Reflection on LA Lessons

Term 1 Week 7: (Weekend Assignment)

18/02/2011

This week's blog assignment requires you to write a 200 word reflection on the LA lessons covered so far. In your reflection, you may include the following points:

• what you have learnt/gained in the LA programme up to this point;
• what you like about the programme;
• the change(s) that you hope to see in the programme; and
• a lesson that you particularly enjoyed and why.

Feel free to add other points.

I feel that the Language Arts lesson has been a whale of my time. I never really thought of Language Arts to be something where you could have fun, but now, I truly understand the meaning and enjoyment. I have learnt a lot of skills in my Secondary 2 life although it has only been 2 months. I have learnt things like Characterisation, where you are required to "make the character come alive". Now, we are learning things like the Point of Views (POV). We have learnt 6 types, which I thought only had 2. I like the teacher a lot, because he makes many jokes, even if he did not meant it, but it adds a whole lot of colour to the lesson. The between my Essay draft 1 and 3 have a lot of difference, as you could see the gradual improvement. I would hope to have the sane type of lesson. My favourite lesson was the lesson which we had to speak up about "All Summers in a Day". That was the first time I have spoken up towards the class in LA class and I was awarded 3 points because of my tone. I immediately went home to teach others of how to speak well (Stated on my blog), ever since, I have been trying to improve on my tone. These lessons have started a new era in me! :D

Description of the Clock Tower

Term 1 Week 5: (Weekend Assignment)

11/02/2011

Using one of the photo that you chose in week 4 assignment, describe the scene in the photo. Your description should include similes, metaphors and personifications in your description. Your description should be about 200 words in length.


The ClockTower was as big as a giant, it is located high up in the sky, as high as a vulture's nest. It is like the light of my life, leading me wherever I go in school. Whenever it reaches half an hour, the ClockTower screams, telling what the time is. The amazing bell would be sounded, it is as load as a lion's roar, just to make sure everyone spick and span of dirt can hear it. Whenever it rings, the class's silence was like a blood-cudling scream of anguish, set out to break my soul. Every minute passed is a glimpse of hope to me, telling me to keep going on, never give up. This tower is like my teachers, guiding my way in life, as it rings, it marks my start of school as well as the end. The noise is like music to my ears as it marks my closeness towards home. School is a gateway to adulthood. Whenever I am close to the ClockTower, my insides scream to tell me to hug it, but I myself know that the ClockTower is too huge for me. It keeps telling me to grow up, as I waited everyday, I day I could visit this amazing old tower again, after I marked a mark in my life.

Hwa Chong

HWA CHONG LOGO

Term 1 Week 4: (Weekend Assignment)

28/01/2011

This week, you are required to take photos of your favourite part in the school campus or your neighbourhood. Upload your photos in your blog and write a 200 word long explanation on the reasonswhy the place means so much to you and how it links to your identity.

Firstly, this is our school's clock tower. It means a lot in the school because it is the tallest tower there. Also, this clock tower marks our place in the Bukit Timah District. Also, it tells time, which is very convenient if you are training at the field.


Secondly, this is a bird's eye view picture of our whole school. As you can see, the track is located beside the road of Bukit Timah and it is where some sports Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) are held. The track is also there but unfortunately, because of the incoming Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), it has been reduced in size.

This is our School's gate at Gate 3. Every morning, as we drag our bags from our sweet home to school, this is practically the first thing that we would see. The sky is dark as I would normally reach school at 6.40am, after an hour bus-ride from my house which is near Chua Chu Kang Interchange.

This is the magnificent swimming pool in our school. I think that both of them are Olympic sized swimming pools. The waters are clean and that is where the CCA, Water Polo is being held. Some Secondary 1s also come here for their swimming lessons when it's Physical Education time. The building beside it holds a restaurant selling good food at cheap prices, it holds the PoolSide Cafe. This is where I normally eat for lunch, the food are quite cheap for students, ranging from $3.50 to $5 for restaurant sized food. On the next floor, there is a child-care centre.

This is the Junior College's street soccer court. Street-Soccer is a very famous sport in our school, as many people play it. There are also competitions like the one I recently went to, Festival of School, Arts and Health (FOSHA). There are also Basketball, Table Tennis and Ultimate Frisbee. Those that didn't get into a sport can also learn Tennis with our very own boys from Tennis CCA.


Using what I have learnt from class, this is my first person's point of view. The person in front is Denzel and although in the picture, I cannot see the teacher, I can still see him in reality. That is because while taking this photo, I kind of had to hid the camera, thats why it is lower. This is Language Arts lesson.

Finally, this is my CCA, Softball. This CCA is quite fun as it enriches someone's teamwork abilities. We need to work as a team, we can't do it alone. This is the 2010's C'division, along with the 4 boys below who are Secondary 1s, and the girl is our coach's assistant! I was absent that day and could not attend the photo taking :(

Identity

I choose the last photo where we took our picture of our C' division as it marks the start of my life as a Softballer. This photo only shows 4 out of the 13 of my team mates. I myself is the pitcher of the team while there are many other fielding positions. The first person on the left is the catcher, every training, we would train for hours, pitching and pitching. During the holiday trainings, we had to pitch for 3 hours, with some breaks in between! Those periods of time were very tiring but it was all worth it. I train to become my team's pitcher, and that is my identity. My team are also counting on me to pitch well for the team. Although my pitch is still not fast now, I believe it would be fast someday. I hope that our team can be the C' division champions, getting a shiny trophy for the school. During the 2010 year, our C' Division got a fourth placing, but this year I must overtake them. I believe this is possible and this is my CCA, and I, together with my team would work towards victory. :D

