Reading Roads (Pg 5)

Seventeen year old, Marc Ong, from Hwa Chong Institution has published an illustrated road safety book, “How to Read the Roads”. The cartoon illustrated book introduces readers to traffic rules through instructions and illustrations. Marc hopes that the book will help him share his knowledge of road safety and  reduce the frequency of tragic road accidents involving children.

The teenager will also give all net proceeds to The Straits Times School Pocket Money. He was inspired to do so when he remembered witnessing a primary school friend of his who often could not afford to buy food from the school canteen and he wanted to help others in similar straits. 

(1)  Share some road safety rules that you abide by.

(2)  How has Marc shown examples of compassion and commitment (our school values) when he wrote the book?

(3) Given the opportunity, would you like to write a book to help young people too? What would 

      the book be about?

‘Truths’ with a Pinch of Salt (pg 12) - 5 Charity and 5 Joy

It was reported that some individuals intentionally spread rumours during the recent haze and caused unnecessary anxiety. This incident highlighted the fact that the information we receive or come across is not always reliable. Hence, it is important that we think carefully before accepting what we read or are told to be true, especially when the source of the information is unknown or dubious.

(1)  Why do you think people resort to spreading rumours?

(2) Choose one of the rumours cited by Minister Yaacob Ibrahim in the article and discuss how 

      the spread of such rumour could have affected Singapore as a nation.

Young and Neighbourly (page 6) - 5 Faith and 5 Humility

Issue: 9 July 2013 

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ― Mark Twain 

Being neighbourly is not something that only adults can do. Everyone, regardless of age, can demonstrate acts of kindness. Three primary school pupils were among 11 recipients of the HDB Good Neighbour Award at the recent HDB Community Week, held between May 29 and June 9. The annual award, organized by HDB, honours the community spirit shown by those living in their HDB estates. The awardees shared their charitable acts with readers which include, lending elderly neighbours a hand with their groceries, helping neighbours to clean their houses, helping classmates with their schoolwork, among other things.

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(1) What are the acts of kindness you can show to your neighbours? [Remember, no act of kindness is too small when it is done from the heart.] 

(2) Besides our neighbours, who else can we show kindness to and what can we do to live out one of our school values - Compassion?

National Day is just round the corner. This year, you get to have a say in which National Day Theme Songs we will sing during our National Day Celebration on 7 August. Listen to the following songs and vote for your favourite one in the poll below! Voting ends on 26 July 2013!

customer surveys

National Day Theme Song 2013 - One Singapore





National Day Theme Song 2012 - Love At First Light






National Day Theme Song 2011 - In A Heartbeat






National Day Theme Song 2010 - Song For Singapore






National Day Theme Song 2009 - What Do You See






National Day Theme Song 2008 - Shine For Singapore






National Day Theme Song 2007- Will You






National Day Theme Song 2006 - My Island Home






National Day Theme Song 2005 - Reach for the Skies






National Day Theme Song 1998 & 2004 – Home (1998 version)






National Day Theme Song 2003 - One United People






National Day Theme Song 2002 - We Will Get There






National Day Theme Song 2001 - Where I Belong

Lend Me Your Ears (4 Humility & Charity)

LRD 21 May 2013

With thousands of maids from other countries working here in Singapore, a helpline has been set up. This service, in English and Bahasa Melayu, will be ready next month and maids can call the line at any time of the day. They can call for information on issues such as their day, work permit matters and also to discuss personal problems. They can even call simply because they need someone to talk to, a listening ear.

Imagine you are a maid. What would you call the helpline about?

On 30th April 2013, the war memorial in Connought Drive was vandalised.
The suspect was accused of spray-painting the word 'democracy' on the Cenotaph and scrawling a big red 'X' on the memorial, cancelling out the years 1914 to 1918.

The word 'democracy' means 'government by all the people, usually through elected representatives'. This means that the people are allowed to vote for whom they want to represent them in the government.
We recite our pledge in school every week day and pledge to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.'

