Pre-Writing Activities 1. Structure of a Notice

Unit 2

Theme: Hiking

Genre: Notice  A notice gives concise information about an event, an activity, a trip, general instructions, regulations or news.

Details of Writing Task  Rubrics: The Student Association is going to organise a hiking trip for the students of the whole school. You are the secretary of the Student Association of your school and you are asked to draft a notice about the hiking trip.

Features Context: School Writer: The secretary of the Student Association Audience: Students Target Language: i) Simple present tense ii) Imperatives iii) Prepositions of time and place

1 Notes for Teachers: To activate students’ prior knowledge and relate the genre to the daily life of students, ask students to give examples of different types of school notices (these can be found from the school Intranet), e.g. notices to parents (e.g. purchase of English readers), and notices to students (e.g. arrangement of the Speech Day). If you have time, you can also ask students to give examples of notices they have come across in their daily life, e.g. suspension of lift service, change of company address. These kinds of activities enable students to understand that there is a real need to write notices.

2 Pre-writing Activities 1. Structure of a Notice

1A: In a notice about a hiking trip, the details of the hike (see the list of structural elements in a notice) should be included. Below is a model notice of a Sai Kung Cruise showing all the essential elements of the structure. Fill in the blank boxes with the structural elements provided in the list below. A few are done for you.

List of structural elements in a notice:  Date and time  Name of  Name of event  Any food or drink organiser  Cost included? e.g.  Registration  Point (s) of attraction Lunch  Final call  Pick-up point  Photo

Photo (To be downloaded by teachers)

Structural The Notice Structural elements elements The Student Association Name of Invites you to join us for the organiser Name of event Sai Kung Cruise On Sunday November 10, 2009 Starting at 9: 00 a.m. and ending at 4: 00 p.m.

Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and explore sea caves and scenic coastlines

Any food or Pick-up point at the Sai Kung Pier drink Seafood lunch included included? Cost: $ 100 per person

Please go to the general office of the Student Association for registration at lunch time or after school on or before 22 October, 2009. Hurry! Limited Places

3 2. Language Features

2A: When we write a notice, we have to pay attention to some typical language features. Fill in the blanks to find out what they are.

 When writing a notice, we usually use the ______tense. For example: The Student Association invites you to join us for the Sai Kung Cruise.  When we refer to the date and time of the hiking trip, we use suitable ______. For example: at 9:00 a.m.; on Sunday; in October  We can use ______(i.e. the base form of the verbs) to refer to the point(s) of attraction of the hiking trip, For example: Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and explore sea caves and scenic coastlines

For more supplementary exercises, please refer to For more detailed explanation of point (s) Tasks 2B and 2C. of attraction and imperatives, please refer respectively. to Tasks 2D (i and ii).

2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense using the verbs provided in the box below. be donate enjoy go know offer organize rise run take

1. The hike ______you across forests and streams. 2. Our school ______a summer camp for us every year. 3. The fee for the swimming course ______three hundred dollars per month. 4. She ______walking her dog every evening. 5. He ______money to charitable organisations from time to time. 6. Everyone in Hong Kong ______about the athlete Lee Lai-Shan. 7. The open air restaurants in Cheung Chau ______wonderful seafood. 8. My parents ______hiking every weekend. 9. The train usually ______at a 5-minute interval. 10. The sun ______at dawn.

4 2C: Fill in the blanks with ‘in’, ‘at’ or ‘on’

1. The train will leave ______4 p.m. 2. I will wait for you ______the train station. 3. Let’s go hiking ______autumn. 4. She entered the university ______2003. 5. The next conference will be held ______30th December. 6. We will go to Ocean Park ______Saturday Morning. 7. The tour starts early ______the morning every day. 8. They spent their last summer holiday ______the seaside. 9. There are many trees ______the park. 10. My sister gets up ______half past six every morning.

2D: How to write about the point(s) of attraction?

Point(s) of attraction is / are some attractive activities that people may carry out during an event or a trip. When writing a notice about an event or a trip, it is a good idea to write a couple of points of attraction to let people know what they will mainly be doing during the trip.

For example, in the model sample of the notice, the points of attraction are: Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters Imperatives Explore sea caves and scenic coastlines

2D (i): Fill in the blanks with imperatives using the verbs provided in the box below.

be catch enjoy keep post put sign turn wash write

1. ______this notice on the board. 2. ______the spectacular view of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula from the ridge. 3. ______an eye on your belongings. 4. ______down the names of the dinosaurs during your visit to the

5 Science Museum. 5. ______your hands before meals. 6. ______all your belongings in the locker before going out to the pool. 7. ______up for the hike before 16th November. 8. ______off the light before you leave the classroom. 9. ______me if you can. 10. ______polite to your teachers.

2D (ii): Identifying and writing about point (s) of attraction Read the information about some trails in Hong Kong below. Imagine you are going to write a notice about the hiking trip for each trail. Identify and note the point(s) of attraction to be included in the notice. The first one has been done for you.

