-NiE ,
15 March 2017
3
A helping hand
Elementary Heroes
COMMUNITY helpers are really special. They make the community a better place by reaching out and extending their help to those in need. Imagine living in a place where nobody offered you a helping hand when you needed it. You would certainly feel miserable. Have you or your family been helped by anyone in your community? In return, what are some of the things you have done for your community?
NiE Activity
Read the following passage, which is adapted from an article published in Star2 on Dec 5, 2016. Ten-sen man Former cop turned community hero Kuan Chee Heng likes to help the unfortunate. He caught the public’s attention recently when he bought three cars for only 10 sen each. These used vehicles were offered to him to be used to help the needy. He started a 10-sen taxi service and hired a driver to ferry the sick, disabled and, basically, poor folks, to and from hospital. “Some of these poor people missed their medical appointments due to transportation problems,” said the 53-year-old. In 2014, he started a 10-sen market to help the urban poor. It provides the opportunity for people to recycle and contribute to charity. Like a jumble sale, unwanted items in good condition are sold to the poor at 10 sen, including television, refrigerator, bed, bicycle, clothes and more.
Kuan, a businessman, is founder and president of the Community Policing Association of Malaysia. “It was set up in 2007 to fight crime. We have 130,000 members,” he said. According to him, community policing is “to create awareness about crimes, so we can work together with the police”. Kuan has successfully carried out fundraising online to aid the destitute. He has 5,000 Facebook friends and 176,478 followers. His Facebook icon is a potato, indicating his preference for “simplicity in life”. “I like to help people as it makes me happy,” he said, adding: “I’m happy to live in a peaceful environment where I can make a living without fearing bombs and bullets. I seize every day as an opportunity to serve others.”
Activity A Creative thinking
Critical thinking l Identify
l Organise
l Imagine
l Connect
Communicating l Written
Based on the passage, complete a character profile of the person featured.
Character profile:
l What are three of his characteristics?
l Name of person: ________________________
_____________________________________
l Age: ________________________________
_____________________________________
l Occupation: ___________________________
l Your favourite quote of him:
l Other personal information:
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
l What would you say to him if you had the chance to
_____________________________________
meet him?
l What has he accomplished? _________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Look at the words printed in blue in the passage. They refer to people who need help in society. In groups of four, look in The Star for three pictures representing these people. Cut them out and paste them on a sheet of A3 paper according to the following template. Then, answer the questions that follow. Next, present your work in class to raise awareness of these groups of people in our society and how everyone else, including students like yourself, can lend a helping hand.
Paste the picture here
A. Who are they? ___________________________________ B. Who can help them? ___________________________________ C. How can you help them? ___________________________________
Activity B Creative thinking
Critical thinking l Identify
l Reason
l Imagine l Brainstorm
l Connect
Problem solving l Question l Research
Paste the picture here
A. Who are they? ___________________________________ B. Who can help them? ___________________________________ C. How can you help them? ___________________________________
Communicating
l Present
l Oral l Written
l Aural
Collaborating l Listen l Compromise l Contribute l Attain goal respectfully
Paste the picture here
A. Who are they? ___________________________________ B. Who can help them? ___________________________________ C. How can you help them? ___________________________________