Activity Report 2026

 July 18th　SSH Tokai Festa 2026

   “SSH Tokai Festa 2025,” an event where SSH-designated schools—primarily from the Tokai region—gather to present the results of their research projects, was held and organized by Meijo University High School. Third-year students from our school participated, presenting one oral presentation and one poster presentation.

　Although they did not win any awards, the day proved to be extremely meaningful for their future research, as they received valuable advice during the Q&A sessions following their presentations and were inspired by the presentations from other schools.

July 16　Visit to the Institute for Molecular Science

   On July 16, three second-year students visited the Institute for Molecular Science in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. In the morning, they attended lectures at the Center for Computational Science and the Extreme Ultraviolet Light Research Facility (UVSOR). They were able to see firsthand the facilities that support scientific research in Japan and appeared to be greatly inspired by the experience. In the afternoon, they received guidance on practical exercises and their research projects at Professor Yasutomo Segawa’s laboratory. The students were deeply impressed by the opportunity to work with valuable equipment and instruments—such as those used for X-ray crystallography—that they would not normally have access to. Additionally, during an information exchange session on research projects, they received valuable advice from students at other schools and graduate students. Participating students shared positive feedback such as, “I discovered the joy of experiencing new things. From now on, I want to take the initiative in my learning,” and “I realized the importance of foundational knowledge, in addition to critical thinking, judgment, and communication skills.” It was a very fruitful day.

July 14th, 15th　 SS Advance Inquiry A Elective Course: “Mini Inquiry”

   On July 14 and 15, we held the “Mini Inquiry” course for 39 first-year students who had selected the SS Advance Inquiry A elective. The course allowed them to experience the process of hypothesis testing in the field of natural sciences. The students were divided into 10 groups and, working on the challenge of “Let’s Make a ‘High-Flying’ Origami Airplane,” went through the entire process: preliminary research → hypothesis formulation → experimental design → experimentation and data recording → analysis and discussion → presentation and Q&A. In addition to collaborating with the library on information-gathering methods, this workshop took an integrated approach to content the students are currently learning or will learn in individual subjects, such as fluid dynamics in physics, statistical analysis methods in mathematics, and how to organize presentation materials. We were also joined by two alumni—both active in the fields of engineering and information science—who served as teaching assistants (TAs) and shared insights on the mindset required for research and provided feedback on the experiments. While the students appeared to struggle at times with this inquiry-based process, which was a first for many of them, it was encouraging to see their determination to learn by collaborating with peers while focusing on the necessary mindset, knowledge, and skills required to advance their inquiry. We hope they will apply what they learned this time to future community-based PBL projects and their research projects starting in their second year and beyond. We look forward to seeing everyone’s future achievements!

July 13th　Ise-Shima Muro Region Research and Exchange Meeting

     On Monday, July 13, as the first initiative of its kind for Ise High School’s SSH program, we held an exchange meeting on inquiry-based learning with high school students from the Ise-Shima and Muro regions of Mie Prefecture. Students from Ise Technical High School, Ujiyamada Commercial High School, Owase High School, Shima High School, and Suisan High School visited our school in person, while students from the Kinomoto Campus of Kumano Seiran High School participated online. Moderated by students from our school’s Advanced Inquiry Course C, the first session involved sharing an overview of each school’s inquiry activities and their achievements to date. In the second session, participants split into two breakout groups—one for a workshop on setting research themes and the other for progress reports—where lively discussions took place. Although the students are all high schoolers from the same southern region of Mie Prefecture, the two-hour session allowed them to be inspired by learning about each school’s areas of expertise, take an interest in regional differences in perspective, and engage in conversations unique to their local communities. We could truly feel the breadth and depth of the discussions stemming from the flexible thinking characteristic of high school students. As Ise High School, we hope to deepen our own inquiry activities by learning from the insights of the participating schools and looking forward to future opportunities for exchange.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to all the high school students and teachers who took time out of their busy schedules to participate. We look forward to your continued support in the future.

July 10th　Exchange Program with Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Junior and Senior High School and Kuratayama Junior High School

     On Friday, July 10, with the aim of sharing and refining the results of our daily inquiry-based activities and fostering collaboration across different school levels, students and teachers from the Science Club at Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Junior and Senior High School in Chiba Prefecture, three third-year students from Ise Municipal Kuratayama Junior High School, and four students from our school’s Advanced B track participated in an online exchange session. Although the Ise High School students initially appeared nervous about this first-ever attempt to interact online with a high school outside their prefecture, after briefly introducing the themes they had set for themselves, they received advice from the students and teachers at Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa Junior and Senior High School regarding “the feasibility of these inquiry activities in high school” and “the skills acquired through conducting research.” It appears to have been a very meaningful experience for them. The students from Kuratayama Junior High School also actively shared, in their own words, the topics they are currently interested in and the subjects they would like to explore through inquiry-based activities after entering high school, and were able to receive advice from high school students outside the prefecture. We hope they will make the most of the inspiration they gained from this experience in their daily lives after summer vacation and in their own inquiry-based activities.

     Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in this inquiry exchange.