What do these words mean to you personally? How do you think these words are translated to actions in your daily life? How do you build a democratic society every day?

Kids Turn Entrepreneurs (5 Charity and 5 Joy)

Approximately 80 children turned entrepreneurs each day for a duration of nine days when the Sentosa Kidz Flea Market was held during the last March holidays. The items that were put up on sale were either donated or made by the children. While some of the proceeds from the sale were used to buy treats for the children themselves, the rest went to Hospice Care Association (HCA). It was an enriching learning experience for the children and they got to learn perseverance (such as to keep up their energy for the duration of the sale) and how to count the money collected from the sales, just to name a few.

Post your comments on one or more of the following questions:

(1) Why do you think the children donated part of their proceeds to Hospice

      Care Association (HCA)?

(2) Which of our school values do you think the children demonstrate?

(3) What are some of the things which you can do to give back to the society /

      to reach out to others?

Vote for us!

YouthchaNgE 3.0 gave some P6 multimedia girls a platform to make a video about the place in Singapore they call home. Look at group 9 and group 10. Like the video and vote for them! 

Group 9
http://www.nma.sg/youthchange/2013/03/group09-canossa-convent-primary-school/

Our Home
This group chose their school, Canossa Convent Primary School as their home. They brought us to the heart of the school, a garden where they spend time with friends. They later compared the school hall to a living room where everyone gather and watch ‘TV” - assembly programmes. Lastly, they bring us to their “bedroom” – their class, P5 Faith where they learn new things.

Contributed by
Perez Ariane Balasta, Lin Michelle Mercado, Christine Chia Kim Moy, Insyirah Bte Iryadi and Deborah Ann Punnoose George

Group 10
http://www.nma.sg/youthchange/2013/03/group10-canossa-convent-primary-school/

Our School, Our Home
This group chose their school, Canossa Convent Primary School as their home as they learn lots of things and skills through activities as they would in a home. In this short video, they featured the computer lab and the indoor sport hall. They feel that these skills picked up through activities are essential as it would benefit them in the future.

Contributed by
Shama Juwairiyyah Bte Subhan, Lim Jia Hui, Ashley Crystal Chia Sze Min and Lechmi Rajendran

Neighbours Who Became Friends (on behalf of P6Humility)

LRD: 26 Feb 2013

Simple acts of kindness go a long way in strengthening relationships among neighbours. Examples of such deeds include helping one another out and greeting one another. It is important to have good relationships with your neighbours and the first step to doing so begins with us.

1. Do you think it’s important to have a good relationship with your neighbours? Why or why not?

2. How many of your neighbours do you know and how did you get to know them?

3. What are some things which you can do to strength your relationship with your neighbours?

Using Clay to Recycle Water (P6Hope)

LRD: 26 Feb 2013

In 2012, a group of students from Anderson Junior College (AJC) developed a method to use bentonite clay to clean soapy water without creating waster by-products. Their findings are made use of by PUB, Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Environmental and Water Technology Centre of Innovation in a nine-month trial to recycle water. Should the trial be successful, there will be an alternative to treating laundry waste water. Currently, the methods that are being used produce hazardous waste.

Post your comments on the following questions:

• Should the trial be a success, what positive impacts could there be on the environment?
• Do you think it is important care for the environment? Why or why not?
• What are some things you can do to care for the environment?

Growing up (Page 16): Act of chivalry

Summary of news:

A visitor to Singapore, Mr Choi Dae Ho, a 22-year-old South Korean undergraduate, made the news when a picture of his kind act towards an old woman was posted online. 

He was returning to his hostel when he saw a barefoot old woman board a bus. Out of compassion for her, he took his own slippers off and placed them on the old woman’s feet. She was moved to tears by his act of kindness. 

When asked, Mr Choi said that he has a “deep affection and respect for grandmothers” as he was raised by his grandmother. In addition to that, he also commented that what he did was just a small gesture and he would regret it had he not done what he did.

