Curiosity, Confidence & Co-operation (NHSB WAY)

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Weddings in Social Studies

Hi class, we have discussed about the various types of weddings. Conduct some mini research on the web and enlighten all of us on some unique weddings that you have found out about.

Post your comments here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

SINGAPORE - Little India



And here's a sneek peek to next week's lesson....any similarity to the sights and sounds of the other videos....post your thoughts...

Kampung Glam



This was somewhere you went last year as part of your Heritage tour ....remember.
Here's a refresher....remember the sights and sounds of this place?

Chinatown Singapore 1955



A follow - up to our SS lesson on Chinatown.....any comments?

Our Next Unit - Statues

Hey boys and girls,


We have started our new story...Statues.
Did you enjoy the story?
Have you played Statue games at a party?




Before reading the story, we were predicting that this book could be on some famous statue.
I can see your interest in it...let me expose you to some interesting statues around the world.
Click on the links below and read all about it.

Unusual Statues


Amazing Statues


Enjoy....

What is this?




Hi 4A,


Do you know what this is?


Post your answer.....



Clue? Nope....sorry!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Ancient Rome's Sports!.mov

Stellar Unit - Sports Day

Hi 4A,

Let us learn more about Sports Day in various countries.
Click on the links below...

India , Indonesia , Thailand , China

Sporting events in...............Greece & Egypt

So now a small task for you....

Post your comments on .....

1) The most interesting sporting event that has interested you.
2) Support your answer with a reason.

Do not forget to write your name!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Some similes have different nouns but can mean the same

As agile as a monkey
As beautiful as nature
As big as a bus
As big as an elephant
As black as coal
As blind as a bat
As blind as a mole
As bold as brass
As brave as a lion
As bright as a button
As bright as a new pin
As bright as the sun
As brown as a berry
As busy as a beaver
As busy as a bee
As calm as a millpond

As calm as a cat
As clear as a bell
As clean as a whistle
As clear as crystal
As clear as mud

As cold as ice
As common as dirt
As cool as a cucumber
As crazy as a loon
As cunning as a fox
As cute as a baby
As cute as a cup cake
As damp as the sponge
As deaf as a post
As delicate as a flower
As dry as a bone
As dry as dust
As dull as dishwater
As easy as ABC
As easy as pie
As fast as a race car
As fat as a hippo
As fat as a pig
As fit as a fiddle
As flat as a pancake
As free as a bird
As fresh as a daisy
As funny as a balloon
As gentle as a lamb
As good as gold
As hairy as an ape
As happy as a clown
As happy as a lark
As hard as nails
As hard as rock
As high as a kite
As hoarse as a crow
As hot as a fire cracker
As hot as hell
As hungry as a bear
As hungry as a wolf
As innocent as a lamb
As light as a feather
As light as air
As loud as a lion
As merry as a cricket
As naked as a baby
As neat as a pin
As nutty as a fruitcake
As obstinate as a mule
As old as the hills
As pale as a ghost
As poor as a church mouse
As poor as dirt
As pretty as a picture
As proud as a peacock
As pure as snow
As quick as a wink
As quick as lightning
As quick as silver
As quiet as a mouse
As rich as gold
As right as rain
As round as a barrel
As round as a circle
As round as a sphere
As sensitive as a flower
As sharp as a needle
As sick as a dog
As silent as the dead
As silent as the grave
As silly as a goose
As sleepy as a koala
As slippery as an eel
As slow as a snail
As slow as a tortoise
As slow as a turtle
As sly as a fox
As smart as an owl
As smooth as silk
As solid as a rock
As sound as a bell
As sour as vinegar
As steady as a rock
As sticky as jam
As stiff as a board
As still as death
As straight as an arrow
As strong as an ox
As stubborn as a mule
As sturdy as an oak
As sweet as honey
As tall as a giraffe
As tight as a drum
As thick as a brick
As thin as a toothpick
As timid as a rabbit
As tiny as a grain of sand
As tough as leather
As tough as nails
As white as a ghost
As white as a sheet
As white as snow
As wise as Solomon
As wise as an owl

History Of Singapore Part 3 Discovery Channel

Com Lab Activity for today

Hi boys and girls,
We have 2 activities to be completed.

SS Activity
You are to search for 2 early settlers and record down their contributions.

EL Activity
Similes - Look out for the maenings of a few similes and then construct a semtence.

Here are some Websites for you...

What is a simile

List of similes & meanings

Simile Games - You can find 3 games when you open this link

ENJOY....

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

History Of Singapore Part 1 Discovery Channel

Early Settlers - Social Studies

Dear 4A, For today's lesson, lets us focus on some information on early settlers. Click this link to find out more about who our pioneers are and the contributions they have made to Singapore's growth. Let's recall information on Raffles and his associate Farquar Post your thoughts on the following questions.... 1) Name one early settler you have read about. 2) Why do you think his/her contribution is very important to Singapore.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

NASTY ACCIDENTS

4A, Our next Stellar unit is on the above theme. This is a serious topic. Yesterday we viewed a safety video for children. We were introduced to a lot of words and phrases related to accidents and road safety in the road. You have just watched a short video clip on a terrible accident involving a car and school bus. How did you feel? Look at the damage caused....what do you think has happened to the victims in the car and the passengers in the bus? Post your thoughts here. I would want to show you some images of accidents on the road and the injuries of victims. Some of you may not like what you see. You may not wish to see it. For those of you who see the pictures, I hope you understand the pain and the despair the victims go through. None of us would want to be in their shoes...