July 10th　Biology Lab Workshop for Students Enrolled in SS Advance Inquiry Course A

     With the primary goals of improving cell observation techniques using microscopes and deepening understanding of the immune system, we held a biology lab workshop on the afternoon of Friday, July 10, under the guidance of faculty members and students from the Faculty of Education at Kogakkan University. The session featured a variety of fascinating content, including a lecture by Professor Nakamatsu on the importance of inquiry-based learning, observation experiments led by Professor Sawa and students, and an introduction to research on parasitic wasps. During the experiment, students observed the phagocytosis of cells by using the body fluid of armyworm larvae to watch as the cells ingested a fluorescent dye that served as a foreign substance. This year, more students than usual selected the Advanced course, and it appears that each of the 39 participating students gained insights from this workshop that they can apply to their future inquiry-based activities. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the faculty and students of Kogakkan University for their cooperation, which extended beyond the scheduled time.

July 9th　SS Inquiry II, SS Advanced Inquiry B: First Interim Presentation for Research Projects

   “Research Projects” is the main program of SS Inquiry. Students form groups and select their themes during the third term of their first year, and then spend nearly the entire second year conducting research and compiling their findings.

During the first term of their second year, the main activity for each group is to develop a “research plan.”

On Thursday, July 9, the first interim presentation session was held to share these results, and each group presented their research plans and progress to date.

　Third-year students who had undertaken the Research Project last year also participated in this session. Drawing on their experience of having successfully completed their own research, they offered sharp questions and practical advice regarding the second-year students’ presentations.

　In addition, students enrolled in the SS Advance Inquiry B elective program engaged in an online exchange with our school’s alumni. It was a highly meaningful opportunity for dialogue, as they received feedback from seniors who are now pursuing specialized studies at universities and graduate schools.

The second-year students will now begin their full-scale research based on their plans, taking the advice they received into account. The second interim presentation session is scheduled for the end of the second semester. Please continue to work hard in your future activities to ensure a fulfilling research project.

July 7th　SSH English Interview Test

　We conducted the SSH English Oral Examination for 277 third-year students enrolled in SS Inquiry III and SS Advanced Inquiry C. We invited six ALTs from neighboring high schools to serve as examiners, and each student participated in a one-on-one oral examination in English with an ALT. During the exam, students explained their research topics in English and then answered questions about their research in English. 

　Although some students appeared nervous about communicating in English with ALTs they were meeting for the first time, they had practiced diligently right up until the exam and were able to fully demonstrate the results of their efforts. Many students who finished the exam wore expressions that conveyed a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. 

　Through this experience, we believe the students truly realized the importance of being able to convey their thoughts and research in English. We look forward to them continuing to deepen their learning, further honing their English proficiency, and aiming to become individuals capable of thriving on the international stage.

June 4th　SS Inquiry I: Alumni Lecture

     On Thursday, June 4, 2026, during the 7th period SS Inquiry class, we invited Yadome Hina, a graduate of the 60th graduating class of our school, to give a lecture to our 266 first-year students, titled “From Chloroplasts to the World of AI! A Science Career Path Inspired by Passion.” While attending our school, she conducted research on plants—a subject she had long been interested in—through inquiry activities in the SSH (Super Science High School) program. She subsequently pursued research on chloroplasts during her university and graduate studies. After completing her graduate studies, she took on the challenge of crossing disciplinary boundaries to enter the field of AI development, despite having no prior experience. During her lecture, she offered advice based on her personal experiences, emphasizing that “choices centered on what you love can pave the way forward” and that “skills cultivated through research, such as logical thinking and hypothesis testing, remain significant strengths even when changing fields.”

     Following the lecture, a roundtable discussion was held for interested students, and she kindly answered each of their questions in detail. We hope the students will make good use of this valuable experience in their future research activities and career decisions.

July 11th　2nd Mie University School of Medicine Lecture Series

     On Saturday, July 11, as part of Ise High School’s Super Science High School (SSH) program, we held the second “School of Medicine Lecture Series” of this academic year at Mie University’s School of Medicine.

     First, a university professor gave a lecture on the process from animal dissection to tissue staining. He provided a detailed explanation of the procedure from anesthesia to perfusion fixation, suturing techniques, and the method for Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining. This was followed by a lecture on developmental disorders. In addition to learning about these disorders, the students gained a deeper understanding of the purpose and significance of medical research, including how dissection experiments are conducted to advance research in this field.

     After the lectures, the students split into groups of six for hands-on training. Under the careful guidance of the instructors, they engaged in a wide-ranging program that included rat dissection, HE staining, observation of stained sections, and exercises using bone models. The students approached the practical sessions with a sense of solemnity and seriousness.

　We were also joined by four medical students. The students had the opportunity to hear directly from them about life as a medical student and study methods used during high school to prepare for entrance exams, which proved to be an invaluable experience. Being exposed to medical research and interacting with medical students provided the students with a highly meaningful experience as they consider their own futures and career paths. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Mie University’s School of Medicine for taking the time out of their busy schedules to provide such enthusiastic guidance.