What is happening in nature right now where you live? What do you notice about the trees and flowers, the birds and animals, or the sky, the wind or the sun?
The traditional Japanese calendar doesn’t just recognize four seasons, it divides the year into 72 ko, or microseasons, each no more than a handful of days long. These tiny seasons all have poetic and evocative names like “fish emerge from the ice” (mid-February), “rotten grass becomes fireflies” (mid-June) and “rainbows hide” (late November).
If you were to name the season today in the place where you live, what would you call it? Why?
Tell us in the comments, and then read the related article to learn more.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
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