Dear all
I've gone through with our boys the thinking process prior to writing a composition. Based on a newspaper article , our boys had to come up with possible problem(s) and resolution in a concept map for a composition entitled "A taxi robbery".
I've compiled a list of descriptive words for our boys. Kindly select the words you will use in a story related to "A robbery". Consolidate the words in a mind map in your writing resource book and bring your dictionary and thesaurus to help you in AMODES Composition Writing Test tomorrow.
Descriptive words for sounds
Ringing
cheeping
gasping
smashing
piercing
peeping
whopping
tinkling
raucous
chattering
crooning
bellowing
sobbing
bumping
snarling
growling
pitch
crying
thumping
burping
croacking
clattering
yapping
keening
yelping
squealing
howling
bawling
twittering
murmuring
shuffling
rumbling
Example of sound words
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
English lesson on Friday 27 July
Dear all,
Kindly learn the spelling words unit 9 for AMODES spelling test 2 on Monday 30 July. Also, select two articles on robbery and bring them to school on Monday. Boys who have not submitted your spelling books, please bring them on Monday too.
Kindly learn the spelling words unit 9 for AMODES spelling test 2 on Monday 30 July. Also, select two articles on robbery and bring them to school on Monday. Boys who have not submitted your spelling books, please bring them on Monday too.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
English lesson on Thursday 26 July
Dear all,
Our boys did a concept map and mind map on the keywords and phrases from the story entitled "A good deed" earlier today. I've also instructed our boys to complete their corrections for spelling and dictation test in their spelling books. Parents, please look through the Term 3 spelling and dictation tests and sign in the spelling books. I'm in the midst of compiling the various components for Term 3 AMODES. Hence, I'll return the spelling AMODES test only in week 9 with the rest of the components.
Please note that the spelling test ( spelling words from unit 9 ) next Monday will be the last AMODES spelling test. I'll take the better score out of the 2 AMODES spelling tests to be the final spelling score. Thus boys who did not do well for the previous AMODES spelling test, please take the next spelling test seriously.
Here's the story entitled "A Good Deed".
A good deed
“Why is the taxi taking such a long time?” Ali grumbled as he was waiting at the taxi stand. It had been a long wait and he was in a hurry to go for a job interview. He did not realise he was late and was on the verge of calling a cab. The afternoon sun shone brightly on Ali as he waited impatiently at the taxi stand.
The silence of the deserted streets indicated to Ali that the taxi would not be arriving any time soon. Just as he was about to call a cab, he caught sight of an elderly lady carrying a branded bag strolling along the pavement. She was hobbling on a walking stick and seemed to have great difficulty in her movements.
Out of the blue, the sound of a fast-moving vehicle broke the silence. Ali was expecting his taxi but was surprised to see a suspicious-looking motorcyclist zooming past him. He was riding too near to the pavement and seemed to be focusing on the lady’s handbag. The motorcyclist looked like a wanted criminal and was riding without a safety helmet. Armed with gloves, he reached out his hands and immediately snatched the lady’s handbag. The lady screamed loudly and was scared stiff. Ali was shocked at the sight that greeted his eyes. The motorcyclist sped off on his motorcycle.
Ali stood rooted to the ground. Eventually, Ali regained his composure and noted the license plate number of the motorcycle. Without any hesitation, Ali contacted the police. Ali told the police the critical information to ensure that road blocks were set up immediately in the vicinity.
The traffic police were alerted by the head quarters on the culprit’s license plate number. It was also fortunate that the motorcyclist had exceeded the speed limit and he was captured on the speed camera. With the help of the eye-witnesses and picture taken by the camera, the police were able to track down the snatch thief.
Luckily, the snatch thief did not escape scot-free. The police chased after the snatch thief and was able to apprehend him. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and was barred from driving. The old lady thanked Ali for his civic-mindedness. The old lady learnt a valuable lesson not to carry expensive items and sling her handbag whenever she was near a road.
Our boys did a concept map and mind map on the keywords and phrases from the story entitled "A good deed" earlier today. I've also instructed our boys to complete their corrections for spelling and dictation test in their spelling books. Parents, please look through the Term 3 spelling and dictation tests and sign in the spelling books. I'm in the midst of compiling the various components for Term 3 AMODES. Hence, I'll return the spelling AMODES test only in week 9 with the rest of the components.
Please note that the spelling test ( spelling words from unit 9 ) next Monday will be the last AMODES spelling test. I'll take the better score out of the 2 AMODES spelling tests to be the final spelling score. Thus boys who did not do well for the previous AMODES spelling test, please take the next spelling test seriously.
Here's the story entitled "A Good Deed".
A good deed
“Why is the taxi taking such a long time?” Ali grumbled as he was waiting at the taxi stand. It had been a long wait and he was in a hurry to go for a job interview. He did not realise he was late and was on the verge of calling a cab. The afternoon sun shone brightly on Ali as he waited impatiently at the taxi stand.
The silence of the deserted streets indicated to Ali that the taxi would not be arriving any time soon. Just as he was about to call a cab, he caught sight of an elderly lady carrying a branded bag strolling along the pavement. She was hobbling on a walking stick and seemed to have great difficulty in her movements.
Out of the blue, the sound of a fast-moving vehicle broke the silence. Ali was expecting his taxi but was surprised to see a suspicious-looking motorcyclist zooming past him. He was riding too near to the pavement and seemed to be focusing on the lady’s handbag. The motorcyclist looked like a wanted criminal and was riding without a safety helmet. Armed with gloves, he reached out his hands and immediately snatched the lady’s handbag. The lady screamed loudly and was scared stiff. Ali was shocked at the sight that greeted his eyes. The motorcyclist sped off on his motorcycle.
Ali stood rooted to the ground. Eventually, Ali regained his composure and noted the license plate number of the motorcycle. Without any hesitation, Ali contacted the police. Ali told the police the critical information to ensure that road blocks were set up immediately in the vicinity.
The traffic police were alerted by the head quarters on the culprit’s license plate number. It was also fortunate that the motorcyclist had exceeded the speed limit and he was captured on the speed camera. With the help of the eye-witnesses and picture taken by the camera, the police were able to track down the snatch thief.
Luckily, the snatch thief did not escape scot-free. The police chased after the snatch thief and was able to apprehend him. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and was barred from driving. The old lady thanked Ali for his civic-mindedness. The old lady learnt a valuable lesson not to carry expensive items and sling her handbag whenever she was near a road.
Monday, July 23, 2012
English lesson on Tuesday 24 July
Dear all,
Our boys have completed a mindmap using the keywords and phrases found in the story "Big Bad Wolf" in their A3 Jotter book today. In addition, most have completed unit 11 worksheets. There are a few boys who are unable to complete the worksheets, hence I've allowed them to do it as homework.
After Day 3 Oral examination, I'll consolidate the strengths and weaknesses of our boys' oral test performance and post the feedback on the blog on Friday. Lastly, our boys have been given new class library books. Kindly read them during your free time and the next book exchange session will be on next Tuesday.
Please bring along your thumbdrive and earphones for Garageband music lesson tomorrow.
Our boys have completed a mindmap using the keywords and phrases found in the story "Big Bad Wolf" in their A3 Jotter book today. In addition, most have completed unit 11 worksheets. There are a few boys who are unable to complete the worksheets, hence I've allowed them to do it as homework.
After Day 3 Oral examination, I'll consolidate the strengths and weaknesses of our boys' oral test performance and post the feedback on the blog on Friday. Lastly, our boys have been given new class library books. Kindly read them during your free time and the next book exchange session will be on next Tuesday.
Please bring along your thumbdrive and earphones for Garageband music lesson tomorrow.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
English lesson on Monday 23 July
Dear all,
Our boys have completed their unit 9 corrections and have written a model composition as shown below. I've also instructed them to read through the analysis of the composition, after which they have to identify the keywords and phrases featured in the composition entitled "Big Bad Wolf".Due to time constraint i.e. 20 boys having taken day 1 Oral examination, I will be conducting dictation test tomorrow.
Also, please note that Music periods have been rescheduled to Wednesday 1145am-1215pm as our boys will be using Garageband software in the Computer lab 1 for their song writing project. Thus, there will be 4 English periods on Tuesday i.e. 945-1045 & 1115 - 1215. Thus library period will be every Friday 1215pm-1245pm.
Big Bad Wolf Introduction: Using a proverb followed by a flashback
Appearances are deceptive. I have learnt it the hard way how wise and true this saying really is. Looking at the remnants of the broken pieces of furniture along the corridor, I swallowed the sob that rose in my throat. It was such a dreadful experience, one that had caused me countless sleepless nights and unimaginable nightmares in the dark. Though I had survived the ordeal, fear seemed to have transformed into my constant companion.
