You Can Be A Hero Too !

Do you know that you don't have to rescue someone from a burning building or save a drowning person to be a hero? Neither do you have to be famous nor grown up. Kids like you can be heroes too! Heroes have qualities such as courage, a sense of responsibility, determination and honesty. Here are some of the things you can do to be your own hero:

      1. Help the elderly around the neighbourhood. Help them cross the road or water their plants.
      2. Help your friends when they have difficulty understanding the subjects learnt in school.
      3. Help to keep the environment clean by picking up rubbish thrown on the ground.
      4. Help your parents with household chores.
      5. Volunteer your time at an animal shelter or nursing home.

What are some other ways you can help people around you? Aim to do one good deed this week and be a hero yourself!

Quote about heroes
" A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around" - Edgar Watson Howe, American novelist and editor

"A hero is a man who does what he can" - Romain Rolland, French dramatist and novelist

"The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts " - Henry Miller, American novelist

Paper Cranes

• Since ancient times, the Japanese believe that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted one wish. 
• Some people give origami cranes to cancer patients, to signify a wish for the patient's recovery and long life.
• A thousand paper cranes are commonly given as wedding gifts by fathers in the Japanese culture, to wish the newly wedded couple a thousand years of prosperity and happiness.

Activity of Writing

My Best Friend

Theme                        :          World of Self, Family and Friends

Topic                          :           My Best Friend

Level                           :          Primary

Skills                           :          Writing

                                              Listening

                                              Speaking

Learning Outcome    :            Listen to and follow simple dication

                                               Acquire range of adjectives for describing a person

                                               Change texts to personalize them

                                               Practice group writing

Resources                 :           Sheets of A4 paper, at least one per student

                                               Pencils

                                               Pictures of people

                                              Prepared Text

                                                   

                

Warm up                    :

~ Write the word ‘friends’ on the board. Ask the class how they would describe their friend, 

   “Is she/he big, small, pretty, or strong”, “Is she/he nice, happy, sad?” etc. Brainstorm

    as a whole class. Write their choices on the board.

~ Ask the students what these words are, adjectives. Explain that we use adjectives to

   describe  someone or something.

 ~ Write a sample text on the board using adjectives suggested by the class, 

    For example,

My best friend is called __________. She/He is 9 years old. She/He __________hair 

and __________ eyes. She/He __________( thin / tall / small etc.) She/He is __________ and __________ ( happy / clever / funny etc. ) Her/His favorites hobby is __________.

 

~ Tell the class that they are going to do a dictation and then draw a monster that they will later write about.

Steps                          :

1. Distribute A4 paper, one sheet to each student.
2. Tell the students they will be doing a dictation, but first teacher want them to write down some thing. They should write down their ideas, not what their partners write.
3. Ask them to write down a man’s or woman’s name. Ask them to write down a number between 1 and 100. Ask them to write down a colour. Ask them to write down another colour. Ask them to write down an adjective of physical description and also ask them to write down a character adjective. Ask them to write down a hobby.
4. Now tell them that they will do the dictation. Dictate the text as before,

 "My best friend is called __________.( They must write down the name that they choose ). She/He is __________ ( They must write down the number that they choose ) years old. She/He has _________ ( They must write down the colour that they choose) hair and __________ ( They must write down the colour that they choose) eyes. She/He __________ ( They must write down the adjective that they choose) and __________( They must write down the characteristic they choose). His/Her favourite hobby is __________( They must write down the hobby that they choose)."

5. Ask the students to show their partners their texts. Ask some of them what their choices were. Who has the oldest friend? What colour hair has their friend got, etc?
6. Explain that they now have to rewrite the text to make it true about their real best friend. They need to change all the words that are wrong. They should do this in groups to help each other.
7. When students have finished writing, ask them to show their work to their partners. Are there any spelling mistakes? Are their descriptions the same? 

Activity of Reading

The Reading Zoo

Theme                       :           The World of Knowledge

Topic                          :           Animals                                                              

Level                          :           Primary

Skills                          :           Reading

                                              Listening

Learning Outcome      :          Read aloud words in lists and pictures

                                               Match phrases to pictures

Resources                 :           Cut-up picture cards

                                               Instructions cards

                                               Manila cards and envelopes

                                               Marker pens

                                               Worksheets

Warm up                    :

For about three minutes, the students have to guess the sound of animals made by the teacher and name them in English.

Steps                          :

1. The teacher introduces some new words, for example, ‘fins’, ‘crawls’, ‘glides’, ‘beak’,

    ‘swims’, ‘flies’, ‘wings’, ‘legs’, ‘jumps’, ‘frog’ by writing them on the board. Teacher 

     asks the students to read them aloud. This should take about five minutes.

