Friday (26/11/2010)
a) Our Storybook.
• We talked about the various storybooks kids have read. We discussed about the contents and have decided to make our drama into a storybook. I have already taken their individual photos before make-up and dress up. I shared with them my idea of book the “Before and After” concept. I between the pages would include the short story lines and drawings by kids. Thus, today; we drew the Cover Page with the title “Peter Pan”.
• The drawings were of free topic but within the scope of our topic. Some kids drew automatically, some went to get the puppets on the notice board and very few asked for my assistance.
b) Our Title.
• I shared with the kids that there would be a Musical Peter Pan Drama in Sunway Hotel from 26th Nov until 2nd of January. Wow…….what a coincidence! I shall discuss with the management if the kids could watch this golden moment as an inspiration for their concert….wow! Otherwise, parents could bring kids and family there as their family activity!
• Meanwhile, we brainstormed as many titles as possible for our drama. Among:
- Pirates! - Captain Hook vs. Peter Pan. – Help, help, Peter Pan!
- Save us, Peter Pan! - Where is Peter Pan? - Peter Pan: The Kids’ Musical.
Majority chose “Where is Peter Pan?” Thus, ladies and gentleman; please make yourself available to watch our concert on 19th. December which includes : The Kids’ Musical: Where is Peter Pan!
c) The Practice.
• We practised only the necessary part where kids need to improve further. I don’t want to tire them yet make them feel fun to perform. I bet they do!
Our Pomegranate friends！
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Jack And The Beanstalk
Tuesday (23/11/2010)
a) The Practice
• As Zhe Qing and Jun Yu had to go off earlier after lunch, thus we did our practice in the morning. Altogether, we used up 30 minutes …..wow! (including traing and being independent).
• The kids are more well versed now. They only need to know when to appear and disappear after the dialogue lines!
b) Organising individual files.
• As we had been doing various crafts and worksheets, it is best for the kids to organize their items in the individual files. At the same time, they know whether they have completed or ortherwise.
c) Jun Yu’s storybook: Jack and The Beanstalk.
• As we are more settled with Peter Pan, I thought we could have more new stories. I read this story with the class and who….it was lots of fun. Magic beans, huge beanstalk tree, monster, Jack the fast boy, the goose that laid golden egg ad eventually the monster died when it fell together with its Beanstalk to the ground.
• Moral: A very fun story yetwe shouldn’t take things not belonging to us. If Jack was unlucky, he could have eaten by the monster. If the monster’s tree was really down, he could no longer go home and would start attacking the Earth’s living things.
d) Individual Practice
• This session, I trained kids who needed more guidance. Qian Joe was very happy to help me cutting the skeleton skulls for pirates. The others played Corner Playing just for 25 minutes. There are really lots of things to be done prior performance
a) The Practice
• As Zhe Qing and Jun Yu had to go off earlier after lunch, thus we did our practice in the morning. Altogether, we used up 30 minutes …..wow! (including traing and being independent).
• The kids are more well versed now. They only need to know when to appear and disappear after the dialogue lines!
b) Organising individual files.
• As we had been doing various crafts and worksheets, it is best for the kids to organize their items in the individual files. At the same time, they know whether they have completed or ortherwise.
c) Jun Yu’s storybook: Jack and The Beanstalk.
• As we are more settled with Peter Pan, I thought we could have more new stories. I read this story with the class and who….it was lots of fun. Magic beans, huge beanstalk tree, monster, Jack the fast boy, the goose that laid golden egg ad eventually the monster died when it fell together with its Beanstalk to the ground.
• Moral: A very fun story yetwe shouldn’t take things not belonging to us. If Jack was unlucky, he could have eaten by the monster. If the monster’s tree was really down, he could no longer go home and would start attacking the Earth’s living things.
d) Individual Practice
• This session, I trained kids who needed more guidance. Qian Joe was very happy to help me cutting the skeleton skulls for pirates. The others played Corner Playing just for 25 minutes. There are really lots of things to be done prior performance
Thursday (25/11/2010)
Keep it up, kids!
a) The Practice
• What could be more beautiful than watching these very young kids improve time after time? What could be more fun than watching everyone takes part? However, discipline still needs to be instilled so that they know their positions and turn to be on the stage. They must also know when to disappear, when to scream for help, when to turn and etc. Each and everyone are always trying ….I believe the process does affect the kids. Bravo……kids!
• We did rehearsal at the living hall as it is spacious, watched by 4 and 5 years old. Before starting, I have reminded the kids the importance of discipline. The teachers saw the improvement and hopefully we will bloom further with love and joy.
a) The Practice
• What could be more beautiful than watching these very young kids improve time after time? What could be more fun than watching everyone takes part? However, discipline still needs to be instilled so that they know their positions and turn to be on the stage. They must also know when to disappear, when to scream for help, when to turn and etc. Each and everyone are always trying ….I believe the process does affect the kids. Bravo……kids!
• We did rehearsal at the living hall as it is spacious, watched by 4 and 5 years old. Before starting, I have reminded the kids the importance of discipline. The teachers saw the improvement and hopefully we will bloom further with love and joy.
Wednesday (24/11/2010)
The More We Get Together
a) Be patient
• Being a teacher with young learners really test one’s patience…..but I believe that whatever we do will be copied by the kids which later shapes as their attitude. When some kids are not behaving well during the performance practice, I ask myself frequently, “Why? Is it too difficult for them? Are they thirsty for attention? Why can the others follow the instructions but not the few?” All I know is…..fill the class with positive and love energy so that they want to be here again and learn lots of new things from loving friends and teachers. Thus, sometimes I handle the situation as if all kids are adults chairing a meeting, sometimes I speak to them personally for encouragement but sometimes, reprimand is really necessary because the world has every rule.
• That was why after discussion with the class, I have decided to swap the kids’ roles. Phewww……after the hard work!
b) Vocabulary
• To recap words learnt, each kid was given a picture they had to guess the word. Next, I wrote the words on the cardboard so that they could paste them.
• Then, we read the words together.
c) Song: The More We Get Together
• We sang the song while holding hands. Then, the kids took turn to run through the gaps between friends. The song is stressing about unity.
