home learning lesson 2

My Favourite Poet -- Shel Silverstein
Born: September 25, 1930, Chicago
Died: May 1999

“When I was a kid,” he told Publishers Weekly in 1975, “I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit with the girls. But I couldn’t play ball. I couldn’t dance. So I started to draw and to write. I was lucky that I didn’t have anyone to copy, be impressed by. I had developed my own style.” In such a state, where he was not good in anything, he developed his own style. He is an inspiration to me. When you are not good at something, try not to copy the styles of those who are better than you; instead, try other things and who knows? We might become another Shel, one of the most famous poet in the world. "Shel Silverstein never planned on writing for children – surprising for an artist whose children’s works would soon become available in more than 30 languages around the world." Another fine evidence that "What you think is not possible is most likely to become possible."

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

This poem tells us the yearning the poet has for something to end, just like the sidewalk. In life, when we meet troubles ahead of us, we must continue walking until it ends. (This is only my opinion. If you have better ones, please feel free to share.)

It's Dark in Here by Shel Silverstein
I am writing these poems
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.
So please excuse the handwriting
Which may not be too clear.
But this afternoon by the lion's cage
I'm afraid I got too near.
And I'm writing these lines
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.

This is another exaggerated yet inspirational poem, saying that he his inside a lion. This poem shows his determination to write poems even when he is in trouble, i.e. inside the lion.

The Little Boy and the Old Man by Shel Silverstein
Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

This poem reflects the modern society where grown-ups often ignored the old and the young whom they claim are irritating. The message the poet wants to convey is that for the grown-ups to realise that they are neglecting them and wants them to pay more attention and care for them.

Bibliography:
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein/poems/14823
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein/poems/14836
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein/poems/14831
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein/biography

home learning lesson 1

Bear In There by Shel Silverstein
There's a Polar Bear

In our Frigidaire--

He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.

With his seat in the meat

And his face in the fish

And his big hairy paws

In the buttery dish,

He's nibbling the noodles,

He's munching the rice,

He's slurping the soda,

He's licking the ice.

And he lets out a roar

If you open the door.

And it gives me a scare

To know he's in there--

That Polary Bear

In our Fridgitydaire.

Hyperbole:

A polar bear cannot roar obviously; only lions do. It is just to exaggerate how the polar bear gave the writer a scare.

Personification:

The writer describes the polar bear as though he is eating like a human. Only licking the ice seems relevant to what a polar bear does. Please correct me if polar bears do not lick ice. The message the writer wants to convey is that the polar bear kind of 'invaded' his refrigerator.

Metaphor and Simile:

I don't think I can find any metaphors and similes in this poem. Please tell me if there is.

Symbolism:

In my opinion, the refrigerator is the symbol of the hunger of the polar bear as this poem is about a polar bear eating in the fridge, scaring the writer in the end.

Why I like this poem:

I like this poem as it is quite humorous. It is easy to read and not complicated and long like some other poems. I think it is children-oriented as Mr Shel uses animals children are fascinated with like in this poem, the polar bear. He makes things exaggerated, thus making the poem funny. It is also filled with personification, which makes the reader feel that the polar bear is a human, scaring the writer when he opens the door. It also portrays the polar bear as being cute, seeing a polar bear licking ice, munching noodles would be amusing to most.

will having fun make you happier than studying?

Some people sit down there whole day, playing computer games all day long. Some people sit in pubs drinking non-stop. While others sit in front of teachers, listening to them drone. Who enjoys the most? Of course you would say the first or the second. However, what do they gain there? When you beat a monster or complete a level, it just gives you a temporary sense of achievement. You don't learn any skill there to use in daily life. Or any applicable knowledge. You just learn that this monster is easy to kill or that level is hard to clear. You do not learn that propaganda is used in literature and teachers are tools of propaganda for the government. Hence, it is quite obvious here that studying is better than having fun.


Studying can be fun too. You learn that the British aeroplanes were like flying coffins in history, that Singapore is suffering from an ageing population in geography and that Animal Farm is a satire to Russia in literature. You learn all kinds of information you would never be able to find in computer games.


However, All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. If we just keep studying and studying, then life has no purpose. We should find some time to chill out with our family, have some family time with them. Or else, we may become too stressed and I have heard from reports that some people even die when studying too much. As my PE teacher says, being so smart has no use, you need to exercise, have fun and relax. No point having a big brain with no other usable body parts.


Hence, I would conclude that, we should study adequately but also have fun. A good balance reults in double happiness.

thanks a million.

