buzz sembawang primary 1_2016.pdf · learning trip to the lions befrienders seniors activity...

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10 Sembawang Drive, Singapore 757715 Tel: 67567330http://www.sembawangpri.moe.edu.sg

Issue 1May 2016

Sembawang

PrimaryBUZZ

2015 PSLE AchievementsCongratulations to our top scorers who offered 4 standard subjects!

Goh Wei Jie Kelly Foo Xin HuiLim Shan Shan Lim Xin YiLisa Tan Lucas Lim Kong KeongMeagan Ho Li Xuan Nur Iffah Bte Mohamad AmrinRegine Tan Hsiao Han Sunith Sunil ManiTan Zi Xuan Tim LeeVernice Wong Jie Min Wesley Lim Siok Wei

Dear Parents and Stakeholders,

It is already the middle of the year 2016 and the school has been buzzing with activities and events! With a greater focus and emphasis on learning for life and character education in mind, the school has had activities to engage our children and diversify their experiences through a host of programmes and events.

Since the start of the year when the orientation for the Primary 1 pupils was held until end May, we have had our children

experience, participate and compete in academic and non-academic areas. The Primary 1 and 5 pupils worked together to know one another and understand the meaning and value of mentorship and peer leadership. Our Primary 4 pupils experienced the challenge and thrill of an adventure camp (without their parents!) and some also went through a Values-in-Education programme where they organised activities for the elderly. Our Primary 5 and 6 pupils were exposed to a host of science based, hands-on activities and the whole school was given the opportunity to view the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse at the school hall and rooftop. Our sports boys and girls competed in various athletic and sporting competitions whilst our aesthetics groups participated and excelled in the 2016 Singapore Youth Festival Competitions as well as performed at our very own Celebrations of the Arts concert.

All in all, it has been a challenging but gratifying semester for the school (both staff and pupils). Though outcomes are important, at Sembawang Primary, we also emphasise the need for experience, challenge and always striving to be the best that we can be. Life is a journey and our pupils must know that whilst winning is important, they must also enjoy the journey and camaraderie as they work towards the school motto, “THE BEST FROM ME.”

I wish everyone a fruitful and meaningful June vacation.

Principal’s Message

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T H UF R ITIMETABLE The Prefects’ Investiture

Ceremony was held on 25 January. There are a total of 91 prefects, 31 of whom are newly-appointed this year. Badges were presented to the new prefects by our principal, Mr Kiran. After the badge presentation, the Head Prefect, Gerianne Bu Rui Jia from 6A, delivered a speech.

At the end of the ceremony, the Head Prefect, Vice-Head Prefect and other exco members led the cohort of prefects in reciting the Prefects’ Pledge. Through this symbolic moment, they pledged their loyalty and commitment to the school.

Prefects’ Investiture

Primary 4 Values in Action -Service Learning Programme

2 Buzz @ Sembawang Primary School • May 2016

Our Primary four pupils went on a service learning trip to the Lions Befrienders Seniors Activity Centres in Term 1. The 6 classes went to three different centres (Ang Mo Kio, Bendemeer and Mei Ling) on 25 February and 10 March. This activity was part of their 7 week Values in Action (ViA) Holistic Development Programme. Before the trip, the pupils learnt about the different kinds of challenges faced by the elderly and how they can help to make them feel better. They also learnt useful tips on how to communicate with the elderly when they visit the Centres. They came up with dances, songs, skits, a magic show, instrumental performances and simple games, all of which the seniors at the Centres enjoyed and appreciated. The pupils also donated numerous grocery items generously. These items were distributed to the seniors during the games and lucky draw segments. It was an exciting and fruitful service learning experience for the pupils.

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“Starry Starry Night”- CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS 2016

Buzz @ Sembawang Primary School • May 2016 3

The Chinese Orchestra began the concert with meditative pieces that grounded us on values that define us – “Pure” in heart and being morally upright. The drummers and lion dancers personified the drive and enthusiasm that each pupil has in the pursuit of their dreams. You could feel the optimism and joy as our elegant dancers moved to the pulsating rhythm in every sway, swirl and turn. Our talented Parent Support Group gave a “Happy” dance to show their presence in our pupils’ journey towards aesthetic excellence.

The finale was led by our choir with a rousing renditon of the songs “A Star is Born” and “Tomorrow” to show our continual quest for developing the aesthetic talent in each child. 4 March 2016 was indeed a day when our ‘stars’ shone brightly!

