Contact Details (PARENTS FROM JO6)

Contact Details (PARENTS FROM EM6)

Farewell MO4...

It is with a heavy heart that I pen this last post for MO4 (2012). It's been a pleasure teaching all of you and I learnt a lot from you as much as you have from me. Have a wonderful December break and see you next year!

FTGP Lesson 19-10-2012

Albino Power By John A. Walsh I was born an albino in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1945. No one in my family had ever known what an albino was, what it meant to be an albino, what had to be done differently because I was an albino. My parents, relatives and friends treated me just like they treated everybody else. That was just about the best thing they could have done. It gave me a leg up on trusting myself, so when the annoyances came along, I could deal with them. True, my schoolbook photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes. Like most albinos, I had terrible eyesight, but the fact that I could barely see didn't bother me all that much. Kids would tease me, asking if I was joining the circus and calling me "Whitey." My grades suffered until eventually I overcame being self-conscious and realized it was okay to ask to sit in the front of the classroom so I could see the blackboard better. People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read. Even when I was eight or nine, movie-theater clerks started asking me to pay adult prices because I "looked older." The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad, I couldn't play sports very well. I didn't give up trying, though. I shot hoops every day and played whiffle ball (because whiffle-ball line drives can't kill you) in the summer. And I studied harder. Eventually, I got better at school and loved it. By the time I got to college I was double majoring, going to summer school and immersing myself in every kind of extracurricular activity I could find. I had learned to be proud of being an albino. I did my darndest to make "albino" a positive word. And I decided to make my living with my eyes - and in sports. I couldn't see well enough to play sports, but with a solid education and the drive to do it, I could make a living involved in the arena I loved. I've done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video, and now in cyberspace. People make jokes about how I'm the only "blind editor" they know, but the jokes are verbal smiles now, some of them signs of respect. And I make jokes about being an albino. I have even developed an all-white routine, if you could call it that. I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania. I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome obstacles, gain confidence, and be proud of my personal achievement and humble about my professional accomplishments. And here's the link to the video we watched...

Children's Day

A Robbery by Christabel

I was walking home after a hard day at school. It was an extremely windy day. Cold wind brushed against my cheeks as I pulled my coat over my head and walked along. Dark clouds began to fill the sky. I sighed heavily and prayed that it will not rain till I reach home. Just the thought of lounging on the sofa and drinking some delicious hot cocoa made me drool. I quickened my pace and thankfully, I was home at last. “What?” I thought to myself. The door of my house was ajar! I immediately smelled a rat. The door creaked as I cautiously opened it and tiptoed in. What a shock was in store for me! The living room was in a mess! The tables were overturned, chairs were broken, electrical wires snaked everywhere! I even saw Mom’s favourite mug shattered into a million pieces on the floor! My mind instantly flooded with horrible thoughts. Could there be a ghost? A scarred-face gangster? A psycho on the loose? “Oh dear,” I frantically muttered out loud. “What am I to do?” Suddenly, I heard a sound. I guess that the person who had messed my house up must have heard me. Without a moment to spare, I dashed for the kitchen to hide. I peeped through a tiny hole in the wall and alas! It was a criminal who had escaped from jail! I was desperate. At once, my eyes were set upon the kitchen phone. I grabbed it and dialled ‘999’. It was my only hope. Soon, the police came. They stormed through the door like a team of super-heroes. “Ahhh,” I heaved a sigh of relief. I was saved! The policemen searched the whole house for the criminal as I hid behind them. I heard a yell and lots of shrieks from the criminal as the police shoved him into their police car. One policeman praised me for being a brave and daring girl. I smiled at him warmly and thanked him for coming to my aid. After that, they drove off. Oh, at last I can relax and enjoy my cup of hot cocoa. I sat down on the slightly overturned couch. What a day! I could not wait to tell my parents about it when they arrive home. Done by: Christabel Lee Yu (9) Mocha 4

