1LV: Compare and Contrast cities

Lesson Objective: 

Students should be able to:
- Categorise and classify given details.
- Compare and contrast ideas.
- Analyse organisational patterns in a text
- Provide and explain information by describing, elaborating on and/or supporting/explaining key points.



Introduction: 

Congratulations on the success of your travel pamphlet. Your efforts have saved the company and you are now swimming in money from the tour packages snapped up by customers. Your boss, full of confidence in your team's ability, has assigned you a new task. Your team is now required to write a post for the company blog.

There are many popular tourist destinations around the world and people are still undecided about what kind of city they would like to go to. To help tourists make their decision, you will give an evaluation of two cities.

In this post, you will compare and contrast two cities. In the end, you will decide which city you would decide to go to for a vacation and why.

Task:
For each group, create a Google Document and share it with me (goh.ambrose@gmail.com).

Go onto Google and start searching for details about the different cities. (Hint: you should refer to websites for tourists.)

Create a table of comparison to compare the features of both cities. You may add in relevant pictures.



After you have completed your table of comparison, create a 5 minute long presentation to explain to the other teams the differences or similarities between the cities that you are writing about. Please be reminded to include words that entice and attract during your presentation.

1LV: Students' travel brochures

Group 8 

Reach Beach

Home away from home of the highest standard! Enjoy a holiday at Reach Beach

which casts a spell on travellers that release all stress from daily urban life with the magnificence of being at the beach. The amazing waves that greet you are awe inspiring leading you to tropical paradise!

We have over a thousand exotic species of marine life for you to enjoy when you go for a dip in the sea. We have programs like snorkeling, where there will be speedboats that will bring you further into the sea where many more species of marine animals are located.

You will be staying at the five star Grand Beach Resort with stupendous view of the magnificent sea. It is also more convenient for them to head over to the beach to have a dip in the sea. The Grand Beach Resort is equipped with a swimming pool such that if there are kids that are unable to enter the pool for certain reasons are still able to go for a swim in a regular pool.

Interesting Words and Phrases

• cast a spell on travellers
• vibrant
• quilt of nature
• cannot fail to delight
• grandeur
• hidden gem

Group 5

Greenview agency brings you to Hamburger Outdoor Resort where you will be enticed to such and angelic place.This hamburger resort is not only close to attractions,shopping and the gambling strip,it also has one of the best beach in the world where you can view the stunning sunrise in awe.. If you are interested in having a closer contact with nature such as animals,you can visit the zoo. It has any admirable animals where you could even ride on an elephant or even the monkeys where you could enjoy feeding them with food.There will also be birds such as parrots where you could hold them on yours wrist! Aren’t you excited?then, there is the beach. The beach has a crystal clear water and exotic species of underwater creatures which includes the amazing coral reefs which display a variety of vivid colours..After a day at the beach you could occupy yourself at the magnificent mall-with more then 400 stores,it is easily one of the biggest mall in the region.From branded goods to delicacies made by famous chefs,it is definitely a place to visit. After getting exhausted from shopping, you could go to the dazzling  casino which is only a stone throw away.The entire casino is coated with neon lights which looks amazing from the outside.It has also one of the biggest chandelair.It is indeed an enriching experience and you will surely not regret it. There are enticing sceneries which will attract you and make you stay there for almost a day! We would suggest all animal lovers and nature likers to join us in this memorable trip. There is also a rural village, where you might all want to drop by. Due to overwhelming positive responses from our customers who visited ,we were eager to go there to look for what made that place attractive.Some of the customers said that this place is rich in tradition and has many ancient products. For those who is interested in ancient ruins and history come down and take a look at those hidden treasure . So not to worry for all those who loves ancient places! You will indeed enjyed yourself there . So why wait? Come down to Greenview Agency and register!!! We will give a reasonable price which will attract you to our agency. Grab this wonderful opportunity!!!

