Guess what : Mushroom

Which room has no walls in this world? 

  

Guess what? 

Mushroom! 

Fun facts about mushroom:

• It feeds off of dead organisms. 
• It also uses for medicinal, and recreational purposes. 
• It prevents cancer and reduces weight. 
• It also fights off tumor and asthma. 

Try to eat mushroom! If you never try, you will never know the taste of mushroom. 

Poem: Save Our Mother Earth

Bright and warm sun shines in the blue sky,

Animals live with their families in the jungle,
Children play happily in the playground,
The air is full of healthy gases;

Fire ball hangs up highly in the sky,
Animals have neither homes nor shelters,
Children are locked in the prison,
The air is saturated by harmful gases;

What has happened to the Earth?
Broken bottles and pieces of glass scattered everywhere,
Mountains are bald and icebergs are melting,
Her beauty has been destroyed!

Let’s stand up for our Mother Earth,
Let’s work together to save the Earth,
Let’s keep our environment green,
Let’s go green!

Source

Quotes: Amazing Land on Our Earth!

Mangrove Forest in Wetland 

Is the 'Wetland', a land that is wet or is it wet and soft ground? Thousands of questions appeared in my mind. Today, I finally discovered it by myself. It is an amazing portion of  the land on the earth covered by the mangrove forest.
 
When I reached the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, this place inspired me a lot concerning the environment around us. The environment is a wonderful gift from our God. Mangrove trees play a vital role in the natural environment and also for human beings. It can act as a protective shield during the monsoon season.

I am picking the garbage trapped in the mangrove forest

Today, I had found out the mangrove trees can also act as a filter. During high tides, the water flows to the mangrove forest with the garbage in the water. After the high tide, all the garbage will be trapped in the mangrove forest.


 I have tried my best to pick up the garbage left in the mangrove forest but the job was never ending and I knew then we still have a long way to go to protect our environment. 







The small deeds done by everyone will have a large impact on our environment! Please love our environment!      

Source

Guess What: Insects

Question:

 Why did the child throw the butter out the window?

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Answer:

To see the butterfly (butter fly).

Justification:

After visiting the Biotechnology Department in University Malaysia Sabah, I was inspired by the butterfly. The word "Butterfly" can be separated into "butter" and "fly". I think that it is quite useful for little children to remember the spelling for "butterfly" in a humorous way.

Source of riddle:

http://www.anvari.org/shortjoke/Miscellaneous_Jokes

Poem: Earth, In Our Hand

Source

 

Broken bottles, scattered pieces of glass,

Old Newspaper tossed on the ground,

Plastic bottles, polystyrene and garbage.

Is this the environment that surrounds us?

Water filled with a layer of crude oil ,

Rubbish drifting on it;

All wildlife destined to a slow awful doom.

Should mankind ignore all of these?

Stand up, raise the awareness and solve the problems.

Protect, preserve and conserve,

It is our environment and our mother earth,

The earth, is in our hand.

Justification:

Today, I had been involved in the mangrove trees clean-up programme. The moment I saw the rubbish and all unwanted substances here and there, I realised that humans nowadays are very irresponsible, including me. I was sad and disappointed. I hope everyone can at least do something, even a small, simple thing to protect the environment. The earth provides us with everything, so we should be thankful. It is time for us to protect it.


Source of the Poem:http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/awareness-about-our-environment

Quotes: All about Mangrove Swamps

A picture speaks a thousand words

The nursery farm for mangrove seedlings at Kota Kinabalu Wetlands

Honestly, I never knew how mangrove swamps looks like before my visit to the wetlands with my course mates. I have always thought that mangrove is a very common species that exists in our environment. However, my perception towards the mangrove swamps changed when I took part in the mangrove      clean-up. I learned that mangrove swamps plays an important role in balancing the ecology system. But, human's immoral action such as littering has destroyed the beauty of the natural mangrove swamps. I had found tonnes of non-biodegradable garbage such as cigarette lighters, aluminium cans and polystyrene containers when I was cleaning up the mangrove swamps with my course mates. Sometimes, I always wonder why human beings leave something useless wherever they go.

Besides, the extinction of mangrove swamps will occur if we do not take any initiative to conserve the precious ecosystem in our environment. Let's imagine that one day, when your lovely home is destroyed by external  factors, how will you feel? For me, I would feel mad. This is because nobody has the right to This fact holds true for Mangrove swamps because it is the hotbed for wildlife such as crabs, prawns and small fishes. If Mangrove swamp disappears suddenly, what will these aquatic organisms feed on?

In conclusion, "Prevention is better than cure". Hence, I wish I can  take part in the Mangrove clean-up whenever I am free so that it would not become extinct.

