DS Kobe International

Congratulations to our Sports Teams!

We had two inter-school competitions today, our upper primary football team playing at One World International School in Osaka and our basketball team playing here at DSKI. Both our football team and our basketball teams won gold! Congratulations to both teams!

Students in Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 recently enjoyed an exciting ski trip to Hachi Kita Kogen Ski Resort. The day began early as students traveled by bus, full of anticipation and warm winter gear. Upon arrival, professional instructors welcomed the children and divided them into groups based on ability. Beginners learned how to balance, stop, and turn safely, while more experienced skiers practiced improving their technique and confidence on the slopes.

Throughout the day, students demonstrated resilience, cooperation, and a willingness to try new challenges. Teachers were proud to see friendships strengthen as students encouraged one another and celebrated their progress. Beyond skiing, the trip provided valuable opportunities to build independence, responsibility, and teamwork in a real-world setting.

The snowy mountain scenery made the experience even more memorable. The ski trip to Hachi Kita was a wonderful combination of outdoor learning, physical activity, and fun that students will remember for years to come.

Culture Day was a vibrant and memorable celebration of the diversity that makes our primary school community so special. Students, staff, and families came together to share and honour the many cultures represented. Families generously contributed by sending in traditional dishes, allowing everyone to experience new flavours from around the world.

Culture Day reminded us of the importance of respect, open-mindedness, and appreciation for different perspectives. It strengthened our sense of belonging and community, helping us recognise that while we may come from different places, we are united as one school. It was truly a joyful celebration of who we are.

Our German Saturday School is offering official Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Fit in Deutsch examinations for the first time.
For Japan, the examinations are held exclusively at DSKI this year and are specially designed for children and teenagers. Your children will be issued with an official internationally recognised language certificate.
Click here and register now: https://shorturl.at/KH3c2
Students of the Saturday School receive a discount.
If you have any questions, please contact the Coordinator of the German Saturday School, Mr. Huber:[email protected]
Our German Saturday School is now also open for non-native speakers to learn German.
Classes take place on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you are interested in atrial day, please get in touch with us.
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ドイツ語サタデースクールでは、今回初めて公式ゲーテ・ツェルティフィカート A1「Fitin Deutsch」試験を実施します。
本年度、日本国内での本試験は DSKI のみで開催され、子どもおよび青少年向けに特別に設計されています。受験されたお子さまには、国際的に認められた公式の語学証明書が発行されます。
こちらをクリックして、今すぐお申し込みください。https://shorturl.at/KH3c2
サタデースクールの在籍生には割引があります。
ご不明な点がございましたら、ドイツ語サタデースクールのコーディネーター**フーバー(Huber)**までお問い合わせください。[email protected]
また、当ドイツ語サタデースクールは、ドイツ語を母語としない方にもご参加いただけます。
授業は土曜日 9:00~12:00に行われます。体験参加をご希望の方は、お気軽にご連絡ください。

Celebrations Through Young Eyes | Feiern mit Kinderaugen

Our preschoolers continued exploring the Who We Are unit by talking about celebrations. Through a gallery walk and a See, Think, Wonder routine, they shared their own experiences and ideas. They then chose a celebration to draw, adding meaningful details like balloons, music, food, and cake. Drawing and painting play an important role in early childhood, supporting fine motor skills, proper pencil grip, and the foundations of writing and personal handwriting.

Unsere Vorschulkinder setzten ihre Arbeit an der Unit Who We Are fort und beschäftigten sich mit dem Thema Feiern. Bei einem Gallery Walk und der Denkstrategie See, Think, Wonder teilten sie ihr Vorwissen und ihre eigenen Erfahrungen. Anschließend wählten sie eine Feier aus und hielten diese mit vielen Details fest, zum Beispiel Ballons, Musik, Essen und Kuchen. Zeichnen und Malen sind für Kinder besonders wichtig, da sie die Feinmotorik fördern, die richtige Stifthaltung unterstützen und eine wichtige Grundlage für das Schreiben und die eigene Handschrift bilden.

Nature as Our Teacher | Die Natur als Lernraum
This week, the children had a special hands-on learning moment. On a very cold day, water outside froze and turned into ice — a rare winter experience in Japan. We spontaneously took the opportunity to pause, observe, and explore.
Through touching, breaking, and closely examining the ice, the children experienced how seasonal and temperature changes influence our daily lives. Using all five senses, they felt the cold, noticed changes in form, and began wondering why water turns into ice. Learning became physical, emotional, and deeply meaningful.
Experiencing the seasons with the whole body is essential for children. These moments build a strong connection to nature and support inquiry-based learning at the heart of the IB curriculum. Not all children have the time or space in everyday life to stop and marvel at nature’s wonders — we consciously take this time together with our children.

DSKI CULTURE DAY
11th February 2026 (Wednesday)
All-day event
DSKI Yard / MPR
Come and participate as we celebrate Culture Day at DSKI! Under the theme “Many Cultures, One Home”, we warmly invite the DSKI community to come together and experience the rich diversity that shapes our school.
As an IB World School, DSKI values international-mindedness, intercultural understanding, and respect for different perspectives. Culture Day reflects the heart of the IB philosophy: learning goes beyond the classroom and grows through encounters, dialogue, and shared experiences. As a German School in Japan, DSKI uniquely connects languages, traditions, and educational values from different cultures, creating a truly global learning environment.
For our students, experiencing cultural diversity firsthand fosters openness, empathy, and curiosity—key elements of the IB Learner Profile. These experiences help children develop a strong sense of identity while learning to appreciate others, preparing them to become thoughtful, confident, and caring global citizens.