A Robbery - By Isabelle

‘Ring! Ring!’ School is over! I walked out of the classroom and out of the school gates. Sighing, I went through the ton of homework Mrs Ng had given me. I walked along the path that wound around the trees like a scaly red serpent home. Taking out my key to open the door, I suddenly noticed with shock that the door was left wide open. A shiver went down my spine. What had happened here? There was only one way to find out. I pushed open the door. Standing in the doorway, a gasp of horror left me. The cushions were strewn all over the living room and magazines were scattered on the floor. My dad’s precious guitar was smashed and torn and the strings were uprooted from it. The case was carelessly thrown to one side. The trophy case was smashed and the trophies and medals were gone. I put down my school bag in a corner and sat down, thinking, “Who could have been here?” My head filled with images of burglars, highway robbers, thieves, werewolves......I cleared my mind of those images and went to investigate further. I went into my parents’ bedroom. The drawers were carelessly pulled out, all possessions stolen. Feeling grim, I whipped out my mobile phone and called the police. ‘Yes?’ The operator’s soothing voice calmed my nerves down. ‘My house has been robbed!’ I cried, unable to restrain myself. ‘Don’t worry, I will get some policemen to conduct an investigation on your house.’ replied the operator. ‘Put your hands up and surrender all your possessions!’ I felt a cold blade of a metal knife touch my throat. I gasped in horror. To my relief, two burly policemen stormed into the living room and pointed a gun at the thief. One policeman confiscated the knife and pinned the thief to the ground while the other put the thief in hand cuffs. The thief was taken away to be put in jail and the policemen returned the stolen items back to me. By the time my parents came home, the policemen had gone off. I recounted the incident to my parents and they praised me for being a quick-thinking girl. By: Isabelle Sim Mocha 4

Oral Picture Discussion (8)

This picture shows a scene at the market. There is a stall selling fish, crabs and prawns. There is another stall selling meat next to it. The fishmonger is busy weighing a fish for his customer. A woman is paying him for the things she buys. Another woman who is also at the fish stall, is yelling at her son. She is quick to catch hold of his hand before he reaches for the crabs and gets pinched. A woman is selecting the portion of meat to buy. The butcger is chopping up a slice of meat on his chopping board. A pickpocket is taking a purse from the woman buying meat. She is careless. She should not leave her purse in the basket. When someone sees him taking the person, he or she should shout to alert the woman. Hopefully, when the pickpocket runs off, some people in the market will offer their help to give chase.

Oral Picture Discussion (7)

The picture shows a scene at a food centre or coffee-shop. There is a chicken rice stall and a noodle stall. A woman is sitting at a table having her meal. She has put her shopping bags on two other seats. There are three men standing near her table waiting for seats. The men look unhappy as they have no seats. In my opinion, she is not being considerate. She should take down her bags so that other people can share the table. Nearby, a mother and her two children are eating. The little boy is feeding a stray cat by throwing food on the floor. He should not do that. A man is walking towards them with 2 glasses of drinks. He could be the children's father. There is a couple looking at the family. They are probably waiting for a table too. When the family finishes their lunch, the couple looking at them will sit down to have their lunch.

Oral Picture Discussion (6)

This picture shows a building on fire. The firemen have arrived in a fire-engine. There are 2 firemen on tall ladders. One of them is spraying water at the building. Another fireman is busy rescuing people who are trapped in the block of flats. He is carrying someone to safety. The victim must have fainted. There are another 2 people who are trapped shouting for help at the window. The firemen standing below the building are shouting at the 2 boys. They are probably asking the boys to jump to safety. There is a big mattress on the ground so the boys will not be injured when they jump down. There are many people watching what is happening. They must be wondering how the fire started. There are 2 policemen standing in front of the crowd. They must be trying to keep the crowd back. When the fire is put out, the victims who have lost their homes may have to stay with their friends or relatives.

An Accident - By Christabel

Mrs Tan was sweeping the house on a bright and sunny afternoon. The weather was scorching hot. She entered the bedroom and sat next to where her poor son lay. She placed her hand on his forehead and sighed as she thought of what happened to him several months ago. “Mother, let us go for an outing!” Tim was a cheerful and adventurous boy. One fine Sunday, his mother, Mrs Tan, joined him for a walk in the park. Tim walked briskly while his mother strolled. Tim turned and yelled, “Hurry, mother! The traffic light is about to turn red!” Mrs Tan started to panic. “What if he gets hit?” she thought. Instantly, she started running towards her son. She tried to grab his shirt but he was too fast. “No! Don’t! Stop, Tim!” she cried. Tim looked behind his shoulder as he continued to run. Mrs Tan signalled to warn him that it was extremely dangerous to run there but Tim stubbornly refused. Mrs Tan shrieked. At that exact moment, things went wrong. Tim stood rooted to the ground as a black Ferrari drove towards him. Beads of sweat trickled down his head. Mrs Tan went into a frenzy and screamed madly. The car screeched to a halt but it was too late. Tim was flung onto the pavement and landed hard on the ground. Blood oozed from his back and head. The witnesses all gathered around the boy as he lay in a pool of blood. Mrs Tan walked carefully to the boy. When she saw his pale face, she cried inconsolably. One of the witnesses called the ambulance. Within minutes, Tim was admitted to the hospital. The doctors announced that he had suffered permanent brain damage and is currently in a coma. Mrs Tan fainted upon hearing about her son. Mrs Tan is now fine and in good physical health but she has a lot of grey hair due to worrying about Tim. If only Tim had listened to her, all these would never have happened.

