Hello everyone!

I reckoned some of you would have finished your major exams (GCE O-Levels, IP, IB and IGCSE). Congrats! It’s time for your to enjoy your holiday before you embark on the next stage of your academic and knowledge pursuance.

It has been a while since you last hear from me. We (Winners Education Group) just came back from our educational trip to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi City, Sapa and Halong Bay, etc) and we have learned alot about their:

• Educational system for Primary, Secondary, High School and Universities
• Educational levels as compared to other developed and developing nations
• History and Literature
• Language and Economy

And, of course – i saw several interesting Chemistry Phenomenon – Chemistry reactions and actions that are related to our everyday life!

Halong Bay – an UNESCO World Heritage Site has 2000+ limestone structures that are formed due to the wave and wind erosion of one huge island, over thousands and thousands of years.

We also saw villagers selling home-made Corn Wine along the streets! This corn wine has 50% v/v alcohol (ethanol) content!

And apparently some villagers used it to power and run their cars and motorbikes! Chemistry students! Ready for actions?

Question 1:
Why are the advantages of using ethanol over petrol as fuels for vehicles? State two advantages.

We also saw villagers making knifes and mechanical tools using metals. These shows the property of Malleability of Metals.

There are many more Chemistry Phenomenons observed……but now, i would just like to share with you some highlights of the trip:

2 Days of trekking on Sapa mountains was pretty tough, but the beautiful scenery and conversations with local villagers and other travelers was well worth it. Learned alot!

This picture was taken when i was touring around the Primary School in Sapa village, which is supported by Unicef. Well Done! It provides every child with the opportunity of basic education and literacy and this will improve the livelihood the villagers.

Once they have a secondary education, the child (about 15-16 years old) will be given many options to work or to continue their high school. The picture below shows our Sapa Tour Guide which is only 16 years old, but she speaks very good english and is very professional and passionate about her job. I am inspired by her!!!

That’s all for now. If you are interested to find out more about my trip and see more photos, do connect with me on my Facebook.Related Articles:

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If you would like to sing along, here is the LYRICS

Enjoy!Related Articles:

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(Image by DJ Bass)

Smile and laugh more NOW, and get ready to go into total focus revision mood during your June Holidays – which is the only time for you to revise and grasp the essential concepts in order to have a strong foundation (Workshops, Coaching, Training, Tutorial, Private Tutor, Tuition etc) to handle your Prelims and GCE O Levels Chemistry Examinations.

Let’s check out some all-time Chemistry Jokes:

Chemistry Joke 1:

During class, the chemistry professor was demonstrating the properties of various acids. “Now I’m going to drop this silver coin into this glass of acid. Will it dissolve?”

“No sir,” one student called out.

“No?” queried the professor. “Perhaps you can explain why the silver won’t dissolve in this particular acid.”

“Because if it would, you wouldn’t have dropped it in!”

PS: Indirectly linked to Metals & Reactivity Series

Chemistry Joke 2:

A female student wished to make some potassium hydroxide solution (aqueous)and decided to throw a large lump of potassium into a bucket of water. Her professor observed what she was about to do, out of the corner of his eye and hurried towards her, and after confirming this was what she was intending to do, asked her first to stir the water in the bucket for five minutes before adding the potassium. She was puzzled and ran after him to ask the purpose of this action.

‘It will give me time to get away’ said the professor.

PS: Related to the Group I Alkali Metals General Chemical Properties

Chemistry Joke 3:

Teacher: What is the formula for water?
Student: H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O
Teacher: That’s not what I taught you.
Student: But you said the formula for water was…H to O.

PS: Related to Chemical Formula

Until the next post, take care!Related Articles:

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This period is the time when local students are relinquished from their Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) and Singapore Youth Festivals (SYF) 2009. It is the time where you really see students “mugging” (as what my chemistry students says) for their Mid-Year Examinations.

I was surfing my Facebook account talking to friends where i realised many students are feeling the stress and strain as they go into this mid-year examinations. You will see the subject titles from their account: “Stomache-pain with E-Maths”, “I hate O-Levels Chemistry”, “Chemistry is so boring”, “I don’t understand what my Chemistry teacher in teaching all this while”, “A-Math is killing me, i should have dropped it earlier”. “how i wish mid-year is over now”, etc.

Now, examinations is always stressful, and it is especially so when the students have not been following understanding what the school is teaching for last 14 months (for Sec 4 students). What i would suggest is to DO YOUR BEST for your Mid-Year Examinations, and when June Holidays comes, get help to revise intensively for what you don’t understand.

I am always an advocate for “Study Hard; Play Hard” as well as “Work Hard; Play Hard”. Although there is not much time for you to “play”, i would still suggest that you take little “mental-breaks” in between your revision. This is even more so, when you “Celebrate the Little Success” of finishing up a topic / chapter..go read papers/eat ice-cream, etc for 20mins, and come back to your books/notes again. This gives you more reason for you to study harder.

Below are more funny pictures given by my friend, i would like to share it with you:

Picture 2: Can you see the Baby ???

Picture 3: Can you see the Kissing Couple ???

Picture 4: Can you see the 3 Women ???

Picture 5: What do you see?

PS: Leave me a reply below. I would love to hear from you.Related Articles:

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Enjoy this one!

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