　
　 　 (Start to sing in a very lively way.)
　 　 　
せんせい 3 　 だめ　だめ。　きもちが　はいって　いません。　 いっしょに　おどりましょう。
　 　 　
がくせい 　 はい、わかりました。
　 　 　
リーダー　2 　 いっしょに　おどって。　一(いち)、二(にい)、三(さん)。
　 　 　
　 　 (Start to dance, using very big gestures)
　 　 　
せんせい 1 　 ちょっと　まって　ください。　あついですね。 まどを　あけて。
　 　 　
リーダー 3 　 はい。(opens a window, students all shiver)
がんばって。　一、二、三。
　 　 　
　 　 (Start to sing, shivering.)
　 　 　
せんせい (みんな) 　 だめ　だめ。　ああ、どう　しましょう。
　 　 　
リーダー 1 　 せんせい、すみません。　おなかが　すきました。
　 　 　
せんせい 2 　 そうですか？　(looks at watch)
あ！　もう　やすみじかんですね。　It's recess already!
じゃ、また　あした。
　 　 　
がくせい 　 せんせい、さようなら。
　 　 　
　 　 (students all leave, teachers follow - shaking their heads, looking worried)
　 　 　
ナレーター 　 I wonder if they'll be ready in time. We'll have to wait and see.
　 　 　
　 　 　
　 　 　
　 　 　
　 　 　
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