From the Webmaster's Desk - Monthly Ladies

I went for a massage as my neck and shoulder ached terribily...
I told my wife to book the session and requested specially for a lady called June.

During the session, my wife send me a sms- "How's your date with June?"

This was my reply...

"June was good. July is more beautiful. August wouldn't let me go . September is talking to me now. Luckily, October and November are not around. See you in December."

Animated Series: Piggy on Diet

From the Webmaster's Desk

Ministry of Education
Teach Less, Learn More...
Remember why I teach,
Reflect on what I teach,
Reconsider how I can teach better...

My strategy in times of inflation
Spend Less, Think More...
Remember how much I earn,
Reflect on what I buy,
Reconsider how I can spend better...

Natural Vegetation - Case Study on Kalimantan

Fun@Work

My school introduced a "Restroom Project" for Secondary One classes to adopt a restroom in the school.

While brainstorming for ideas, one boy was over enthusiastic and suggested guarding the restroom to make sure no one steps on the toilet seat and buying a machine that blows the floor dry.

My patience finally runs out when he suggested having fans so that the users will not feel warm while clearing their bowels.

I told him that he can stay in the restroom to make sure no one steps on the toilet seats, mop the floor dry and fan anyone who is having a hard time clearing their bowels.

Animated Series: No forcing, No Stopping...

Freebie: Free Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 Wallpaper

Free Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 Wallpaper (1024x768)... (Sample on 22 Feb Publication)

1) Click here
2) Right click on picture and "save picture as"...

River - Methods of Channelisation

Fun@Work

There has been some mischief in the boys' toilet recently.

My principal informed us that she will be checking on the toilets on her rounds.
She explained that the male students are like sons to her.

The male teachers looked worried...

Animated Series: Introducing Piggy "found" food

Development - Differences in Development

Animated Series: Singapore Youth Olympics 2010

A tribute to Singapore for winning the Youth Olympic 2010 bid...

Animated Series: Introducing Horsey "longing" for development

River - Negative Impacts of Channelisation

Freebie: Clipart- Sparrow Flying

Right click to save...

From the Webmaster's Desk - My Son's Transference of Learning

One evening, my boy came to me to complain that his right ear was blocked.
Water got into his ear during his bath.

I told him to stand on his right leg, turn his head to his right, with the affected ear facing down and start to jump, landing on his heel. He managed to clear his ear.

The next morning, he woke up, got off his bed and started jumping.
Being curious, I asked him for the reason.

"My nose is blocked...," he said, rubbing his eyes.

River - Vertical & Lateral Erosion

Animated Series: Sparrow in Shit- Part Four (End)

A cat heard the sparrow, dug it out of the cow dung and ate it.

What's the moral of the story?
1) Always start early for your important stuff.
i.e. The sparrow started late to fly south and met with the cold winter.
2) Never shit on others.
i.e. The cow shat on the sparrow.
3) Never dig things out of shit to eat.
i.e. The cat ate the sparrow stained with shit.

But then, think again...
1) Not everyone who shit on you is an enemy.
i.e. The cow shat on the sparrow and kept it alive.
2) Not everyone who get you out of shit is a friend.
i.e. The cat dug the sparrow out of shit and ate it.
3) Last but not least, the most important of all:
If you are in shit and happy about it. Keep your mouth shut...

Animated Series: Sparrow in Shit- Part Three

The warmth of the cow dung saved the sparrow.
It felt comfortable and started to sing.

Animated Series: Sparrow in Shit- Part Two

A cow passed by and shat on the sparrow.

Animated Series: Sparrow in Shit- Part One

Once, there was a sparrow which was flying to the south for winter.

As it was late to start on its journey, it started to snow heavily.

The poor sparrow's wings froze in the cold and dropped to the ground.

Natural Vegetation - Deforestation

Animated Series: A Tribute to Ah Meng

A tribute to Singapore's favourite Orang Utan who passed away last week...

Fun@Work

One of my "favourite" army song which I share with my students today...

Original Version
"What you wanna be ah...
Echo Guardsmen..."

Our Version
"What you wanna be ah...
Cook, Clerk, Storeman..."

Animated Series: Chicky's Total Defence

Chicky's Version of Total Defence Day

River - Channelisation

Fun@Work

During my lesson on Natural Vegetation, I knocked on the door and the table to show that the difference in the sound will determine if they are made of solid or compressed wood.

After the students could identify the "hollow" sound, I asked them to knock on their friends' head to see whose head is empty...

Freebie: Desktop

Happy Valentine's Day
Support olevelgeography blog...
Free desktop (1024x768)... (Sample below)

1) Click here
2) Right click on picture and "save picture as"...