• Next, the kids assisted with performance props. Example: decorating Tinker Bell’s wings and etc.
a) Be patient
• Being a teacher with young learners really test one’s patience…..but I believe that whatever we do will be copied by the kids which later shapes as their attitude. When some kids are not behaving well during the performance practice, I ask myself frequently, “Why? Is it too difficult for them? Are they thirsty for attention? Why can the others follow the instructions but not the few?” All I know is…..fill the class with positive and love energy so that they want to be here again and learn lots of new things from loving friends and teachers. Thus, sometimes I handle the situation as if all kids are adults chairing a meeting, sometimes I speak to them personally for encouragement but sometimes, reprimand is really necessary because the world has every rule.
• That was why after discussion with the class, I have decided to swap the kids’ roles. Phewww……after the hard work!
b) Vocabulary
• To recap words learnt, each kid was given a picture they had to guess the word. Next, I wrote the words on the cardboard so that they could paste them.
• Then, we read the words together.
c) Song: The More We Get Together
• We sang the song while holding hands. Then, the kids took turn to run through the gaps between friends. The song is stressing about unity.
• Next, the kids assisted with performance props. Example: decorating Tinker Bell’s wings and etc.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Childrens’ Day
Friday (19/11/2010)
a) Welcome!
• We went to ABC Daycare Centre in the afternoon for this celebration. First, the older brothers and sisters welcomed us. Then, they performed a few interesting dances for us.
• The kindergarten kids got excited and some even introduced their siblings to me.
b) Station Games.
• Next, their teachers told us about the 5 games at each station. How to play successfully to gain a stamp for each station. With 5 stamps, they can then proceed downstairs for the maths quiz session to gain their little gift hamper.
• Station one: Spinning around with umbrella and to fish a candy from a plate using one’s mouth. Station two: The bowling game. Station 3: The alphabet game. Station 4: The music game. Station 5: The ball game.
c) Teabreak
• The kids were given some bread and a drink of herbal tea. They were very happy.
d) Discussion.
• Back in ABC Learning Centre, the kids were allowed to choose 1 food from their gift hamper. As they were eating, we discussed about their feelings and experience. They said they were very happy. Among their sharing:
- I like the gift hamper. I like the bowling game. I like the umbrella game. I like the music game. There is also alphabet game. I like throwing the ping pong ball intop the egg carton. There is also Maths Quiz next to the gift hamper. I like their Teabreak.
• There isn’t one item that they missed sharing about.
e) A “Thank You” Book.
• Thus, the kids decided to draw pictures thanking them. We shall then bind them into a book. The kids drew very well. A few kids followed Wee Hong’s step whereby they drew columns on the A4 paper and filled in each column with the different games…….wow! They had an unforgettable moment.
a) Welcome!
• We went to ABC Daycare Centre in the afternoon for this celebration. First, the older brothers and sisters welcomed us. Then, they performed a few interesting dances for us.
• The kindergarten kids got excited and some even introduced their siblings to me.
b) Station Games.
• Next, their teachers told us about the 5 games at each station. How to play successfully to gain a stamp for each station. With 5 stamps, they can then proceed downstairs for the maths quiz session to gain their little gift hamper.
• Station one: Spinning around with umbrella and to fish a candy from a plate using one’s mouth. Station two: The bowling game. Station 3: The alphabet game. Station 4: The music game. Station 5: The ball game.
c) Teabreak
• The kids were given some bread and a drink of herbal tea. They were very happy.
d) Discussion.
• Back in ABC Learning Centre, the kids were allowed to choose 1 food from their gift hamper. As they were eating, we discussed about their feelings and experience. They said they were very happy. Among their sharing:
- I like the gift hamper. I like the bowling game. I like the umbrella game. I like the music game. There is also alphabet game. I like throwing the ping pong ball intop the egg carton. There is also Maths Quiz next to the gift hamper. I like their Teabreak.
• There isn’t one item that they missed sharing about.
e) A “Thank You” Book.
• Thus, the kids decided to draw pictures thanking them. We shall then bind them into a book. The kids drew very well. A few kids followed Wee Hong’s step whereby they drew columns on the A4 paper and filled in each column with the different games…….wow! They had an unforgettable moment.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Practice 1
Thursday (18/11/2010)
a) Props.
• Some props were almost ready and so the kids tried out if they are suitable for performance. The props were partially made by the kids and touched up by me. Among: the crocodile cap mask, the Dumbo elephant cap mask, the octopus cap mask, the crocodile cloak, the octopus tentacles suit, Captain Hook’s hook and also his long sword.
b) Practice 1: “Peter Pan Saves The Day”
• After practicing dances in small groups, we are almost ready to combine the whole dances into a musical drama. Due to the stage condition and not many microphones available, I would probably be the Narrator for the Performance Day.
• The dance was quite good but getting the kids to be at their positions promptly is what takes a lot of training and time especially a few younger kids. However, with practice; they got better. Anyone who overcomes the stage fear would be a step more successful and confident……I believe.
c) Peacock colouring.
As we had another 25 minutes remaining, the kids continued with their Peacock colouring sheet. Meanwhile, I got the kids to come forward individually to make the unfinished props.
d) The Casts:
Following are the casts for our musical performance.
a) Zhi Feng as Superman. b) Zhe Qing as Princess Tiger Lily.
c) Kwong Yong as Batman. d) Xing Tong as Cinderella.
e) Yun Xin as Dumbo. e) Yee Xuan as Snow White.
f) Wee Hong as Michael Jackson. g) Chia Yen as Minnie Mouse.
h) Qian Joe as Captain Hook. i) Xiang Wei as Mr. Smee.
j) Soon Yu as pirate 2. k) Zheng Yuan as the crocodile.
l) Jun Yu as the octopus. m) Chun Kit as Peter pan.
n) Natalie as Tinker Bell. o) Shawn as John Darling.