Story: The Frog and The Mouse

Source

Once upon a time, there was a frog which dislikes its neighbour, mouse very much. The frog was always looking for a chance to teach the mouse a lesson.

One day, the frog convinced the mouse to play in the water. The mouse refused to do so as it could not swim. However, the frog told the mouse that there was a way to keep it safe. It was to tie them together with a rope. Finally, the mouse agreed to give it a try.

In the water, the frog tormented the mouse. Sometimes, it swam fast; sometimes, it  dived into the water. The belly of the mouse swelled up as it swallowed too much water and it started to float.

Suddenly, an eagle appeared in the sky, looking for food. Soon, the eagle noticed the floating mouse. The eagle pounced on the mouse with its claws and flew away. The frog which was tied together with the mouse was also pulled up by the eagle. Before being eaten by the eagle, the frog regretted what it had done to the mouse and said, "I did not expect myself to be harmed."

~The End~

Justification:

I adapted this story as I got inspired by the mangrove clean-up activity that we had done in the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. We picked up the rubbish in the wetland. This story reflects the situation between humans and the environment nowadays. The beauty of the environment is being destroyed by humans as there are plenty of rubbish everywhere. This irresponsible action has resulted in the pollution of the environment which is threatening not only animals but humans themselves.  Just like the story above, the frog aimed to harm its neighbour but unfortunately the frog itself was also harmed as well. Bear in mind, "we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

Source

Poem: Our NATURE

The sun shines so brightly and brilliantly,

The sea seems so blue and peaceful,

The trees sway back and forth,

The wind blows coldly and it's refreshing.

So clean and beautiful the nature is,

But it's ruined due to human activities,

Rubbish scattered all over the place,

Living things are unable to survive in this environment.

Manage your rubbish in a better way,

Recycling is the best way to be practised,

Be environment-friendly and time-saver,

So that our Earth is ideal for men to live.

Awareness must be raised among human beings,

If we do not heed the problem in hand,

Our lives will be all at risk,

Then it may lead to human destruction.

Source

Justification:
I wrote this environmental poem after I went for an outing to Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. Through this outing, I am happy that mangrove swamps are well-conserved by the non-governmental organization. However, people nowadays tend to throw rubbish everywhere. Therefore, as  the next generation, we should protect our nature before these environmental issues are getting out of hand. We should also work hand in hand with other parties in order to protect our environment.

Story: Our Planet

Once upon a time, there was a sad planet. The people who lived there did not take good care of it. The people had contaminated the planet with garbage and this had polluted the environment.

One day, a boy walked on that planet. When he was walking around the planet, he noticed that all the plants had fallen sick. Then, he was looking around to find a reason. Suddenly, he got an idea to save that planet. He visited the planet everyday and watered the plants.

A few days later, the plants started to grow again. Since he took good care of the plants daily, the planet started to be covered by green plants.

The boy told the people that they must take care of their planet because it is their responsibility. They must plant trees to save the planet instead of destroying it so that they could live happily there.

The moral of the story is we must always take care of our mother Earth, and the environment actively.

Source

Guess What: Guess It Right!

Before you guess what the riddle is about, you have to assume that you do not know what a rhino, camel and penguin look like. 

The question goes like this:
While Adrian and his two best friends are walking along the dense forest, one friend shows him a rhino and tells that it is a camel.

Another friend shows him a rhino and tells that it is a penguin. 

Who would you believe and why?

Answer:     

Neither one of them. Camel and penguin do not live in forest, a rhino does. 

Justification:
I  would like to choose the rhinoceros as the main idea of my riddle because some animal groups are facing the problem of extinction, such as the rhinoceros. Therefore, we have to be aware of their plight.

From: Source

Short Reflection: What have we done? (Day 2)

On the second day of the English Language Camp, we led the aerobics session early in the morning. The activities for the day consisted of an outing to the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands and the Tropical and Biology Conservation of University Sabah Malaysia (UMS), language games and the preparation for the English Language Camp blog.

After having aerobics session, we took a bus to to the wetlands. It took an hour to reach there. At the wetlands, we observed the food chain and collected rubbish of the swamp. With everyone's cooperation, we managed to clean some parts of the swamp.

After that, we visited Institute for Tropical and Biology Conservation in UMS. We saw some samples of insects and animals that we have not seen before. This visit had widened our knowledge about floras and faunas. It also gave us much inspiration in writing poems, which was one of the purposes of this trip. Then, we returned to our campus.

We started the language games at 4:30 pm. There were three games consisting of riddles, word search and Basta. All of these games were quite difficult but we managed to complete them. Allthough our group did not win, we enjoyed the games very much .

At night, we wrote poems, drew pictures and edited photos and uploaded these to our blog. We also edited the blog together. Besides that, we also practised the songs to be presented during the closing ceremony.