2. The teacher gives out the letter cards, for example, ‘E’ for elephant, ‘C’ for crocodile,

   ‘B’ for bird, ‘F’ for fish, ‘S’ for snake and ‘M’ for monkey. One for each student and then 

   divides the class into six groups of six students, according to the letter cards they each 

    have. The student and the teacher rearrange the desks, if necessary, for group activities. 

    This should take about five minutes.

3. For about 30 minutes the students complete Group Tasks. Each group is given 

   a large envelope that contains a cut-up picture of an animal, glue, and a manila card. 

   They also receive a task card of instructions. The students read the instructions to 

    rearrange the cards, paste them on the manila card and find out what animal is in the 

    picture. From the reassembled picture, they have to answer the given question,

   For example, ‘A __________ lives in the pond. It has __________.

                           It cans __________. It eats __________.’

4. The next ten minutes are given to Group Presentations when the teacher asks each 

    group to show their work on the board. Two of the students from each group present 

    their work in front of the class. The teacher asks them to tell about other features

   of their animal.

5. To end the session and for about seven minutes or however much time is left, the 

     students are each given a worksheet. They are asked to do their own enrichment

     activities, on their own, while the teacher circulates and discusses the question with 

     each of the groups.

 

 Example of Worksheet for this topic:

 

swim	fly	worms	birds	fish
pond	leaves	rabbit	caterpillar	crawls

 

 

This is a __________. It lives in a __________.

It likes to eat __________. It can __________.              

 

This is a __________. It __________.

It likes to eat __________.

 

These are __________. They can __________.

They like to eat __________.

Activity Of Speaking

Drawing Out the Artist in Groups

 

Theme                         :         World of Story and Knowledge

Topic                           :           Animals and characters

Level                           :           Primary

Skills                           :          Speaking

                                              Listening

                                              Writing

Learning Outcome    :           Working as a team to listen 
                                            to, speak and write English
                                            

Resources                 :           Mahjong paper, pens, and Blu tack

Warm up                    :

~ Revise the vocabulary for the parts of the animal or figure you will ask the students to draw. 

   Do this as a whole class activity on the board. Leave the vocabulary on the board while the

   students complete this activity.

~ Remind students of class rules and expectations while working in groups, for example, work 

   quietly, everybody contributes, respect each other’s ideas.

Steps                          :

1.  Explain to student that they will be working in groups of four to draw a picture of an animal or 

     figure, for example, a cow, a tiger, an old house or a character from a story. Everyone must

     draw a part of the animal or figure.

2. Divide the class into mixed ability groups of four students.

3. Tell the students each person in group must have a job, for example, someone to collect the 

     pen or marker and paper from teacher, someone to ensure the group speaks in English,  

    someone to check everyone’s name is next to the part she or he drew and someone to bring 

    the drawing to front to display to the class and talk about the drawing.

4. Give the students time to collect roles.

5. Tell the student they are now going to draw an animal or figure and that it must be big and the

   drawing must take up most oh the paper. The drawing should include, for example for an

   animal, head, body, tail, and legs.

6. Give the students time to allocate roles.

7. Invite each group to have someone bring their drawing to the front of the class to share it.

8. Display the students work on classroom walls.

Activity Of Listening

 A jazz chant in action

“Who did you see?”

Theme                  :  World of Self, Family and Friends                                  
Topic                    :  “Who Do You See”
Level                     :  Beginners / Lower Primary
Skills                     :  Listening
                                   Speaking
                                   Reading
Learning Outcome : Practise of oral rhythm and stress.
                                          Introduce or review personal pronouns
                                         ‘I’, ‘you’ and object pronoun ‘me’
Resources             :  An appropriate library or reading corner book.
                                     A few small mirrors, ideally one per pair of students.
                                     A Jazz Chant prepared for projecting with the LCD
Warm Up             :
Story time. Read a short book to the class. Anything by Dr. Seuss or Joy Cowley  would  be great, something with lots of rhyme. Let the children enjoy the sounds tripping off your tongue. Get them to repeat part or all the story with you. The only objective is to have fun and let the children relax and interact with the text. Ask questions about what they think might happen next.

Steps : 1. Read the following jazz chant to your students, and try to use two different voices.
              2. Allow children to see the text and read it silently.
              3. Read through chant getting the students to repeat each line after you. You would do
                  well to break the class into two to practice the two different parts with one side of the class taking on one role each and chanting in unison. Reverse parts and repeat.