The story created by the class goes like this:
“It’s Peter Pan’s birthday and his friends in Disneyland are throwing him a surprise birthday party. Peter is on his way to Disneyland. Meanwhile his DISNEY friends are practising the performances. Suddenly, Captain Hook and pirates barge in hunting for Peter Pan. Feeling disappointed, he kidnaps DISNEY friends and all go aboard his Pirate Ship. Meanwhile, the hungry crocodile and octopus gets excited swimming in the creek….waiting for food! Luckily, Peter Pan comes in time to rescue his DISNEY friends. They battle and of course, the 3 pirates fall into the creek making the crocodile and octopus very happy! Everyone gathers around Peter Pan thanking their hero!”
a) Props.
• Some props were almost ready and so the kids tried out if they are suitable for performance. The props were partially made by the kids and touched up by me. Among: the crocodile cap mask, the Dumbo elephant cap mask, the octopus cap mask, the crocodile cloak, the octopus tentacles suit, Captain Hook’s hook and also his long sword.
b) Practice 1: “Peter Pan Saves The Day”
• After practicing dances in small groups, we are almost ready to combine the whole dances into a musical drama. Due to the stage condition and not many microphones available, I would probably be the Narrator for the Performance Day.
• The dance was quite good but getting the kids to be at their positions promptly is what takes a lot of training and time especially a few younger kids. However, with practice; they got better. Anyone who overcomes the stage fear would be a step more successful and confident……I believe.
c) Peacock colouring.
As we had another 25 minutes remaining, the kids continued with their Peacock colouring sheet. Meanwhile, I got the kids to come forward individually to make the unfinished props.
d) The Casts:
Following are the casts for our musical performance.
a) Zhi Feng as Superman. b) Zhe Qing as Princess Tiger Lily.
c) Kwong Yong as Batman. d) Xing Tong as Cinderella.
e) Yun Xin as Dumbo. e) Yee Xuan as Snow White.
f) Wee Hong as Michael Jackson. g) Chia Yen as Minnie Mouse.
h) Qian Joe as Captain Hook. i) Xiang Wei as Mr. Smee.
j) Soon Yu as pirate 2. k) Zheng Yuan as the crocodile.
l) Jun Yu as the octopus. m) Chun Kit as Peter pan.
n) Natalie as Tinker Bell. o) Shawn as John Darling.
The story created by the class goes like this:
“It’s Peter Pan’s birthday and his friends in Disneyland are throwing him a surprise birthday party. Peter is on his way to Disneyland. Meanwhile his DISNEY friends are practising the performances. Suddenly, Captain Hook and pirates barge in hunting for Peter Pan. Feeling disappointed, he kidnaps DISNEY friends and all go aboard his Pirate Ship. Meanwhile, the hungry crocodile and octopus gets excited swimming in the creek….waiting for food! Luckily, Peter Pan comes in time to rescue his DISNEY friends. They battle and of course, the 3 pirates fall into the creek making the crocodile and octopus very happy! Everyone gathers around Peter Pan thanking their hero!”
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Zhi Feng’s Storybook
Tuesday (16/11/2010)
a) Peacock
• We had further discussion upon kids’ questions yesterday. Peacocks can fly even above our house roof but of course not as high as eagles. They lay eggs thus they don’t feed peachicks with milk. The mother search for seeds, wheat or even small animals like mice to feed them. They need a lot of space which explains why they are free to move around I the Bird Park under the enormous huge net. With limited space, peacocks, peahens and their babies get stressed easily and will die. The net is also to disallow monkeys from coming into Bird Park.
• Can humans fly?
No because we don’t have wings. Some birds can’t fly too even with wings such as ostrich. Some can fly low such as chickens and ducks.
• How can humans fly then?
Zhe Qing was the first to answer correctly….by aeroplanes. Humans also fly using gliders, hot air balloon, parachute for emergency situations and etc. The kids were very keen about this topic.
b) Colouring
• I gave the kids a picture of peacock to colour.
• Meanwhile, I called a few kids individually to prepare for the performance props.
c) Performance Practice.
• We practiced at the living hall as it is more spacious. Today, we had a new performance by Zheng Yuan the crocodile and Jun Yu as the octopus. They were very funny but grasped fast. The others showed improvement with less prompting from me.
d) Zhi Feng’s Storybook.
• Zhi Feng bought a new storybook from Jusco entitled “Peter Pan”. Of course everyone already knew about this story but they requested me to tell them again…..haaa and I did! Howver, this round the kids were very attentive with less questions in between. They even sang the song “Following The Leader” when they saw the lost children marching behind John!
a) Peacock
• We had further discussion upon kids’ questions yesterday. Peacocks can fly even above our house roof but of course not as high as eagles. They lay eggs thus they don’t feed peachicks with milk. The mother search for seeds, wheat or even small animals like mice to feed them. They need a lot of space which explains why they are free to move around I the Bird Park under the enormous huge net. With limited space, peacocks, peahens and their babies get stressed easily and will die. The net is also to disallow monkeys from coming into Bird Park.
• Can humans fly?
No because we don’t have wings. Some birds can’t fly too even with wings such as ostrich. Some can fly low such as chickens and ducks.
• How can humans fly then?
Zhe Qing was the first to answer correctly….by aeroplanes. Humans also fly using gliders, hot air balloon, parachute for emergency situations and etc. The kids were very keen about this topic.
b) Colouring
• I gave the kids a picture of peacock to colour.
• Meanwhile, I called a few kids individually to prepare for the performance props.
c) Performance Practice.
• We practiced at the living hall as it is more spacious. Today, we had a new performance by Zheng Yuan the crocodile and Jun Yu as the octopus. They were very funny but grasped fast. The others showed improvement with less prompting from me.
d) Zhi Feng’s Storybook.
• Zhi Feng bought a new storybook from Jusco entitled “Peter Pan”. Of course everyone already knew about this story but they requested me to tell them again…..haaa and I did! Howver, this round the kids were very attentive with less questions in between. They even sang the song “Following The Leader” when they saw the lost children marching behind John!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Peafowls
Monday (15/11/2010)
a) Peafowls
• We learnt that a male is called peacock while a female is called Peahen. They are native in India and live in tropical rainforest. The male can spread its colourful feathers which usually are dark blue while the female can’t and have brown or black feathers only. They make their nests out of twigs and leaves. They eat seeds, leaves and also little animals such as mice.
Class: Do they fly high? How do they take care of their babies if they don’t have hands? What about owls? Do they open their eyes when they sleep?
