Science Field Trip with Cooperation Across All Subjects (Keio Shiki Senior High School)

At Keio Shiki Senior High School, we conduct field trips for physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. I believe this is a major characteristic. These field trips have various purposes, one of which is to actually see and confirm with one's own eyes the content learned in class.

For example, in physics, we have visited nuclear power plants, thermal power plants, and the hydroelectric power plant at Kurobe Dam. Students learn about energy in class, but the goal is to see the actual power plants to understand the principles by which generators operate and how energy is produced.

Also, in earth science, we do things like observing actual geological strata. Currently, second-year students travel to Itoigawa. Since the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line is the western boundary fault of the Fossa Magna, we have them observe it in person. The aim here is also to deepen learning by comparing the knowledge gained in class with the actual objects.

In biology and chemistry, we are currently working on various initiatives regarding water—learning things like how to create clean water and what clean water is in the first place. After learning water quality measurement techniques, we actually go to lakes to conduct water quality surveys. We also visit water purification plants and sewage treatment plants to measure the water quality there.

We go for four days and three nights during the last week of September, right after the summer vacation of the second year.

Currently, the flow is two nights in Suwa and one night in Itoigawa. However, because the number of experimental tools is limited, everyone cannot perform experiments in the same place at once. Therefore, we divide all eight classes of the second year into two groups: one group going from Suwa to Itoigawa, and the other from Itoigawa to Suwa. They meet in Suwa on the second day and part ways on the third day.

First, Lake Suwa. Then we also conduct them at the so-called Nishina Three Lakes north of Matsumoto: Lake Kizaki, Lake Nakatsuna, and Lake Aoki. Also, while it's not a lake, we take samples of water from the Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino, which is on the way from Suwa to the Nishina Three Lakes, to compare with the lake water later.

Regarding Lake Suwa, because the surrounding area is urban and many rivers flow into the lake, various things flow in from various places. Moreover, Lake Suwa has only one outlet (the Tenryu River). Consequently, depending on the location, some areas have clean water while others are very stagnant. We want them to enjoy those differences. We also receive water samples that flow into Lake Suwa at a sewage treatment facility called "Clean Lake Suwa," and we collect and compare water quality from the middle of the lake, the boat dock near the outlet, and the Kamaguchi Sluice Gate.

On the other hand, the Nishina Three Lakes are not in an urban area but in the mountains, and water flows sequentially from Lake Aoki in the far north to Lake Nakatsuna and then Lake Kizaki. As a result, the water in Lake Aoki, located at the starting point, is the cleanest. There is probably only one river flowing in, and it consists of spring water such as snowmelt. As it moves down to Lake Nakatsuna and Lake Kizaki, the water quality gradually changes due to changes in the surrounding environment. I think observing those changes is interesting.

That's true. In chemistry, we give a lecture on water quality survey methods through experiments in class before going to the site, but due to the schedule, they have to learn it within two or three classes after summer vacation. That part is tough.

In biology, we conduct surveys using simple water quality testing kits. Before going to the site, students learn how to use the kits at school and what can be understood by using them. Since the school has a biotope and a pond surrounded by concrete, we conduct preliminary experiments by collecting water from each location and checking the water quality before heading to the site.

The hardest part is the preliminary site visit.

Recently, we go to the same places, so we often ask the same vendors, but we still make sure to go for a preliminary visit and have meetings. We coordinate how many boats to prepare according to the number of students, what size boats are needed, and what time to arrange them. Sometimes things deviate from the planned time, so prior meetings are essential, including how to handle such situations.

Regarding experimental tools, since we don't have enough for the entire grade, we have to share the same tools with other groups. The field trip proceeds in three separate buses. Based on the schedule, we need to think, "At this timing, this group will need this tool at this location. Therefore, this tool must be loaded onto this bus." If we make a mistake there, we might face a situation where we arrive at the site and find "no tools!" That is the point we are most careful about.

Tools are important, but the lecture for students is equally important. Before going on the trip, we show the students who will be on the boats the tools they will use on-site and have them actually touch them. We also decide on the division of roles at that time. There is simply no time on the day of the trip, so it won't work otherwise.