 Tour Name: Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail Route: Tai Mei Tuk Management Centre, Pak Sin Leng Trail, Bride’s Pool Pick-up Point: MTR station, Tai Po Duration: 2.5 hours Description: During the walk along Pak Sin Leng Trail, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Plover Cove Reservoir. You can also see many rock features and fields beyond the blue stream. Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: Explore Plover Cove Reservoir and see the rock features

 Tour Name: Lamma Island Hike Route: Aberdeen, Lamma Island, Tin Hau Temple, Sok Kwu Wan, Yung Shue Wan Pick-up Points: MTR station, Central Duration: 5 hours Description: This is a scenic hike on a peaceful traffic-free island with 6,000 years of fishing history. You will pass through beautiful feng shui woods, World War II Kamikaze tunnels, the delightful Lo So Shing Bay, and the bustling village of Yung Shue Wan. Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice:

6  Tour Name: Wong Shek Walk Route: Wong Shek Pier, Coastal line of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau Pick-up Point: The Bus Terminal, Sai Kung Duration: 2 hours Description: From the Wong Shek Pier in Sai Kung, you can walk up the steps and enjoy the fantastic coastal scenery of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau. The scenic view of the harbour and grassland make you feel at one with nature Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: ______

 Tour Name: Po Lin Monastery Outing Route: Tung Ching Fort, Po Lin Monestery, Big Budda, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha Pick-up Point: Tung Chung MTR Station Duration: 7 hours Description: This 16-km hike enables you to discover the peaceful Lantau Island. This hike is strenuous, but worth the effort. It will surely make you breathless. Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: ______

 Tour Name: Deserted Beaches Hike (Sai Kung East Country Park) Route: Sai Kung East Country Park, old Hakka villages. Departure Time: 10:00 a.m. Pick-up Points: MTR station, Choi Hung Duration: 5 hours Description: This walk offers you a unique insight into the houses, lands and beaches that the old Hakka villages left behind. You can explore the life of Hakka farmers and enjoy your time while you are away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

7 Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: ______

 Tour Name: Pok Fu Lam Country Park Trail Route: The Peak, Pok Fu Lam Country Park, Aberdeen. Pick-up Point: MTR station, Central Duration: 4.5 hours Description: This scenic walk enables you to enjoy the contrasts of skyscrapers in the spectacular and vibrant business district and the tranquil countryside. Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: ______

Writing Task The Student Association is going to organise a hiking trip for Form 1 students. Select one of the trails described in Task 2D (ii) above and write a notice about the hiking trip. Plan your writing before you start. The writing tips below can provide some help.

 Writing Tips  In your notice, you should:  Include all the information next to the structural elements listed in Task 1A above.  Use suitable prepositions of time (at, one, in) when writing about the date and time of the hike.  Use imperatives when writing about the point (s) of attraction.

8 A Notice about the Hiking Trip

Name of the organiser:

Name of the trail:

Date of the hike:

Time of the hike:

Point (s) of attraction:

Pick-up point:

Lunch arrangement:

How to register:

An attractive final call:

9 Notes for Teachers:

Instead of providing the information of the trails for the students, teachers are welcome to ask students to search the details of the hiking trails from the Internet before the writing lesson.

Post-writing Evaluation  Evaluation Form 

 Content and Structure

Excellent Pretty Average Needs JJJ Good K Improvement JJ L 1. An eye-catching photo is provided. 1. The name of the organiser is included. 2. The name of the trail is provided. 3. Important details about the hiking trip (such as date, time, point (s) of attraction, pick-up point, lunch arrangement and cost) are provided. 4. Further information such as how to register for the trip is included.

10 5. There is an attractive final call.

 Language Use

Excellent Pretty Average Needs JJJ Good K Improvement JJ L 1. The simple present tense is used correctly. 2. Imperatives are used correctly. 3. Prepositions of time and place are used correctly. 4. Grammar is mostly correct. 5. Words are of a wide range and generally accurate and appropriate. 6. Punctuation and spelling are correct.

 Genre

Excellent Pretty Average Needs JJJ Good K Improvement JJ L The general tone and style of the notice show that the writer is aware of the purpose, context and audience of the genre.

11 Notes for Teachers Teachers can adapt the evaluation form freely for students’ self-evaluation, peer evaluation or teacher evaluation.

Suggested Answers 1A: Fill in the blanks with the words or phrases provided below.

Structural The Notice Structural elements elements The Student Association Name of Invites you to join us for the organiser Name of event Sai Kung Cruise On Sunday November 10, 2009 Date and Starting at 9: 00 a.m. and ending at 4: 00 Time p.m.

Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and Points of attraction explore sea caves and scenic coastlines Pick-up Point Pick-up point at the Sai Kung Pier

Any food or Seafood lunch included drink included? Cost Cost: $ 100 per person

Please go to the general office of the Registration Student Association for registration at

Final Call 12 lunch time or after school on or before 22 October, 2009.

Hurry! Limited Places

2A: When we write a notice, we have to pay attention to some typical language features. Fill in the blanks to find out what they are.