Dead Poets Society

Today, I am going to write about the thoughts and feelings of 2 characters inside the video:

Dead Poets Society


Firstly, the New Student.
I walked through the halls of the school carefully, I did not want to do anything stupid to spoil my first day. Every thing seemed so weird in this school, they had ceremonies which we had to hear someone use a pipe instrument. I felt that I was scared as I was still a freshman, everyone else looked so big. I loved the sound of the magnificent pipe, it was really grand and I thought that this whole ceremony sounded really formal. I looked around and saw some people sharing a flame over candles, so I followed suit. I do not really understand what it meant but it was fun!

Now, the Parent.
I am so proud of my son as he walked down the hallway, playing his pipes. He has finally grown up to become a man, leading the ceremony. This ceremony marks a very important day of his life as he lead that school's flags of disciplinary. He have been practising daily, giving a hand and a leg for this ceremony. His skill with the pipes are very good as he has been learning since eight years old. I felt that this is a memorable day, thus taking photos is a must. This is a great deal for my son.

Point of View in Narrative Writing

Let us see what Point of Views there are:

1)First Person
2)Second Person
3)Third Person
4)Objective P.O.V
5)Omniscient
6)Limited Omniscient

A First Person point of view is when the word "I" is used. You are observing him from his point of view, you only know what he knows, you only know what he sees. It is as if you are inside his body observing his every move. A First Person style of writing in point of views is very common.

A Second Person point of view is when you use the word "You". It is not from one person's point of view anymore, but it is from the person's and the person beside him's point of view. This style of writing is not easy. When I tried to use a second person's point of view, I often waver between the First and Third Person. This style of writing is very uncommon.

A Third Person point of view is when you are using the word "We". Everything you say is from a general point of view. You are the narrator of the story, there is no "I" or "You" in the story except in dialogues. Characters are generally named by their name or He, She and Them etc. When you are writing a Third Person point of view, you must be very careful, as many people would start to write "I" in their essay, thus you would contradict in your essay. For example, your character is called John, you cannot suddenly write I as that would mean that you are John.

Different Third Person's Point of View

An Objective point of view is when you are observing in a person's eye. You cannot see everything, just those a normal people would see. The writer must not state everything out as this is not narrative, however, he can give several clues for the readers to find out what really happened. Clues can be in the characters' action or dialogues.

An Omniscient point of view is when the narrator knows everything, the thoughts and the feelings of each and every character. You are like god, you can read minds. However, there is another Omniscient point of view.

A Limited Omniscient is when you know only 1 person's thoughts and feeling, it is like a Pirst person, except you are writing in a Third Person. Your knowledge of feelings and thoughts are restricted to only one person. Be careful as if you accidentally write someone else knowledge, you will be marked badly.

Characterisaton: Story Excerpt

Super Diaper Baby


Characterisation:

One fine morning, Super Diaper Baby was flying down the streets of Townsville, when he heard something.

"Pst..Pst.." he immediately saw that someone was suspiciously creeping in the shadows, immediately, he followed him.

Super Diaper Baby was like any other infants, except that he had super powers. His stubby hair covers only a quarter of his big round head, his eyes as small as marbles. He also has a stubby nose and a big wide grin. His signature trademarks are his blanket and his diaper, after all, he is called the Super Diaper Baby. He uses his powers to the greatest good to fight crime and save the human race.

He flew threw the alley carefully, when suddenly, confetti of all sorts of colours flew into his face! He dropped onto the floor and saw someone moving towards him. He regained his sense from the shock and found out he was in a brightly lighted area, he saw decorations all over the room and a cake.

It was his father - Bill trying to lure him into the room for his surprise birthday party. He took his father up and spanked his bottoms!

"You no can do that again ever!" Super Diaper Baby screamed.

Mind the language, I was trying to add Super Diaper Baby's way of speech.

Jim Crow's Law

This is our post about the Jim Crow's Law, our group member includes:

Quek Yue Heng (Leader) (28)

Issac Peh En Mian ( 6 )

Lee Shi Jun (14)
Phineas Teo (26)

Andre Poh Zhen Yang (27)

Clarence Tan Jun Neng (29)

This is the podcast about Jump Jim Crow, there is a little bit of rap in it, hope you will enjoy.

P.S: The lyrics are at the bottom.

Lyrics

Verse 1

Yo! Yo! This is the Laws of Jim Crow

But who or what is Jim Crow…

No one is Jim Crow

But he’s a song

Named the Jim Crow Jump.

Verse 2

Jump Jim Crow, the racist song,

Never gone well with the “Blacks”…

Jump Jim Crow, the racist song,

And he sang for 5 Verse long.

Verse 3

What oh what is the Jim Crow Laws

That made the Blacks so mad

2 Main Groups form the Jim Crow Laws

That made the Whites so glad

Verse 4

Separated, tossed aside,

The blacks had no rights.

You can’t vote

Or do things right…

Verse 5

How do you feel Black,

How do you feel

Separated, Dejected

And Irritated

Verse 6

Did Jim Crow Laws appear in Mockingbird?

Yes of course it did

Falsely Accused of Raping a Girl

In the end judged guilty.

Copyrights to Quek Yue Heng and his team C