Build-up: Explain why the author was left alone at home and why the author took her mother's advice lightly.
“Darling, I’m off to Grandmother’s place. She’s down with fever. Before I forget, please remember not to open the gate to strangers!” It was Mother’s constant naggings again. It seemed like an alarm clock, ringing in my ears. I was half awake and groggy from sleep.
”Yes mom! I’m not a young child anymore …” I muttered as I buried myself in the bed of fluffy pillows. I could not be bothered with whatever was installed on a Saturday morning. It was a hard earned weekend of sleep and I was not about to give it up. As I tossed and turned on the bed, frustration began to grow inside me. Mom should know that I was a light sleeper. Fancy waking me at such early hours! Finally, I gave up trying to get back to slumber land. Watching some cartoons seemed like a good idea. I dragged my feet to the living room as I slumped into the comfortable couch.
Build-up: Explain why the author let her guard down.
“Hello, anyone home? Special delivery to the family,” I heard the faint sounds of a man at my door step. I peered through the peep hole and saw a handsome man holding a huge hamper of goodies. Meekly, I opened the front door. The stranger exhibited a mega-watt smile as he placed down the hamper. He was a startlingly attractive man with delicately carved facial bones.
“Congratulations! Your family has won the first prize in our company’s annual lucky draw. Aren’t you happy?” My eyes grew big with surprise at the words “first prize”. In the hamper I could see boxes of delicious candies. As I scanned through its contents, something caught my attention. It was a portable playstation! I could not contain my excitement any longer as I scrambled to get the keys. As I opened the door, the man removed his shoes and carried the hamper into the house.
Climax: Explain how the intruder turned nasty and had the opportunity to attack the author.
“ Girl, can you go to the kitchen to get a pair of scissors? Uncle needs to unwrap all these gifts,” instructed the stranger. I was oblivious to the fact that I was alone at home with a full-grown man as I was fixated on the idea of playing the coolest games on the playstation. Where was the pair of scissors? As I rummaged through the drawers, little did I know that the stranger had crept up from behind. The next thing I knew, I was grabbed from behind. Everything happened so fast and I had no time to react. Before I could shout for help, the stranger instantly taped my mouth and gripped hard onto my arms. I was practically defenseless against the intruder. Soon, I gave up struggling. Instead, fear overcame me and I started sobbing uncontrollably.
Climax: Narrates the feelings of the author throughout the ordeal. Emphasis is placed on the author's inner feelings. Allows the reader to empathise with the author. Connects the reader to the story, hence leaving a lasting impression for the reader.
It was agonising to witness my house being rampaged by a robber. The kind stranger was actually a big, bad wolf in disguise! Everywhere the heartless robber went, he would leave his “carnage” behind. Furniture was broken, the contents from cupboards were strewn all over the floor. In a mere fifteen minutes, the robber had taken the expensive handbags, exquisite jewellery and other valuables from the house. The only trace of him was the aftermath of the robbery. Though my parents were absolutely relieved to find me safe in the house, the traumatic experience had left a permanent scar in my life.
Conclusion: Brings the reader back into reality. Appeals to the emotions of the reader. Allows the reader room for imagination as to whether the author indeed will recover from her hallowing experience.
“Dear, why are you in a daze again?” my thoughts were broken as I was brought back to reality. Mother had noticed a glazed look of sorrow on my face. I could not erase these horrible memories, no matter how hard I tried. I flung out my arms and embraced my mom. She knew the unfortunate ordeal was too much for a child to handle. As she patted me on my back, I was reassured that my mom would always provide a solace for me. In hope, time would heal my painful wounds.
Our boys have completed their unit 9 corrections and have written a model composition as shown below. I've also instructed them to read through the analysis of the composition, after which they have to identify the keywords and phrases featured in the composition entitled "Big Bad Wolf".Due to time constraint i.e. 20 boys having taken day 1 Oral examination, I will be conducting dictation test tomorrow.
Also, please note that Music periods have been rescheduled to Wednesday 1145am-1215pm as our boys will be using Garageband software in the Computer lab 1 for their song writing project. Thus, there will be 4 English periods on Tuesday i.e. 945-1045 & 1115 - 1215. Thus library period will be every Friday 1215pm-1245pm.
Big Bad Wolf Introduction: Using a proverb followed by a flashback
Appearances are deceptive. I have learnt it the hard way how wise and true this saying really is. Looking at the remnants of the broken pieces of furniture along the corridor, I swallowed the sob that rose in my throat. It was such a dreadful experience, one that had caused me countless sleepless nights and unimaginable nightmares in the dark. Though I had survived the ordeal, fear seemed to have transformed into my constant companion.
Build-up: Explain why the author was left alone at home and why the author took her mother's advice lightly.
“Darling, I’m off to Grandmother’s place. She’s down with fever. Before I forget, please remember not to open the gate to strangers!” It was Mother’s constant naggings again. It seemed like an alarm clock, ringing in my ears. I was half awake and groggy from sleep.
”Yes mom! I’m not a young child anymore …” I muttered as I buried myself in the bed of fluffy pillows. I could not be bothered with whatever was installed on a Saturday morning. It was a hard earned weekend of sleep and I was not about to give it up. As I tossed and turned on the bed, frustration began to grow inside me. Mom should know that I was a light sleeper. Fancy waking me at such early hours! Finally, I gave up trying to get back to slumber land. Watching some cartoons seemed like a good idea. I dragged my feet to the living room as I slumped into the comfortable couch.
Build-up: Explain why the author let her guard down.
“Hello, anyone home? Special delivery to the family,” I heard the faint sounds of a man at my door step. I peered through the peep hole and saw a handsome man holding a huge hamper of goodies. Meekly, I opened the front door. The stranger exhibited a mega-watt smile as he placed down the hamper. He was a startlingly attractive man with delicately carved facial bones.
“Congratulations! Your family has won the first prize in our company’s annual lucky draw. Aren’t you happy?” My eyes grew big with surprise at the words “first prize”. In the hamper I could see boxes of delicious candies. As I scanned through its contents, something caught my attention. It was a portable playstation! I could not contain my excitement any longer as I scrambled to get the keys. As I opened the door, the man removed his shoes and carried the hamper into the house.
Climax: Explain how the intruder turned nasty and had the opportunity to attack the author.
“ Girl, can you go to the kitchen to get a pair of scissors? Uncle needs to unwrap all these gifts,” instructed the stranger. I was oblivious to the fact that I was alone at home with a full-grown man as I was fixated on the idea of playing the coolest games on the playstation. Where was the pair of scissors? As I rummaged through the drawers, little did I know that the stranger had crept up from behind. The next thing I knew, I was grabbed from behind. Everything happened so fast and I had no time to react. Before I could shout for help, the stranger instantly taped my mouth and gripped hard onto my arms. I was practically defenseless against the intruder. Soon, I gave up struggling. Instead, fear overcame me and I started sobbing uncontrollably.
Climax: Narrates the feelings of the author throughout the ordeal. Emphasis is placed on the author's inner feelings. Allows the reader to empathise with the author. Connects the reader to the story, hence leaving a lasting impression for the reader.
It was agonising to witness my house being rampaged by a robber. The kind stranger was actually a big, bad wolf in disguise! Everywhere the heartless robber went, he would leave his “carnage” behind. Furniture was broken, the contents from cupboards were strewn all over the floor. In a mere fifteen minutes, the robber had taken the expensive handbags, exquisite jewellery and other valuables from the house. The only trace of him was the aftermath of the robbery. Though my parents were absolutely relieved to find me safe in the house, the traumatic experience had left a permanent scar in my life.
Conclusion: Brings the reader back into reality. Appeals to the emotions of the reader. Allows the reader room for imagination as to whether the author indeed will recover from her hallowing experience.
“Dear, why are you in a daze again?” my thoughts were broken as I was brought back to reality. Mother had noticed a glazed look of sorrow on my face. I could not erase these horrible memories, no matter how hard I tried. I flung out my arms and embraced my mom. She knew the unfortunate ordeal was too much for a child to handle. As she patted me on my back, I was reassured that my mom would always provide a solace for me. In hope, time would heal my painful wounds.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
English lesson on Friday 20 July
Dear all,
I've listed a few key points to help our boys in their picture description.
1)At the beginning, remember to state the venue shown in the picture. Example: This picture depicts a scene at the ...