(I know this comes late but I still feel compelled to write it)

I looked out of the window. I sighed. It was terribly hot under the summer sun. Then, I felt something touch my face. It was familiar, a feeling that I had a few months ago. I tried to remember what it was. Oh, it was the breeze. Since April, our house had been nearly burned down because of the heat. Now, as the breeze finally comes back on my birthday, I feel an immense joy. It was a pleasure to see the wonderful breeze celebrating my birthday. Thanks.

I looked at the caravan. I sighed. It was a chore to explain everything to the dentist over and over again. I walked towards it, one heavy step after another, with my head hung low. As I was walking slowly, a nurse suddenly appeared in the doorway of the caravan and said, 'Boy! Are you coming for an dental appointment? Come! Which class are you from?' I nodded my head and told her. As I stepped into the caravan, I could feel the warmth of the dentists and the atmosphere. It was after all a good scaling experience. But before I forget, Bin Hui appeared and asked, 'Today is your birthday right? Happy Birthday!' Thanks Bin Hui, denstist ____ (I forgot your name) and nurse!

Two new messages. I wondered who would send a message early in the morning. Then I realised. It was two midnight messages! One was from Yew Tong, 00:01 and the other from Nicole, 00:09. There were also other messages from Charlene, Esther and Kathleen. Bryce sent me a message via MSN. Thanks all for your birrthday wishes!

Thanks Dad for that fabulous a la carte buffet dinner! We had a good time together eating unagi sushi and delicious desserts! Thanks Mum for the wonderful card (smudged a bit)! I appreciate your passion for stamps. Thanks Sis for that origami set! I will try to fold one for you...

Thanks.... thanks.... thanks....

should you be rewarded for your efforts in school?

When I first saw this question, my definition of reward was those sweets teachers give or early recesses teachers release. However, 'rewarded' can also mean good results we achieve for ourselves after putting in months of hard effort. Hence, this is obvious that we should be rewarded in this way. However, for the case of whether to give material rewards, I think it works for some but not the others.

It definitely would not be effective for those who only work hard just for the little present. That defeats the purpose of coming to school. The teachers' role is just to give you some knowledge, not giving rewards for things that benefit oneself. We go to school for the benefit of our future, not to get little gifts.

However, some people really need encouragement and reward in order to do well in school. Once they do not have any aim or target, they will just neglect their studies and play elsewhere. These people need rewards to be motivated. I think most teachers would like their students to do well in their studies so I think that rewarding some would do but not all. The teachers would have to explain the different learning styles and methods each child needs to receive and each of them have very unique ways too. I think that would encourage them a lot and not blame the teacher for favouritism.

To conclude my point, I think rewards, both material and academic, should be given in schools but to differnt circumstances.

so we control technology or does technology control us?

of course, it is obvious that we should control technology.

However, as technology gets so advanced each day, it may be difficult to control technology. We have computers in every single home, but does that control us? Or do we control it? Are we sometimes too addicted that a non-living thing start to control us? Or are we very self-controlled that we control them? To control technology, we must use it for the right thing. If the computers or other gadgets get too advanced, then it may be too strong for humans to get charge of them again. However, it is an irony that we humans are the ones who create them, yet they can overthrow us. Would we be too reliable on technology that our future generations do not even know how to write a single chinese character? It is evident now that education is getting a little bit too advanced. We even learn infocomm studies now. But would that help? We stare at the computer all day long, not doing anything else, is that really that useful? Is technology getting too advanced that it is starting to control us now?

In my opinion, I would prefer the 'primitive' lifestyle that we are having now. We have all our needs now, why invent something else that might even get uncontrollable in future? Those rubbish touch screen televisions, those useless and sophisticated phones, what good use are they? We might even have all kinds of muscle illnesses as we do not even exercise. Everything comes to us. Hence, is technology controlling us?

We can't social around when technology gets too advanced. We chat on MSN, send things by e-mail, buy things by e-delivery, and study by e-learning. How do we really know what is happening outside the real world? The virtual world might imitate all the real scenarios, but would it really help us to become a better person. Now, on the roads people rarely say a simple ‘hello’ to another. What would you think would happen in future. Crime would take place more frequently as technology gets more advanced, despite the amazing firewalls and powerful anti-virus software. How, then can we control technology?

Now technology also controls what we think. Action and violent games make us also violent in real life. Now small kids like to shape their hands into guns and go around 'BANG! HA! YOU DIE!' Children become sadistic when they are just four years old. How would they be like when they are forty? They watch power rangers everyday, addicted to the television. When you talk to them, they would just ask you if you have watched this show and start blabbering all sorts of foreign language to you. You seem confused and ask the parents. They just say they do not care and claim that it is the maid's fault that she let the children watch too much television.

Hence, in this world of modern technology, we must have on thing -- self-control. If do not control ourselves, we would too sooner or later become addicts and the whole world would be helpless against technology. Let's work hard towards controlling technology!