We were glad to have the oppotunity to work together and also get closer to the environment. English Language Camp is really fun and nice.

Quotes: Only you can make these ideas a reality

I took this photo at the Exhibition Hall of Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. This quote is to persuade people to conserve mangrove swamps. Remember,environment conservation starts from you. Turn your ideas into reality before you persuade others to follow your ideas.

Guess What: Snake

My mother laid a clutch of eggs

I had to leave my shell

She left me when I came outside

I looked so wriggly well

I’m fond of scrumptious mice and frogs

They’re just the size for me

and when I’ve had one for my lunch

I don’t need one for tea!

Guess! What am I?

I am a SNAKE!

Justification
I chose "snake" as the main idea for my riddle because I was shocked when I saw the sample of a green snake at Biotechnology Department at University Malaysia Sabah. It looked very real and this inspired me to adapt a riddle for it.

Source of riddle:

 http://www.storynory.com/2011/07/10/animal-riddle-rhymes

Quotes: Our Day 1 and 2

We have compiled the significant moments in Day 1 and 2 into this short video. Sit back and enjoy!

Short Reflection: What Have We Done? (Day 2)

Source

Nowadays, everyone seems busy chasing their own dreams. However, people seem to forget their responsibility to care for the environment. Hence, the visit to the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) really gave us a golden opportunity to learn and appreciate our environment.

Being involved in the mangrove clean-up project at the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands was a wonderful experience to learn hands-on how to sustain our environment. We collected rubbish that was brought in by both the tides and human beings. We walked through the mud, the murky water, broken wooden bridges and snarly roots. It was exhausting but fun clean-up! We were rewarded with a very rare sighting of a night heron. It was exhilarating! 

While in UMS, we had the chance to learn more about biodiversity. We were shown collections of endemic insects. We were also taken to the gallery where wild animals were preserved in their natural habitat. There were so many things that were new to us and we feasted our eyes on them!

Both of the visits inspired us to conserve nature and now, we feel we are a step closer to a green environment.

Story: The Mangrove Trees' Story

A long time ago, there were thousands of tall and strong mangrove trees in the Wetlands located in Likas. There were also many animals that lived there such as insects, crabs, fish, lizards and birds. They were happy to live together and would always sing and dance in groups. However, a new city has been developed opposite of the Wetlands. Many people moved into the city. Unfortunately, many people started to throw rubbish into the river. When there was high tide, lots of rubbish was trapped among the roots of mangrove trees. It caused the trees and the animals to have breathing difficulties. Soon, diseases started to spread among the animals. There was no cure for these diseased animals. They could not sing and dance anymore and they were sad. They became lifeless and they started to died one by one.

One day, a group of students came. They brought a few packets of plastic bags. Then, they started to pick up all the rubbish that they could find in the mangrove swamp. They also replanted new mangrove trees. What a rescue! The students pledged to come again in the following years and they would do the same rescue work in the Wetlands.

What a joy! The animals can sing and dance again. They live happily ever after.

The End.

A group of student pick up the rubbish

Justification:

I wrote this story as I was inspired while picking up the rubbish in Wetlands. It was not an easy job. We must preserve our environment.

By: Dorina Wong Ming (Sunny Team)

e-Journal: Outing to the Wetlands

On 17th April 2013, we had an outing to Kota Kinabalu Wetlands from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. We participated in a mangrove clean-up project as a volunteer group. The aim of this outing was to give opportunities for teacher trainees to gain knowledge about sustaining the environment. Madam Tan Mee Chin was the lecturer in-charge-of this outing.

Listening to a briefing

The map of the Wetlands

Rubbish collection in progress

The beautiful scenery of the Wetlands

The Environmental Education Officer, Miss Jocelyn, receiving our token of appreciation

e-Journal: Aerobics Session (DAY 2)

On the 17th April 2013, we started our aerobics session from 6:30 am until 7:00 am at the field next to Tun Mustapha Hall.

The Sunny Team

From Left: Sally Lew, Phan Chei Kuan, Dorina Wong, Yean Yan Tong, Kok Jia Xuan and Sally Sia

Our aerobics leader, Phan Chei Kuan, lead the warm up session.

 Warmed up!

Bend, bend and bend!

Stretch, stretch and stretch!

HAHAHA!

They enjoyed themselves very much!

Quotes: A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a singe step

 Source

When I picked the garbage at the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands today, the first thought that came to my mind was that everything begins with a single step. The wetland is polluted with garbage such as plastic bottles, plastic bags and even big refrigerators. It  is clear that pollution is quite serious here. However, if we are willing to volunteer to clean up our mangrove-swamp, this problem will definitely be solved someday.

Poem: In Our Hands

Guess What: Transport

 

What is the shoe that can float on the water?