Raw Video: Car Hits School Bus Head-On

Monday, March 28, 2011

We made Cocoa Ice-Cream Milk Float Today




Dear 4A, I hope you enjoyed this activity today!

This is in line with our Stellar Unit - Making Ice-cream.

Well, we came up with our own variation to this!

Our creation : Cocoa Ice-Cream Milk Float..

Ingredients : -

- One Quarter Cup of GreenField's Full Cream Milk (halal)

- 1 packet sugar

- 1 tablespoon of Carrefour 7 Vitamins Kids Cocoa Powder

- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Ice-Cream

- 1 teaspoon Rainbow Rice

Equipment :-

- 1 plastic cup

- 1 plastic spoon

Recipe : -

1) First pour in a quarter cup of milk into the plastic cup.

2) Then add in the cocoa powder and sugar. Stir well.

3) Next, scoop a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream and put it into the mixture.

4) Sprinkle rainbow rice on the top.

5) Mix and enjoy the cocoa ice-cream float.


In all our excitement, it slipped my mind to capture our fun moments. Luckily for us,Mr Tay walked past us and took a few shots with his handphone. Thank you, Mr Tay!

I really hope you enjoyed it! Post some thoughts here. Thank you 4A for being patient and well-behaved.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Today's Composition Lesson


Dear 4A,


Each group will be given a piece of writing...yes the composition is on a snatch theft!

Look at the given piece of writing....can you make it better?
Refer to our notes in your composition file and make the content juicier...


The best 3 groups will get their stories published!!!!


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Singapore - Crossroads of the East 1938

SS Lesson - 23 March (Early Immigrants)

Hi 4A,

Let us view this simple video on who our early immigrants are...

We will have a discussion after this viewing...

Enjoy....

Monday, March 21, 2011

How To Make Ice Cream In 5 Minutes Recipe (Ice Cream)

How To Make Ice Cream In 5 Minutes Recipe (Ice Cream)

Unit 4 - Making Ice-Cream

Dear 4A,

We are starting on our new Stellar book. This is a procedural text.
Lets us look at this example of a simple text....how is this similar/different to the text you have read?

Chocolate Almond Ice Cream
4 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 C. sugar
2 C. half and half
1 1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. cocoa powder sifted
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
3/4 C. toasted almonds

Add sugar to the beaten egg yolks and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Scald the milk.

Slowly add 1 C. of the milk to the eggs mixture to temper the eggs.

Add the egg mixture back to the milk mixture.

Stir in cocoa, heat just to steaming. Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

Pour into freezer container. Chill for 4 hours.

Add toasted almonds and serve.

Welcome back - Term 2

Hi 4A,

Welcome back. Thank you for completing the online assignments in the MC Online portal.
Hope you had a good break.
This term we will cover 3 new Stellar bks.
I'll show you our plans for Term 2 later in class.

Some important exam details....

Week 7 - Oral - 15%/ Listening Comprehension - 15% / Composition - 20%

Week 8 - Language Paper 2 - 50%


Now for something light-hearted....I watched the movie, 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules'. Not too bad...should be interesting to those of you who have older siblings.....you will learn to love and appreciate your older sibling even more...

All the best to all of you!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Online Newspapers

Dear 4A,

For the Library Activity today, visit these online newspapers in Singapore....

1) Straits Times

2) Today

3) Channelnewsasia




Enjoy....

March Holidays

Dear Parents & Pupils of 4A,

This is to inform you that there will be no remedial/supplementary classes conducted over the March Holidays. The teachers feel that the pupils need a break.

As such I will assign the pupils some online assignements via our new portal.

Website of portal : mconline.sg
Login ID : Pupil's BC No (e.g. T01_ _ _ _ _ B)
School ID : edp
Password : 1252edp

Look out for the Announcement & Assignment columns for online tasks.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Encyclopedia - Reference materials

Hi 4A,

Last week we had an interesting library activity on Dictionary. I'm glad we had fun.
This week our focus for library is on ENCYCLOPEDIA...

Here are some images....











Fortunately in this 21st century, even these reference books are found online. We did some surfing today and found out about the various sets of encyclopedia available in the net.






Word Juxapose Puzzles













Can you post your answers here? Happy Solving!


Alternative Assessment - EL CA1

Dear 4A,

We have completed all the various components (E-Book), (Oral) & 2 topical quizzes as part of the CA1 this term.

I should say there were many great e-books published. I have given full marks to some of you. Likewise, your pral presentations were just fabulous. A few have scored full marks too.

I have shown you the breakdown of your marks and the grand total. It will be reflected in the CA card that you will receive tomorrow.

Congratulations to LI TONG, who has scored the highest for English - 93marks.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Oral Presentation Schedule

Dear 4A,

Here is the roster for the Oral Presentation as per your request.
You will be given a minimum of 2 mins and a maximum of 3 mins to do your presentation.
You will be assessed on Content (6 marks) and Expression (4 marks).
Total 10 marks.
Do your BEST! I hope to record your performance...

Friday 25 Feb
- Sum Yin
- Ron Goh
- Mabel
- Kelvin
- Ernest
- Veronica
- Andrew
- Jun Quan
- Malcolm
- Kong Min

Thursday 3 March
- Toh Hong
- Wilfred
- Salim
- Ying Ming
- Jeron
- Donavan
- Chenwei
- Huixin
- Leon
- Stanic
- Nicole
- Dian
- Joshua

Friday 4 March
- Yuhan
- Keene
- Hui Ru
- Jiaxuan
- Jessie
- Jocelyn
- Izaac
- Durratun
- Siti
- Jerlin
- Agnes
- Jun Hong
- Brayn Goh
- Yi Xuan
- Keiji

- Li Tong

Topical Test 2

Congratulations to Jessie & Stanic for attaining the highest scores - 29/30.
Many of you scored 28 as well....keep it up.