• We shall look into details in the ext lesson.
b) Recording Continuation.
• The kids continue with their pictures. I drew some of them beforehand as they recalled what they saw.
• Today, Soon yu actually drew and coloured a big Peacock…….hmmm…..that’s an improvement! Wee Hong actually drew small boxes and inseted every bird that he saw in them….haaaa!
c) Performance Practice.
• We did our practice: The dance of “Following the Leader”, the Princesses dance, Michael Jackson Dace and the latest “Pirates Dance”.
• I shared with the kids some ideas to make the masks of crocodile, Dumbo, octopus and Minnie Mouse.
a) Peafowls
• We learnt that a male is called peacock while a female is called Peahen. They are native in India and live in tropical rainforest. The male can spread its colourful feathers which usually are dark blue while the female can’t and have brown or black feathers only. They make their nests out of twigs and leaves. They eat seeds, leaves and also little animals such as mice.
Class: Do they fly high? How do they take care of their babies if they don’t have hands? What about owls? Do they open their eyes when they sleep?
• We shall look into details in the ext lesson.
b) Recording Continuation.
• The kids continue with their pictures. I drew some of them beforehand as they recalled what they saw.
• Today, Soon yu actually drew and coloured a big Peacock…….hmmm…..that’s an improvement! Wee Hong actually drew small boxes and inseted every bird that he saw in them….haaaa!
c) Performance Practice.
• We did our practice: The dance of “Following the Leader”, the Princesses dance, Michael Jackson Dace and the latest “Pirates Dance”.
• I shared with the kids some ideas to make the masks of crocodile, Dumbo, octopus and Minnie Mouse.
The Magnificent Trip
Friday (12/11/2010)
a) The Bird park
• When we reached there, the peacocks first attracted everyone’s attention from the main door. There were so many of them. We were lucky to see a few spreading its train of feathers. They were so beautiful. Peahens aren’t able to spread their feathers.
• We saw many other birds. Among: rooster, love birds, parrots, crowned pigeons, emu hatching their big green eggs, ostriches, ducklings, fish in ponds, a little waterfall, strange looking owls, Hornbills, tortoises, little chicks hatching from eggs in a nursey building. There were so many colourful little birds as if painted by artists. The Bird Park was surrounded by an extremely huge net thus disabling monkeys from getting in.
• We had lunch at the comfortable cafeteria, played at the playground for a while and journeyed to the tunnel waterfall. Along the way, we saw birds discharge on the floor and cautioned one another. It was a wonderful trip as if walking down the Memory Lane.
b) Discussion and recording.
• We reached school early around 3.30pm. Everyone was so tired that almost all took an hour nap in the classroom.
• After waking up, we started discussing about our wonderful trip. Everyone had so much to share that eventually, I drew almost all the birds that we saw in Bird park….thanks to kids’ sharing.
• They started sketching their favourite moment. From my observation, 4 years old love the tunnel waterfall. The others especially love their moment with the peacocks. Their recordings were really beautiful.
a) The Bird park
• When we reached there, the peacocks first attracted everyone’s attention from the main door. There were so many of them. We were lucky to see a few spreading its train of feathers. They were so beautiful. Peahens aren’t able to spread their feathers.
• We saw many other birds. Among: rooster, love birds, parrots, crowned pigeons, emu hatching their big green eggs, ostriches, ducklings, fish in ponds, a little waterfall, strange looking owls, Hornbills, tortoises, little chicks hatching from eggs in a nursey building. There were so many colourful little birds as if painted by artists. The Bird Park was surrounded by an extremely huge net thus disabling monkeys from getting in.
• We had lunch at the comfortable cafeteria, played at the playground for a while and journeyed to the tunnel waterfall. Along the way, we saw birds discharge on the floor and cautioned one another. It was a wonderful trip as if walking down the Memory Lane.
b) Discussion and recording.
• We reached school early around 3.30pm. Everyone was so tired that almost all took an hour nap in the classroom.
• After waking up, we started discussing about our wonderful trip. Everyone had so much to share that eventually, I drew almost all the birds that we saw in Bird park….thanks to kids’ sharing.
• They started sketching their favourite moment. From my observation, 4 years old love the tunnel waterfall. The others especially love their moment with the peacocks. Their recordings were really beautiful.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Our ship.
Thursday (11/11/2010)
a) Our ship
• I sketched a picture of a ship on the whiteboard. Then, I sketched with a pencil on a big piece of cardboard box.
• We discussed a little about our performance. It will be the moment Soon Yu and Xiang Wei to carry the ship out when the Disney friends are captured.
• The kids were divided into two groups. One to colour the sea blue. The other to colour the ship brown. As we didn’t have brown, I showed the kids that a mixture of red and black is equal to brown.
• Although it was quite messy, but they really enjoyed themselves.
b) The telescope and flags.
• To avoid the crowded kids at the ship, Zheng Yuan and Yu Xuan painted the telescope orange. Meanwhile, YUn Xi and Xing Tong painted the recycled paper orange to be used as the pirate flag.
c) About birds.
• As we are going to the Bird Park tomorrow, we watched a little about birds. There are many types of birds. Some could fly while some not. Some are big while some are not. Chickens and ducks can’t fly high while sparrow and eagles fly high. Vultures eat left over animals’ dead body. Dark blue colour peacock is the male peacock. The owl sleeps in the morning and wakes up at night to hunt its food.
• Well, kids are advised to sleep early tonight for the trip.
d) Our performance.
• The kids were overwhelmed especially when we had 4 year- old class as our audience as well as a few teachers too.
• We need to practise a lot and overcome the kids fear. Chia Yen was brave after with some encouragement.
• First, we did the dance, “Following The Leader”, then The Princesses’ Dance and finally Michael Jackson performance.
• Overall, they had grasped the steps but practice would improvised their skill.
a) Our ship
• I sketched a picture of a ship on the whiteboard. Then, I sketched with a pencil on a big piece of cardboard box.
• We discussed a little about our performance. It will be the moment Soon Yu and Xiang Wei to carry the ship out when the Disney friends are captured.
