This month’s IDEAS activities
Mining: a dangerous job (page 6)
All about mining: its history, the current demand, risks, and exploitation of people in poverty.
My Chat with a Child Miner –– For English & CCE, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To prompt perspective taking and conversational techniques. Groups draft a casual online chat with an imaginary child miner,and they showcase it to their class.
The periodic table: it’s “elementary”! (page 8)
We salute the scientist who created the periodic table of elements 150 years ago,and those who added to it later. In question-answer format, an easy and informative read.
Match the Elements — For Science, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To become more familiar with the periodic table. A simple memory game of matching elements with their symbols.Cards provided.
Mission to Mars (page 12–13)
About robot visitors to Mars, with a side bar on types of space vehicles. A second article, Travelling to Mars? Here’s what to expect (page 13), is by CSIRO scientist Paulo de Souza.
Design a Martian City — For Art& Social Studies, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To exercise imagination and geographical reasoning. An exercise in designing a city for the first human community on Mars.
Living to Tell the Tale: Life on Mars — For English & Science, level 2 –DOWNLOAD
Individual. To exercise sci-fi writing and storytelling. Guiding questions for writing a story about being on SpaceX’s pioneer team to Mars in 2024.
Huawei’s mixed fortunes (page 14)
Its phones are selling well, but some governments don’t trust the company. A closer look.
Cause and Effect — For English, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practise reading comprehension and critical thinking. In a cause-and-effect table, the student fills in the missing halves.
Sumatra’s honey farmers (page 15)
A Sumatran forest tribe takes good care of the forest, even while make a living from it.
Campaign Video: Save Our Forests! –– For English & CCE, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To explore multimedia for advocacy. The group film a short video of themselves for a campaign on saving the world’s forests.
Our Proposal: Use Less Paper! — For English & Science, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To prompt critical thinking and persuasive skills. Each pair writes a proposal to the principal, to suggest ways in which the school can reduce paper usage.
More tigers, please! (page 16–17)
Why we need more tigers, and what we are doing about it. With infographic Tigers of the World. Followed by What threatens the earth’s largest creature?(page 17), about the blue whale.
The TX2 Challenge — For Mathematics, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To appreciate applied mathematics. Math problems involving prime numbers, number sequences, bar chart representation, percentages, and percentage change.
Get used to people’s different appearances (page 19)
Fourth in our “Regardless of Race” series, this month we focus on racial discrimination based on physical appearances including facial features, hair texture, and body shape and size.
Five Ways I Can Help — For CCE & English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To learn more about racial discrimination. The student first imagines what four animal victims feel, and then suggest strategies for reducing discrimination amongst peers.
Quick Poll: Body Images — CCE & Math, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To experience using a scientific method for exploring social phenomena. Steps for a survey of peers’ body images. Bar charts are used to share results.
World’s best DJs show off their skills (page 21)
A look into the colourful world of DJing and its origins.
Interview with Grand Wizard Theodore — For English & CCE, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To practise interview techniques. Students craft interview questions for DJ Grand Wizard Theodore, and then role-play the interview.
Making tidying up cool (page 22)
Marie Kondo’s life-long passion for tidying up has led her to offer the world her KonMari method.
Chaos to Order — For CCE, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To practice problem-solving. Groups suggest how to use the KonMari method to help two imaginary characters, Jack and Jean, deal with their clutter.
Answers to these activities will be emailed to teachers on the IDEAS mailing list. To join the mailing list, please email your name, designation, and school to ideas@whatsup.sg.