I'm especially happy for Wilfred, Jun Quan & Leon who have scored 24.5/30, 22.5/30 & 20.5/30. Continue putting in more efforyt. You guys can do it!!!

Remember these scores are tabulated into your CA1/2011.

Friday, February 18, 2011

CA1 2011 - English Alt Asst - Oral Presentation

Hi 4A,

You have received a letter stating the topics for the Oral Presentation.
A range of topics have been given to you. You may decide to present your presentation (minimum 2 mins) using PowerPoint, photographs, pictures or with an object itself.

The topics are : -

1. My Good Neighbour
2. My Hobby
3. My Favourite Television Show
4. My Pet / A Pet I would like to have
5. My Best Trip - Overseas/Local/Learning Journeys
6. My Favourite Cartoon Character
7. My Most Memorable Rainbow Day
8. What I like about School
9. My Favourite Book/Author/Character in a book
10. My Best Friend & I

I have informed you that I'll give you a week to prepare and I will assess you in Week 9.
Some of you have given me feedback confidently that you can present next week itself (Week 8).
I admire your zest and confidence.

Next Monday, I will ask all of you again. Those who prefer to do it next week, will book a slot on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday.

The rest who are comfortable with presenting in Week 9 will go through with this oral test in Week 9 itself. We will roster you out next week.

CA1 2011 - English Alt Asst - Koobits Writing Project

Thank you for completing all the 3 diary entries in your journals, 4A!
You have been given the opportunity to complete these entries at your own pace.
I am quite happy with the articles now as most of you have finally completed your 2nd and some even the 3rd drafts.
Yesterday, we went to the computer lab to key in your text.
Next Monday, Ms Ilyna would go through the steps in adding animations to your graphics to support the text.
I have also booked the lab for next Thursday.
Yes, you can type your text at home as well.
All the best for your end product....

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Your Diary

Dear 4A,

You have started to write on the first 2 entries on CNY celebrations & CCA . I have vetted your work and have given on suggestions to improve your writing.

Today's task : Write your 3rd entry (TDD cum 1st Rainbow day at EDP) in your Journal.

Tomorrow's task : We will go to the computer lab. Instead of typing your text in Koobits directly, I would like to suggest that you type in Microsoft word. MS Word will auto correct your spelling errors (in red) and grammar errors (in green). Once you are done, you can copy the text into Koobits.

So focus only on your text tomorrow.

We will visit the lab again next Mon to add in the pictures/graphics or animation for your Diary!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Mabel's Composition

"Oh my!" I gasped. I looked at the newspaper. It read, "DOG killed in car accident". I stared at the words. MY Dog had a near death experience recently too.
"Muuum...! I'm going to take Nali for a walk!", I called out to my mother. I put a leash around my loyal dog, Nali. We went for our daily walk. When we were walking along a pavement, we could see three boys playing football on the other side of the road. I continued walking with Nali as I heard a familiar sound.. "Buoiinng". I turned around and gasped at the boys. Their ball was bobbing towards the road! Deep in awe, I released my clutch off the leash as my hands covered my mouth.
Nali thought one of the boys was playing with her and raced towards the ball on the road. A car sped towards Nali."Nali....move!", I shouted. My mind began to race. The driver of the car saw Nali with his mouth agape in horror. I was frightened out of my wits as terror gripped me. The driver tried to avoid hitting Nali and applied his brakes with all his might. I watched helplessly. My heart was still pounding uncontrollably.
Luckily, Nali looked up in time and dashed away and sprinted back to me. My clammy palms grabbed her instantaneously. I tagged the leash on her collar again. The driver felt relieved that all was alright. One of the boys, who was already red-faced felt guilty and apologised to me. I accepted his apology and returned home. I informed my mother of the incident.
"Woof woof". My thoughts were disrupted by Nali's barks. Nali's fur brushed against my legs. I hugged her. "I'm glad you are safe", I whispered into her ears.

Siti's Essay

'Can I bring Jacky to the park?' I suggested to Mum. 'Alright!' Mum replied zealously. 'Please take care of yourself,' Mum warned me. 'Sure, Mum', I replied lazily.

The weekends are undoubtedly my favourite time of the week. This is because I get to bring Jacky, my favourite pet dog, for a walk at the nearby park. Jacky is a friendly and loyal dog. It was a beautiful day and I was certain we were going to have a wonderful time together. As we strolled along the pavement, we saw a group of boys on the opposite side of the road playing volleyball. Jacky loved catching balls. He stood watching the boys with his leash on.

The ball accidentally landed on the road instead. Jacky rushed forward to retrieve the ball. At that same moment, there was a car approaching speedily on the road. The driver screeched to a halt so as to avoid hitting Jacky. But it was too late. The poor dog was lying unconsciously on the ground. He landed in a crumpled heap. I looked at my pathetic Jacky with tears streaming down my cheeks. I rushed to Jacky's side and cradled him in my arms. I assured him that all would be fine. He whined in pain. By then a crowd had congregated.

Without furthur delay, the driver rushed Jacky to the nearby vet. The vet reported that Jacky had superficial injuries. Feeling apologetic, the driver paid for Jacky's medical bill. I promised myself that I would take good care of my beloved pet and be more cautious in the future. It was a great relief that nothing serious happened to Jacky.