2)Give a general overview of the picture shown. Focus on using descriptive phrases and adjectives.
3) Highlight the important section in the picture. In order to identify the important section, look out for a good act or an inconsiderate behaviour that needs to be addressed in the picture.
4) Describe the feelings felt by the characters in picture. Focus on their facial expressions. Add in your opinion on the possible reason(s) for the feeling evoked.
5) Conclude with a learning point that's evident in the picture. Example: In conclusion, I believe everyone plays a pivotal role in saving our Earth. It is our duty to conserve the resources on Earth, so that future generations can enjoy the treasures Mother Nature has to offer.
Homework:
Please practise describing the pictures below.
Please learn your Term 3 dictation passage for dictation test on Monday.
Generally, the examiner will look out for sound explanations, suitable and accurate vocabulary and supported interpretations in a picture description.
As for reading aloud, please ensure that the reading is clear, fluent and there's accurate intonation and pronunciation.
CA2 oral examination will commence on next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
I've listed a few key points to help our boys in their picture description.
1)At the beginning, remember to state the venue shown in the picture. Example: This picture depicts a scene at the ...
2)Give a general overview of the picture shown. Focus on using descriptive phrases and adjectives.
3) Highlight the important section in the picture. In order to identify the important section, look out for a good act or an inconsiderate behaviour that needs to be addressed in the picture.
4) Describe the feelings felt by the characters in picture. Focus on their facial expressions. Add in your opinion on the possible reason(s) for the feeling evoked.
5) Conclude with a learning point that's evident in the picture. Example: In conclusion, I believe everyone plays a pivotal role in saving our Earth. It is our duty to conserve the resources on Earth, so that future generations can enjoy the treasures Mother Nature has to offer.
Homework:
Please practise describing the pictures below.
Please learn your Term 3 dictation passage for dictation test on Monday.
Generally, the examiner will look out for sound explanations, suitable and accurate vocabulary and supported interpretations in a picture description.
As for reading aloud, please ensure that the reading is clear, fluent and there's accurate intonation and pronunciation.
CA2 oral examination will commence on next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
English lesson on Thursday 19 July
Dear all,
Our boys have completed their writing practice 8 in class today. For homework today, kindly practise describing the picture below. I'll be revising picture description component to prepare our boys for their oral examination next week.
A possible picture description:
This picture depicts a scene at a hospital ward. There are two patients in the ward. The patient nearer to the windows is looking very miserable as his leg is in a cast. In my opinion, he must be feeling quite upset because his injury is preventing him from being mobile. With his condition, I believe he must recuperate for quite a long period. The man standing next to this patient seems to be in a joyful mood. I believe from his candid gestures and facial expression, he must be trying very hard to brighten the patient's foul mood. That is truly a commendable effort. However, he must be careful not to be over zealous as he may disturb the other patient in the ward. In contrast, the other elderly patient seems to be more at ease. Although it must be uncomfortable to have a drip on his arm, he seems glad to be in good company. The elderly lady sitting beside him is probably his wife. She is feeding the patient some food. I believe this thoughtful gesture must have helped the patient feel happier. There is a young girl holding a teddy bear at the foot of the patient's bed. She is probably the patient's grandchild. It is always advisable for the family to show care and concern for the sick. At the bottom of the picture, I can see two boys running. They must be playing a game of catching and seem oblivious to the people in the ward. In my opinion, I think it is very dangerous to indulge in such childish games in public places. The boys might injure themselves or cause serious harm to other patients. I believe parents of children should be vigilant and ensure that their children are not up to any sort of mischief in public places, especially the hospital. In conclusion, I feel it is indeed unfortunate for a person to have to stay in a hospital. Hopefully, the two patients in the picture will be discharged soon.
Picture taken from "A guide to English Oral Skills" Raffles publications
Sample introduction taught in class today
Starting a story with the climax (focusing on emotions of the protagonist)
A wave of panic hit Tom. The branch that was supporting him seemed to sag. With clammy hands, Tom tightened his grip on the branch. Alas, Tom's weight proved too much for the poor branch.
"Ah!" he yelled as he plunged into the lake. The sheer coldness of the water sent shock waves through his body. Gasping for breath, Tom struggled in the cold water.
"Help! Help!" cried Tom, thrashing wildly in the water. Fortunately for him, his friends were nearby. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them towards the half-submerged Tom. Tom was in dire need of help. He was losing energy fast! His feeble attempt to stay afloat could not hold on forever. Fear overcame Tom as he took a huge gulp of the murky lake water. It seemed only moments ago where he was on safe grounds, surrounded by all his friends … …
Our boys have completed their writing practice 8 in class today. For homework today, kindly practise describing the picture below. I'll be revising picture description component to prepare our boys for their oral examination next week.
A possible picture description:
This picture depicts a scene at a hospital ward. There are two patients in the ward. The patient nearer to the windows is looking very miserable as his leg is in a cast. In my opinion, he must be feeling quite upset because his injury is preventing him from being mobile. With his condition, I believe he must recuperate for quite a long period. The man standing next to this patient seems to be in a joyful mood. I believe from his candid gestures and facial expression, he must be trying very hard to brighten the patient's foul mood. That is truly a commendable effort. However, he must be careful not to be over zealous as he may disturb the other patient in the ward. In contrast, the other elderly patient seems to be more at ease. Although it must be uncomfortable to have a drip on his arm, he seems glad to be in good company. The elderly lady sitting beside him is probably his wife. She is feeding the patient some food. I believe this thoughtful gesture must have helped the patient feel happier. There is a young girl holding a teddy bear at the foot of the patient's bed. She is probably the patient's grandchild. It is always advisable for the family to show care and concern for the sick. At the bottom of the picture, I can see two boys running. They must be playing a game of catching and seem oblivious to the people in the ward. In my opinion, I think it is very dangerous to indulge in such childish games in public places. The boys might injure themselves or cause serious harm to other patients. I believe parents of children should be vigilant and ensure that their children are not up to any sort of mischief in public places, especially the hospital. In conclusion, I feel it is indeed unfortunate for a person to have to stay in a hospital. Hopefully, the two patients in the picture will be discharged soon.
Picture taken from "A guide to English Oral Skills" Raffles publications
Sample introduction taught in class today
Starting a story with the climax (focusing on emotions of the protagonist)
A wave of panic hit Tom. The branch that was supporting him seemed to sag. With clammy hands, Tom tightened his grip on the branch. Alas, Tom's weight proved too much for the poor branch.
"Ah!" he yelled as he plunged into the lake. The sheer coldness of the water sent shock waves through his body. Gasping for breath, Tom struggled in the cold water.
"Help! Help!" cried Tom, thrashing wildly in the water. Fortunately for him, his friends were nearby. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them towards the half-submerged Tom. Tom was in dire need of help. He was losing energy fast! His feeble attempt to stay afloat could not hold on forever. Fear overcame Tom as he took a huge gulp of the murky lake water. It seemed only moments ago where he was on safe grounds, surrounded by all his friends … …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
English lesson on Wednesday 18 July
Dear all,
Kindly practise reading the passage below. I'll assign our boys writing practice 8 and conduct individual reading aloud session in class tomorrow.
A wave of panic hit Tom. The branch that was supporting him seemed to sag. With clammy hands, Tom tightened his grip on the branch. Alas, Tom's weight proved too much for the poor branch.
"Ah!" he yelled as he plunged into the lake. The sheer coldness of the water sent shock waves through his body. Gasping for breath, Tom struggled in the cold water.
"Help! Help!" cried Tom, thrashing wildly in the water. Fortunately for him, his friends were nearby.
Kindly practise reading the passage below. I'll assign our boys writing practice 8 and conduct individual reading aloud session in class tomorrow.
A wave of panic hit Tom. The branch that was supporting him seemed to sag. With clammy hands, Tom tightened his grip on the branch. Alas, Tom's weight proved too much for the poor branch.
"Ah!" he yelled as he plunged into the lake. The sheer coldness of the water sent shock waves through his body. Gasping for breath, Tom struggled in the cold water.
"Help! Help!" cried Tom, thrashing wildly in the water. Fortunately for him, his friends were nearby.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
English lesson on Tuesday 17 July
Dear all,
I've constructed a simple mind map with our boys on the relevant phrases and keywords that can be featured in a story entitled "Fall in a river". Basically, our boys have to identify the phrases and keywords that they can use in the writing practice 8 i.e. A mischievous boy falling into a lake, having climbed up a tree in a game of hide-and-seek with his friends. I've instructed our boys to create an account on mind42.com and use the freeware found on this website to create the mind map.The beauty of this browser based mind mapping tool is that mind maps created in the account can be stored in the server and retrieved in any computer connected to the internet.