Group 2

No matter how advanced our cities and technology is, eventually we get tired of all the noise, stress and crowd of the city and want to be in the nature.Carpathian mountain resort offers the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate from the hustle and bustle of the city life. This astonishing mountain is available for trekking and adventurous activities. However, life is short, and the funds are limited, so we have to narrow down the selection. Knowing that you will find it troublesome, we’ve done it for you!

The nice, warm weather all the year round and the serene, natural beauty are features you will enjoy every day. The pleasant and calm climate refreshes not only your mind and body, it also refreshes your spirit.  The kindness and warmth of its people, the pure and simple customs, the beauty of the different sceneries and the breathtaking view of the mountains will make you live an unforgettable experience. You will also be able to do some fishing and have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to catch a wonderfully big fish! After the whole full and exciting day, you can watch the spectacular view of the sunrise and sunset. For those who do it for the first time, it would be a wonderful and enriching experience for you. Carpathian mountain resort is one of the beautiful place which is blessed with several attractions and natural beauties which always attracts thousands of tourists every year. If you wish to spend your valuable time with your loved ones this is the best place you can visit.Each and every step in Carpathian mountain resort will give you visual treat.The enchanting beauty of the nature makes the tourist to visit the place again and again.

If you are a nature lover , then this will be the best holiday for you as it will always be a nature lover’s paradise! Carpathian mountain is totally worth to visit, never miss this beautiful and mesmerizing place in your entire life.

Vocabulary list:

Scenic-having pleasant or beautiful scenery

• Pristine-Having it’s original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied

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  Group 6
  
  
  
  
   TRAVEL BROCHURE              
                              IMBA CITY
  IMBA city--the capital of Singapore,is home to the famous Merlion,`Singapore Flyer’ and Marina Bay Sands,the Empire State Building,the Statue of Liberty and the Metropolitan Museum of Art–and then explore off the beaten path with visits to The Cloisters or one of the city’s libraries.Indulge in the bohemian shops of the West Village or the fine dining of the Upper West Side.The bustling marketplace inside of Grand Central Station gives you a literal taste of the best the city has to offer.This sprawling city hums with the energy and independent spirit that turned it from swampland into the fourth-largest city in the Singapore.A thriving business centre, the city has become increasingly cosmopolitan,with an influx of diverse ethnic groups and a strong emphasis on the arts.Ballet,symphony and theater are all top-notch,and museums abound.The midday heat is easily escaped inside the numerous attractions and shopping areas, particularly in the pedestrian-friendly 6.5-mile underground city.
  
  
  
  Vocabulary:
  1.cosmopolitan
  2.famed retail stretch
  3.pedestrian-friendly
  4.toast slathered with coconut jam
  5.kitschy souvenir
  6.couture label
  7.abound
  8.itinerary
  9. bustling about
  10.Accommodation
  11. mind-blowing array
  12.impressive array of landscape
  13.astonishing beauty
  14. most beautiful metropolis
  15. best shopping experience
  16.rose-hued sandstone
  17.world's top chefs and restaurants
  18.experiencing la dolce vita,
  19.world's best art and nightlife
  20.breath-away view
  21. symbol of freedom and tolerance,
  22. welcoming spirit
  23.elegant
  24.resist falling for its almost mystical spirit.
  25.arresting views
  26.stunning atoll
  27.massive albatross population
  28.groovy
  29.vibrant
  30.historic and fertile region
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

1TH: Give me your E-mail addresses

1TH: Creating Travel Brochures

Today's Lesson: Creating Google Documents, finding appealing words/phrases, creating an introduction for a destination.

First task: Create Gmail addresses with your name in the address title. 

e.g. ryanwong00@gmail.com or justinchongster@gmail.com. 

Second task: Create Google Documents

step1: Go to Google.com

step2: Click on Drive

Step3: Click on "create" and click on "Document".

step4: You know have created your Google document. Click on the title to change it and click on "Share" so that your classmates can join in the editing of the document.

step5: Ask for the gmail addresses of your group members.