• The kids were divided into two groups. One to colour the sea blue. The other to colour the ship brown. As we didn’t have brown, I showed the kids that a mixture of red and black is equal to brown.
• Although it was quite messy, but they really enjoyed themselves.
b) The telescope and flags.
• To avoid the crowded kids at the ship, Zheng Yuan and Yu Xuan painted the telescope orange. Meanwhile, YUn Xi and Xing Tong painted the recycled paper orange to be used as the pirate flag.
c) About birds.
• As we are going to the Bird Park tomorrow, we watched a little about birds. There are many types of birds. Some could fly while some not. Some are big while some are not. Chickens and ducks can’t fly high while sparrow and eagles fly high. Vultures eat left over animals’ dead body. Dark blue colour peacock is the male peacock. The owl sleeps in the morning and wakes up at night to hunt its food.
• Well, kids are advised to sleep early tonight for the trip.
d) Our performance.
• The kids were overwhelmed especially when we had 4 year- old class as our audience as well as a few teachers too.
• We need to practise a lot and overcome the kids fear. Chia Yen was brave after with some encouragement.
• First, we did the dance, “Following The Leader”, then The Princesses’ Dance and finally Michael Jackson performance.
• Overall, they had grasped the steps but practice would improvised their skill.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Deepavali
Thursday (04/11/2010)
a) Deepavali
• Deepavali or “The Light Festival” is the reason of our National Public Holiday. The kids said it is the Hindus New Year.
• We talked about the Hindus speciality and slightly compare to other cultures. Why do they light the oil lamps? Many guessed but only Kwong Yong got it correct….yes for praying purpose. The light symbolizes that the good always wins over the evil.
• They have delicious food. The kids guessed curry which is true. There is a lot more such as tosai and cookies.
• They wear beautiful clothes. Chun Kit said they also have Ang Pow but of different colour packet. They have white or red dots on their forehead. On the reason they put on these marks or known as “tikka”, they have to go home and do research as Deepavali is tomorrow.
• Shopping malls will have colourful rice decoration. They have to be very careful not to spill the rice. Jun Yu shared his younger brother’s experience of how he stepped onto the decoration but it was only minor one.
b) Performance practice.
• The kids practised “Following the Leader” Dance. Cikgu Xin Ru watched us. Wee Hong also performed as “Michael Jackson”. It was a fun practice.
a) Deepavali
• Deepavali or “The Light Festival” is the reason of our National Public Holiday. The kids said it is the Hindus New Year.
• We talked about the Hindus speciality and slightly compare to other cultures. Why do they light the oil lamps? Many guessed but only Kwong Yong got it correct….yes for praying purpose. The light symbolizes that the good always wins over the evil.
• They have delicious food. The kids guessed curry which is true. There is a lot more such as tosai and cookies.
• They wear beautiful clothes. Chun Kit said they also have Ang Pow but of different colour packet. They have white or red dots on their forehead. On the reason they put on these marks or known as “tikka”, they have to go home and do research as Deepavali is tomorrow.
• Shopping malls will have colourful rice decoration. They have to be very careful not to spill the rice. Jun Yu shared his younger brother’s experience of how he stepped onto the decoration but it was only minor one.
b) Performance practice.
• The kids practised “Following the Leader” Dance. Cikgu Xin Ru watched us. Wee Hong also performed as “Michael Jackson”. It was a fun practice.
The Princessess
Wednesday (10/11/2010)
a) The Princesses
• Individual guidance was given to these five Princesses: Yee Xuan as Snow White, Xing Tong as Cinderella, Natalie as TinkerBell, Chia Yen as Minnie Mouse and Zhe Qing as Princess Tiger Lily (the Red Indian Princess).
• Each of them drew the crowns uniquely. Today, I guided them such as adding glittering, pasting decorative paper or even suggested the patterns. As for Minnie Mouse, her crown was smaller as her mouse ears were considered to occupy left and right of her crown. They were excited and had their own perception of style.
b) The kids
• The others spent their time to touch up their drawing and colouring of Peter Pan Cartoon Movie.
• Then, they came to assist me with other props. Jun Yu and Zheng Yuan made Captain Hook’s long sword. With just little prompting, they were independent as we had made the short swords previously. Chun Kit, Shawn and Kwong Yong assisted at colouring and cutting out the “skull” logo for the pirates.
• We didn’t do any performance practice. We took a break today
a) The Princesses
• Individual guidance was given to these five Princesses: Yee Xuan as Snow White, Xing Tong as Cinderella, Natalie as TinkerBell, Chia Yen as Minnie Mouse and Zhe Qing as Princess Tiger Lily (the Red Indian Princess).
• Each of them drew the crowns uniquely. Today, I guided them such as adding glittering, pasting decorative paper or even suggested the patterns. As for Minnie Mouse, her crown was smaller as her mouse ears were considered to occupy left and right of her crown. They were excited and had their own perception of style.
b) The kids
• The others spent their time to touch up their drawing and colouring of Peter Pan Cartoon Movie.
• Then, they came to assist me with other props. Jun Yu and Zheng Yuan made Captain Hook’s long sword. With just little prompting, they were independent as we had made the short swords previously. Chun Kit, Shawn and Kwong Yong assisted at colouring and cutting out the “skull” logo for the pirates.
• We didn’t do any performance practice. We took a break today
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Craft: Crowns
Tuesday (09/11/2010)
a) Crowns
• Discussion: Who wears crowns? There can be formal or informal crowns.
• For purpose of performance, we need crowns for Snow White, Cinderella, Tiger Lily and also Tinker Bell. The other kids could make for their loving parents.
b) Craft: Crowns
• I prepared a few sizes of cardboards and showed the kids steps to make. We discussed about the various patterns. From shapes to more difficult patterns. Example: circles, squares, stars, hearts and etc.
• They drew, coloured and cut the shaped out. Then, pasted to the plain head crown.
• I gave them some coloured paper and they taught of their decoration.
• Individual attention was needed a few kids.
c) Our Audience.
• We invited Huang Lao Shi to take a look at our “Following The Leader” dance and also “Michael Jackson” dance.