However, for boys who have difficulty accessing the internet at home, they can choose to create their mind map by constructing it in their writing resource jotter book.
Homework:
1) Please bring your A3 Jotter book containing the mind map, either the printed mind map constructed online or the mind map constructed in the writing resource book.
2)Please bring along a thumb drive and earphones for your Garageband Music lesson tomorrow.
3)Get parents to sign the spelling Amodes Test 1. Bring your spelling Amodes Test 1 to class tomorrow.
4) Companion booklets 7,8,9 and 10.
I've constructed a simple mind map with our boys on the relevant phrases and keywords that can be featured in a story entitled "Fall in a river". Basically, our boys have to identify the phrases and keywords that they can use in the writing practice 8 i.e. A mischievous boy falling into a lake, having climbed up a tree in a game of hide-and-seek with his friends. I've instructed our boys to create an account on mind42.com and use the freeware found on this website to create the mind map.The beauty of this browser based mind mapping tool is that mind maps created in the account can be stored in the server and retrieved in any computer connected to the internet.
However, for boys who have difficulty accessing the internet at home, they can choose to create their mind map by constructing it in their writing resource jotter book.
Homework:
1) Please bring your A3 Jotter book containing the mind map, either the printed mind map constructed online or the mind map constructed in the writing resource book.
2)Please bring along a thumb drive and earphones for your Garageband Music lesson tomorrow.
3)Get parents to sign the spelling Amodes Test 1. Bring your spelling Amodes Test 1 to class tomorrow.
4) Companion booklets 7,8,9 and 10.
Monday, July 16, 2012
English lesson on Monday 16 July
Dear all,
Our boys have completed their second draft of writing practice 7 during class today. I've managed to do conferencing with the boys regarding their writing practice 7.
Generally, most of our boys have used a quote or a proverb in their introduction. The only problem some boys had was the failure to reiterate the same quote or proverb in the conclusion. In addition, some boys started with a very outstanding quote / proverb but did not construct a sound story plot to showcase the learning point of the quote / proverb. This higher order thinking skill can be quite tricky but can be acquired over time. Thus I'll continue to polish this writing technique in the next writing practice 8.
Having said that, I'll also introduce another way of starting a composition i.e. featuring the emotional state of the protagonist in the climax in the next writing practice 8. I've given each boy a A3 size jotter book. This book will be used as a writing resource book. I'll be getting our boys to keep articles pertaining to different themes / topics that maybe tested in their SA2 Paper 1. Hopefully, this will improve our boys' vocabulary and content in their writing.
Enough said, I'll be returning our boys their spelling Amodes test and writing practice 7 for parents' acknowledgment tomorrow. Here's to a great week ahead!
Cheers, Teresa
Homework
1) Decorate the first page of your A3 size Jotter book with your name, class and index no. Use your creativity to make your cover page outstanding.
2) Attach the articles you have found over the weekend in your jotter book. Identify / Highlight the useful keywords in the articles. Bring the jotter book to class tomorrow.
3) Those who have forgotten to bring companion booklets 7,8,9,10 and class library books, please bring them to class tomorrow.
Our boys have completed their second draft of writing practice 7 during class today. I've managed to do conferencing with the boys regarding their writing practice 7.
Generally, most of our boys have used a quote or a proverb in their introduction. The only problem some boys had was the failure to reiterate the same quote or proverb in the conclusion. In addition, some boys started with a very outstanding quote / proverb but did not construct a sound story plot to showcase the learning point of the quote / proverb. This higher order thinking skill can be quite tricky but can be acquired over time. Thus I'll continue to polish this writing technique in the next writing practice 8.
Having said that, I'll also introduce another way of starting a composition i.e. featuring the emotional state of the protagonist in the climax in the next writing practice 8. I've given each boy a A3 size jotter book. This book will be used as a writing resource book. I'll be getting our boys to keep articles pertaining to different themes / topics that maybe tested in their SA2 Paper 1. Hopefully, this will improve our boys' vocabulary and content in their writing.
Enough said, I'll be returning our boys their spelling Amodes test and writing practice 7 for parents' acknowledgment tomorrow. Here's to a great week ahead!
Cheers, Teresa
Homework
1) Decorate the first page of your A3 size Jotter book with your name, class and index no. Use your creativity to make your cover page outstanding.
2) Attach the articles you have found over the weekend in your jotter book. Identify / Highlight the useful keywords in the articles. Bring the jotter book to class tomorrow.
3) Those who have forgotten to bring companion booklets 7,8,9,10 and class library books, please bring them to class tomorrow.
Friday, July 13, 2012
English lesson on Friday 13 July
Dear all,
So sorry for the late post. I was involved in Primary 6 NAFA test, hence was late in publishing this post. I've gone through the open-ended comprehension section in the companion booklet 7 and simple present tense with our boys earlier today.
Initially, I had wanted our boys to write out the improved version of their writing practice 7 over the weekend. However, I figured it would be more meaningful for them to do it in class on Monday as I'll be able to do individual conferencing with our boys regarding their writing practice 7. In addition, spelling test on Monday will be taken as part of AMODES. Thus our boys will have ample time to learn their spelling. Let's pray that all our darlings will ace their spelling test on Monday.
I've also given some of our boys the English remedial forms. English remedial will commence every Wednesday starting from 25 July. As I am still nursing my 6 month old baby, the remedial session will start only at 2.30p.m. This is to make provision for me to express my milk. As such, remedial session will end at 3.20 p.m. Many apologies for the inconvenience caused too.
Homework
1) Read the class library book over the weekend. Bring it on Monday or latest on Tuesday for an exchange of another title.
2) Find at least 2 articles related to water or accidents. You may use The Straits Times, What's up Newspaper, Magazines or online articles. Bring the articles on Monday.
3) Bring companion booklets 8,9 and 10 to school on Monday. For those who have yet to submit companion booklet 7, please remember to bring it to school too.
4) Boys who have been given the remedial forms, please submit them to me on Monday.
5) Learn the spelling words from Term 3 spelling list for AMODES test on Monday.
Enjoy the rest of Friday the 13th and weekend ahead!
Cheerios, Teresa
P.S.:Most of our boys have excellent handwriting, do keep it up! =D
So sorry for the late post. I was involved in Primary 6 NAFA test, hence was late in publishing this post. I've gone through the open-ended comprehension section in the companion booklet 7 and simple present tense with our boys earlier today.
Initially, I had wanted our boys to write out the improved version of their writing practice 7 over the weekend. However, I figured it would be more meaningful for them to do it in class on Monday as I'll be able to do individual conferencing with our boys regarding their writing practice 7. In addition, spelling test on Monday will be taken as part of AMODES. Thus our boys will have ample time to learn their spelling. Let's pray that all our darlings will ace their spelling test on Monday.
I've also given some of our boys the English remedial forms. English remedial will commence every Wednesday starting from 25 July. As I am still nursing my 6 month old baby, the remedial session will start only at 2.30p.m. This is to make provision for me to express my milk. As such, remedial session will end at 3.20 p.m. Many apologies for the inconvenience caused too.
Homework
1) Read the class library book over the weekend. Bring it on Monday or latest on Tuesday for an exchange of another title.
2) Find at least 2 articles related to water or accidents. You may use The Straits Times, What's up Newspaper, Magazines or online articles. Bring the articles on Monday.
3) Bring companion booklets 8,9 and 10 to school on Monday. For those who have yet to submit companion booklet 7, please remember to bring it to school too.
4) Boys who have been given the remedial forms, please submit them to me on Monday.
5) Learn the spelling words from Term 3 spelling list for AMODES test on Monday.
Enjoy the rest of Friday the 13th and weekend ahead!
Cheerios, Teresa
P.S.:Most of our boys have excellent handwriting, do keep it up! =D
Thursday, July 12, 2012
English lesson on Thursday 12 July
Dear all,
I've gone through companion booklet 7 learning sheets 1,2 & 3 with our boys today. Tomorrow, I'll be returning writing practice 7 to our boys to make the necessary writing amendments over the weekend. I've also consolidated the useful phrases / words on the topic of MRT breakdown. Boys are strongly encouraged to print these phrases / words and use them in compositions with topics that are similar to MRT breakdown. Similar topics include power failure in a building, bus breakdown etc.
Please also remember to bring the following items to school tomorrow.