Your travel agency is reeling towards bankruptcy. The ineptitude of the previous administration has sent stock prices of your travel agency plunging to new depths. The new CEO (Chief Executive Officer) believes that what is causing the failure to meet sales targets is the lack of quality of the agency's travel brochures.

You are part of the Chosen team of experts to lead the agency out of its slump and onto success by creating a travel brochure that both excites and attracts potential customers.

Example

Veronica 1

Veronica 2 

Ryan1

Ryan2

Jun Wu 1

Jun Wu 2

Jeraldine 1

Jeraldine 2

Darren1

Darren 2



On the Google Document that you have created for your group, type in the information you want to present about the destination assigned to you. Your write-up must be about 200 words long. It must contain at least 12 words or phrases that excite or entice the reader.

You may share other interesting words or phrases that you did not use on another page.

Vocab alert! If there are any difficult words or phrases, find out their meanings and write them out on another page. Use the links given at the side.


Checklist 

1. Have you found interesting words / phrases that excite or entice you, and pasted them into your group google document?

2. Have you checked the meaning of words / phrases?

3. Have you created a suitable title for your brochure?

4. Have you you typed out the 200-word introduction to your destination?

1LV: Travel Brochure

Your travel agency is reeling towards bankruptcy. The ineptitude of the previous administration has sent stock prices of your travel agency plunging to new depths. The new CEO (Chief Executive Officer) believes that what is causing the failure to meet sales targets is the lack of quality of the agency's travel brochures.

You are part of the Chosen team of experts to lead the agency out of its slump and onto success by creating a travel brochure that both excites and attracts potential customers.

Refer to this example

Group 1

Group 2 

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

Group 9

Group 10



You have 45 minutes to complete this task. One person in the group will create a Google document and share it with the other group members and with goh.ambrose@gmail.com

The group write-up must be about 200 words long. It must contain at least 12 words or phrases that excite or entice the reader.

You may share other interesting words or phrases that you did not use on another page.

Vocab alert! If there are any difficult words or phrases, find out their meanings and write them out on another page. Use the links given at the side.


Checklist 

1. Have you found interesting words / phrases that excite or entice you, and pasted them into your group google document?

2. Have you checked the meaning of words / phrases?

3. Have you created a suitable title for your brochure?

4. Have you you typed out the 200-word introduction to your destination?

1LV: Hooks

Please type out some interesting types of hooks for feature here:

Interesting Hooks

1LV: Article Writing Review

NCDCC and BB review cross country

SYF review Youth Day

Cross country review Singapore Art Museum

Youth Day review Tree Planting Day

Singapore Arts Museum review Bollywood veggies

Tree planting Day review Sports Fiesta

Bollywood veggies review NCDCC and BB

Sports Fiesta review SYF

Links are all in the 1LV: Article Writing post

1LV: Article Writing

Parts of a feature article:

I. Lead sentence
Grab and hook your reader right away!

II. Introduction
Which facts and figures will ground your story? You have to tell your readers where and when this story is happening.

III. Opening quotation 
What will give the reader a sense of the people involved and what they are thinking?

IV. Main body
What is at the heart of your story?

V. Closing quotation
Find something that sums the article up in a few words.

VI. Conclusion (optional—the closing quote may do the job)
What is a memorable way to end your story? The end quote is a good way to sum things up. That doesn’t always work. If you are quoting more than one person with different points of view in your story, you cannot end with a quote from just one of them. Giving one of your interviewees the last word can tilt the story in their favor.

TASK:

Group assignment

1. Click on your group name below. 

2. Identify the different parts of a feature article (as stated above). 

3. Mark the different parts like this:

 Highlight the portion you want to comment on. I thought this part was the hook so I highlighted it. 

Right-click on selected area and move cursor to "Comment".

Type out whatever you need to.

Click the "comment" button and your comment will appear. You can reply to the comments of your group members if you want to.