Natural Vegetation - Functions & Uses of Forests

Fun@Work - Pattern Nice Nice

Today, the students in the cooking class told me that they will cook and take pictures of their food to be sent for grading...

It seems to me:
Lose, Win, Never Mind
Pattern Nice Nice...

Animated Series: Chicky & Mummy

River- Positive and Negative Impacts of Rivers

Question- Natural Vegetation

How are forests important to us?

- Support diversity of plants and animals.
- Natural habitats for many animals.
- Provide us with resources. (e.g. food, wood, medicine, etc.)
- Part of our natural heritage for recreation, appreciation of nature, etc.)

<- Wild Kang Kong that can be found in the forests.

Animated Series: Man in Desert

A man was found dead in the desert. A package was found near him.
If he had opened the package, he would not have died.
What was in the package?

We are often constrained by our mental models...
No, it's not map, not water, not compass and not food...
Think out of the box :)

Click here for the answer...

Animated Series: Cheeky Chicky- Part Three (End)

Tallest Emergent, Chicky...

Animated Series: Cheeky Chicky- Part Two

Animated Series: Cheeky Chicky- Part One

From the Webmaster's Desk - How Much Ang Bao?

At the end of Day 1 of Chinese New Year, when my boy was asked to count how much he got for his 'Ang Baos'.

"1 Ang Bao, 2 Ang Bao,... Mummy, I got 12 Ang Baos..."

Animated Series: Happy Chinese New Year

xiong xiong wishes one and all a Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Animated Series: The Twelve Zodiacs

The zodiacs are back for reunion dinner.
It's rat's turn to work next year...

Question- Mangrove Forest

How do the roots of the mangrove trees adapt to the waterlogged soil conditions?

Coastal zone- Sonneratia have aerial roots that are exposed during low tide to breathe.

Middle Zone- Rhizophora have prop roots to provide support for the trees on muddy soil.

Inland Zone- Bruguiera have knee-like roots to provide support on the soft soil.

Fun@Work

The other day, while I was making my rounds, I heard a command given by one of the student leaders in a uniform group.

"Wash your front!" (Watch your front)

Animated Series: We think Differently

From the Webmaster's Desk - Poem (Life's a Struggle)

life’s not easy, life’s a struggle
lots of complaints and people grumble
realise important things to proper
before landing into trouble

sometimes we feel out of power
at times, lose the urge to better
never live in your fumbles
lest your dreams become bubbles

we fell, we lost, we ponder
we strive, we won, we wonder
through life stories, we should remember
our friends, our pals, our lifelong partners

good friends are like colours
loyal, standing by, someone, our anchor
always there consoling us whenever
red marks decorate our papers

days gone, I’m still a student
learning in, about living life, despite stumbles
to the young we teach, we role model
life’s not easy, life’s a struggle

Animated Series: Hippo's Idea- Part Three (End)

Fun@Work

The students went through a workshop recently...

They were taught not to say the word "try" but use "I shall".

The class agreed that any classmate that uses the word "try", shall pay a fine of 50 cents.

One boy said, "I will try my best" in class today.

When he was told to pay the fine, he complained,
"I have already try my best to try not to use the word try."

He paid $2...

Question- Tropical Rainforest

Provide some examples of how plants adapt to the low light condition at the lower layers of the rainforest.

(As the canopy layer of the tropical rainforest prevents sunlight from reaching the lower layers of the forest, some plants adapted to the low light condition by growing on the tree branches to get more sunlight.)

- Epiphytes e.g. bird nest ferns grow on tree branches for support to obtain more sunlight.

- Lianas wind round tree trunk and grow upwards to obtain sunlight.

- Parasites grow on plants and take food from them.

- Young trees and other smaller plants grow at gaps of canopy where they can get light.

Animated Series: Hippo's Idea- Part Two

From the Webmaster's Desk - Leave your Footprints

You can leave your footprints by leaving a comment...

Hope to hear from you...

Fun@Work

Once I overheard...

"he think he scorer..."
"nowadays, scorer nothing one..."

I know "scorer" don't mean much...
But "scholar"... different... :)

Animated Series: Hippo's Idea- Part One

From the Webmaster's Desk

Today I celebrate my six years since dying...

It's my wedding anniversary...

Behind me there is a woman...

Because I am a successful man... ;)

Animated Series: Hippo & Birdie "in" the river

Animated Series: Chick "braving monsoon"

Natural Vegetation- Monsoons

Explain how monsoons are formed.

Northern hemisphere (Asia)- winter- high pressure
Southern hemisphere (Australia)- summer- low pressure
Wind blows from Asia (high pressure) to Australia (low pressure)
Wind picks up moisture from ocean and bring rain to land
Change in direction half yearly during reverse of seasons

Fun@Work

An army boy was told to buy four tea four coffee by his officer.

He came back with forty-four coffee...