1) What's up newspaper July issue
2) A4 size writing paper
Useful words / phrases
Contributed by Gabriel
1. interim 2. peak 3. fault 4. rectified 5. bridging 6. ambassadors 7. milling 8. occurred 9. recurrence 10. chaotic
Contributed by Yu Chuan
1)commuters 2)peak morning 3)inconvenience 4)recurrence 5)chaotic 6)milling about 7)faulty 8)contractors 9)disruptions 10)shortcomings 11)maintenance 12)multi-function
Contributed by Aaron Lee
1. Electrical earth fault 2. Inconvenience caused to commuters 3. Morning peak traffic 4. Fault was rectified 5. General mass of people milling about 6. Reiterated its strong concerns 7. Resolved the problem 8. Shortcomings 9. Maintenance regime 10. Regrettable 11. Making the area impassable
Contributed by Yan An
1) maintenance 2) commuters 3) faulty 4) peak-hour 5) breakdown 6) critical 7) ventilation 8) fire extinguisher 9) prevent 10) impassable
Contributed by Sean Sim
1) occured during peak morning traffic 2) train services were disrupted 3) train was in total darkness 4) jerked to a stop 5) a lack of ventilation 6) a little chaotic 7) apologized for the inconvenience caused to commuters 8) station staff members were deployed to assist the commuters 9) a mass of people milling about 10) investigated the cause of the problem 11) faulty power cables 12) disembarked 13) services resumed after the fault was rectified
Contributed by Shaun Tan
1. prevent a recurrence 2. train disruption 3. affected the train signaling system 4. fault was rectified 5. deployed 6. chaotic 7. no orderly queues were seen 8. mass of people milling about 9. reiterated its strong concerns 10. effective maintenance 11. critical role to prevent the incidents 12. triggered by a defective fasterner 13. stalled 14. identified and remedied 15. disruption could have been averted 16. haste to resume services
Contributed by Sean Seow
1. supplies power 2. incidents 3. impassable 4. prevented 5. maintenance 6. recurrence 7. faulty 8. damaged 9. investigations 10. situation
Contributed by Heng Kai
1) Lack of ventilation 2) Total darkness 3) Power rail problem 4) Held up 5) People breaking windows to get ventilation 6) Bridging service 7) Long taxi queue
Contributed by Ryan Chng
1. General mass of people 2. a little chaotic 3. stuck in a queue 4. resolve the problem 5. play a critical role 6. triggered by a defective fastener 7. impassable to all trains 8. in its haste 9. going undetected 10. major train disruptions
Contributed by Dylan
1) Averted 2) Cited shortcomings in SMRT maintenance regime 3) Major train disruptions 4) Maked available to the public 5) Play a critical role 6) Triggered by 7) Dislodged 8) Tolerance limit 9) Identified and remedied 10) In its haste
Contributed by Eddy Song
1. Disruption 2. Lack of ventilation 3. Chaotic 4. General mass of people milling around 5. No proper guidance or instructions 6. Bus bridging service 7. Control station 8. Service delay 9. Investigate the incident 10. Resolve the problems 11. In a haste to resume services 12. To prevent a recurrence
Contributed by Jeriel Ong
1. disruption 2. breathless 3. commuters 4. massive 5. stampede 6. inconvenience 7. ambulance 8. large crowd 9. spokessman 10. gathered
Contributed by Ho Wei Ren
1. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to commuters and the public.
2. To investigate the cause of the problem to prevent a recurrence.
3. The fault was rectified.
4. Staff members were deployed to assist those affected by the train disruption.
5. The scene at Bishan MRT station on Wednesday morning, however, was a little chaotic.
6. Although a "Queue here" sign had been put up, no orderly queues were seen. Instead, there was a general mass of people milling about.
7. No proper guidance or instructions were being announced by the SMRT ambassadors present.
8. Many people were thus forced to take taxis.
9. Currently working with the authority to investigate the incident
10. We recognise that many commuters have been inconvenienced and upset over this incident.
11. Commuters reiterated strong concerns over these incidents…..
12. To submit a report on the train breakdowns and plans to resolve the problems.
13. The investigation results concluded that both incidents were related and could have been prevented.
14. Cited shortcomings in maintenance regime……
15. Effective maintenance would play a critical role to prevent the incidents from happening again.
16…. rail to dislodge and the rail to sag beyond its tolerance limit
17. defective
18. With further vibration from passing trains………
19. trains stalled…. and no longer draw sufficient power
20. Over time……….
21. rail collapsed onto the tracks, making the area impassable to all trains
22. ascertain
23. the defects in question…
24. It was regrettable that these were not identified and remedied under the maintenance regime.
25. the disruption could have been averted…
26. Evidence also showed that……
27. The unusual occurrence was reported in a routine manner.
28. This contributed to the rail problem going undetected.
I've gone through companion booklet 7 learning sheets 1,2 & 3 with our boys today. Tomorrow, I'll be returning writing practice 7 to our boys to make the necessary writing amendments over the weekend. I've also consolidated the useful phrases / words on the topic of MRT breakdown. Boys are strongly encouraged to print these phrases / words and use them in compositions with topics that are similar to MRT breakdown. Similar topics include power failure in a building, bus breakdown etc.
Please also remember to bring the following items to school tomorrow.
1) What's up newspaper July issue
2) A4 size writing paper
Useful words / phrases
Contributed by Gabriel
1. interim 2. peak 3. fault 4. rectified 5. bridging 6. ambassadors 7. milling 8. occurred 9. recurrence 10. chaotic
Contributed by Yu Chuan
1)commuters 2)peak morning 3)inconvenience 4)recurrence 5)chaotic 6)milling about 7)faulty 8)contractors 9)disruptions 10)shortcomings 11)maintenance 12)multi-function
Contributed by Aaron Lee
1. Electrical earth fault 2. Inconvenience caused to commuters 3. Morning peak traffic 4. Fault was rectified 5. General mass of people milling about 6. Reiterated its strong concerns 7. Resolved the problem 8. Shortcomings 9. Maintenance regime 10. Regrettable 11. Making the area impassable
Contributed by Yan An
1) maintenance 2) commuters 3) faulty 4) peak-hour 5) breakdown 6) critical 7) ventilation 8) fire extinguisher 9) prevent 10) impassable
Contributed by Sean Sim
1) occured during peak morning traffic 2) train services were disrupted 3) train was in total darkness 4) jerked to a stop 5) a lack of ventilation 6) a little chaotic 7) apologized for the inconvenience caused to commuters 8) station staff members were deployed to assist the commuters 9) a mass of people milling about 10) investigated the cause of the problem 11) faulty power cables 12) disembarked 13) services resumed after the fault was rectified
Contributed by Shaun Tan
1. prevent a recurrence 2. train disruption 3. affected the train signaling system 4. fault was rectified 5. deployed 6. chaotic 7. no orderly queues were seen 8. mass of people milling about 9. reiterated its strong concerns 10. effective maintenance 11. critical role to prevent the incidents 12. triggered by a defective fasterner 13. stalled 14. identified and remedied 15. disruption could have been averted 16. haste to resume services
Contributed by Sean Seow
1. supplies power 2. incidents 3. impassable 4. prevented 5. maintenance 6. recurrence 7. faulty 8. damaged 9. investigations 10. situation
Contributed by Heng Kai
1) Lack of ventilation 2) Total darkness 3) Power rail problem 4) Held up 5) People breaking windows to get ventilation 6) Bridging service 7) Long taxi queue
Contributed by Ryan Chng
1. General mass of people 2. a little chaotic 3. stuck in a queue 4. resolve the problem 5. play a critical role 6. triggered by a defective fastener 7. impassable to all trains 8. in its haste 9. going undetected 10. major train disruptions
Contributed by Dylan
1) Averted 2) Cited shortcomings in SMRT maintenance regime 3) Major train disruptions 4) Maked available to the public 5) Play a critical role 6) Triggered by 7) Dislodged 8) Tolerance limit 9) Identified and remedied 10) In its haste
Contributed by Eddy Song
1. Disruption 2. Lack of ventilation 3. Chaotic 4. General mass of people milling around 5. No proper guidance or instructions 6. Bus bridging service 7. Control station 8. Service delay 9. Investigate the incident 10. Resolve the problems 11. In a haste to resume services 12. To prevent a recurrence
Contributed by Jeriel Ong
1. disruption 2. breathless 3. commuters 4. massive 5. stampede 6. inconvenience 7. ambulance 8. large crowd 9. spokessman 10. gathered
Contributed by Ho Wei Ren
1. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to commuters and the public.