Monday, February 14, 2011

P4 English CA1 - Koobits Writing Project

Dear 4A,

Your task for the above-mentioned activity will be a Diary Entry. You are given 3 compulsory entry dates. They are : -

- Chinese New Year Celebrations in school (2nd Feb 2011)
- Your CCA ( Any date in Jan/Feb 2011 ) - Tues / Fri
- Total Defence Day cum Rainbow Day (15 Feb 2011)

Your Koobits E-Diary will include the Cover
- Main Title : Mrs Fernandez’s Diary
- Sub-Title : Wonderful memories of 2011 (if you want - optional)

Style of Writing a Diary Entry
You should include a variety of different styles/words/expression to enhance your e-diary. Below are some guides. We have covered these aspects in Canoe Diary.

- Talking to your diary
- Hey dear diary…today I’m going to share…..
- Hey Buddy. Did you miss me. Well I’ve got an amazing information for you. There were no
lessons today. You know why? It’s CNY eve. Yippee!!!!
- Add in personal comments… I thought it was a fabulous performance….I wonder how hard
the lion dancers would have trained? It requires a lot of self-discipline you know…
- Today we commemorated TDD. What do you think it means diary? To me, TDD is all
about……….
- Add in phrases from your Composition List
- Imagery / Metaphors …linked to your senses – sight/hear/touch/smell/taste…Revist the 3
posts in January
- Hypenated words, Action/Sound Words

You have received your refresher lesson with Ms Lyana & Mrs Soh today.
Most of the featues have been covered.

I'm glad to say that all of you have completed your cover page and managed to save except 2 of you.

Your Task - Homework - Write the First Entry - CNY Celebrations

To all my lovely 4A pupils...


Thursday, February 10, 2011

Compo Task 2

4A,

You should....

- Use at least 3 phrases from your vocabulary lists. Please underline them.

- Use either ACTION / SOUND words, HYPENATED / CAPITAL letters or ONE- LINERS.
( Do NOT use all the three -- just 1 or 2 will be sufficient)

- Give interesting endings and conclusions

REMEMBER - THE FOCUS IS the usage of the words in BOLD...

Extension for Composition 2

Lets us see some examples on how we can incoporate these ideas into this week's composition

1) Sound or Action Words

- "Splash....Splash.....", the waves hit our feet. We were having a fun time standing at the seaside feeling the soothing waves at our petite little feet.

- "Wahhhhh", the girl wailed uncontrollably as she finished telling us why she was all alone at the beach.

- The little girl tried to hold back her tears. Sob...Sob...Sob...She continued this throughout her conversation.

- My father volunteered to bring the girl to the hospital. We got into our car and drove away. Zoom went my father's car.

2) Hypenated / Capital Letters

- BOOM! All the girl heard was this thunderous sound, she explained to us.

- "Are you all R-E-A-D-Y for this wonderful day at the beach?"

3) One liners

- I wrote my name on the sand.
The waves washed it away.
I wrote my dad's name.
The waves washed it away again.

- I stacked my first bucket of sand. My brother stacked the second. My dad put on the third...but CRASH..our sandcastle collapsed.

- Why was this little girl crying? Was she lost? Was she sick? Was she hurt?

- Who is she? What is she doing here alone? Why did she come to me?

Focus for Composition 2

Innovative additions to the body of a Composition

4A,
Try using these strategies ( maybe 1 or 2) in today's composition

1. Using sound or action words
Example : Screech…., Crash…., Plop!. Thud!, Ring…., Splash…, Shh…., Snap…, Splat

2. Using hyphenated or Capital Letters
Example : T-R-O-U-B-L-E , BANG!, OUCH!,WATCH OUT…, STOP!, BOOM, HELP….

3. Using One – Liners or repeated phrases

Examples : -
I looked for her behind the bush.
There was no trace of her.
I looked for her behind the pillar.
Yet there was no sign of her.
I looked for Jill behind the door.
There she was!

Something has gone wrong.
Something has gone terribly bad.
Something really worse has happened.

Jocelyn's Essay

"Screech....! BANG!". This sound was always present in Giselle's mind. Pain shot through her heart each time she hears this. " Jane...NO, don't do that..", she called out to her pet companion. Her dog was fine but Giselle will not be able to forget the unforgettable incident.
"Come on Jane. Let's hurry for our walk", Giselle called out. "Woof. Woof", replied Jane in agreement. "That's my girl". Giselle winked at Jane. While taking a walk, she saw her brother's friend, Timothy. He was playing ball with some boys across the street. She smiled and continued walking her pet.
"Get ready for my power shot", she overheard one of the boys yelling. He did kick the ball with much force that it went rolling acroos the road. "Woof", Jane barked and dashed towards it."No Janeeee!", Giselle screamed. "Beep!Beep!....Screech....BANG!" A series of the sounds of horns and crashing followed. Everyone's legs turned to stones. Some gasped in horror. Giselle's eyes widened with fear. Jane was motioness and bleeding profusely. Beads of perspiration rolled down Mr Loh's forehead. He was the driver who knocked Jane down. His mind was in whirl. He immediately dialled for assistance.
The ambulance arrived at the scene in the nick of time. Giselle waited edgily at the hospital. Jane had gone for an operation. The door flung open. Giselle was trembling with fear as she waited for the vet to say something. "Your dog is fine". Giselle was in high spirits. She burst with excitement when he said that she can see her pet. As she entered the ward, she heard Jane's bark. Her dog was back.