Answer: The boat

 

Short Reflection: What have we done? (Day 1)

It was the first day of the English Language Camp 2013. We had some interesting activities such as ice breaking, treasure hunt, etiquette session and a puppet show competition. 

In the morning, after having the aerobics session, we had a slot for ice breaking. During the ice breaking, we were divided into two groups - the instructors and the blinds. The blinds had to search for the shoes of their instructors and then help put them on. 

After that, we had a treasure hunt organised by Team 22. It was amazing. We had to find out the stations using the clues given. Besides, at every station, we had to accomplish some missions such as Spell-It-Rightt and riddles. It took almost two hours for us to finish all the tasks and reach the finishing line.

Later, we had an etiquette session led by Madam Shubashini, an English lecturer from the Language Department. This session was related to the characteristics of an ideal teacher. At the end of this session, we managed to figure out the characteristics of an ideal teacher. 

At night, we held a puppet show competition. All of us helped out in the preparation of the puppet show competition and it was a success. The champion group was the Candy Girls with their story entitled "Peter and The Wolf".

Poem: Nature Lover

Tell me, what do you see?

Blue sky, brown trunks, and green leaves,

Giant trees that touch the sky,

Little birds flying through.

Nature is a beauty,

Nature is mighty,

Nature is colour possibly seen,

The beauty of nature is what we see.

So hold our hands, be supportive,

Nature lovers, together we be.

Source

Justification:
I was exposed to the green environment when we did the mangrove clean-up and I'm glad that the world we live in is so beautiful. The nature is indeed amazing and it inspires me to write this poem to glorify the beauty of nature.

e-Journal: Language Games

On the 17th of April 2013, the Blue Angel Team organised language games from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. There were three different games in this session which were Word Search, Riddles and Basta.

The leader of the group explaining the rules of the games

Getting ready for the game

Concentrating seriously

Group photo

Madam Rosemary giving away the prize to the first runner-up team

Madam Rosemary giving away the prize to the Champions 

Short Reflection: Day 2

Today, early in the morning, we had an aerobics session before outing to the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). After the aerobics session, we started our journey to the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands at 7.30 a.m. We had our breakfast in the bus and after an hour, we reached there. At the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, all of us had a lot of  fun exploring the mangrove swamp although it was tiring. We saw the wildlife that we have never seen before. We cleaned up the rubbish in the mangrove swamp as much as we could. We took a picture with the people in-charge. After that, we moved to the next destination which is University Malaysia Sabah. We had gained a lot of knowledge and our perception toward the environment has widened after visiting the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation. Then, we went back to the campus. Later in the evening, we organized the English Language Games. All of us enjoyed the games and at the same time, these games also helped improve our knowledge about the English Language. Tomorrow will be the last day, we hope that it will have a perfect ending.   

Source

e-Journal: Visitation to UMS

On the 17th of April 2013, we went to visit the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University Malaysia Sabah. We started our journey at 1:30 p.m. The purpose of this outing was to get inspiration to create our own poems.

A briefing by Professor Charles

 Irene Tiong Ying Ying, giving a token of appreciation to Professor Charles  

A specimen in the exhibition hall 

 A token of appreciation to Madam Petherine Jimbau

Our advisor, Madam Tan Mee Chin with Madam Petherine Jimbau

Group photo

Quotes: Care for Earth

Beautiful scenery of the capital city
Photo taken at Signal Hill Observatory, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

"I am not an environmentalist. I am an Earth warrior."

Darryl Cherney

On the 2nd day of the ELC, we volunteered ourselves to collect rubbish that was trapped amongst the mangroves at the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. Since we had extra time after lunch, we stopped by the Signal Hill Observatory for a short photo-taking session.  

The observatory is a really great place for sightseeing. The scenery of the magnificent bright sky and the clear sapphire blue sea with beautiful tall buildings really did amaze me. It was, however,  a complete contrast to the situation at the wetlands. Rubbish such as tyres, slippers, bottles, plastic bags were brought in to the mangroves by tides. 

That was when I started thinking about mother nature- how long can our beautiful scenery still be seen and enjoyed? What will happen to the blue sky and the sapphire sea in Sabah if our modern industrial development destroys mountains that are covered with trees, lakes, and running streams and transforms them into  mountain of junks, garbage, slime pits, and debris?

Mother nature is a gift from God! Stop the depletion of natural resources. Don't you hear the silent cries of the Earth? Be grateful! Give back what we have taken from our Earth. 

From now on, let us not only be an environmentalist but an earth warrior!

A drawing inspired by the scenery of Kota Kinabalu Wetlands.

"Don't you hear the silent cries of the Earth? Be grateful! Give back what we have taken from Her. " 

Yean Yan Tong