Term 3, 2021. lesson 2
Lesson Preparation: N/A
Additional activity: Please print 1x wish strip per child (there are 5 to a page/you may like to print these on colour card). print ‘Tanabata language focus posters’ and these on display.
You may need some colour papers for decorations.
Victorian Curriculum: Exchange greetings and introduce and share information about self with the teacher and peers using simple language and gestures. Recognise and copy some hiragana.
Tanabata - Star festival
July 7th.
'Tanabata' festival in Japan.
According to an ancient legend, wishes come true during Tanabata, Japan's summer "Star Festival", which occurs every year on the seventh day of the seventh month (those following the lunar calendar observe in August, but people in the U.S. celebrate in July.) On that day, festival-goers write their wishes on a colorful piece of paper called tanzaku and tie it to a branch of a bamboo tree.
Although the legend varies slightly from region to region, it is celebrated all over Japan. The story goes that Hikoboshi, the star of Altair, and Orihime, the star of Vega, are two lovers separated by the Milky Way. Orihime was a skilled weaver, but because she spent most of her time weaving, she had no time to find love. Her father, Emperor Tentei, saw how sad she was about this and arranged a marriage for her with Hikoboshi. But now Orihime had no time to weave because of her newfound love, so Tentei forbid the two from seeing each other, except for one day a year as long as they wished hard enough every other day. Tanabata celebrates the lovers’ reuniting.
Tanabata story

Tanabata powerpoint
Additional Activity
Children can make tanzaku - wish strips. Using the modelled sentences provided in the powerpoint they can choose to make a wish about something they would like, somewhere they would like to visit or what they would like to be in the future. Children can then decorate their strips and hang these on their Tanabata tree Tanabata trees are traditionally bamboo but any tree will do or you may choose to hang them in a special place in your classroom.
Once children have completed their tanzaku they may like to create some tanabata decorations.

Tanabata language forcus posters
Please print out in A3 then displayed.

tanabata wish strip
Please print out then cut a strip.