The students in Grade 5A have been working on persuasive essays about solid waste management and will be completing speeches and final drafts of their essays this week. The class took a field trip to an eco-park in Tuen Mun to gather information for their essays. They have also banned disposable plastic water bottles and paper cups in the classroom in an effort to reduce waste. One student spoke to the entire school staff about small actions individuals can take to help the environment.

1. DECEMBER 10 2010
W E E K LY U P D A T E
GRADE 5A @ CDNIS
Eco-Park, Activists and Advocates
Dear Parents,
Another busy week in Grade 5A@CDNIS with the students working very well towards
completion of their persuasive essays. They have conducted a great deal of research over
the past few weeks, sorted that information and are now presenting it in a way that will
justify an opinion connected to the management of solid waste. Over the past few weeks we
have done a great deal in deconstructing and writing persuasive texts; plenty of formative
feedback has been offered. On Monday we will make an attempt to complete all speeches.
On Wednesday, students will submit their final copies of their persuasive texts. We have one
more (smaller) summative task that will be competed in 2-3 class periods next week and
which explores the issue of how we are specifically connected to the systems of waste
management in Hong Kong.
I was very proud of the students when they independently and collectively agreed to ban
disposable plastic water bottles from the classroom for the rest of the school year. In
addition, we are making a real effort to stop using paper cups. Your cooperation with
this initiative would be greatly appreciated. Through our inquiries we have learned that
the school has used almost 200,000 paper cups in the first 3.5 months of school. We would
like to set an example to the rest of the school and hopefully our small action can have a
bigger effect. I’d like to congratulate Scarlett who stood in front of the entire CDNIS staff on
Monday to explain to us the small actions we as teachers and students can take to make a
difference. She was very much a risktaker by undertaking this action.
Ask your children about the EcoPark tour we took on Wednesday in Tuen Mun. It was a
very rewarding experience and many of the students collected a great deal of relevant
information for their
In Math, we did not get the opportunity to complete a summative assessment on the
fractions work we’ve done so far. I anticipate that next week we’ll complete this before
moving on into more complicated fractional territory in the New Year.
Next Friday is a half day, with dismissal at 11am. Students will attend an assembly on
Friday morning. On Thursday I aim to have some type of Christmas activity. An email has
been sent to you already regarding a Secret Santa activity.
Kind Regards,
DJ MacPherson
donaldmacpherson@cdnis.edu.hk & http://sites.cdnis.edu.hk/teachers/donaldmacpherson//