Malcolm's Compo

Whenever May sees the wound on her pet dog's leg, she will recall what happened on that miserable day.
Sunlight glinted off the windows of the vehicles on the road. The cloudless sky was lit up by the merciless rays of the mid-day sun. Mary and her pet dog Ben were walking along the sidewalk of a busy road. She had Ben on a leash and was humming a tune while they took a stroll. While walking, she saw a group of boys playing soccer.
Out of the blue, one of the boys kicked the ball too hard and it neared the road. The sight of the bouncing ball caught Bens' attention. Ben quickly dashed across the road and ran towards it. At the same time, there was an oncoming vehicle travelling at break-neck speed. "STOP DOGGIE!", one of the boys bellowed. The appraoching car screeched to a halt but it was too late. Ben was hit badly on the leg. He layed motionless on the road.Everyone was too dazed to utter a word. May's mouth was agape in horror at the sight of her beloved dog bleeding profusely.
May rushed to check on him. Tears trickled. The driver apologised to May. He volunteered to drive to the nearby vet. They rushed him there quickly. Ben needed a minor operation. He regained consciousness after his surgery. The vet assured May that Ben would recover soon. The scar on his leg never ceases to remind May of that unforgettable accident.

Darrutuan's Essay

Everyone left the pet cemetary. I shed my last tear for Jack. I knelt down and placed a carnation on his grave. Here lies my loyal friend, my pet dog, Jack. I stood there staring at the grave as I recalled that fateful day.
I was with Jack that day. "Here boy...." I whistled to Jack. My bold companion raced swiftly to me. I was jogging with Jack at the park. Jack loves the outdoors. We walked past some blocks and playground. I could hear some laughter coming from nearby. There was a group of children playing football cheerfully. "It's my turn," exclaimed a boy as he kicked the ball through the air. The ball raced across to the road. Jack saw this. Suddenly he dashed to retrieve the ball. At the same time, there was a car fast approaching. It all happened simultanously and it was too late. BANG! "Woof...", Jack let out a bark in pain. A desperate cry pierced through the air. I could not believe my eyes as I gasped in horror.
Tears rolled down my cheeks. I walked towards Jack. There was a pool of blood. The driver of the car was there. Shivers ran down his spine. I whipped out my phone and dialled '995'. The pet ambulance arrived and sent him for treatment. The doctor informed me that I would never see Jack again. Jack had died. Till this very day, I keep visiting my pet's grave to remember him.

Keene's Composition

The magnolia white clouds dotted the azure blue sky. The slight breeze rustled the leaves. Tom, Ken and Sam were playing football at a field near the road. Mary would always walk her dog in the afternoon around 4 p.m. She would hook a leash and bring Tim, her dog, out.
As the boys were having a great time, Sam accidentally kicked the ball too hard that it went 'flying' in the air. It caught Ken's attention and he decided to run out of the field to retrieve it.
Unfortunately, he failed to notice an oncoming vehicle. Tim thought Ken was playing 'Fetch' with him so he dashed to catch the ball. The leash slipped out of Mary's hand. Ken, from the opposite side of the road, instructed him to stop but obviously Time could not comprehend his instruction. The fast-racing car realised it was too late to stop and avoid Tim. The car crashed into Tim.
Tim dropped unconscious on the road. The driver rushed out to take a look. His legs went wobbly when he saw Tim lying in a pool of blood. Mary rushed forward with her eyes widened in fear. The other boys stood rooted to the ground.
Without furthur delay, Mary quickly punched in the emergency numbers. Within the twinkling of an eye, the ambulance appeared. The paramedics rushed the dog to the nearest veterinarian. By the time they reached there, Tim was not breathing. Mary's mind went blank and hapless tears streamed down her cheeks. Tim had passed away. The boys apologised repeatedly to her. It was no use. Mary continued to tear terribly on her way to the pet cemetary.

Monday, February 7, 2011

More Comprehension....

Today we will be reading story.


After reading the passage, you may move on to do the questions.




Have Fun!!

Let's do Compre Online....

Hi 4A,




Please read the short passage below and answer some questions.










Have a nice day:D

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Happy Lunar New Year 4A

Dear 4A,

Here's wishing you a Happy & Prosperous Lunar New Year!!
Enjoy your break, I'll see you on Monday.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Compare the 2 Sunflower Stories

4A,

We have completed Ruby's Sunflower. I had introduced another story....The Crow & the Sunflower.

In your opinion, how are the stories similar or different?

What about the characters?
Ruby, Saul in Ruby's Sunflower & Crawford & Cynthia the Crows.

Did all the characters do the right thing?
What moral values have you learnt from the 2 stories....

Post your thoughts over the weekend....

Composition 1

Dear 4A,

Your first Compo has been returned to you.
Our highest scorer is Mabel. Congratulations! You scored 17/20.
There were a handful of you who scored 16/20.

Those who fall into the 11-12 band need to improve on the usage of words.
Those who have scored between 13-14, can improve on the Content.

I hope I see better pieces of writing for the second composition!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sunflower Seeds and Crows by Margo Fallis


Crawford, the crow, lived in a garden filled with giant yellow sunflowers with black centers. Some of the leaves were bigger than he was, which was good when it was very hot outside and he needed to find shade. Everywhere he looked in the garden, he saw bright yellow petals. The center of each of the sunflowers was filled with seeds.

Crawford tended to every flower, keeping them watered, weeded and free of bugs. At harvest time he picked each seed, examined them for perfection and then put them into a burlap sack to save for winter. He had a special place in his garden where he kept the burlap sacks. They were stacked on top of each other, reaching almost as high as the giant sunflowers. The imperfect seeds were put aside and eaten everyday for snacks.

Crawford lived happily in his garden. Some days he stood in the dirt, looking at the colors surrounding him. There were yellow petals, as bright as the sunshine, green leaves and stems and brown dirt under his feet. He also loved the blue color of the sky, the whites and grays of the clouds and he even loved the glossy black of his own feathers.