 

Mr Choi empathize with the old lady and made the decision to do what he did.  

 

Discussion points:

 What do you think of what Mr Choi did and why?

 Which of our school values did Mr Choi demonstrate?

 How can we also demonstrate this value to the people around us?

Exercising Democracy

LRD: 5 Feb 2013

At the recent Punggol East by-election, Lee Li Lian from Workers’ Party (WP) won People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidate, Dr Koh Poh Koon by nearly 11 percentage points. In Ms Lee’s campaign, she pointed out the following as the concerns of young families:

• The rising cost of living
• Work-life balance
• The cost of child care
• The stressful education system

Post your comments on the following questions:

1. Do you agree that the cost of living is rising? Quote examples (examples include: food at McDonalds is getting more expensive, bus fare is rising, increasing school fees).

2. Many have commented that the education system in Singapore is stressful. How do you, as a student, feel about it and why?

Moderation is the Key (P6Faith)

LRD: 5 Feb 2013

 

A 15-year-old girl, together with her 16-year-old friend in California in the United, drugged her parents by lacing their milkshakes with sleeping pills. They did so as the younger girl’s parents turned off access to the Internet at 10pm every night and they wanted to use the Internet.  Both the girls have been arrested by the police.

 

When one becomes consumed with something, it becomes an addiction. Having easy access to the Internet, Singaporeans find it convenient to spend time online, and sometimes, too much. Signs of possible addiction include “losing track of how much time one spends online; feeling irritable when access is disrupted; and feeling guilty about Internet use.

 

 

Post your comments on:

1. What do you think of the behavior of the 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old friend?

2. Do you agree with what they have done to their parents? Why or why not?

 

 

 

Uniform Change (5 Faith and 5 Humility)

LRD Issue: 22 January 2013

Differing views on change of uniforms surfaced as a result of stocks failing to arrive on time for Stamford Primary School which recently changed its uniform design. While schools have the autonomy to decide on the change of design for school uniforms, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the decision should be "carefully thought through and the views of the school community and key stakeholders taken into consideration".

Post your comments on one or more of the following questions:
(1) What do you think warrants a change in the design of school uniforms?
(2) When do you think schools should change their uniforms? How frequently should / could this be done? State your reasons.
(3) What are other possible reasons for the negative responses to schools changing uniforms?


One of the points raised in the article is that buying new uniforms could be a huge burden for lower-income families.

Thinking for others...
- Besides providing needy students with uniforms, whether new or otherwise, what else could be done to help them?

National Day is just round the corner. This year, you get to have a say in which National Day Theme Songs we will sing during our National Day Celebration on 8 August. Listen to the following songs and vote for your favourite in the poll below!

web survey

National Day Theme Song 2012 - Love At First Light






National Day Theme Song 2011 - In A Heartbeat






National Day Theme Song 2010 - Song For Singapore






National Day Theme Song 2009 - What Do You See






National Day Theme Song 2008 - Shine For Singapore






National Day Theme Song 2007- Will You






National Day Theme Song 2006 - My Island Home






National Day Theme Song 2005 - Reach for the Skies






National Day Theme Song 1998 & 2004 – Home (1998 version)






National Day Theme Song 2003 - One United People






National Day Theme Song 2002 - We Will Get There






National Day Theme Song 2001 - Where I Belong

Word of the Day (6Charity)

In this week's issue of LRD, we learnt about how some pupils memorise the dictionary to prepare themselves for the RHB-The Straits Times National Spelling Championship this coming Saturday.

Our curiosity piqued, we decided to each find an interesting word from the dictionary. Look at the words below. Do you know their meaning? You might find them useful for your compositions. Scroll down for the meaning of the words. Happy guessing! And spelling! And pronouncing! Don't get your tongues all twisted!