As dusk approached and the first stars began to dot the sky, our bustling school was transformed into an oasis of serenity. Melodic strains from favourite tunes played by our Chinese Orchestra welcomed the parents and guests to our Visual Art Exhibition which showcased works from our talented pupils, teachers and parents.

Evening descended into night. The audience entered a star-lit hall to await the stars of the night – our concert performers. The theme, ‘Starry Starry Night’, celebrated the ‘star’ in every pupil. Our pupils certainly did not disappoint as they showed their aesthetic talents in visual art, dance, singing and instrumental music.

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National Orchid Garden

Insect Mysteries

The Primary 2 pupils were greeted by a wide variety of exquisite orchids when they first arrived at the National Orchid Garden. During the learning journey, pupils feasted their eyes on one of the largest displays of orchids in the world. They visited the Mist House, set against a backdrop of tropical foliage and the Cool House, with cool air and drifting mist. The pupils also enjoyed themselves at the VIP gardens which boast a collection of hybrid orchids. They learned that naming the hybrid orchids after visiting VIPs is a way to promote friendship and forge closer ties between countries.

The Primary 3 pupils couldn’t have enough of ‘Insect Mysteries’, a hands-on lesson held at the Singapore Science Centre. The lesson was designed to allow our pupils to get up close and personal with the one of the most populous animals on planet Earth – the insects! From observing live insects and handling delicate exoskeletons to learning about the life cycle, our curious pupils learnt what makes these creatures unique. They also learnt to appreciate the important role these flying invertebrates play in the environment. By the end of the lesson, the children had a new-found respect for insects and had definitely been bitten by the bug!

Learning Journey

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Our Primary 6 pupils visited Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park - Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The pupils kept their eyes peeled for several flora and fauna which are not found in our urban Sembawang neighbourhood. With the help of experienced and knowledgeable nature guides from Nature Society (Singapore), pupils were able to catch a glimpse of organisms such as the Malayan Water Monitor, the Golden Orb Web Spider, the Tree-climbing Crab, the Horseshoe Crab and even the critically endangered Estuarine Crocodile! The blistering heat did little to rob our young learners of their desire to learn more about one of Singapore’s few remaining mangrove habitats. Without a doubt, with so much to see and learn, learning is an adventure and fun!

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve


DNA Basics WorkshopHave you ever suspected that there is some sort of memory mechanism that all lifeforms on Earth possess? This mechanism allows them to replicate themselves without any external instructions. Our Primary 5 pupils attended the ‘DNA Basics’ workshop at the Singapore Science Centre in January and February to unravel the mystery behind this memory mechanism. They donned laboratory coats and became genetic scientists for a day. By mixing special liquids in test tubes, they worked together in groups to break down the memory structures found in cells - something which all living things share in common.

Learning Journey

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T H UF R ITIMETABLETrack and Field


57th National Primary School Track and Field Championship 2016

Individual EventsGold – 5 Silver – 2 Bronze – 8

Team Events – Relay(4x300m and 4x100m)Gold - 1Silver - 1Bronze - 2

New Record by Patrik Asis of 6D

‘A’ boys 200 metres 00:27:57

‘A’ boys 100 metres hurdles 00:17:20

Singapore Sports School - Singapore

Athletics Association Primary

Schools Track & Field Invitational

Meet 2016 on 13 February

Individual Events

Bronze – 4

Team Events – Relay (8x50m)

Bronze - 3

63rd Akira-Swift Annual Track& Field Championship 2016 on 12 MarchIndividual EventsGold – 2 Silver – 6 Bronze – 5

Team Events – Relay(4x300m and 4x100m)Gold - 3Silver – 1

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Chess


RubgySRU U13 Mini Rugby Championship

2016 on 15 March U13 - Senior Team -

1st Runner-up of Plate Category

North Zone Inter-Primary School Rugby Tournament 2016 on 22 and 24 March

U13 - Senior Team - 2nd Runner-upU13 Sportsmanship Award -Patrik Linus Pasco Asis (6D)

North Zone Inter-Primary School Rugby Tournament 2016 on 29 and 31 March

U11 - Junior Team - ChampionsU11 Sportsmanship Award -

Ricqiey Dannyall Bin Abdullah (5E)