One day, as Crawford was weeding with his hoe, another crow flew down from the sky above and landed on top of the biggest of all his sunflowers. To his horror, it began to peck at the seeds in the center. "Caw! Caw!" Crawford cried out, dropping the hoe and running over to the flower. "My precious seeds! Leave them alone! Caw! Caw!"

The crow looked down at a frantic Crawford. It flew down to the ground next to him. "I’m sorry," she told him. "I didn’t know it was your garden," she apologized.
"Caw! Caw!" Crawford squawked again, trying to calm down. "It is my garden! I’d appreciate it if you left right now!"

"I’m Cynthia. I flew many miles and I’m tired and hungry. May I please rest here for just a little while? I’ll leave soon, I promise," she pleaded.

"No! You must go right now. I can’t risk my precious sunflowers being ruined, even on accident!" Crawford demanded, very worried about his garden.

Cynthia hung her head low. "I’ll leave then," she said, sadly. She walked away, leaving Crawford standing among his garden of sunflowers. She turned and looked back at him, sighed and then walked over to a nearby patch of dandelions. They were soft and fluffy and made her feel better just by touching them. She smiled, happy to have a place to rest. She lay down on the soft petals and fell asleep.

Crawford stood, watching Cynthia walk away and then went back to watering, hoeing and weeding. He had a hard time concentrating on his work. He kept picturing how sad she had looked. "Maybe I was a little bit mean to her," he said. He put his hoe and water can down and went looking for her. He found her sound asleep in the bed or dandelions. Crawford let her sleep and walked around to think. He came upon a patch of green striped watermelon, growing among thick and tangled vines and leaves. He thought they looked ready to eat, so he searched for a rock or stick to break one of them open. He picked up a big, speckled rock with his wing, walked over to the watermelon and began hitting it. It took only a few strikes before it burst open, exposing the juicy, reddish-pink flesh, full of little black seeds.

"What have we here?" he asked. "My, oh my. What a delicious looking melon." He took a deep breath. "Ahhhhhh. It smells even better than it looks." With his wing he scooped out a big chunk.
"Excuse me! What are you doing? This isn’t your watermelon patch too, is it?" Cynthia asked, surprising Crawford.

He turned and looked at her. She seemed to be very angry. Crawford dropped the chunk of watermelon on the ground. "I came looking for you. I found you asleep in the dandelions. I saw these watermelon over here and no, they aren’t mine." He continued, "Would you care to join me?" He scooped another chunk of the juicy melon out and handed it to her. "Here you go," he said.

The starving Cynthia gobbled it up, letting the juice drip all over her black feathers. Crawford joined her and the two of them ate the whole melon, right down to the rind. All that was left, besides the rind, was a pile of slippery black seeds. Both crows rubbed their fat little tummies and then sat down on one of the thick vines. "I think I need a nap now," suggested Crawford. He stood up, stretched his wings and yawned. His big yellow beak opened wide.

"Me too," giggled Cynthia.

Crawford said, "Cynthia, why don’t you come with me to my garden to stay. You can help me weed and tend to my beautiful sunflowers. We could do things like this every day."

Cynthia smiled and answered, "Thank you, Crawford. I’d like that."

The two of them flew back to Crawford’s garden, found some soft dirt under one of the giant sunflower leaves and took a short nap. As they slept, a gentle breeze blew the erupting dandelions, scattering their little white feathery helicopters through the air. Some landed on the pile of sticky watermelon seeds that Cynthia and Crawford had eaten earlier. Others floated across the deep blue sky, heading towards the horizon. The sun looked down on the two napping crows and began to follow the floating dandelion seeds into nighttime.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Funfacts About Sunflowers

Facts About Sunflower Plants for Kids
Sunflowers grow tall and have huge flowerheads.Bright and colorful, tall and unusual, sunflowers are fun and easy plants for kids to grow. All they require is a plot of well-drained soil, lots of water and full sunlight. The scientific name of a sunflower is Helianthus, deriving from "helius," which means sun, and "anthus," which means flower.

Sunflowers Grow Tall Fast
Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants and they grow tall. Once a seed is planted, an average sunflower plant can emerge and reach a height of up to 8 1/2 feet within six months. The tallest sunflower on record reached a height of 25 feet and 5.4 inches and is listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records.

Sunflowers Follow the Sun
Sunflower leaves are phototropic, which means they follow the sun's rays throughout the day. This allows the sunflower plant to increase the amount of light it takes in, helping the process of photosynthesis, which is how plants convert the energy from sunlight into sugar to help them to grow. The movement of the sunflower plant is easily observable over the course of the day.

Sunflowers Have Large Flower Heads
The largest sunflower head on record grew to a diameter of 32 inches. The average sunflower produces a flowerhead that is 8 to 12 inches across, which is approximately the size of an adult human face. The flowerheads are often so large, they require a support to prevent the plant from breaking under the weight.

Sunflower Heads Are Made of Lots of Flowers
Sunflower plant flowerheads are not just one flower as the name suggests. They are actually comprised of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers joined together at a common receptacle (the part of the plant on the flower stalk where flowers attach).

Sunflower Growth in Time Lapse



Did you see how tall it can get? WoW.......

Ruby's Sunflower

Hi 4A,

Yap the preview of our next book is here.....

Here are some websites on Sunflowers
http://www.sunflowers.com/

Growing Giant Sunflowers
http://www.artknapp.com/giantsflwr.htm

Gardening with Children – Sunflowers
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1465/sunflowers.html


This Sunflower is for your EFFORT from me...




Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Grammar - Revision on Conjunctions

What is a conjunction?


A conjunction is a word that joins two or more words, phrases, or clauses.
Think of them as glue words. They glue or join words, phrases, or clauses together.



Click here to see a list on other Conjunctions



Coordinatiing Conjunction Quiz

Subordinationg Conjunction Quiz

Correlative Conjunction Quiz

SS today... - About William Farquar...

Dear 4A,

Hope you enjoyed the 2 videos presented in our blog.

DO remind to design the poster in your SS Workbook...pg 13....

Remember what Raffles wanted him to do....ATTRACT more traders....

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

History of Singapore presented by Sentosa

The Founding Of Singapore

Idioms for You

Today's lesson is on idioms...



Here are some good examples....you can also use them in your writing....



Blessing in disguise

Meaning: Something good which isn't recognized in the first instant.

Example: Getting out of the place was a blessing in disguise for me.



A leopard can't change his spots

Meaning: You can't change who you are.

Example: It's true a leopard can't change his spots, but he sure can change his strategy.



A piece of cake

Meaning: An easy thing to do.

Example: Getting a scholarship was a piece of cake for Frieda.



Against the clock

Meaning: A hectic dash or running against time.

Example: Finishing the paper was a race against the clock.



Cry wolf

Meaning: To intentionally give a false alarm.

Example: "Stop crying wolf, or else no one will come to your help in case of need."



Face the music

Meaning - To accept the truth.



Egg on your face

Meaning - To be embarrassed.



Crocodile tears

Meaning - Phony tears, usually shed to manipulate or exploit.



Here are some Animal Idioms



Animated Idiom Quiz

Vocabulary Learnt in Canoe Diary

Dear 4A,
We have learnt a lot of words from Canoe Diary.
I hope the videos uploaded also gives you more clearer understanding of the text.

My main aim is for you to be able to visualise the happenings in this non-fiction personal recount.

SO read up and widen your knowledge.

P.S > I know the videos will lead you to other videos....and i know many of you are CURIOUS....you may end up watching too many....HAVE A FOCUS k....

I''l now leave you with a question.....Have you or are you keeping a diary of any trip or excursion?
Share the experience with us!
Post your response today.....

How flesh-eating pitcher plants trap insects



This is what Nic Bishop had seen I guess....

Caught a Garter Snake



Wow..amazing....

Animals in Canoe Diary....

Here are some additional info about the animals that Nic Bishop Meets in his wildlife trip.


See what a Beaver does...


What did you say this animal was?



What about the snake?

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Next P4 Stellar Book - Canoe Diary

Hey kids,
We will start our new book - Canoe Diary....What do you think this book is about?

Friday, January 14, 2011

Phrasal Verb Challenge

Hey kids,
Today's lesson - Phrasal Verbs - Look into your Grammar Book (pg 83 - 88) for the basic examples as well...

What are phrasal verbs?
A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.

Link for Phrasal Verb Dictionary

Wow...there are really a lot of these words don't you think?

Now test your Knowledge power on PHRASAL VERBS - Click here if you dare.....

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Class Brain Storming Lesson for Term 1 - Compo 1

Dear 4A,

We had discussed about the various ways to begin or end this composition.
I would like you to make use of 1 strategy.
Do include words and phrases from the list as well.
Underline them in your compo....tick the words you have used in the list to avoid reusing them too much.

Starting the story with the ENDING

Tim snuggled up to my feet. He wanted to rest. I continued to stroke his fur. Yes, he needed a good rest. Tim, my pet dog and I had a really long and challenging day!

Starting the story with a FLASHBACK

Everyone left the pet cemetery. I shed my last tear for Tim. I knelt down and placed a carnation on his grave. Here lies my loyal friend, my pet dog, Tim. I stood there staring at the grave as I recalled that fateful day.

Starting the story with a DIALOUGE

“Here boy…”, I whistled to Tim. My faithful companion raced swiftly to me, wagging his curly tail in obedience. “Mum, I am taking Tim for a walk in the park”, I called out to my mother as I put the leash on my pet dog.

Composition - Extention

Innovative Ways to Begin a Composition

1. Dialogues
Example : “Oh dear!” moaned my mother. ‘Didn’t I tell all of you to leave early? Now we are caught in a traffic jam".

Sample 1: “…..and they lived happily ever after”, read out Jane. “That was a happy ending indeed,” she thought to herself as she closed her book. “Hmm, what a nice fragrant aroma. It must be Mum’s cooking,”. ( then continue with your story)

Sample 2 : “RINGGG!!!”, wailed Jane’s alarm clock. She slowly opened her eyes. Yes, it was her favourite day of the week. Sunday, the day she gets her favourite meal for breakfast. ( then continue with your story)

Sample 3 : “What? My meal is not ready? Why Mum, I’m starving”, bellowed Jane as she realised her Mum has not finished preparing her favourite desert for tea.

2. Flashback

Example : I could still remember the time that I was locked up in that deserted house. It is still fresh inmy memory.

Sample 1 : Jane lay on the bed in the hospital. She stared at the horrible scar on her arm. She recalled what had happened on that unfortunate day.

Sample 2 : Jane gasped when she read thearticle in the newspaper. “Girl scalds arm because of hot soup”. This has happened to herbefore. Jane started to recall what hadhappened on that miserable day.