• She was smiling watching us and praised the kids. She advised us to practise more for a better performance. The kids were overwhelmed and I had to calm them down. I have to improve my skill at calming down and encouraging them…….oh gosh…….especially having a mixture of 4 and 5 years old at the real concert! Honestly, I’m enjoying every moment of it as the kids are!
a) Crowns
• Discussion: Who wears crowns? There can be formal or informal crowns.
• For purpose of performance, we need crowns for Snow White, Cinderella, Tiger Lily and also Tinker Bell. The other kids could make for their loving parents.
b) Craft: Crowns
• I prepared a few sizes of cardboards and showed the kids steps to make. We discussed about the various patterns. From shapes to more difficult patterns. Example: circles, squares, stars, hearts and etc.
• They drew, coloured and cut the shaped out. Then, pasted to the plain head crown.
• I gave them some coloured paper and they taught of their decoration.
• Individual attention was needed a few kids.
c) Our Audience.
• We invited Huang Lao Shi to take a look at our “Following The Leader” dance and also “Michael Jackson” dance.
• She was smiling watching us and praised the kids. She advised us to practise more for a better performance. The kids were overwhelmed and I had to calm them down. I have to improve my skill at calming down and encouraging them…….oh gosh…….especially having a mixture of 4 and 5 years old at the real concert! Honestly, I’m enjoying every moment of it as the kids are!
Hindus’ Tiika
Monday (08/11/2010)
a) The Dance Practice.
• It is important to keep practicing so that the kids feel confidence especially after a longer weekend holiday. Another challenge is not having everyone present. Still, the positive spirit must be in the air.
• The kids got better especially at the end part. I taught them skipping and reminded them to keep marching and smiling.
b) Practice: Peter Pan’s Surprised Party
• We did this practice. The kids suggested to wear their clothes which I allowed. They were having fun.
• I was the emcee and introduced the 8 fashion show participants. The, they were danced little. Followed by Michael Jackson after that. Then, the Captain Hook and pirates came and caught them. They were peter’s baits. On the ship, they were tied ad the pirates were dancing while waiting for Peter. Then, crocodile and octopus were introduced and they danced their ways through. Haaa…….Peter, Tinker Bell and John came. They flew with the music and then they started negotiating with Captain Hook. Captain hook chose to fight. The battle was won over by the good people, of course. Crocodile and octopus were so happy having the pirates as meals. The end!
c) Sharing: Deepavali
• I brought Deepavali kuih as promised last Friday. I gave the kids a little of muruku only as it could be heaty. Zhe Qing shared that Tiika “the dots on Hindus forehead” can be a form of fashion. If they werea vlue, they can have blue tiika or any colour as a decoration.
• Meanwhile, Yun Xin said that her mother told her that red and white tiika have significance of marriage.
• According to my Hindu friends and Wikipedia, red is a tradition for married people as white signifies non-marriage. Today, even non Hindus wear Tiika just like make up.
• Some Hindus even had “earrings” on their nose or belly button which as according to Chun Kit for performance purpose.
a) The Dance Practice.
• It is important to keep practicing so that the kids feel confidence especially after a longer weekend holiday. Another challenge is not having everyone present. Still, the positive spirit must be in the air.
• The kids got better especially at the end part. I taught them skipping and reminded them to keep marching and smiling.
b) Practice: Peter Pan’s Surprised Party
• We did this practice. The kids suggested to wear their clothes which I allowed. They were having fun.
• I was the emcee and introduced the 8 fashion show participants. The, they were danced little. Followed by Michael Jackson after that. Then, the Captain Hook and pirates came and caught them. They were peter’s baits. On the ship, they were tied ad the pirates were dancing while waiting for Peter. Then, crocodile and octopus were introduced and they danced their ways through. Haaa…….Peter, Tinker Bell and John came. They flew with the music and then they started negotiating with Captain Hook. Captain hook chose to fight. The battle was won over by the good people, of course. Crocodile and octopus were so happy having the pirates as meals. The end!
c) Sharing: Deepavali
• I brought Deepavali kuih as promised last Friday. I gave the kids a little of muruku only as it could be heaty. Zhe Qing shared that Tiika “the dots on Hindus forehead” can be a form of fashion. If they werea vlue, they can have blue tiika or any colour as a decoration.
• Meanwhile, Yun Xin said that her mother told her that red and white tiika have significance of marriage.
• According to my Hindu friends and Wikipedia, red is a tradition for married people as white signifies non-marriage. Today, even non Hindus wear Tiika just like make up.
• Some Hindus even had “earrings” on their nose or belly button which as according to Chun Kit for performance purpose.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Magic
Wednesday (03/11/2010)
a) Magic
• Is there magic? Some said “yes” while some “no”. Basically, there are 2 types of magic. People magician who practise their tricks all the time to be perfect. The other would be fairies if they really exist.
• Who are fairies? Movies and cartoons give us the idea that they could be both females and males. Females are usually known as “fairy” while males as “elf”. I gave example of Mother God Fairy in Cinderella film. There is also “Pinocchio”.
Chun Kit: Are they good or bad?
Teacher: Well, I believe they are good. They reward good people ad teach bad people lessons so that they would change.
b) I am a Magician !
• So, ca you perform magic?
Zhe Qing: Teacher, can I try?
• Everyone stared at Zhe Qing when she stood in front of the class. I requested the kids to close their eyes. Zhe Qing took an eraser ad a magic wand in each hand and hid behind her. Then, when we opened our eyes, she took the magic wand out and “trring” ad suddenly, an eraser appeared on her right hand. The class giggled and eventhough they knew it was a trick, they started practicing among themselves.
• Another was performed by Zheng Yuan. He took a broken rubber band. He said he needed an assistant and Zhi Feng volunteered. First, he held the rubberband with his tiny fingers and asked Zhi Feng to pull the top open end. Suddenly, the rubberband shrunk ad became shorter…wow, “magic”! They went to each table and performed……..hmmmm…….I wonder if we could have more magic tricks…haaaaa!
c) Craft: The Magic Wand
• The kids get to choose either star shape or draw their desired shape. Only Wee Hong decided to have a heart shape. The rest wanted a star shape. They coloured their cardboard front and back as creatively as possible. Then, they took a straw each and glued to the cardboard. Finally, I taught them to decorate using some glittering dust. They started playing with it using their own words. “Pring” Ting” Tong”….haaaa! I thought them, “Abracadabra”……
d) Michael Jackson
• What could be more excited then to watch our very own Wee Hong danced like the late Michael. The kids were amazed and said he danced beautifully. He has always liked dancing and I thought he has a great talent!
a) Magic
• Is there magic? Some said “yes” while some “no”. Basically, there are 2 types of magic. People magician who practise their tricks all the time to be perfect. The other would be fairies if they really exist.