National Inter-Primary School Rugby Championships 2016

on 7 AprilU13 Sportsmanship Award -

Roland Andrew Reyes Torres (6D)

68th National Schools Individual Chess Championships 2016 (Primary), 21 and 22 March

Kelly Tan (4A) / North Zone ranked 4th, National Junior Girls ranked 9th

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T H UF R ITIMETABLEChinese New Year

This year’s Chinese New Year Celebration allowed parents, teachers and pupils to acquire a better understanding of the traditions and customs associated with this festive occasion. Pupils bonded and exchanged greetings with their parents and grandparents during a simple class tea party where they got to indulge in a wide spread of New Year goodies. An exciting concert was also put up by pupils and the Parent Support Group and it was truly enjoyable!


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Mother Tongue FortnightThe Mother Tongue Fortnight was held during the first two weeks of Term 2 and pupils had the chance to participate in some exciting activities. As the theme is “Food”, pupils were introduced to a variety of food from different cultures. Five pupils from Primary 5 made a presentation on the different types of ethnic food during assembly. After which, everyone had the opportunity to try making the food item during recess. Pupils also had the chance to participate in fun-filled classroom activities like poetry appreciation (Primary 5 and 6), designing a recipe (Primary 3 and 4) and bean art (Primary 1 and 2). The pupils are definitely more aware of the different types of ethnic food in Singapore.

Solar EclipseOn the morning of 9 March 2016, pupils and staff were all ready to catch a glimpse of a rare and eagerly anticipated natural phenomenon - a solar eclipse! The phenomenon lasted for a whole 2 hours and 10 minutes, from 7.23 a.m. to 9.32 a.m. Pupils and staff took turns to view the eclipse from selected spots in school. With safety in mind, viewing of the eclipse was only allowed through the solar viewer which is made of specialised black polymer, capable of protecting one’s eyes from the harmful rays of the Sun. Some pupils also had the opportunity to view the eclipse through a telescope fitted with solar filters. Amidst the excitement, the event spurred interest in astronomy and space. Who knows, we may have young astronomers in the making here in Sembawang!

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T H UF R ITIMETABLEP4 Adventure Camp

During the first three days of the March holidays from 14 to 16 March, the Primary 4 pupils headed to Jalan Bahtera Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre for a 3-day and 2-night camp. The camp was organised to introduce pupils to outdoor life skills as well as to provide meaningful opportunities for cooperative learning to take place.

Pupils had their first outdoor cooking experience and learned how to work as a team to complete the Low Elements activities. High Elements activities such as ‘Zipline’ and ‘Rockwall’ allowed the pupils to build their confidence and resilience. Our school was also one of the first few schools to conduct ‘Caving’, a new teacher-led activity at all MOE outdoor adventure centres.

The camp ended with a campfire where the pupils put up exciting group performances. It was indeed a memorable and an enjoyable camp for them!


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English Language Week


It was a fun-filled week from 4 to 8 April as pupils were engaged in the Tongue Twisters Challenge, Spot the Mistake competition, Talkshop, Show and Tell presentations, Boggle, poetry writing, word search and word scramblers activities. To instil a love for reading, book sharing and storytelling sessions were carried out by the National Library Board (NLB). Pupils enjoyed themselves during these sessions. The classroom-based level activities allowed pupils to learn English in an interactive manner. Till the next English Week in 2017! In the meantime, remember to speak well to be understood!

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The Code For Fun Programme, a programme co-sponsored by IDA, was launched this year to introduce coding and robotics technology to the Primary 3 and 4 pupils.

Pupils also learned how to make use of the Fishbone diagram and the Morphological matrix to help them in decision-making. The collaborative experience allowed pupils to develop social skills and exercise their creativity.

Working in groups, pupils applied their knowledge of Mathematics and Science to complete the Project Work tasks. Primary 3 pupils attempted to build the fastest robotic cars while Primary 4 pupils designed and produced their own useful inventions. By documenting their learning experience and inventions in the forms of procedural and information text types, pupils also put into meaningful use what they had learnt in the language class.

Pupils had massive fun and many discovered their talents in robotics! Bravo to our Young Engineers and Young Builders!

Our Young Scientists andYoung Engineers


Editors: Mdm Sharmila Singh and Mr Larry Goh

buzz sembawang primary 1_2016.pdf · learning trip to the lions befrienders seniors activity...

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