Making Waves: Swimming Skills for Life

At Deutsche Schule Kobe International, we proudly offer weekly swimming lessons as part of our Physical Education program. Students dive into structured sessions designed to equip them with essential water safety and swimming skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. Our program meets students at every level, from Learn-to-Swim beginners just starting their aquatic journey, to beginner and intermediate swimmers developing strokes, endurance, and confidence in the water. Learning to swim builds physical strength, coordination, and a lifelong respect for water safety. This is especially important because studies show that a significant number of children leave primary school without secure swimming skills; according to recent data from the DLRG, around 58 % of children may not be safe swimmers by the end of primary school. Seeing our students progress with determination and joy in each weekly session is inspiring, they are gaining skills that last a lifetime.

An der Deutschen Schule Kobe International bieten wir stolz wöchentlichen Schwimmunterricht als festen Bestandteil unseres Sportunterrichts an. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler nehmen an strukturierten Einheiten teil, die darauf ausgerichtet sind, grundlegende Schwimmtechniken und Sicherheit im Wasser zu vermitteln, stets in einer sicheren und ermutigenden Umgebung. Unser Programm deckt alle Lernstufen ab: von Anfängern im Learn-to-Swim, die ihre ersten Schritte im Wasser machen, bis hin zu Anfängern und Fortgeschrittenen, die Schwimmstile, Ausdauer und Selbstvertrauen im Wasser weiterentwickeln. Schwimmen zu lernen fördert körperliche Stärke, Koordination und eine lebenslange Wertschätzung für Sicherheit im Wasser. Dies ist umso wichtiger, da aktuelle Zahlen der DLRG zeigen, dass etwa 58 % der Kinder am Ende der Grundschulzeit noch keine sicheren Schwimmer sind. Zu sehen, wie unsere Schüler*innen Woche für Woche mit Begeisterung Fortschritte machen, ist ein authentisches Zeugnis dafür, wie wertvoll diese Fähigkeit fürs Leben ist.

Discovering Who We Are

Our preschoolers joyfully kicked off their new unit of inquiry, Who We Are. Together, they explored the big idea that personal cultures, beliefs, and traditions help us celebrate both similarities and differences. Through thoughtful conversations, the children shared examples, noticed word connections, and asked each other questions to learn more about their friends. Using Venn diagrams, they creatively showed what they had in common and what made each of them unique. Their curiosity and openness remind us how naturally children approach the world.

Mit großer Neugier starteten unsere Vorschulkinder ihre neue Inquiry-Einheit Who We Are. Gemeinsam setzten sie sich mit der Leitidee auseinander, dass persönliche Kulturen, Überzeugungen und Traditionen dabei helfen, Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede wertzuschätzen. In anregenden Gesprächen erklärten die Kinder Begriffe, stellten Fragen und lernten ihre Freundinnen und Freunde besser kennen. Mithilfe von Venn-Diagrammen hielten sie kreativ fest, was gleich und was unterschiedlich ist. Wie viel wir Erwachsene von dieser offenen und achtsamen Haltung lernen können.

Math in Motion: Probability Through Play

Math time was lively and full of laughter at the Deutsche Schule Kobe International. To explore probability, Grade 5/6 played Twister, predicting the chance of landing on a particular color and then testing those predictions through play. By recording the actual results after each round, the game turned into real data. The children loved seeing how their predictions matched, or surprised. Joyful learning made abstract ideas tangible.
How do you make probability come alive?

Der Mathematikunterricht an der Deutschen Schule Kobe International war lebendig und voller Lachen. Um das Thema Wahrscheinlichkeit zu erkunden, spielte die Klasse 5/6 Twister: Die Kinder schätzten die Wahrscheinlichkeit, auf einer bestimmten Farbe zu landen, und überprüften ihre Vermutungen anschließend im Spiel. Durch das Festhalten der tatsächlichen Ergebnisse nach jeder Runde wurden die Spielergebnisse zu echten Daten. Mit großer Begeisterung erlebten die Kinder, wie sich ihre Vorhersagen bestätigten oder überraschten. So wurden abstrakte mathematische Ideen greifbar.
Wie macht ihr Wahrscheinlichkeit lebendig?

Technology That Connects – Technologie, die verbindet
Our Grade 2 students recently shared their learning about how technology influences the way people work and connect with each other.
Throughout the unit, they explored inventions, digital tools, and communication platforms, and confidently presented their ideas to their peers. Along the way, they strengthened key ATL skills such as social skills and self-management by collaborating, listening respectfully, organizing tasks, and making group decisions.
Students researched real-world challenges in homes, schools, and communities and developed their own innovative solutions — from tools that support learning and organization to ideas that help with sleep and productivity.
This sharing session was a wonderful celebration of student agency, creativity, and teamwork, showing how capable young learners are of imagining solutions for a more connected world.

Unsere Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klasse 2 präsentierten kürzlich ihre Lernergebnisse zum Thema, wie Technologie die Art und Weise beeinflusst, wie Menschen arbeiten und miteinander verbunden sind.
Im Laufe der Unterrichtseinheit setzten sie sich mit Erfindungen, digitalen Werkzeugen und Kommunikationsformen auseinander und stellten ihre Ideen selbstbewusst ihren Mitschülerinnen und Mitschülern vor. Dabei stärkten sie wichtige ATL-Fähigkeiten wie soziale Kompetenzen und Selbstmanagement durch Zusammenarbeit, respektvolles Zuhören, Organisation und gemeinsames Entscheiden.
Auf Grundlage realer Herausforderungen aus Alltag, Schule und Gemeinschaft entwickelten sie eigene innovative Lösungsansätze – von Lernhilfen über Organisationsideen bis hin zu Konzepten rund um Schlaf und Produktivität.
Die Präsentationen zeigten eindrucksvoll, wie viel Kreativität, Verantwortungsbewusstsein und Teamgeist bereits in jungen Lernenden steckt.