ACTIVITY IDEAS FOR THE JANUARY 2020 ISSUE OF WHAT’S UP
AUSTRALIAN FIRES WARN THE WORLD TO FIX THE CLIMATE CRISIS NOW (page 01)
In January last year, our cover story was about the climate crisis. A year later, our cover story is still about extreme weather. But, now it is worse in some places. This story is a wake-up call.
See Your Ideas Sprout — For Art & CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To experience visualising a response to a global issue. Extending from the page-24 art activity, students illustrate as a sprouting seed their idea for action against global warming. ?
Vocab Builder — English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To strengthen vocabulary and syntax. Students (i) examine the use of given phrases in the story and (ii) construct new sentences with the phrases.
NEW ZEALAND GETS RID OF DEADLY GUNS (page 08)
As a response to recent terrorist attacks, the government is paying citizens to hand over their guns to make New Zealand safer. We take a closer look.
Defence is like…? — For English & CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To practise constructing analogies. Following an introduction to analogies in the story, students write their own to illustrate the six pillars of Total Defence. ?
Crossword Puzzle — For English, Level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To engage more deeply in the story. Puzzle of over 25 words with easy clues. Many of the answers point to the pillars of Total Defence. ⭐ ?
VISITING JAPAN AFTER THE HORRORS OF THE OCCUPATION YEARS (page 10)
A personal account of a first visit to Japan last month. The author reflects on her impressions in the context of having listened as a child to stories about the Occupation during World War 2.
The first time I… — For English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practise writing a reflection piece. Students write a reflection on what they have learnt from a new experience in 2019, using the article’s structure as a template.
Free-for-All Debate —English & CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Whole class activity. To develop critical thinking and debating skills. A format enabling all students to participate. Motion: That today’s leaders should not have to apologise for their ancestors’ war crimes. ?
FUTURE FASHION (page 14-15)
Two stories featuring innovative ways in which social enterprises are enabling better use of resources: “New uses for old clothes” (page 15) and “New ways to make what you wear” (page 14). More stories about conservation: “Engineering student creates bricks from plastic waste” (page 9) and “Old vehicles charm new admirers” (page 18–19).
Harness Your Daydreams – For Art & CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To value daydreaming that leads to innovation. An invitation to capture daydreams through art and to actualise one of them as a meaningful project. ?
Identify the Social Enterprises – For CCE & English, Level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To learn more about local social enterprises. A gap-fill exercise to identify three social enterprises based on given descriptions. Followed by reflection. ⭐ ?
Figure It Out: Water Waste! – For Math, Level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To engage with numbers to better grasp water use in manufacturing. Math problems involving conversion of units, averages, percentages, and volume. ⭐ ?
Table These Three – For English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To learn to take notes using a graphic organiser. Students complete a given table that compares and contrasts three vehicles mentioned in the article. ⭐
HORNBILLS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (page 12-13)
Our centrespread is a salute to hornbills. Includes an attractive infographic, “Hornbills of the world”, displaying over 50 species.
Collage: Make a Hornbill – For Art, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To use creativity for artistic expression. Using scrap materials, students create a collage of a hornbill species chosen from the article’s infographic.
Word Search — For English, Level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise in What’s Up (page 12). To strengthen figure-ground perceptual skills and grow vocabulary. A puzzle of 12 hidden words, followed by sentence construction. ⭐
TENNIS LEGEND GETS HIS OWN COIN (page 20-21)
Looks at why Switzerland is issuing a coin featuring tennis star Roger Federer. Older than most sports stars, Federer is both respected and loved for who he is.
I Like to Care! – For CCE & English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To deepen self-awareness and better regulate emotional responses. Using the story’s anecdotes about Federer, a guided reflection on personal parallels to the star. ?
Character – It’s Everything – For CCE & English, Level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To be more aware of personal leadership qualities. From a given list, students identify and reflect on some qualities of Banerjee, Itani, and Federer. ⭐ ?
⭐ 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.
? Activities suitable for Total Defence Day 2020.
