At Nagoya International School (NIS), summer is more than just a break from school. Each year, the NIS Summer Program offers students an exceptional opportunity to engage in rich, hands-on learning experiences guided by our mission to Inquire, Inspire, and Impact.
This year, we were delighted to welcome 80 families from Japan and overseas to our two-week program, carefully designed and led by NIS teachers, and supported by a vibrant team of high school student leaders. The program provided a balanced mix of meaningful learning and joyful engagement.
This post takes you inside the Primary Summer Program for students from Kindergarten to Grade 4, who spent two weeks diving into immersive, theme-based learning - journeying from the past into the future.
Read about our equally exciting Secondary Summer Program for Grades 5-8, where students explored STEM topics like sound, chemistry, pulley systems, and forensic science.
Session 1: Exploring the Past
The first week brought history to life with the theme “Exploring the Past”, as students journeyed through prehistoric times, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
Students stepped back in time to learn about dinosaurs and explore how people lived, created, built, and expressed themselves in ancient civilizations. From creating secret messages in Egyptian hieroglyphics, learning about ancient Greece and the Olympic Games, tracing back the history of chess, to creating a Renaissance-themed magazine collage, students learned about history through creative experiences.
"In the first week, we aimed to spark curiosity by immersing students in the wonders of ancient civilizations. We always planned for hands-on projects like making papyrus paper and building Popsicle Catapults. It was incredible to watch the kids’ excitement grow as they made connections between the past and the world around them today." - Mr Will, Summer Program Coordinator (Primary)
Through these activities, students did not just learn historical facts—they connected the past to the present while developing observation, reflection, and creativity.
Session 2: Imagining the Future
The second week flipped the focus forward with “Imagining the Future”, guiding students through transformative eras in human progress: the Age of Exploration, the Industrial Revolution, the Space Age, the Digital Era, and visions of the Future World.
Students learned about voyages and geography during the Age of Exploration by reading storybooks and creating their own continental clay maps; became future thinkers by building PET Bottle Rockets, experimenting with space-inspired slime, and designing 2D animations frame by frame like traditional Disney animations; and looked into a future world of sustainability and innovation by being caring world citizens.
These projects encouraged creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy. One parent shared that their son came home one day and “couldn’t stop talking about the animation he made—he was so proud to show it to us!”
Led by Educators and Youth Leaders
A key feature of the NIS Summer Program that sets our program apart is our staffing. All activities are planned and supervised on-site by NIS teachers, ensuring that the program reflects the school’s educational philosophy and inquiry-based, child-centered approach.
Another key aspect of the program is the involvement of our high school student leaders and volunteers. Our team of NIS high school students provided daily support and mentorship to younger students. These leaders represent a wide range of cultural and language backgrounds, and in addition to fluency in English, the additional languages spoken by our students include Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Swahili—allowing them to connect meaningfully with both local and international students.
Fueling Young Minds: Nutritious Meals
Another exciting part of the daily activities is lunchtime! Every day, students enjoyed freshly prepared hot lunches with a healthy balance of meat, carbs, vegetables, and fruit—celebrating both local and international cuisines.
What’s More?
At NIS, we believe that learning should be fun, enriching, and holistic. Whether students were creating rockets, expressing themselves through the arts, immersing themselves in reading, or simply laughing with new friends during lunch, break, and at the water play stations, every moment was designed to empower them to explore, create, and grow.
Looking Ahead
We are deeply grateful to the families who joined us this summer. As we look forward to next year, we’re excited to share that our sports hall is undergoing a major renovation to improve comfort and functionality:
- Wall insulation & acoustic panels for better temperature and sound control
- Safety padding throughout the gym
- A brand-new air-conditioning system
These upgrades will allow us to expand indoor sports and active learning opportunities in next year’s Summer Program - rain or shine! With improved facilities and our continued commitment to child-centered, high-quality programming, the NIS Summer Program will continue evolving to meet the interests and needs of curious young minds from around the world.