• Who are fairies? Movies and cartoons give us the idea that they could be both females and males. Females are usually known as “fairy” while males as “elf”. I gave example of Mother God Fairy in Cinderella film. There is also “Pinocchio”.
Chun Kit: Are they good or bad?
Teacher: Well, I believe they are good. They reward good people ad teach bad people lessons so that they would change.
b) I am a Magician !
• So, ca you perform magic?
Zhe Qing: Teacher, can I try?
• Everyone stared at Zhe Qing when she stood in front of the class. I requested the kids to close their eyes. Zhe Qing took an eraser ad a magic wand in each hand and hid behind her. Then, when we opened our eyes, she took the magic wand out and “trring” ad suddenly, an eraser appeared on her right hand. The class giggled and eventhough they knew it was a trick, they started practicing among themselves.
• Another was performed by Zheng Yuan. He took a broken rubber band. He said he needed an assistant and Zhi Feng volunteered. First, he held the rubberband with his tiny fingers and asked Zhi Feng to pull the top open end. Suddenly, the rubberband shrunk ad became shorter…wow, “magic”! They went to each table and performed……..hmmmm…….I wonder if we could have more magic tricks…haaaaa!
c) Craft: The Magic Wand
• The kids get to choose either star shape or draw their desired shape. Only Wee Hong decided to have a heart shape. The rest wanted a star shape. They coloured their cardboard front and back as creatively as possible. Then, they took a straw each and glued to the cardboard. Finally, I taught them to decorate using some glittering dust. They started playing with it using their own words. “Pring” Ting” Tong”….haaaa! I thought them, “Abracadabra”……
d) Michael Jackson
• What could be more excited then to watch our very own Wee Hong danced like the late Michael. The kids were amazed and said he danced beautifully. He has always liked dancing and I thought he has a great talent!
Game: Tinker Bell's wand
Tuesday (02/11/2010)
a) Game: Tinker Bell's wand.
* The kids sat in a big circle. I showed them a magic wand made by myself. Immediately, they said they wanted to make it too. Chun Kit even asked me to perform a magic trick performance. I told them that I know of none but willing to learn. I am still awaiting the kids' for any magic tricks especially from Jun Yu as he is really interested at it.
* We chanted a rhyme and a kid would walk around the circle with the magic wand in his hand. When we stopped chanting, that kid would place behind a friend and tap his or her head. The second kid would have to stand up and chase the first kid. Meanwhile, the first kid would have to sit at a vacant place. If the first kid is being touched, he has to stand like a statue. They loved the game!
b) Continuation: My picture.
* The kids continued their drawing and it has to be completed because it will be their book cover.
Teacher: We have watched Peter Pan's cd and also read storybooks brought by friends. How are we suppose to tell our stories to the others?
Qian Joe: Through acting.
Teacher: But people would forget easily after that.
Chun Kit: Let's make a storybook.
* That was a good idea. Thus, I started snapping the kids' personal photo before wearing their costumes. That would be the casts.
* I sketched the pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell,crocodile and also Captain Hook。 Some even took the storybook pages and drew from observing it. Jun Yu also tried and later discovered that tracing from the picture was also an idea. :)
* I requested them to colour either completely or colour the frame only.
c) Our dance.
Zheng Yuan: Do we need to practise every day?
* I took the opportunity to explain that until we grasp the basic steps, then; we can do it on alternate days. At that time, we would start focusing on our musical drama.
* They were quite good and we even modified our dance steps together to suit the song. Bravo!
a) Game: Tinker Bell's wand.
* The kids sat in a big circle. I showed them a magic wand made by myself. Immediately, they said they wanted to make it too. Chun Kit even asked me to perform a magic trick performance. I told them that I know of none but willing to learn. I am still awaiting the kids' for any magic tricks especially from Jun Yu as he is really interested at it.
* We chanted a rhyme and a kid would walk around the circle with the magic wand in his hand. When we stopped chanting, that kid would place behind a friend and tap his or her head. The second kid would have to stand up and chase the first kid. Meanwhile, the first kid would have to sit at a vacant place. If the first kid is being touched, he has to stand like a statue. They loved the game!
b) Continuation: My picture.
* The kids continued their drawing and it has to be completed because it will be their book cover.
Teacher: We have watched Peter Pan's cd and also read storybooks brought by friends. How are we suppose to tell our stories to the others?
Qian Joe: Through acting.
Teacher: But people would forget easily after that.
Chun Kit: Let's make a storybook.
* That was a good idea. Thus, I started snapping the kids' personal photo before wearing their costumes. That would be the casts.
* I sketched the pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell,crocodile and also Captain Hook。 Some even took the storybook pages and drew from observing it. Jun Yu also tried and later discovered that tracing from the picture was also an idea. :)
* I requested them to colour either completely or colour the frame only.
c) Our dance.
Zheng Yuan: Do we need to practise every day?
* I took the opportunity to explain that until we grasp the basic steps, then; we can do it on alternate days. At that time, we would start focusing on our musical drama.
* They were quite good and we even modified our dance steps together to suit the song. Bravo!
My favourite scene.
Monday (1/11/2010)
a) My favourite scene.
* We had finished watching Peter Pan cartoon movie. We discussed about our favourite parts. Among:
Qian Joe: I liked the part Captain Hook battled with crocodile.
Shawn: Me too.
Chun Kit: I like the crocodile music.
Yun Xin: I like seeing Wendy, John, Michael, TinkerBell and Peter flying to Never Never Land.
Xing Tong: I like seeing TinkerBell because she is pretty.
Zheng Yuan: I like to eat Captain Hook.
