Experiential Education Project 'PROJECT DARWIN' Turns Southern Alps into a Science Lab

The Hayakawa Town Board of Education has launched 'PROJECT DARWIN,' an experiential education project combining inquiry-based science learning with English, aimed at leveraging educational appeal to create regional connections and promote residency.

At Hayakawa Kita Elementary, the smallest school in Japan with only five students, a program to learn functional English in daily school life has been introduced this year, alongside the 'BEANS' inquiry-based science program practiced for a decade. The project aims to produce world-class scientists like Darwin through 'Science × English.'

To share the appeal of 'PROJECT DARWIN' with families outside the town and encourage interest in the town's key priority, mountain-village study abroad, a four-night, five-day 'Parent-Child Science Camp' will be held starting August 18.

Education in Hayakawa Town In Hayakawa, 'Japan's smallest town,' lies Hayakawa Kita Elementary, the nation's smallest elementary school with only five students. In an environment where teachers can attend to each child individually and provide ample opportunities for discussion, students thrive. Every child can be the protagonist of their own learning, cultivating the strength needed to navigate an unpredictable future.

Three Features of PROJECT DARWIN 1. Promotion of 'BEANS,' an inquiry-based learning program that involves direct interaction with 'living ecosystems' rather than specimens. 2. Collaboration with 'real scientists,' experts in environmental education and biodiversity. 3. Daily 'functional English' learning in an environment with a resident ALT. Hayakawa Kita Elementary has set up a uniquely generous environment where one ALT is assigned for every five students.

Goals of the Parent-Child Science Camp Through inquiry-based learning (observation, recording, inference, hypothesis, verification, results, and questioning), participants will acquire scientific thinking. The camp offers the following programs: - Nature Guide Tour: Deepening understanding of ecosystems through forest observation. - Flying Squirrel Survey: Studying movement patterns of nocturnal creatures. - Animal Trail Survey: Exploring animal traces to understand wild animals. - Pond Survey: Recognizing biodiversity by exploring various creatures.

'Away from the city hustle, these five days delving into "Why?" deep in the nature of the Southern Alps might be a trigger to change a child's life,' the Board of Education states.