A Bloody Accident - Vallii

MY BLOODY INCIDENT (THE ACCIDENT BASED COMPO) ^ -* I heard angry honking, felt cold blood and the last thing I saw before darkness enveloped me was my horrified mother’s face. I was out shopping with my mother. Soon, it was time to go home. Feeling contented as my favourite Hershey chocolate was in the shopping bag, I skipped with a spring in my skip until my Mum grabbed my hand and hauled me on the overhead bridge. As we were nearing the end of the steps, I realized with a pang that it was time for my favourite show, The Batman Supremo, to start. I frantically started jabbing the traffic light button. “Be patient, Henry!”My mother called out to me. But I paid no heed to her advice and dashed across the road, oblivious to my mother’s hysterical screaming. Suddenly, out of the blue, I spotted a speeding lime-green Ferrari blaring rock music, sailing across the gravel to me! I stood rooted to the ground unable to move a muscle. Bang! I was flung across the road like a flimsy rag doll and hit the road with a sickening thud as a result of the impact of the crash. Several minutes passed before I was lifted onto an ambulance by the paramedics. After that I never knew what happened but I woke up to find myself in a ward staring at a tearful mother. Suddenly, the door opened and doctors and nurses streamed in. They were surprised to see my groggy face and did tests and said I was fine. My mother related to me what had happened in the hospital and I came to know that I had been in the ward for three days. That day, I was discharged. I held my mother’s hand and headed back home. My new motto since then was to be safe rather than sorry. By: Vallii Priya (39) MOCHA 4

A Terrible Accident - Chloe Toh

A Terrible Accident Looking back, I remembered my dearest son, John. John had left the world. Till this day, I still will remember him… One Saturday afternoon, I had decided to take John out to the Marine Parade Library. Walking down the steps from our apartment, John and I chatted animatedly about the upcoming National Day Parade. At the road junction, we had to cross the main road, but the pedestrians crossing was still far away. “Let’s take a shortcut, Mum!” John suggested. “No,” I replied, aware of the danger that may happen if we dashed across. Whilst I was walking towards the pedestrian crossing, I realised John was not with me anymore! I frantically looked around, but to no avail. Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly spotted John dashing across the road. “No..!” I yelled, seeing a red Ferrari speeding towards John. But, it was too late. The car slammed into John. John laid helpless on the road, unconscious and bleeding profusely. For a while, I stood rooted to the ground, before bursting into uncontrollable tears. “My son!” I wept, hoping it was but a dream. I immediately called the ambulance. Within minutes, it arrived. The paramedics tested John’s pulse. Deep inside, I prayed silently, hoping my son was still alive. Unluckily, they gravely announced that John had died. Still shaken from the terrible news, I slowly trudged back home. It was all over. My only son was dead. When my husband arrived home from work, I gravely broke the news. Till today, I still feel that I should have taken extra care of him, making sure he was always with me. I had learnt an important lesson and I had to pay a great price of losing my son.