2. To investigate the cause of the problem to prevent a recurrence.
3. The fault was rectified.
4. Staff members were deployed to assist those affected by the train disruption.
5. The scene at Bishan MRT station on Wednesday morning, however, was a little chaotic.
6. Although a "Queue here" sign had been put up, no orderly queues were seen. Instead, there was a general mass of people milling about.
7. No proper guidance or instructions were being announced by the SMRT ambassadors present.
8. Many people were thus forced to take taxis.
9. Currently working with the authority to investigate the incident
10. We recognise that many commuters have been inconvenienced and upset over this incident.
11. Commuters reiterated strong concerns over these incidents…..
12. To submit a report on the train breakdowns and plans to resolve the problems.
13. The investigation results concluded that both incidents were related and could have been prevented.
14. Cited shortcomings in maintenance regime……
15. Effective maintenance would play a critical role to prevent the incidents from happening again.
16…. rail to dislodge and the rail to sag beyond its tolerance limit
17. defective
18. With further vibration from passing trains………
19. trains stalled…. and no longer draw sufficient power
20. Over time……….
21. rail collapsed onto the tracks, making the area impassable to all trains
22. ascertain
23. the defects in question…
24. It was regrettable that these were not identified and remedied under the maintenance regime.
25. the disruption could have been averted…
26. Evidence also showed that……
27. The unusual occurrence was reported in a routine manner.
28. This contributed to the rail problem going undetected.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
English lesson on Tuesday 10 July
Dear all,
There's no homework today. Boys who have not given me the Companion Booklet 7, please submit the booklets before you adjourn for the learning journey tomorrow. Please also read the class library books that I've given you and return them to me during morning assembly next Tuesday.
Here's the comparison of the two stories i.e. version A and version B
Version A
It was a dark and gloomy day. I had to take a MRT train ride to work and everything seemed normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I wrong!
Out of the blue, I felt a sudden jerk. The train came to an abrupt halt and it was pitch black everywhere. Passengers started panicking and there was a lack of ventilation in the train.
Minutes later, some passengers experienced difficulty in breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. Some passengers whipped out their handphones to contact the relevant authorities.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Thankfully, the train started moving and these kind souls helped to carry the old man out of the train at the next MRT station.
This incident proved to be traumatic to me, causing me to develop a phobia of taking MRT trains.
Version B
Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree that every bad situation has some good aspects to it. My firm belief in this saying is reinforced because of a memorable incident that I was caught in last week. This event had left a permanent imprint in my mind and caused me to change my outlook towards life ... ...
It was a dark and gloomy day. As usual, I had to take a MRT train ride to work. Everything seemed so normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
Out of the blue,I felt a sudden jerk as the train came to an abrupt halt. The lights in the train began to flicker. The situation I was caught in reminded me of a scene only seen in a horror movie. True enough, the lights went out. It became pitch black everywhere. At this instance, some passengers started panicking. The cool-headed passengers whipped out their mobile phones in attempt to use the lights emitted to aid their vision. However, many passengers could not contain their fear and started screaming for help. To make matters worse, the air-conditioning units in the train stopped working too. This caused a lack of ventilation in the train. It soon became stuffy and unbearable in the train.
Minutes later, some people started having difficulty breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. At this point, some passengers took control of the situation by contacting the relevant authorities using their mobile phones.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man beside me had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Some took out medicated oil in attempt to revive the poor man. Thankfully, the train started moving. I was utterly moved when I witnessed these kind passengers carrying the old man out of the train at the next MRT station. Without the assistance of these kind souls, the old man might have suffered permanent health damage. The once indifferent fellow Singaporeans had responded in times of crisis and I was really impressed.
Having gone through this traumatic incident, I would shudder at the mere thought of taking a MRT train. However, this ordeal has also changed my once negative impression of Singaporeans to a good one. As the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining." How true!
There is a proverb featured in the introduction of version B. This is better as it captures readers' attention. Readers will be curious to know the author's learning point after his experience.
In addition, the descriptive words and phrases used in the build-up and climax of story in version B provide readers with a more vivid view of the event.
Furthermore, the emotional aspect of the author is further explored in version B. The author reiterates the proverb used at the beginning of the story in the conclusion. This will reinforce the linkage between the introduction and conclusion of the story.
There's no homework today. Boys who have not given me the Companion Booklet 7, please submit the booklets before you adjourn for the learning journey tomorrow. Please also read the class library books that I've given you and return them to me during morning assembly next Tuesday.
Here's the comparison of the two stories i.e. version A and version B
Version A
It was a dark and gloomy day. I had to take a MRT train ride to work and everything seemed normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I wrong!
Out of the blue, I felt a sudden jerk. The train came to an abrupt halt and it was pitch black everywhere. Passengers started panicking and there was a lack of ventilation in the train.
Minutes later, some passengers experienced difficulty in breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. Some passengers whipped out their handphones to contact the relevant authorities.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Thankfully, the train started moving and these kind souls helped to carry the old man out of the train at the next MRT station.
This incident proved to be traumatic to me, causing me to develop a phobia of taking MRT trains.
Version B
Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree that every bad situation has some good aspects to it. My firm belief in this saying is reinforced because of a memorable incident that I was caught in last week. This event had left a permanent imprint in my mind and caused me to change my outlook towards life ... ...
It was a dark and gloomy day. As usual, I had to take a MRT train ride to work. Everything seemed so normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
Out of the blue,I felt a sudden jerk as the train came to an abrupt halt. The lights in the train began to flicker. The situation I was caught in reminded me of a scene only seen in a horror movie. True enough, the lights went out. It became pitch black everywhere. At this instance, some passengers started panicking. The cool-headed passengers whipped out their mobile phones in attempt to use the lights emitted to aid their vision. However, many passengers could not contain their fear and started screaming for help. To make matters worse, the air-conditioning units in the train stopped working too. This caused a lack of ventilation in the train. It soon became stuffy and unbearable in the train.
Minutes later, some people started having difficulty breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. At this point, some passengers took control of the situation by contacting the relevant authorities using their mobile phones.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man beside me had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Some took out medicated oil in attempt to revive the poor man. Thankfully, the train started moving. I was utterly moved when I witnessed these kind passengers carrying the old man out of the train at the next MRT station. Without the assistance of these kind souls, the old man might have suffered permanent health damage. The once indifferent fellow Singaporeans had responded in times of crisis and I was really impressed.
Having gone through this traumatic incident, I would shudder at the mere thought of taking a MRT train. However, this ordeal has also changed my once negative impression of Singaporeans to a good one. As the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining." How true!
There is a proverb featured in the introduction of version B. This is better as it captures readers' attention. Readers will be curious to know the author's learning point after his experience.
In addition, the descriptive words and phrases used in the build-up and climax of story in version B provide readers with a more vivid view of the event.
Furthermore, the emotional aspect of the author is further explored in version B. The author reiterates the proverb used at the beginning of the story in the conclusion. This will reinforce the linkage between the introduction and conclusion of the story.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
English lesson on Monday 9 July
Dear all,
I've gone through an improved piece of writing from writing practice 7 with our boys during English lesson today. This is to allow our boys to understand the importance of various sections in a composition and to motivate our boys to take pride in their writing.
Please read through the improved piece of writing below and complete homework assignment 1 by yourself.
An improved piece of writing
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You’ll never know what you’re going to get.” – Tom Hanks Forest Gump.
How true! I applaud these words of wisdom spoken by the character Forest Gump. Life is unlike a bed of roses and is somewhat unpredictable. The unforeseen circumstance that I was caught in last Wednesday clearly reflects this quote. Somehow, I got a bite of the bitter chocolate on that day. It all happened like this ……
Humming jauntily, I strolled to the MRT station to take the train to Bishan in the morning. It was like a routine for me as I was used to travelling to school on my own. As the inky black night turned into a pinky flush of weather in the morning, I thought to myself this brand new day would be a good one. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
As the train was about to arrive at Bishan, something unbelievable happened.
“Screech!” I was literally thrown forward when the MRT train came to an abrupt halt. Subsequently, the lights began to flicker and then … …
Darkness and absolute stillness.
As the train was still in the tunnel, everything seemed to grow darker and quieter. Eerie silence filled the air momentarily as passengers threw bewildered looks at one another.
It was pitch black all around and I could hear the faint breathing of the old man standing next to me. It seemed to me that he was having terrible time breathing. What should I do? I had never experienced such a situation before. It was only minutes ago when everyone on board the train could be seen either sleeping or playing on their mobile phones. However at this moment, some of the passengers were seen frantically shouting for help. Who would have ever thought of that?
