Tuesday, January 5, 2010

About My Writing Blog

My Writing Blog is a compilation of the writing lessons I have conducted with my classes over the years. The featured posts in the blog are only a sampling of the good work done by some of my pupils. If you are a teacher, please feel free to use the resources on My Writing Blog. Do leave a comment here to give us your feedback or to share your own resources with us.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

At the beach

Would you like to go to the beach? Why or why not?
By ATK
I would like to go to the beach as I find it very relaxing there. Usually, I go there with my family and going there helps to foster our family ties. I like to splash around in the sea with my siblings and I also enjoy building sandcastles on the beach. Last year, I went to the beach to take part in a beach volleyball tournament with my school volleyball team. It was really fun and my team even achieved the second position in the competition. I always enjoy my visits to the beach.

At the canteen

Tell me about your school canteen.

What kind of rules do you think pupils should observe at the canteen?
What would you like to see changed in your school canteen?
By SG
My school canteen is located between the parade square and the field. There are 8 stalls in the canteen. I normally go to the first stall during recess as it sells snacks like pop corn, fried eggs and biscuits. I always buy a fried egg and the fifty-cents roasted chicken for recess. During lunch time, I will either go to the other stalls to buy noodles or rice or the chicken burger. Occasionally, I will also buy a packet drink from the vending machine. During the holidays, I always look forward to coming back to the school canteen to have my meals. I will miss my school canteen when I graduate from school.

On the bus

By PJM
How did helping someone make you feel?
Helping someone gives me much joy as I feel that I have spent my time well. It always brightens my day when I receive an expression of gratitude from the person I have helped.
Tell me about a kind deed you have done.
There was an occasion when I was seated near the entrance on the bus on my way home from school. At a particular bus stop, an old lady with a walking stick hobbled up the bus. Instinctively, I got up from my seat and offered it to the frail lady. I felt a surge of happiness when she thanked me profusely.

At the book fair

By LSC
Would you like to visit an exhibition? Why or why not?
Yes, I would like to visit an exhibition. Going to different exhibitions keeps me up-to-date with the latest happenings. In some exhibitions, I get to buy things which are both useful and cheap.
Tell me about an exhibition you have visited.
Once in a blue moon, my mum would take me to Suntec City to look out for any exhibitions. The most memorable one was the IT exhibition that I visited last year. There was a wide variety of IT products ranging from computers, computer programs to mobile phone devices. As I am a computer fanatic, I am most attracted to the "entertainment" section of the exhibition. I walked from shelf to shelf, awed by all the colourful and nicely decorated game packs. Finally, after much deliberation and consideration, I bought home a game set which was the cheapest are available.
What kinds of exhibition would you like to visit? Why?
I aspire to be a cartoonist, so I would like to visit exhibitions about the arts to learn from other artists. I think Singapore has quite a vibrant art scene as there are art exhibitions every now and then. Hopefully, by going to different kinds of exhibitions,I would be able to broaden up my knowledge of the arts.

Use your hand campaign

Would you like to take part in a ‘Use Your Hands Campaign’? Why or why not?

How do you prepare for the campaign?
What other things do you do to keep your classroom clean?
By AT
Yes, I would like to take part in one. I think that this activity can help build up our independence. I say that because many children in Singapore have maids to clean up after them so this activity will be useful to train children to take care themselves and their surroundings. Cleaning up the classroom will also allow pupils to study in a cleaner and greener environment. We can make use of this opportunity to learn to sweep the floor, wipe the tables and clean the windows, even though the school employs cleaners to clean up the school. I feel that these activities should be carried out more often so that we can develop a greater sense of responsibility.

At the airport

Would you like to visit the airport? Why or why not?

Tell me about a visit to the airport.
How do you feel when you are at the airport?
By BWL
I do not like visiting the airport because I usually visit the airport to send my mother off on an overseas business trip and it often causes me to feel sad. My best memory at the airport took place about three years ago. My entire family was leaving for a holiday to Sichuan. As it was our first time taking a plane together, we were so excited that we stayed up past midnight. On the plane, we had much fun watching the white fluffy clouds as well as the landscape. We also played electronic games that were provided on the plane. That trip was indeed an eye-opener for my brother and I as it was our first time seeing such fabulous sights. It was indeed an unforgettable experience for my family and me.