A Car Accident - By Jillian

The afternoon sun bathed the buildings in its warm light. Jimmy, a young teenager was watching the new blockbuster movie, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. His mother was with him. As Jimmy and his mother walked out of the mall, he saw the bus coming. “Come on, Mum! The bus is coming! Don’t waste time using the overhead bridge!” Jimmy said in a hurry. “Jimmy, don’t dash across the road. It’s dangerous. We can wait for the next bus,” Jimmy’s mother said while trying to get Jimmy away from the road. Suddenly, Jimmy made a dash for the road. “Don’t! Come back here immediately!” Jimmy’s mother exclaimed. Ignoring what his mother had said, he ran to the middle of the road. He waved cheekily at his mother and shouted, “See Mum? I’m okay! There are no cars at all!” Just when Jimmy said that, cars came out of nowhere. He quickly zig-zagged through to avoid being knocked. Jimmy frantically blurted, “Help! Mum, save me!” The busy road was so crowded with cars everywhere. Motorists honked every now and then to get Jimmy out of the road. Tired, Jimmy stopped in the middle of the road to rest. Out of nowhere, a Ferrari came zooming towards Jimmy. Jimmy stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do. “NOOO!”Jimmy’s mother shrieked. She ran across the road and pushed Jimmy out of the road. Jimmy closed his eyes, not daring to look. Crash! The Ferrari driver had done his best to stop. However, his efforts were wasted. When Jimmy opened his eyes, he was surprised to see himself alive. Jimmy gasped in horror, seeing his mother had taken his place. In a flash, the ambulance arrived. Jimmy was overcome with grief and guilt when the paramedics pronounced his mother dead. Jimmy had learnt a valuable lesson. However, he had to pay a big price to learn this lesson. Till this day, Jimmy still holds himself responsible for causing his mother’s death. The End  Jillian Eng Tsing Min (14) Mocha 4

A Surprise Visit on National Day

Bee Attack! (Composition 1 by He Qing)

A Bee Story It was a bright and breezy morning. Tom pedalled his way slowly along a log which was the only way across the river to get to the other side. It was the start of the weekend and he was out for some fresh air. He was overjoyed that his dad promised him to take him out for a camping trip. Out of the blue, he felt that he knocked onto something. Curiosity got the better of him. He turned around and saw a yellow object. He was curious about what it was and put his hand in. He felt it shaking. He finally figured out what it was. It was a beehive！He knocked it against a tree and the beehive broke. All the bees came out and flew towards the sky. Tom looked up and said anxiously, ‘Ah-oh! Good bees, good! Stay!’ They were not dogs and did not stay. Tom screamed like a little girl and hopped onto his bike. With no time to waste, he paddled off as fast as he possibly could. The bees were slowly catching up as he was left with no energy at all. Suddenly, he spotted a pond. A light bulb appeared above his head. It got a brilliant idea in it. He paddled towards the pond and when he was close enough, he hopped right in. The bees suddenly stopped and flew off. After what seemed like eternity, Tom could not hold his breath any longer. He rushed up, gasping for fresh air to notice that the bees have moved on. Heaving a sigh of relief, he staggered his way back home, leaving his bicycle behind. Back home, he related the horrifying incident to his mum. What a harrowing incident it was! Wang He Qing (40) Mocha 4

Bee Attack! (Composition 1 by Adrianna)

It was a bright and cheerful morning . Andy was making his way to school as usual on his bicycle . On the way to school , he felt tired from cycling and decided to stop under a big shady tree for a sip of water and some shade . As it was still too early to go to school , and his friends usually arrive much later , he decided to sit below the tree to hide from the sun . He looked up and saw a bee hive and tapped it ….. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky , buzzing angrily towards him . With no time to waste , Andy hopped onto to his bike and sped off in an opposite direction , not knowing where he was heading to or what he was doing . On a nearby hill , he spotted the chimney of the Nelson’s family home and decided to make a ‘beeline’ straight towards it . Andy raced over the wooden bridge that led him to the Nelson’s home . Andy was travelling as fast as he could to get away from the bees but the bees were slowly catching up . As he began to work his way up the hill towards the Nelson family home , the bees caught up to him . Andy felt the sharp pricks like needles piercing his uncovered arms . Suddenly , out of the corner of his eye , he spotted a well used by Mr Nelson to irrigate his orchard and vegetable garden . Without hesitation , Andy jumped off his bike and into the cool water he plunged , disappearing from the savage insects . After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy slowly came up for a gasp of air , hoping that those bees were gone . Fortunately , the bees had moved on . He dragged himself out of the well , got back onto his bike , and struggled up the remainder of the steep slope . He finally arrived at the Nelson’s home’s doorstep . He rang the doorbell and immediately , Mrs Nelson opened the door . She was shocked to see Andy soaked to the skin and looking like a swollen tomato . Mrs Nelson brought Andy in and prepared a hot drink for him . Then she applied some soothing cream on his swollen arms .Mrs Nelson rang Andy’s mother up and told her about the bees and that Andy was in her house . About ten minutes later, Andy’s mother came and picked him up . They thanked Mrs Nelson and made their way back home. After this incident , Andy never dared go near a tree with bee hives again .

Tsunami: Know What 2 Do!

Here is the video.

