Raising Good Children - Character Education Part 2

Raising Good Children - Character Education Part 1

PSLE Marking Days - Home-based Learning time!

Hi everyone!

It's that time of the year when all teachers will be marking the PSLE papers while all pupils stay home and...have fun? Well, you CAN have fun but don't forget that you will be sitting for your final-year examinations soon!

If you are wondering what else you can do to unwind or de-stress, do log in to your BeaconPSP to complete some tasks as part of your home-based learning activities.

What you can expect:

• Exciting physical and stretching activities
• Ideas for gymnastics routines
• Study tips to prepare you for the examination
• Forum discussions
• Survey on what 'respect' means to you
• Explore the 'Million Deeds Challenge'

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to go to the BeaconPSP now!

President Obama's Message for America's Students

The President of the United States of America (USA) spoke to American students on 8th September 2009. Among his main messages are:

• There is no substitute to hard work.
• You have to take personal responsibility for your education.
• Every single one of us have something that we are good at. We have to discover what it is and work hard towards it.
• We have to set clear goals and targets.
• Practice good hygiene and social responsibility when we are sick.
• We have to put in our best effort in everything that we do.

His message is very important and relevant to us. It is something that our school leaders and teachers talk about on a daily basis. Now even the students in the USA are getting the same messages.

Click on this link to watch President Obama's speech and write comments on what you think about it.

Beacon's Olympic Recess Challenge

The Olympic Games have become one of the biggest sporting events of our time. Athletes from the entire world take part. Their achievements are watched from both near and far by hundreds of millions of spectators. The five rings on the Olympic flag represent the international nature of the Games.

The first modern Olympics was held in Greece in 1896. Back then, women were not allowed to take part in the games. It was only in 1900, the second edition of games, when women were allowed to participate!

Here are the 3 Olympic values:

1. Friendship
• Friendship is important because the more friends you make, the more competitors you will have. You will have much more fun playing the games with more friends.
2. Respect
• You must learn to respect your opponents. Without them, there will be no competition and you will have to play the games alone. Be gracious to your competitors.
3. Excellence
• Give your best when you compete in the games. The games are not only about winning, you can excel in character as well! Aim to improve your performance each time you participate. 

This week's game - Knee Throwing

Do look through the flipcharts that are placed at the Olympic Corner in the canteen. You can obtain information about the Olympics, YOG and Team Singapore. During the games, you can help your class to earn bonus points by being able to answer questions on these topics.

Internet addiction - Let's fight it!

This week's Pastoral Care topic is on internet addiction. Although the internet is rich with information and helps us in our learning, we must be very careful not to become addicted to it and to learn how to use it properly and responsibly.

To become addicted to something means to spend a lot of time in doing the same thing, causing your health and other daily activities to be affected. For example, if your friend is addicted to playing computer games, it means that he spends a lot of time on the computer. He does not care about eating, doing his homework or even having enough sleep!

If you think that you are addicted to computer games or if you know of friends who are addicted to computer games, do inform your parents or teachers immediately.

For more tips on internet safety and addiction, visit the following websites:
1. KidsHealth - Safe Cyberspace Surfing
2. MDA CyberWellness website
3. Microsoft - Tips for parents to protect kids online

The following are helplines to help you overcome your addiction or other cyber-related problems:
1. Planet Crush (Cyberspace Risks & where U Seek Help) 1800-377 2252
2. Samaritans Of Singapore (Free, 24 hours) 1800-221 4444
3. Child Guidance Clinic 6435 3878/ 6435 3879
4. Addictions Helpline, IMH (Mon-Fri, 8.30am - 6.00pm) 6732 6837

Health Education - Feelings

How do you feel when the following situations occur:

• someone gives you a birthday card
• someone takes your pencil without your permission
• you have forgotten that there is a test and you are not prepared for it
• your parents have forgotten to fetch you from school and the school bus has left
• your best friend is hurt and has to be sent to the hospital
• your favourite television star will be visiting the school

Happy? Sad? Anxious? Angry? Excited? Nervous? These are ways to describe your feelings. Some feelings are positive and some are negative.

How do you overcome negative feelings? For example, how do you get over your anger towards someone? How do you overcome your sadness? What can you do to make someone else overcome their negative feelings?

Do visit the following website on managing your feelings: Kids Health.

9 August 2009 8.22 pm - Take the pledge!

On our upcoming National Day, do stop whatever you are doing at 8.22 pm and take the pledge with your family members. Wouldn't it be cool to know that everyone in Singapore will be taking the pledge at the same time? Cool! Do take pictures of you and your family members taking the pledge together and post here for everyone to see!

The Push Pass

This week, the P1s are learning how to do the push pass as a lead up to soccer.

The cues emphasised can be remembered using the 3Ps:

Plant the non-kicking leg next the ball.

Place the kicking leg behind the ball.

Push the ball forward with the inside of foot and then follow-through.

Click here to look at a video on how to do the push pass with good form. Enjoy!

Beacon's Friends of Singa Nominees

Hi, Beacons!

We are happy to announce that the following Beacons have been nominated for the Friend of Singa Award 2009. They are selected by their form teachers for showing exemplary behaviour towards their teachers and friends. They show politeness, humility, courtesy, kindness and are always ready to help their fellow Beacons in need.

They are:

Desiree Foo (Pri 2/8)

Choon Pui Leng (Pri 2/4)

Marcus Teo (Pri 2/4)

Janielynne Encio Flores (Pri 2/6)

Preston Chiong (Pri 1/1)

Congratulations! Let's give them all our support in their upcoming project for the whole school!

Well done, Singapore and Qatar!

