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.]