 

“Who Can You See?”

                    Who can you see?

                    I can see me.

                    Who can you see?

                    I can see me.

                    You can See who?

                    I can see me!

                    You can see you?

                    Yes, I can see me?

                    Are you crazy?

                    No, I’m not crazy!

                    I can see me!

                    Tell me now!

                    I want to know how!

                    How do you do it?

                                                                                How do I do it?

                    Yes, how do you do it?

                                                                                I look at this here.

                    You look at what, where?

                                                                                This here mirror!

                    Mirror?

                                                                                Yes a mirror!

                                                                                I can see me,

                                                                                And I can see you.

                                                                                Turn the mirror

                                                                                Is all I have to do.

 

Contoh Aktiviti-aktiviti Yang Meningkatkan Penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris(Part 2)

 English Day/Week

Pihak sekolah perlu mengisytiharkan satu hari dalam seminggu sebagai Kari Bahasa Inggeris. Pada hari tesebut, semua pelajar, guru dan staf sokongan akan berinteraksi dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Secara tidak langsung, penglibatan guru-guru dan staf sokongan akan memberikan pelajar impetus untuk menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris dalam aktiviti-aktiviti harian mereka. Pihak sekolah juga boleh menganjurkan Minggu Bahasa Inggeris sebulan sekali atau dua bulan sekali.

Spelling Bee

“Spelling Bee” merupakan gelaran yang diberi kepada seseorang pelajar yang pakar dalam ejaan. Untuk mengenal pasti individu ini pertandingan ejaan akan diadakan di mana pelajar perlu mengeja senarai perkataan yang ditetapkan. Pemenang ialah pelajar yang dapat mengeja semua perkataan yang diberi dengan tepat.

DEAR(Drop Everythig and Read) Project

Ini adalah satu projek bacaan luas. Peruntukkan masa selama 20 minit atau 30 minit dalam seminggu diadakan untuk memberi peluang kepada pelajar, guru dan kakitangan sekolah membaca bahan dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Pelajar-pelajar boleh membawa bahan bacaan sendiri atau meminjamnya daripada perpustakaan sekolah.

Readathon

“Readathon” merupakan pertandingan membaca di kalangan pelajar. Pada jangka masa yang ditetapkan(3 hingga 6 bulan) pelajar dikehendaki membaca seberapa banyak buku yang boleh. Pelajar dikehendaki mencatat semua judul buku yang dibaca sebagai bukti. Pemenang ialah pelajar yang telah membaca dan memahmi bilangan buku yang terbanyak.

Debate

Pertandingan bahasa antara kelas adalah amat digalakkan. Ini adalah kerana aktiviti perbahasan memberi peluang kepada pelajar-pelajar yang mempunyai penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris yang baik untuk menunjukkan kebolehan masing-masing dalam teknik berhujah. Secara tidak langsung, pelajar-pelajar ini juga akan menjadi “role model” kepada pelajar-pelajar lain. Topik-topik semasa dan kontroversial boleh dipilih sebagai stimulus ke arah sesi perbahasan yang menarik, berkesan dan berfaedah.

English Quiz

Pihak sekolah  boleh menganjurkan kuiz dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Soalan-soalan boleh diperingkatkan kepada topik-topik umum kepada topik-topik yang lebih spesifik seperti sukan, personality terkenal, sejarah dan geografi. Pelajar perlu dimaklumkan tentang peraturan-peraturan asas terutama sekali mengenai bilangan cubaan yang dibenarkan. 

Language Games

Permainan bahasa adalah sangat popular di kalangan pelajar. Antara contoh-contoh permainan bahasa dalam Bahasa Inggeris ialah permainan menggunakan kad seperti “Happy Families”, permainan berunsurkan “papan” seperti “Monopoly”, “Totopoly” dan permainan mengaplikasikan perkataan seperti “Scrabble” dan “Boggle”. Pelajar perlu digalakkan bermain permainan-permainan seperti di atas apabila ada kelapangan. Pihak sekolah atau Persatuan Bahasa Inggeris perlu menyediakan set-set permainan ini untuk pelajar. Pertandingan permainan bahasa juga boleh dianjurkan.

Corridor of Knowledge

Koridor sekolah boleh dijadikan koridor pengetahuan. Dinding koridor boleh dijadikan sebagai tempat mempamerkan hasil penulisan pelajar seperti karangan, berita dalam Bahasa Inggeris dan banhan-bahan lain. Papan bergerak boleh digunkan sekiranya koridor terlalu sempit.