At the zoo

By RE
Would you like to visit the zoo? Why or why not?
I enjoy visiting the zoo as I can see many interesting animals there. The zoo organizes many activities for visitors for close-up sessions with the animals, for example breakfast with the animals and the animals’ feeding sessions. Visitors can watch the zoo-keepers feed the animals or even feed the animals themselves. I myself attended a feeding session for the polar bears. It was really amazing as I got to see how polar bears hunt for food as though they were in the wild. As the polar bears dive into the water, they execute such grace and poise that the audience cheered and clapped wildly. Moreover, the zoo will organize fun camps and animal shows at the amphitheatre. Visitors can watch parrots race with each other or enjoy the tricks performed by the seals and sealions as they dive to pick up objects in the water. The animal shows are really enjoyable first-class performances.
Tell me about a zoo trip you have been on.
Talking about camps organized by the zoo, I went for one when I was in Primary 5 together with some of my schoolmates. About 60 of us attended the camp. During the camp, we were divided into teams for a treasure hunt and other interesting activities. Although, it rained on the day of the camp, I still enjoyed it.
What kind of animals do you like? Why?
I like animals which are furry, especially dogs. My cousin has a dog and I often go over to his house to play with it. The dog belongs to the Shih-Tzu breed which originated from China and the dog’s name is Ruff. I would love to have a dog myself as I would love to have it for company as my parents are often out at work and my siblings are all boys. I would most probably choose a husky or a terrier for a pet. I like huskies as they have beautiful blue eyes. I like terriers as they are cute and cuddly. However, sad to say, my mother is not for the idea of my having a dog until I am about 18 years old. She says taking care of a dog is a hassle as she already has her hands full taking care of my brothers and me. Nonetheless, I still hope that she would change her mind and my dream of having a dog will materialize soon.

At the food centre

Do you normally eat at a food centre? Why (or Why not?)
Yes. My mum works long hours so we normally settle our meals at a food centre. She doesn’t cook on weekends either so we usually eat at a food centre during weekends.

No. I am rather fortunate as I have a stay-home mum who serves delicious home-cooked food every day. The food sold at the food centre is not as healthy as those cooked at home. The food offered at the food centre is usually just more of the same thing. Every food centre will sell chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak, etc. Anyway, my mum is a great cook and I prefer her cooking to food served at the food centre.

When do you normally eat at a food centre?
When my mum decides to declare a day off from cooking, my family will have to eat at a food centre. But that is usually once in a blue moon.

Tell me about the food you like to order at the food centre.
Ban Mian. I prefer noodles to rice. I like noodles with soup. Moreover, Ban Mian is served with a lot of vegetables which is a healthier choice compared to fried noodles. My favourite is the crispy anchovies served on top of the noodles.

Chicken rice. I can’t take spicy food so I stick with chicken rice each time I eat out. Anyway, rice is more filling than noodles. It is easy to order and can be served quickly. I don’t like to wait a long time for the food to be served. I usually order breast meat as it is the most tender part of the chicken. I normally get a dish of black sauce to dip the chicken in and I will skip the chilli sauce and garlic sauce.

Besides the food centre, where else do you go for your meals? Why?
I would go to a fast food restaurant. It is air-conditioned which is a major pull factor compared to the hot and stuffy food centre. The price of the food in a fast food restaurant is comparable to that of a food centre. More importantly, I like the toy that comes along with the kids’ meal.

I spend long hours in school so I have my lunch in the school canteen on most days. The food sold there is the same all year round. But beggars can’t be choosers, so I just buy something from the stall with the shortest queue. That is usually the noodles stall because the stall-holder prepares the noodles in advance instead of cooking it on the spot. Although it is usually cold and bland, I eat it just to fill my stomach. If my mum has the time, she will pack a sandwich for me to have during lunch.

Night Safari

By ODJ
Would you like to visit the Night Safari? Why or why not?
I would definitely like to visit the Night Safari as I would get to see different types of animals up close. I will also get to sit on the trams and see the nocturnal animals in action. At the Night Safari, there are many static exhibits which explain the lifestyles and structural adaptations of the animals. I find them very informative and useful in increasing my general knowledge about nocturnal animals.
What kind of rules do you think visitors should observe in the Night Safari?
Visitors should not take pictures of the animals with flashlights. Doing so would affect the eyesight of the animals and may even blind them. Using flashlight photography may frighten these animals and cause them a lot of stress. I think visitors should also refrain from feeding the animals or throwing things at them.
Tell me about an animal show you have watched.
I have watched the animal show featuring the nocturnal birds at the Night Safari. In the show, an owl was made to pick up a small stick from the ground in the poor lighting conditions. To my surprise, it was able to do it without any assistance. I guess it has good eyesight that can see in poor light so that it can hunt in the night. The audience at the animal show was also awed by the owl and broke out in thunderous applause when it finished its performance. I am always impressed by the animal shows and I always enjoy my visits to the Night Safari.