The AYG has come to a close. We are certainly proud of the achievements of our fellow Singapore athletes as well as athletes from our partner country, Qatar!

Well done, young athletes! Now for the YOG...

Health Education - Washing Hands

Check out this video on why and how we should wash our hands. As you watch it, try to answer these questions:

1) Why should we wash our hands?
2) When should we wash our hands?
3) How do we wash our hands?
4) Why can't we share food?

Click here for the video!

WNC Photo Gallery

Click on the links below to access the photo galleries.

Kids' Athletics Carnival (6 Mar 2009)
12 Beacons took part in the above competition. They participated enthusiastically and showed good sportsmanship throughout. We came in 6th out 10 schools. Well done, Beacons!

Health Education - Oral Health

This week, we are learning how to take good care of our teeth. Why is it important to take care of our teeth? Why do our teeth drop? Why are our front teeth sharp? How do we keep our teeth strong and healthy? What is the 'ugly duckling stage'? How are baby teeth replaced by permanent ones?

For answers to these and other questions as well as fun games on oral health, visit the following websites. Enjoy!

1) Healthy Teeth

2) KidsHealth

3) Colgate Kids World

4) Kids Stuff

5) Animated Tooth

Catch the AYG 'live' on television and online

Hi Beacons! Good news for sports fans!

The AYG which will be held from June 29-July 7 can now be viewed on 4 channels in addition to live action online (http://www.ayg2009.sg/).

StarHub TV is dedicating four channels (Ch 118-121) to the Games' broadcast. If you have no cable TV, you can still enjoy 'live' coverage of the Games, including the opening ceremony, aquatics and table tennis, free of charge via the Preview Channel (Ch 01).

Make sure you catch them as there will be daily quizzes on the AYG!

Aerobics Workout 2 - Chair Aerobics (10 minutes)

Chair Aerobics with Paul Eugene. Click here.

Aerobics Workout 1 - 5 minutes

A fun 5-minute workout for everyone! Click here.

Kids follow parents' lead on fruits and vegetables

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents who want their preschoolers to eat their fruits and vegetables should probably practice what they preach, a new study suggests.

In a study of more than 1,300 families, researchers found that when parents boosted their own consumption of fruits and vegetables, so did their young children.

The findings, reported in the journal Preventive Medicine, point to the importance of parents "modeling" a healthy diet for their preschoolers. They also suggest that educating parents on nutrition early on could help address the problem of childhood obesity, the researchers say.

[Read more]

Wellness Channel June Holiday Activities

Hi, Beacons!

We hope you are hard at work trying out some of the suggested activities that were given out to you on Thursday, 28 May 2009. Do try as many projects as you can and show them to your PE teachers when school re-opens! Do bring the worksheet along for your PE teacher to sign.

Remember, mystery prizes await!

Celebrate Humanity

This video clip from YouTube shows us the true spirit of the Olympics. It shows us an athlete who persisted in finishing the race even though he was hurt. It shows us a relay team that celebrated winning the bronze medal as though they had won the gold medal! It shows us that you do not have to be tall and big to achieve.

These athletes show us that the Olympics is more than just about sports. The Olympics is about friendship, respect and excellence.

Introducing Russia!

We are proud to be assigned to Russia as one of our partner National Olympic Committee (NOC) countries. In addition, we have been twinned with a primary school in Russia, Municipal Primary School. The school is located in the city of Krasnodar in the west of Russia.

Click on the following links to find out more about Russia, Krasnodar and Municipal Primary School.
• All about Russia: [Link 1] [Link 2]
• City of Krasnodar: [Link 1] [Link 2]
• Russian language
• Municipal Primary School (in Russian as the English version is still being constructed)
• Russian Olympians: [Sergey Bubka] [Alexander Popov]
• Famous Russians: [Yuri Gagarin] [Garry Kasparov]
• Famous Russian sportspersons [Maria Sharapova] [Andrei Arshavin]

Introducing Qatar!

One of the countries that our school has been twinned with for the AYG is Qatar. Qatar is a country in the Middle East. The country's main language is Arabic. Some of the sports in which they excel in the international arena are athletics and soccer.

Click the links below to find out more about Qatar.
• All about Qatar: [Link 1] [Link 2] [Link 3]
• Arabic language
• Qatari Olympians: [Talal Mansour]
• Qatar Tourism Information
• Qatar’s leading English newspaper

The Asian Youth Games are coming!

The AYG 2009 will be held in Singapore from 29 June to 7 July. About 1,400 athletes from 45 countries are anticipated to compete at the 1st AYG Singapore 2009

These are the details:

No. of sports:

9 sports - Aquatics (Swimming and Diving), Athletics, Bowling, Basketball FIBA 33 (3-on-3), Beach Volleyball, Football, Sailing, Shooting and Table-Tennis

No of Sports Events: 90

Games Village: Swissotel

Age of athletes: 14 to 17 years old

Website: http://www.ayg2009.sg/

Event Venues:

Aquatics: Singapore Sports School - Swimming, Diving: Toa Payoh Swimming Complex
Athletics: Bishan Sports Complex

Basketball FIBA 33 (3-on-3): Anglican High School

Beach Volleyball: Sentosa

Bowling: Downtown East

Football: Jalan Besar Stadium

Sailing: National Sailing Centre (East Coast Park)

Shooting: SAFRA Yishun

Table-Tennis: Toa Payoh Sports Hall

Mascot: Frasia (Friends of Asia)

Welcome, Beacons!

Welcome to the Wellness Channel Portal of Beacon Primary School. Here, you will find updates, activities, learning resources as well as space to discuss with your peers and teachers on anything related to health and total well-being. Do visit us regularly and give us your inputs on how we can make this portal exciting.