Scintillating

Cantankerous

Recalcitrant

Despondent

Unceremonious

Kohlrabi

Ambidextrous

Pyknic

Quaff

Pugnacious

Emaciated

The following are the meanings of the words:

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Scintillating:  Very interesting (Geetha)

Cantankerous: Ill-natured (Ying Hui)

Recalcitrant: Stubborn / obstinately defiant of authority (Mikka)

Despondent: Feelings of  / showing hopelessness (Anna)

Unceremonious: Rude & abrupt (Varshana)

Kohlrabi: Cabbage with an enlarged & edible stem (Tricia)

Ambidextrous: Able to use both your hands equally well (Cheryl)

Pyknic: Short & fat (Tamara)

Quaff: To drink deeply; gulp (Ashley)

Pugnacious: (someone who is) ready to start a fight (Fiona)

Emaciated: Abnormally thin & weak (Leela)

What is one interesting word YOU have found in the dictionary?

A Place for all Creeds & Races - the former Bidadari Cemetery (6 Joy)

LRD Issue: 10 April 2012
Class: 6 Joy

The former Bidadari Cemetery is just a few bus-stops away from Canossa Convent Primary School (CCPS). If you have ever taken a bus from CCPS to NEX Shopping Mall, you would have passed by the defunct cemetery.

In 1998, the Government drew up a Master Plan for Singapore. In the Master Plan, it was stated that Bidadari Cemetery was to be cleared for the building of houses. The relatives of those who were buried there were informed that they had four years to claim the remains.

Today, the former cemetery is a park. There are also plans to build a New Town. There have been various debates over whether it is right to “destroy” a cemetery to make way for the building of houses. Besides that, there is also the question of whether anyone would want to stay in a flat/house that is built over a cemetery.

What are your thoughts on this? Post your answers to the following two questions as a comment to this blog entry:

• What do you think of “destroying” a cemetery to make way for the building of houses?
• Will you stay in a flat/house that is built over a cemetery?

Penang (6Hope)

Treasures to be Treasured

Singaporeans, in search of comfort food and an inexpensive, quick and relaxing holiday in a nearby destination, often think of Penang as one of the best choices. From the amazing beaches of Batu Ferringhi and stunning views from Penang Hill to the lively food haven in Gurney Drive, Penang has fascinated all her visitors.

However, it is in the quiet streets that we see the real treasures of Penang. The beautiful buildings with their decorative faces, the museum, art, heritage and music, dating from long ago, that we see what we need to restore and conserve so that generations can enjoy them for years to come.

This is also true for us here in Singapore. There are so many reminders of the past e.g. the shop houses in Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, besides the music, culture and food that we need to remind us of where we came from.

Do you think that we need such reminders? What would you consider worth saving from the past?

We are so excited to be at the MOE Excel Fest 2012. We will be here from 30 to 31 March at Suntec City Convention Hall 401, Booth B71. We are sharing with visitors how we use newspaper in class to learn more about Singapore and the world. When we discuss the articles in class with our classmates and teachers, we also learn the right values. We also have to share our thoughts on the issues discussed with our teachers through our reflections.

While we may feel tired, we are heartened that many visitors like how we use newspaper in class.

Do you like the way we use newspaper in education? Do you have a suggestion for us? We appreciate your comments and feedback.

If You Are Caught... (6 Faith)

Issue: 6 March 2012
Title of article: If you are caught...


Beside the fact that drugs mess with one's mind (LRD Issue on 21 Feb 2012, page 3), there are also dire consequences when one gets involved in drugs.


The type of punishment meted out to such offenders ranges from a stint in a rehabilitation centre to jail time and caning. As stated in the article, it's the responsibility of the person charged with trafficking drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to prove his innocence and not the authorities.


Take a look at the following video to find out more about the negative effects on one's mind and body when one takes drugs.





Extension activity: Write a letter to tell your best friend about the consequences of taking drugs and the legal actions that might be taken against the person who's caught taking/trafficking it. [Post it as a comment to this blog entry.]