 When writing a notice, we usually use the simple present tense. For example: The Student Association invites you to join us for the Sai Kung Cruise.  When we refer to the date and time of the hiking trip, we use suitable prepositions. For example, at 9:00 a.m.; on Sunday; in October.  We can use imperatives (i.e. the base form of the verbs) to refer to the point(s) of attraction of the hiking trip, For example: Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and explore sea caves and scenic coastlines

2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense using the verbs provided in the box below. be donate enjoy go know offer organize rise run take

1. The hike takes you across forests and streams. 2. Our school organi s es a summer camp for us every year. 3. The fee for the swimming course is three hundred dollars per month. 4. She enjoys walking her dog every evening. 5. He donates money to charitable organizations from time to time. 6. Everyone in Hong Kong knows about the athlete Lee Lai-Shan. 7. The open air restaurants in Cheung Chau offer wonderful seafood. 8. My parents go hiking every weekend. 9. The train usually runs at a 5-minute interval. 10. The sun rises at dawn.

2C: Fill in the blanks with ‘in’, ‘at’ or ‘on’

1. The train will leave at 4 p.m.

13 2. I will wait for you at the train station. 3. Let’s go hiking in autumn. 4. She entered the university in 2003. 5. The next conference will be held on 30th December. 6. We will go to Ocean Park on Saturday Morning. 7. The tour starts early in the morning every day. 8. They spent their last summer holiday at the seaside. 9. There are many trees in the park. 10. My sister gets up at half past six every morning.

2D (i): Fill in the blanks with imperatives using the verbs provided in the box below. be catch enjoy keep post put sign turn wash write

1. Post this notice on the board. 2. Enjoy the spectacular view of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula from the ridge. 3. Keep an eye on your belongings. 4. Write down the names of the dinosaurs during your visit to the Science Museum. 5. Wash your hands before meals. 6. Put all your belongings in the locker before going out to the pool. 7. Sign up for the hike before 16th November. 8. Turn off the light before you leave the classroom. 9. Catch me if you can. 10. Be polite to your teachers.

2D (ii): Identifying and writing about point (s) of attraction. Read the information about some trails in Hong Kong below. Imagine you are going to write a notice about the hiking trip for each trail. Identify and note the point(s) of attraction to be included in the notice. The first one has

14 been done for you.

 Tour Name: Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail Route: Tai Mei Tuk Management Centre, Pak Sin Leng Trail, Bride’s Pool Pick-up Point: MTR station, Tai Po Duration: 2.5 hours Description: During the walk along Pak Sin Leng Trail, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Plover Cove Reservoir. You can also see many rock features and fields beyond the blue stream. Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Explore Plover Cove Reservoir and see the rock features

 Tour Name: Lamma Island Hike Route: Aberdeen, Lamma Island, Tin Hau Temple, Sok Kwu Wan, Yung Shue Wan Pick-up Points: MTR station, Central Duration: 5 hours Description: This is a scenic hike on a peaceful traffic-free island with 6,000 years of fishing history. You will pass through beautiful feng shui woods, World War II Kamikaze tunnels, the delightful Lo So Shing Bay, and the bustling village of Yung Shue Wan. Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Learn fishing history; Explore feng shui wood and visit Yung Shue Wan

 Tour Name: Wong Shek Walk Route: Wong Shek Pier, Coastal line of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau Pick-up Point: The Bus Terminal, Sai Kung Duration: 2 hours Description: From the Wong Shek Pier in Sai Kung, you can walk up the steps and enjoy the fantastic coastal scenery of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau. The scenic view of the harbour and grassland make you feel at one with nature Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Walk along the coastal line of Long Hill and enjoy the coastal scenery

15  Tour Name: Po Lin Monastery Outing Route: Tung Ching Fort, Po Lin Monestery, Big Budda, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha Pick-up Point: Tung Chung MTR Station Duration: 7 hours Description: This 16-km hike enables you to discover the peaceful Lantau Island. This hike is strenuous, but worth the effort. It will surely make you breathless. Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Take a few snapshots of the grand budda and temple

 Tour Name: Deserted Beaches Hike (Sai Kung East Country Park) Route: Sai Kung East Country Park, old Hakka villages. Departure Time: 10:00 a.m. Pick-up Points: MTR station, Choi Hung Duration: 5 hours Description: This walk offers you a unique insight into the houses, lands and beaches that the old Hakka villages left behind. You can explore the life of Hakka farmers and enjoy your time while you are away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Explore the old Hakka villages and meet the Hakka farmers

 Tour Name: Pok Fu Lam Country Park Trail Route: The Peak, Pok Fu Lam Country Park, Aberdeen. Pick-up Point: MTR station, Central Duration: 4.5 hours Description: This scenic walk enables you to enjoy the contrasts of skyscrapers in the spectacular and vibrant business district and the tranquil countryside. Point of Attraction to be included in the notice: Explore the tranquil countryside and enjoy the view of skyscrapers at the Peak