3. Begin with the Ending

Example : I think I was the winner of the contest, butif I was, I do not think that it was worth it. Why? Let me tell you…..(then you can begin your story)

Sample 1: Tears welled up in Jane’s eyes. The pain was unbearable. Nevertheless, she knew that this accident could have been prevented if she had not reacted foolishly. Why did she dothis? ( then continue with your story)

Sample 2: Jane promised herself that she wouldnot do such a rash act in future. She had learnt a valuable yet painful lesson. This accident hasmade her become wiser.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Journal Writing......

4A it is time to pen your thoughts ....Hmmm
What shall we discuss about?

Let's share our thoughts about today's SS lesson.

What do you think you would have done for Singapore, if you were Sang Nila Utama or Raffles?

Think it through before you type in your comments...

Conditional 'if'

Hey pupils,

Thank you for completing the assignment on this language item.
Here is a link to explain the uses of the Conditional 'if'.

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Sang Nila Utama Video, self-made by students of DHS, MSP 2, 2009.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Modals in Focus

Hi all,
Here are some modals which is in the syllabus ....

The usages for the following are...

  • must, have to, should - Used for obligation (meaning it is necessary)
  • would, could, may - Used for polite requests
  • must - Is also used to convey necessity - there is no other choice

There are some other modals as well....go online and widen your knowledge...


Explanation on modals

Learn & Try the quiz

Monday, January 10, 2011

Adjective Song - To add on to what we learned today

Here's an adjective song for you...based on our EL lesson today..

Adjective Song Lyrics - Click here to listen to the song...

An adjective, describes a person, place, or thing
It tells about a noun
It’s the part of speech
That modifies a noun to make it unique
An adjective is used before or after a noun
To give us more information
They describe what we can
See, hear, taste, touch, and smell
Adjectives use all five senses
Adjectives describe nouns we put in sentences

Here is an online game for you to identify the adjectives before or after the noun!

Metaphors

Here is another intersting feature of the flowery language.....

What is a Metaphor?
It is the comparison of two unlike things. They are used to help us understand the unknown. When you comparing two things, using a simile, you use comparing words such as, "like" or "as", to show the direct comparison, which is not the case with a metaphor.
Why should we use it?
With the use of a metaphor, the image in the reader’s head becomes stronger, as you say that the person, place, animal or thing is something else and not just like another thing. Hence, metaphors are said to give stronger images than similes. They do not mean, exactly, the way the words are said.

Examples!

He has a heart of stone.
She has a heart of a lion.
Her soft voice was music to Andy’s ears.
His silken lies went unheard in the court of law.
Things are going smoothly between the both of them.
Her bubbly personality cheered him up.
When she saw him in front of her, she froze with fear.
The news inflamed her temper and she decided to question her friend.
After the experience, he learnt a painful lesson in life.
When you're feeling blue call out to me.
You light up my life with your presence.
Only shades of gray make up life according to her.
Her deep dark secret was revealed to everyone.
To give her a surprise visit is a brilliant idea!
He faded off to sleep, while I was still talking to him.
I fail to see your logic about these things.
My memory is a little cloudy about that incident.
Plans are still a little hazy about the new business plan.
I do not like him because he is a shady character.
I have been waiting for the sweet smell of success to reach me.
The stench of failure should not depress you.
Her home was a prison, I wonder, how does she live there.
Crocodiles' teeth are white daggers, so be careful.
She could not digest the news when she heard it.
Life is a rollercoaster which every one has to go through.

Do share what you have learnt with your friends....post them here ......quick.....

Imagery

Hi all,

We have learnt a lot of vocabulary words the past week.....
Here is an overview of the type of vocab taught....

What is Imagery in Literature?
We experience the world through our five senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. Expressing these sensory experiences through words is using imagery as a literary tool.

Why use imagery?
Imagery is used by writers and poets to invoke these sensory impressions in the mind of the reader. It is a very effective style of writing which reaches out to the reader more easily.

Examples for you!

He fumed and charged like an angry bull.
He fell down like an old tree falling down in a storm.
The taste of that first defeat was bitter indeed.
He felt like the flowers were waving him a hello.
The eery silence was shattered by her scream.
After that first sale, his cash register never stopped ringing.
The sky looked like the untouched canvas of an artist.
He could hear his world crashing down when he heard the news about her.
She was like a melody in flesh and blood.
The F-16 swooped down like an eagle after its prey.
The word spread like leaves in a storm.
The lake was left shivering by the touch of morning wind.
He lost his voice in the cacophony of conformity.
Her face blossomed when she caught a glance of him.
He could never escape from the iron grip of desire.
He could hear the footsteps of doom nearing.
The ants began their daily marching drill.
She was like a breath of fresh air infusing life back into him.
They fought like cats and dogs.

Can you share some examples please? Post your answers....thanks

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Comparing 2 characters...

Hi 4A,

We have completed the book Prince Zak and the Wise Frog.

We did begin the lesson with a discussion on the illustrations on the cover, particularly on the descriptions of the Wise Frog beside Prince Zak.

Let me introduce you to another book cover, but this time it's a lady with a frog...



SO what comparison can you make?

You can also visit this website for the quiz on The Princess & The Frog

English Talking Book - The Frog Prince



Hi boys and girls,
Did you enjoy this book.....
How is this story similar or different to the new book (Prince Zak and the Wise Frog) you read in class today?
Post your thoughts....

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Happy New Year 4A

Welcome back for a brand new 2011, 4A!

I am totally elated to teach you boys and girls again this year.
We will be embarking on the new Stellar programme for P4 English, and you will be the pioneers in Endeavour to go through this.

I have shared the plans we have for Term 1. I hope you are also excited for the range of alternative assessments and ICT and NHSB programmes planned for this year.

So watch out for the updates in this blog created specially by ME for YOU....