Website: thesaurus.com

Online Dictionary / Thesaurus dictionary.com thesaurus.com

Bee Attack! (Composition 1 by Celeste)

Andy pedalled leisurely along the grass-lined track on his way to school. Tomorrow was the weekend and his father had promised to bring him on a fishing trip. Andy and his father were true-blue fishing fanatics, and always enjoyed going on fishing trips together. Out of the blue, Andy heard a strange buzzing sound coming from the back of him. From the corner of his eyes, Andy spotted a huge beehive. The bees were buzzing so loudly, that even from a distance, Andy could hear them!

The saying ‘an idle brain is the devil’s workshop’ was really true. No sooner than a minute, Andy decided to pelt the beehive with stones, for the fun of it. Taking what he had just done in, Andy sped off, deciding to make a beeline school before the agitated bees caught up with him. He sped like there was no tomorrow, as if he was the cheetah champion runner, but it was too late, the bees had finally caught him and there was nothing he could do…

“Oww! That hurt! Ouch!” Andy yelled and hollered but it was no use. Nobody could hear him from here. He was travelling at twenty kilometres an hour. Unfortunately, the bees had already started on their revenge. Andy felt sharp pricks like needles entering his uncovered arms. As he began travelling up the steep hill, he panted and became worn out. Suddenly, he espied the well used by his uncle, Mr Nelson, to irrigate his orchard and vegetable garden. Without thinking twice, Andy plunged into the cold water, and away from the savage insects.

After holding his breath for as long as he could remember, Andy came up for air and heaved a tremendous sigh of relief. The bees had moved on. Dragging himself out of the well tirelessly, he decided to make his way home. Unfortunately, his arms and legs were swollen and aching because of the bee stings. He had no other option but to trudge slowly uphill to seek help from his uncle. From afar, he could make out Mr Nelson irrigating his precious plants. Suddenly, as if it was magic, Andy had enough strength to rush to Mr Nelson. As soon as Mr Nelson caught a glimpse of his nephew, he quickly helped him into his house. He asked Mrs Nelson to attend to Andy while he rang up Andy’s mother to inform her about what had happened. As Mrs Nelson applied some soothing cream to Andy’s sore arms and legs, she talked to her nephew about school and family as it had been long time they had last met up. Fortunately, Andy’s mother arrived shortly and brought him home for a well-earned rest.  

Bee Attack! (Composition 1 by Ashley)

“Sam! Time for school!” Sam's mother called. After eating a hearty breakfast, Sam packed his bag and got on his new bicycle. Since Sam was late for school, he decided to take a shortcut to school through the nearby park. The park was deserted. It was eerily quiet, and no sound could be heard except for the whispering wind rustling the leaves. Colourful flowers dotted the landscape and trees were bursting with delicious fruit. Sam rode on. He cycled down the rocky path on the edge of a hill, but Sam was an experienced cycler so he was not worried. On a tree, a beehive hung on a low branch. Being a greedy boy, Sam got off his bicycle and reached inside the hive. Delicious honey dripped from his fingers. But before he could even taste the honey, he heard a loud buzz... A swarm of bees were returning to their hive! And they were not pleased that Sam stole their honey. Sam's eyes widened in fear. Frantically, Sam got on his bicycle and cycled at maximum speed in the opposite direction. The bees were hot on his heels. Although Sam was going fast, the bees were faster. They managed to sting Sam multiple times on his arms. Luckily, Mrs Nelson's house was nearby. Sam raced frantically down the hill, spotting Mrs Nelson's small house with an orchard surrounding it. Sam had a bright idea. Once he reached the house, Sam got off his bicycle and leapt into the well which was located just next to the house. Sam held his breath, silently praying for his safety. He had heard about bee stings, and they could be fatal. Sam could not hold his breath any longer. He hauled himself out of the well. Luckily, the bees had left. He did not want to disturb Mrs Nelson, so instead, he cycled to school, which was a short distance away, and asked the school nurse for help. She rubbed some ointment on his arms and instructed him to go home and rest. Sam did as he was told. From that day on, Sam never disturbed beehives again. Ashley Foo Li-Ann Mocha 4 1st August 2012

Haikus of Zoo Animals

Check this out for slides of all the Haikus you wrote about the Zoo Animals you saw during your camp!

Twaddletalk Tuck

Why is it important for us to learn Decimals?

Here are 3 good reflections done by Nicole, Kathryn and Marianne.