Teacher: Haa...because you are acting as the crocodile.
Jun Yu: I like eating Captain Hook because I am the octopus.
× the second chapter of Never Never Land featured the octopus instead of the crocodile.
Zhe Qing: I like Wendy because she is pretty.
Xiang Wei: I like seeing the pirates battling with Peter Pan.
Teacher: I like seeing how the strong Captain hook cried like a baby asking Mr Smee for help when the crocodile came near the ship......
Class: haaa。。。。！
b) My picture.
* The kids recorded what they like onto the paper. I showed them steps to draw easy pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, TinkerBell, Captain Hook，the crocodile and also the octopus.
* The 5 years old were more independent. We still needed to continue tomorrow for a more complete picture with colour.
c) Our dance.
* We continued with the dance trying from first step to the final step. We did some modification as to suit the length of song and most importantly, it is fun for the kids.
a) My favourite scene.
* We had finished watching Peter Pan cartoon movie. We discussed about our favourite parts. Among:
Qian Joe: I liked the part Captain Hook battled with crocodile.
Shawn: Me too.
Chun Kit: I like the crocodile music.
Yun Xin: I like seeing Wendy, John, Michael, TinkerBell and Peter flying to Never Never Land.
Xing Tong: I like seeing TinkerBell because she is pretty.
Zheng Yuan: I like to eat Captain Hook.
Teacher: Haa...because you are acting as the crocodile.
Jun Yu: I like eating Captain Hook because I am the octopus.
× the second chapter of Never Never Land featured the octopus instead of the crocodile.
Zhe Qing: I like Wendy because she is pretty.
Xiang Wei: I like seeing the pirates battling with Peter Pan.
Teacher: I like seeing how the strong Captain hook cried like a baby asking Mr Smee for help when the crocodile came near the ship......
Class: haaa。。。。！
b) My picture.
* The kids recorded what they like onto the paper. I showed them steps to draw easy pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, TinkerBell, Captain Hook，the crocodile and also the octopus.
* The 5 years old were more independent. We still needed to continue tomorrow for a more complete picture with colour.
c) Our dance.
* We continued with the dance trying from first step to the final step. We did some modification as to suit the length of song and most importantly, it is fun for the kids.
Peter Pan’s suit.
Friday (29/10/2010)
a) Tzu Chi
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Association came to collect the bamboo coin containers given to kids last March. Those coins were poured into a beautiful pot and it eventually overflew when I being the last candidate, poured it in. The kids were overwhelmed. In fact, Tzu Chi showed us a short documentary about poor kids in China urban. They sometimes write with pencil lead. And, they only have a pencil throughout the entire yea. Their lunch? Only a slice of bread to be shared among 3 siblings. They only drank hot water sharing from a small cup. They walked to school some as far as from Klang to KL. Would we do that in Malaysia? The kids were extremely quiet while watching the film and suddenly, we felt extremely blessed to be in Malaysia with our loved ones. Thank you mum and dad.
Then, the Red Bean class performed a “Recycling” Hokkien song which they would perform on concert day. They were so good and I took them as a good example when explaining the performance rules to my class.
b) Peter Pan’s suit.
Teacher: How can we make Peter’s suit?
Zhi Feng: We can sew.
Kwoong Yong: We can pick leaves from the garden and paste on the t-shirt.
We followed Kwong Yong’s idea and so marched to the garden to pick and plucked some leaves. Looking around the school compound, we only saw pandan leaves and the Jackfruit leaves to be plucked. However, we were careful not to injure the tree and plant.
In the class, I showed the kids how we could make a t-shirt out of newspaper. We wanted to compare if the newspaper t-shirt will look better than a green t-shirt. Chun Kit said he would bring his green pants on Monday and we shall decide by then.
The kids were given double sided tape to paste onto the leaves and then onto the newspaper shirt. It was a great challenge for them to peel off the double sided tape cover but most of them managed.
c) Our dance.
We continued with our dance, “Following The Leader”. This time, the kids did from the top until the turning around part. From here the 2 rows have to march in different directions and form a V-shape pattern. Then, they hopped and danced 3 different actions. Finally, they skipped in pairs to the centre of the stage and just at the end of the song, they posed differently as in photography session. We still need to practise for consistent rhythm.
a) Tzu Chi
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Association came to collect the bamboo coin containers given to kids last March. Those coins were poured into a beautiful pot and it eventually overflew when I being the last candidate, poured it in. The kids were overwhelmed. In fact, Tzu Chi showed us a short documentary about poor kids in China urban. They sometimes write with pencil lead. And, they only have a pencil throughout the entire yea. Their lunch? Only a slice of bread to be shared among 3 siblings. They only drank hot water sharing from a small cup. They walked to school some as far as from Klang to KL. Would we do that in Malaysia? The kids were extremely quiet while watching the film and suddenly, we felt extremely blessed to be in Malaysia with our loved ones. Thank you mum and dad.
Then, the Red Bean class performed a “Recycling” Hokkien song which they would perform on concert day. They were so good and I took them as a good example when explaining the performance rules to my class.
b) Peter Pan’s suit.
Teacher: How can we make Peter’s suit?
Zhi Feng: We can sew.
Kwoong Yong: We can pick leaves from the garden and paste on the t-shirt.
We followed Kwong Yong’s idea and so marched to the garden to pick and plucked some leaves. Looking around the school compound, we only saw pandan leaves and the Jackfruit leaves to be plucked. However, we were careful not to injure the tree and plant.
In the class, I showed the kids how we could make a t-shirt out of newspaper. We wanted to compare if the newspaper t-shirt will look better than a green t-shirt. Chun Kit said he would bring his green pants on Monday and we shall decide by then.
The kids were given double sided tape to paste onto the leaves and then onto the newspaper shirt. It was a great challenge for them to peel off the double sided tape cover but most of them managed.
c) Our dance.
We continued with our dance, “Following The Leader”. This time, the kids did from the top until the turning around part. From here the 2 rows have to march in different directions and form a V-shape pattern. Then, they hopped and danced 3 different actions. Finally, they skipped in pairs to the centre of the stage and just at the end of the song, they posed differently as in photography session. We still need to practise for consistent rhythm.
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