Chaos ensued in the train and terrific screams filled the air. I was simply overwhelmed by the scene in front of me. I became paralysed with fear and stood rooted to the ground. Just then, a male passenger stood up. He turned out to be the hero of the day. He proceeded towards the intercommunication system located at the side of the train door and calmly reported the dire situation to the train personnel.
The train personnel reassured the man that help was already on its way. True enough, an announcement was shortly broadcast to the passengers informing them about the cause of the malfunctioning lights and abrupt halt. Apparently, there had been a power failure and the backup generator was deployed to rectify this problem. Soon, lights came back on and the MRT train started moving again. Everyone cheered!
Having gone through this ordeal, I learnt it is crucial to remain calm, particularly in times of crisis. Although life is unpredictable, I can still prepare myself to face the trials and tribulations courageously.
Homework
1) Analyse the two stories Version A and Version B. List down the differences you see in terms of content and language. For instance, you can mention about the descriptive phrases used, word choice, appropriateness of paragraphs to the topic etc.
Version A
It was a dark and gloomy day. I had to take a MRT train ride to work and everything seemed normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I wrong!
Out of the blue, I felt a sudden jerk. The train came to an abrupt halt and it was pitch black everywhere. Passengers started panicking and there was a lack of ventilation in the train.
Minutes later, some passengers experienced difficulty in breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. Some passengers whipped out their handphones to contact the relevant authorities.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Thankfully, the train started moving and these kind souls helped to carry the old man out of the train at the next MRT station.
This incident proved to be traumatic to me, causing me to develop a phobia of taking MRT trains.
Version B
Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree that every bad situation has some good aspects to it. My firm belief in this saying is reinforced because of a memorable incident that I was caught in last week. This event had left a permanent imprint in my mind and caused me to change my outlook towards life ... ...
It was a dark and gloomy day. As usual, I had to take a MRT train ride to work. Everything seemed so normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
Out of the blue,I felt a sudden jerk as the train came to an abrupt halt. The lights in the train began to flicker. The situation I was caught in reminded me of a scene only seen in a horror movie. True enough, the lights went out. It became pitch black everywhere. At this instance, some passengers started panicking. The cool-headed passengers whipped out their mobile phones in attempt to use the lights emitted to aid their vision. However, many passengers could not contain their fear and started screaming for help. To make matters worse, the air-conditioning units in the train stopped working too. This caused a lack of ventilation in the train. It soon became stuffy and unbearable in the train.
Minutes later, some people started having difficulty breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. At this point, some passengers took control of the situation by contacting the relevant authorities using their mobile phones.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man beside me had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Some took out medicated oil in attempt to revive the poor man. Thankfully, the train started moving. I was utterly moved when I witnessed these kind passengers carrying the old man out of the train at the next MRT station. Without the assistance of these kind souls, the old man might have suffered permanent health damage. The once indifferent fellow Singaporeans had responded in times of crisis and I was really impressed.
Having gone through this traumatic incident, I would shudder at the mere thought of taking a MRT train. However, this ordeal has also changed my once negative impression of Singaporeans to a good one. As the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining." How true!
2) Browse through the links below. Identify useful keywords, phrases that can be incorporated into a composition on the topic of MRT Breakdown. You should have a minimum of 10 keywords / phrases. Email the useful words or phrases to mrsteresaho@gmail.com before 10 p.m. tonight. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/train-service-on-circle-line-disrupted-from-one-north-to-bishan.html http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1211602/1/.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYHZe-cOgOA&feature=related
3) Come up with other composition topics related to the topics you have done in writing practice 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 i.e. Accident at home whereby someone was scalded, Witnessing a fire outbreak in a building, a burglary, an accident at the void deck whereby an old man was hit by a soccer ball and an accident at the bus stop whereby old man was injured.
I've gone through an improved piece of writing from writing practice 7 with our boys during English lesson today. This is to allow our boys to understand the importance of various sections in a composition and to motivate our boys to take pride in their writing.
Please read through the improved piece of writing below and complete homework assignment 1 by yourself.
An improved piece of writing
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You’ll never know what you’re going to get.” – Tom Hanks Forest Gump.
How true! I applaud these words of wisdom spoken by the character Forest Gump. Life is unlike a bed of roses and is somewhat unpredictable. The unforeseen circumstance that I was caught in last Wednesday clearly reflects this quote. Somehow, I got a bite of the bitter chocolate on that day. It all happened like this ……
Humming jauntily, I strolled to the MRT station to take the train to Bishan in the morning. It was like a routine for me as I was used to travelling to school on my own. As the inky black night turned into a pinky flush of weather in the morning, I thought to myself this brand new day would be a good one. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
As the train was about to arrive at Bishan, something unbelievable happened.
“Screech!” I was literally thrown forward when the MRT train came to an abrupt halt. Subsequently, the lights began to flicker and then … …
Darkness and absolute stillness.
As the train was still in the tunnel, everything seemed to grow darker and quieter. Eerie silence filled the air momentarily as passengers threw bewildered looks at one another.
It was pitch black all around and I could hear the faint breathing of the old man standing next to me. It seemed to me that he was having terrible time breathing. What should I do? I had never experienced such a situation before. It was only minutes ago when everyone on board the train could be seen either sleeping or playing on their mobile phones. However at this moment, some of the passengers were seen frantically shouting for help. Who would have ever thought of that?
Chaos ensued in the train and terrific screams filled the air. I was simply overwhelmed by the scene in front of me. I became paralysed with fear and stood rooted to the ground. Just then, a male passenger stood up. He turned out to be the hero of the day. He proceeded towards the intercommunication system located at the side of the train door and calmly reported the dire situation to the train personnel.
The train personnel reassured the man that help was already on its way. True enough, an announcement was shortly broadcast to the passengers informing them about the cause of the malfunctioning lights and abrupt halt. Apparently, there had been a power failure and the backup generator was deployed to rectify this problem. Soon, lights came back on and the MRT train started moving again. Everyone cheered!
Having gone through this ordeal, I learnt it is crucial to remain calm, particularly in times of crisis. Although life is unpredictable, I can still prepare myself to face the trials and tribulations courageously.
Homework
1) Analyse the two stories Version A and Version B. List down the differences you see in terms of content and language. For instance, you can mention about the descriptive phrases used, word choice, appropriateness of paragraphs to the topic etc.
Version A
It was a dark and gloomy day. I had to take a MRT train ride to work and everything seemed normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I wrong!
Out of the blue, I felt a sudden jerk. The train came to an abrupt halt and it was pitch black everywhere. Passengers started panicking and there was a lack of ventilation in the train.
Minutes later, some passengers experienced difficulty in breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. Some passengers whipped out their handphones to contact the relevant authorities.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Thankfully, the train started moving and these kind souls helped to carry the old man out of the train at the next MRT station.
This incident proved to be traumatic to me, causing me to develop a phobia of taking MRT trains.
Version B
Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree that every bad situation has some good aspects to it. My firm belief in this saying is reinforced because of a memorable incident that I was caught in last week. This event had left a permanent imprint in my mind and caused me to change my outlook towards life ... ...
It was a dark and gloomy day. As usual, I had to take a MRT train ride to work. Everything seemed so normal. I thought it would be another uneventful day. Boy was I in for a rude shock!
Out of the blue,I felt a sudden jerk as the train came to an abrupt halt. The lights in the train began to flicker. The situation I was caught in reminded me of a scene only seen in a horror movie. True enough, the lights went out. It became pitch black everywhere. At this instance, some passengers started panicking. The cool-headed passengers whipped out their mobile phones in attempt to use the lights emitted to aid their vision. However, many passengers could not contain their fear and started screaming for help. To make matters worse, the air-conditioning units in the train stopped working too. This caused a lack of ventilation in the train. It soon became stuffy and unbearable in the train.
Minutes later, some people started having difficulty breathing. There was an old man sitting beside me who started wheezing. At this point, some passengers took control of the situation by contacting the relevant authorities using their mobile phones.
Soon, the lights in the train came back on. It was that moment that I realised the old man beside me had actually passed out. Many kind Samaritans came over to help the old man. Some took out medicated oil in attempt to revive the poor man. Thankfully, the train started moving. I was utterly moved when I witnessed these kind passengers carrying the old man out of the train at the next MRT station. Without the assistance of these kind souls, the old man might have suffered permanent health damage. The once indifferent fellow Singaporeans had responded in times of crisis and I was really impressed.