Youth Day Team

Cross Country Team

NCDCC & BB Team

SYF Team

Bollywood Veggies Team

Tree Planting Team

Singapore Art Museum Team

Sports Fiesta Team

1LV: How to conduct an interview

How to Conduct an Interview

Research, preparation are the keys to interviewing like a pro

Source: Scholastic Kids Press Corps

One of the hardest skills for a young reporter to master is interviewing. It takes preparation and persistence to conduct a good interview. Follow these steps and learn how to interview like a pro!
STEP 1: Research, research, research. Then research some more. The only way to come up with good questions is to know everything there is to know about your subject.
STEP 2: Contact the person you wish to interview. Ask when a good time would be to do the interview. Be polite! Say "please" and "thank you." Try to set up the interview in person. If this isn't possible, then set up a phone interview.
STEP 3: Read over your research and brainstorm a list of 15 questions. The more specific your questions are, the better! And never ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Make your interviewee talk!
Be sure to write all your questions down in a notebook, then practice asking them with a partner. Become very familiar with your questions before you go into the interview.
STEP 4: Come prepared with:

• A pencil
• A notebook
• A list of good questions
• A recording device (always ask permission before recording an interview)

STEP 5: Be on time! Arrive at your interview with plenty of time to spare. If you’ve never been to the place where your interview is taking place, go early and scout it out. There is nothing more unprofessional than a reporter who is late.
You can also use the time you are waiting to make notes about the surroundings. You won’t remember details later, so write them down.
STEP 6: Conduct your interview in an organized, timely manner. During the interview:

• Be courteous to your subject.
• Always take time to ask for an explanation about things you don't understand.
• Don’t be afraid of uncomfortable silences and pauses.
• Let the interview take its natural course.
• Look the person in the eye when asking questions.
• Always listen carefully to the answers. Each answer could lead to more questions or include an answer to a question you haven’t asked yet. Don't ask a question that has already been answered. Your subject will know you weren't listening and be insulted.
• Don't read through your questions one right after another like you can't wait to be finished. Conduct your interview like a conversation. One question should lead naturally into another. If you are LISTENING to the answers this will come naturally!
• Also, take notes on what the person looked like, what the person was wearing, where he or she sat. If the interview is in an office, make notes of what is on the walls and on the desk. The objects people surround themselves with hold important clues to their personalities. Ask about any object that interests you. You’ll find some good stories!

STEP 7: Even if you are recording an interview, take notes. Don't try to write every word said. It will show down the interview. Just take down the highlights.
After the interview, while the details are still fresh in your mind, write everything down you can remember about the person you interviewed. Don’t forget to make note of the sounds in the background. Take not of what was happening around you. Write it all down as soon as possible.
At home, expand your notes by following up on things you learned in your interview with more research!
STEP 8: Review your research and your interview notes. Circle or highlight quotations that you think will be good for your article. Now you're ready to begin writing!
Here are two examples of interviews from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

• Kid Reporter Daniel Wetter interviews Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. Watch the video, then read the news story Daniel wrote based on his video.
• Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan on the set of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Watch the interview video, then read her story.

 http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752516 

1LV: Research on how to conduct interviews for feature articles

Seating arrangement: Together with your Espoir groups as much as possible.

Assignment: Espoir Group

ICT: Individual Computers, if not, shared computers among group members


Task for today:

Go to a search engine and find out more about this topic.

Open up this google document and type in some useful search phrases that generated results or useful tips for conducting interviews.

e.g. search: conducting interviews 
e.g. tip: be punctual

Each group will only type in your own boxes.

Do this for 15 minutes. After which, share

FAQ:
I cannot access the google document. What's wrong?
You need to log in with the gmail account you have given me. If you have not given me your gmail, type it into the form shown to you on Thursday.

My classmates keep making a nuisance of themselves. What do I do?
Raise your hand and let the teacher resolve the issue.

Gmail address

Please create a Gmail account with your name as part of your address.