Also, on the day before the experiment, we give the tools to the leaders of each group and tell them, "These are the tools you will use tomorrow, so make sure they are ready to use as soon as you arrive at the site." Furthermore, after the survey is over and the tools have been used, we must have them returned, restore them to their original state, and hand them over to the students who will use them the next day. This kind of logistics is also very important.

The field trip itself has a history of over 40 years. At first, it was a day trip to Chichibu, then it went through Hakone, and for a period, it was held in Minamisanriku Town, where the Keio University Forest is located. However, in 2011, due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, there was a discussion about what to do with the field trip, and at one point, we thought cancellation might be unavoidable.

But at that time, some teachers voiced the opinion that "we must not give up here. Rather, since earthquakes and tsunamis are Japan's destiny, we want students to be able to learn about such things on the field trip," and we decided to conduct the field trip in September that year on short notice. At that time, Mr. Yuji Miyahashi, an earth science teacher, said, "I want to cover the Fossa Magna on the field trip," and the destination chosen was Itoigawa.

However, one of the purposes of the field trip was to "remove the walls between physics, biology, chemistry, and earth science, or between humanities and sciences, return to the origins of natural science, and have all students engage in the same initiative." If that's the case, some experiments related to chemistry and biology had to be included. As a result of discussing what should be done, the stages chosen were Lake Suwa and the Nishina Three Lakes. Originally, we wanted to delve into deep themes such as miso making, sericulture, the history of the Suwa region, and the pollution of Lake Suwa in relation to Japan's modernization, but the scale was too large, so it has settled into its current form.

There is no fixed number of pages, but each person writes about 40 to 50 pages. Some students research so many things that it's surprising, making us think, "They even looked into this!"

 They solidify the outline while consulting each other based on the experimental data completed during the trip, and then finish it after returning home.

In my time, we went to Hakone for the field trip. I had experienced mountain climbing and such at the Chutobu Junior High School forest school before that, but I was surprised to hear that this time it was a trip for the purpose of studying. When I actually went, I was guided through the volcanoes of Hakone, but since I was in the humanities track, I didn't understand what was being said even when I heard the explanation. My first impression was, "This has turned into something serious" (laughs). Writing the follow-up report was also a struggle.

However, I felt that actually going to the site and sensing various things is very important. Now that I have become a teacher, I feel that even more strongly. I am constantly thinking about how to incorporate what I saw at the travel destination into my classes, and conversely, how to connect the class content to the field trip.

When I was a junior high school student, I went to Kyoto, visited shrines and temples I had researched in advance, and made a class newspaper based on the materials I obtained there. However, the field trip at Keio Shiki Senior High School is different from that. If I had to say, I think it's a "trip where the answer is not immediately visible." I went to Minamisanriku and conducted an experiment to see what pigments were contained in seaweed collected on-site. The experimental results would show what pigments were included, but then, why are those pigments included? Why are there differences in pigments for each seaweed collected depending on the location? Those things are not immediately understood. You need to approach the answer while researching on your own. It's not something that ends with doing preliminary research and going to the site.

That itself is very difficult, but thinking back now, I believe that was "research." It's not about "finishing after looking something up," but "thinking further for yourself based on what you obtained on-site to produce an answer." I think it was very significant to have had such an experience as a high school student. I was able to experience the process of research conducted in the Faculty of Science and Technology while still in high school.

First of all, science teachers are very busy with prior preparations and preparing for experiments on-site. Therefore, we try to have teachers of other subjects handle the other parts, such as chaperoning and parts other than the on-site experiments.

However, I have never thought of it as a hardship; rather, I think it's fun. I myself have only chaperoned the second-year trip once, but the course itself from Itoigawa to Lake Suwa is very rich in environmental changes, so just being able to experience that is enjoyable.

That's right. However, because it is a science field trip, we basically try to do what science teachers can do. Even regarding points that we must have teachers of other subjects look at, we try to ensure the burden is as small as possible. That is a part we value.