Having gone through this traumatic incident, I would shudder at the mere thought of taking a MRT train. However, this ordeal has also changed my once negative impression of Singaporeans to a good one. As the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining." How true!
2) Browse through the links below. Identify useful keywords, phrases that can be incorporated into a composition on the topic of MRT Breakdown. You should have a minimum of 10 keywords / phrases. Email the useful words or phrases to mrsteresaho@gmail.com before 10 p.m. tonight. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/train-service-on-circle-line-disrupted-from-one-north-to-bishan.html http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1211602/1/.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYHZe-cOgOA&feature=related
3) Come up with other composition topics related to the topics you have done in writing practice 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 i.e. Accident at home whereby someone was scalded, Witnessing a fire outbreak in a building, a burglary, an accident at the void deck whereby an old man was hit by a soccer ball and an accident at the bus stop whereby old man was injured.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
English lesson on Thursday 5 July
Dear all,
I've gone through with our boys how to write an introduction using a quote or a proverb. Basically, our boys were tasked to do a think-pair-share activity i.e. share with their partners the quotes and proverbs they have found to be suitable in the writing practice 7 and select a most suitable quote / proverb to be featured in the introduction. I've selected a few of our boys' work to be shown below. You may wish to print the various story beginnings and bring it to class tomorrow.
As I have to attend a cluster sharing seminar conducted in another school, I will not be in school tomorrow. However, I have instructed Miss Adeline Loh to ensure that our boys complete writing practice 7 during English lesson tomorrow. Our class captain will be collecting the assignment at the end of the lesson and I'll collect the scripts from my desk after the seminar.
Our boys will not be allowed to complete their assignments at home as it is good to expose them to write a composition within the given time frame i.e. 50 min. Hopefully, this will help train our boys to be better in terms of time management.
I've also included some helping words and phrases that can be used in writing practice 7. These are all contributed by our boys in 4 Patience
Spelling on unit 7 and dictation passage for Term 3 Week 1 will be conducted next Monday. Next week onwards,I'll be conducting spelling and dictation test every Monday. In addition, Library period has been scheduled every Wednesday 1145am - 1215pm.
Have a good weekend too!
God bless, Teresa
Useful quotes and proverbs
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail - Benjamin Franklin
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes - Oscar Wilde
Every path has its puddle
A problem shared is a problem halved.
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much - Helen Keller
Useful phrases and words
evacuated
shattered glass
like a bat out of hell
contacted
out of the blue
heaved a sign of relief
froze in terror
wailing
hysterical cries
Sprinted like a cheetah
whipped out a mobile phone
chaos ensued in the train
Sample introduction 1 "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get until you bite into it." - Tom Hanks Forest Gump
How true! I applaud these words of wisdom spoken by the character Forest Gump. Life is somewhat unpredictable. The unforeseen circumstance that I was caught in last Wednesday clearly reflects this ... ...
Sample introduction 2 Every man for himself. While many may agree with this statement, I would beg to differ. Why? I could still remember the life changing incident that occurred just a few days ago ... ...
Sample introduction 3 Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree with this saying. Something unfortunate happened to me last Wednesday. Although it was seemingly tramatic, this experience has caused me to change my once negative outlook of life to a positive one. This was what happened ... ...
I've gone through with our boys how to write an introduction using a quote or a proverb. Basically, our boys were tasked to do a think-pair-share activity i.e. share with their partners the quotes and proverbs they have found to be suitable in the writing practice 7 and select a most suitable quote / proverb to be featured in the introduction. I've selected a few of our boys' work to be shown below. You may wish to print the various story beginnings and bring it to class tomorrow.
As I have to attend a cluster sharing seminar conducted in another school, I will not be in school tomorrow. However, I have instructed Miss Adeline Loh to ensure that our boys complete writing practice 7 during English lesson tomorrow. Our class captain will be collecting the assignment at the end of the lesson and I'll collect the scripts from my desk after the seminar.
Our boys will not be allowed to complete their assignments at home as it is good to expose them to write a composition within the given time frame i.e. 50 min. Hopefully, this will help train our boys to be better in terms of time management.
I've also included some helping words and phrases that can be used in writing practice 7. These are all contributed by our boys in 4 Patience
Spelling on unit 7 and dictation passage for Term 3 Week 1 will be conducted next Monday. Next week onwards,I'll be conducting spelling and dictation test every Monday. In addition, Library period has been scheduled every Wednesday 1145am - 1215pm.
Have a good weekend too!
God bless, Teresa
Useful quotes and proverbs
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail - Benjamin Franklin
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes - Oscar Wilde
Every path has its puddle
A problem shared is a problem halved.
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much - Helen Keller
Useful phrases and words
evacuated
shattered glass
like a bat out of hell
contacted
out of the blue
heaved a sign of relief
froze in terror
wailing
hysterical cries
Sprinted like a cheetah
whipped out a mobile phone
chaos ensued in the train
Sample introduction 1 "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get until you bite into it." - Tom Hanks Forest Gump
How true! I applaud these words of wisdom spoken by the character Forest Gump. Life is somewhat unpredictable. The unforeseen circumstance that I was caught in last Wednesday clearly reflects this ... ...
Sample introduction 2 Every man for himself. While many may agree with this statement, I would beg to differ. Why? I could still remember the life changing incident that occurred just a few days ago ... ...
Sample introduction 3 Every cloud has a silver lining. I totally agree with this saying. Something unfortunate happened to me last Wednesday. Although it was seemingly tramatic, this experience has caused me to change my once negative outlook of life to a positive one. This was what happened ... ...
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
English Lesson on Wednesday 4 July
Dear all,
I've gone through the first page of visible thinking worksheet 7 with the class. In addition, I've provided the boys with a piece of sample writing. Please note that I'll be doing focus writing with our boys for Writing Practice 7. This means that I'll mainly work on exposing our boys to the various ways of writing an introduction.
For starters, the sample writing of the introduction I've written in class showcases the technique of highlighting the climax in the story at the beginning of the story i.e. black out in the MRT Train.
As for homework,
1) Please complete visible thinking worksheet 7.
2) Go through the following websites to find 5 suitable quotes or proverbs to use in the introduction of your story.
http://www.learn-english-today.com/proverbs/proverbs.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/
I've provided 2 sample writings depicting the use of a quote and a proverb in the introduction.
Sample introduction 1:
"The only mistake in life is the lesson not learned"-Albert Einstein Bravo! I totally agree with this quote. Amongst all his quotes,without any dispute, this is my favourite. Want to know why? Well ... ...
Sample introduction 2:
Every cloud has a silver lining. Whilst some may say it is true,I beg to differ. The truth is, I have been through an absolutely tramatic event, one that has somewhat changed my perspective towards life ... ...
I've gone through the first page of visible thinking worksheet 7 with the class. In addition, I've provided the boys with a piece of sample writing. Please note that I'll be doing focus writing with our boys for Writing Practice 7. This means that I'll mainly work on exposing our boys to the various ways of writing an introduction.
For starters, the sample writing of the introduction I've written in class showcases the technique of highlighting the climax in the story at the beginning of the story i.e. black out in the MRT Train.
As for homework,
1) Please complete visible thinking worksheet 7.
2) Go through the following websites to find 5 suitable quotes or proverbs to use in the introduction of your story.
http://www.learn-english-today.com/proverbs/proverbs.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/
I've provided 2 sample writings depicting the use of a quote and a proverb in the introduction.
Sample introduction 1:
"The only mistake in life is the lesson not learned"-Albert Einstein Bravo! I totally agree with this quote. Amongst all his quotes,without any dispute, this is my favourite. Want to know why? Well ... ...
Sample introduction 2:
Every cloud has a silver lining. Whilst some may say it is true,I beg to differ. The truth is, I have been through an absolutely tramatic event, one that has somewhat changed my perspective towards life ... ...
Monday, July 2, 2012
Welcome all to our official opening of "4 Patience 2012"
Greetings to all parents and boys in 4 Patience 2012. Please be reminded to check this blog daily for the following:
1) Homework to be completed
2) "Akan Datang" happenings in class
3) Innovative work featured in class
In order to make this blog a platform for effective communication,please ensure that proper IT ettiquete is observed.
Cheers to Semester 2, may it be a blast for all!
God bless, Mrs Teresa Maria Ho
1) Homework to be completed
2) "Akan Datang" happenings in class
3) Innovative work featured in class
In order to make this blog a platform for effective communication,please ensure that proper IT ettiquete is observed.
Cheers to Semester 2, may it be a blast for all!
God bless, Mrs Teresa Maria Ho
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