Homework: Preventing Smoking

A school homework about an essay in preventing smoking is keeping us busy this weekend. When asked about seeing people smoking, P replied that he has seen more people smoking in Ph than here. It still came as a surprise for me to hear this that he has noticed that.

This has led us to a little online research and here  are a few links that we found:

South Korea has one of world's highest smoking rates. (2014 July 20) http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/attractive-smoking-ads/1271548.html

South Korea's War on Tobacco (2014 Oct 8)
http://thediplomat.com/2014/10/south-koreas-war-on-tobacco/

South Korea No Longer a Smoker’s Haven 2014 Aug 7


http://thediplomat.com/2014/08/south-korea-no-longer-a-smokers-haven/

Almost all of the articles above puts Korea in a place where smoking is quite a problem. I guess they  haven't been to the Ph. Nonetheless, it is in comparison with other OECD countries. With the latest improvement in national laws, this can be remedied soon I hope.

Going back to the homework, I found out that my son's writing skills really need a lot of help. Book review has been covered but we seem to be in unchartered territory in terms of essay. I'm not sure if it was taught in school up to third grade that he stayed in Ph or during the first semester that he has attended here. If it's in English, I really don't think they have covered it here. As for the Ph setting, at least the basics of paragraphs like unity, coherence and the likes would have been covered at least a bit in the second or third grade.

Teacher Mom has to step in right now. I've already prepared for the book review part but I have yet to prepare the basics of writing. Basic writing would cover writing paragraphs, basic research skills needed for writing, and common writing task like essays, book reviews, book reports. Target date would be for the one month winter break.

More sources on preventing smoking:

Preventing the uptake of

smoking in young people

http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/EHC/ehc55.pdf

SMOKE-FREE LAWS ENCOURAGE SMOKERS TO QUIT

AND DISCOURAGE YOUTH FROM STARTING 

 

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0198.pdf

 

New Zealand site

http://www.smokefreetoolkit.org.nz/getting-started/preventing-smoking

 

As for writing resources:

(essay)

 

1. http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/homework-and-study/english/english-tips/writing-essays

 

It has a great video on essay writing. 

 

2. http://www.kidslearningpro.com/essays-for-kids/

 

 

 

August 2014 Summer Reading

This is how P spent most of his one month summer break. This book list includes some of the books that he has already read long time ago, like the Harry Potter series and Enid Bylton's books. He can reread books unlike me who seldom do.

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September School Menu

This is the September Menu that I will finally try to decipher a bit. I was so overwhelmed when I first saw this early this year. Their nutritionist sure knows his/her job. I, myself, can barely prepare a menu good for the week or two.

It will be too much for my Korean language powers to translate everything but let me try with the food today, Sept. 22.

1. bap - Mixed Rice (Rice is a staple but it can vary everyday with other grains that they mix it with. I doubt if I'll ever see a plain rice as it is.)
2. Joreng Dukguk - Stewed rice cake soup (rice always comes with a soup)
3. Banchans - Side dishes
a. miyuk julgi bokkeum - dried seaweed (bokkeum is usually with sesame oil, seeds, salt and garlic maybe)
b. modun (modern? not sure about this) tangsuyok- meat stir-fry something (I don't eat this so I have no idea exactly)
c. bechu kimchi - cabbage kimchi (omnipresent national Korean food, Kimchi)
4. jin hwa gyoeng pear

Basically, the meal will have rice, soup, 3 side dishes and a dessert (usually whatever fruit in season like strawberry early this year, watermelons in the summer and pear/apples/persimmon these days). They will probably have mandarin oranges come winter time.

Moving forward to Wednesday, which is going to be a rainy day from what I heard from the forecast, they will have chicken soup, korean rice cake gyeondan (yumm!), melon and kimchi. A little bit different fare from the usual I'd say.

I'm afraid I'll have to stop this now since I'm getting hungry with all these food. I must try to make my own menu now. :D This is a good inspiration for me to get to the kitchen and start dinner.

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Book Report No. 1

Title: Septimus Heap, Book 1: Magyk by Angie Sage

Genre: Fantasy

This is a book review about Septimus Heap, Book 1: Magyk by Angie Sage.

It all starts in the castle with Silas Heap in the year 11971.

Silas was hurring back home to see his newborn son, Septimus Heap, who is the seventh son of the seventh son when he finds a little baby girl in the bushes. When he gets back home, he arrived to hear disastrous news that his son was dead!

Septimus Heap (a.k.a. Boy 412), though he is the main character, almost never spoke. He wears red beanie hat and a dragon ring. He is the long lost son of Silas and Sarah Heap that became a young army soldier through unfortunate mix up.

DomDaniel, one of many Darke Necromancers and one of the few who became Extraordinary Wizards,  is rising from the Badlands to become Extraordinary Wizard again. And with him are several Things you wouldn’t like to meet on a dark night.

In this thrilling tale, you will find out what happens to Septimus after he was carried away by the Matron Midwife and hear how he defeats DomDaniel.

I love the parts where Magyk is involved. Septimus is good at learning Magyk!!

The concept of being the seventh son of the seventh son is interesting. And I like his many brothers coz I want to have brothers too!!

223 Words

1st Korean Summer Break

Summer break was filled with camps, performances, out-of-town trips and a loooot of reading at home.

Science, Math and Arts on Korean Liberation Day!

The highlight of our summer, I guess, is our Suwon overnight at a friend's place. P's friend took us to see the Gwacheon Science Museum and Seoul Land. We spent almost twelve hours in the area, almost half at the Museum and the rest is at the outdoor amusement park. I am not really a bit fan of amusement parks so most I hardly took any photos from there.

Since it was a national holiday, there were a lot of special activities going on in the museum. There was even an international math conference along with an art exhibit related to math. It is actually International Congress of Math which we had no idea about before. All I can say is it's a cool geeky thing. hahahaha..I just hope that P had something taken away from that experience since he met one of the exhibitors who had a written a book that looks like a guide in creating cool geometric stuff. That part of math is all I can dig. 

The photos below are the other art/math stuff we found interesting.

origami made from paper bills

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Korean Kids Lifeskills books

I found some new books that P has been using with his Korean drop-in tutor. They used to have some Korean language for kids which are at beginners' level. It look like first grader's book but just a bit less daunting as the ones that they usually use at school which usually consist of a two books per set.

On the other hand, the ones below are a bit different. These are basically life skills in keeping safe as a kid in Korea. The pages were illustrated in through comics which children can find interesting and easily relate to.

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