Activities in What’s Up:
• Contest: A Care Parcel – page 2
• Contest: Crazy Caption – page 15
• Contest: If I were Yumi – page 19
• Create an animal picture – page 23
• My Big Little Deeds – page 27
Activities at ideas.whatsup.sg
GOVERNMENTS PROMISE TO FIGHT THE PLANET’S BIODIVERSITY LOSS (page 01)
As simple explanation of an extremely complex challenge that more than 80 countries have pledged to address — biodiversity loss. A second story, “Growing a Great Green Wall in Africa” (page 06), is about African countries coming together to grow the world’s biggest living structure to combat desertification and drought.
Oh! To Break This Vicious Cycle – For Social Studies and CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To be more aware of desertification. Students (i) do a gap fill using helping words, and (ii) suggest three strategies that can break the vicious cycle. ✪
Art Speaks to Me – Social Studies & English, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To respond to art and apply its symbolism to life. Guiding questions for responding to artist Linda Yew’s illustration, using the theme of teamwork in our conservation efforts.
CLEANING UP BALI (page 12)
With tourists kept away, local volunteers are bent on cleaning up Bali. “People are helping one another amid the pandemic in India” (page 10–11) gives more examples of volunteer impact. A third story, “Refugee doctors want to serve their adopted countries” (page 13) explains the hurdles that medical professionals face when they want to serve in their adopted countries.
Our Eco-friendly Home! – For English & Art, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To apply expressive skills for an environmental cause. The student creates a poster with tips on how family members can reduce dependence on single-use plastics. With guiding questions to scaffold their reflection and writing process.
Amazing Volunteers – For CCE, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To appreciate the multiplier effects of volunteerism. Students match well-known volunteers with three project descriptions, with the help of the internet. ✪
OUR FUNNY ANIMAL FRIENDS (page 14-15)
A photo essay of entries to the Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020. On a more somber note, “Nice picture, but is it really worth it?” (page 16) shares the progress made by activists to educate tourists about the need for more humane treatment of wildlife in captivity.
Short Story: A Day in the Life – For English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To enjoy creative writing. Using the prompts, students write a story based on one of the animal photos (on page 14–15) of their choice.
Synthesise and Transform – For English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To practise constructing complex sentences. Students combine the given simple sentences from the story to form five compound ones. ✪
DON’T THROW AWAY THAT BANANA PEEL. COOK IT. (page 18)
A zero-waste approach is inspiring creative recipes with uncommon ingredients. “Fish farming has ancient roots” (page 17) is another food story, this time about long-ago sustainable fishing.
Unfamiliar Foods – For Social Studies & English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Whole-class activity. To reflect on views about less-familiar foods. The class watches a food-show video about exotic Thai dishes. Each student responds to a set of questions. The class reflects on the collated responses (with two prompts).
Zero-waste Recipes – For Social Studies & English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To apply the zero-waste approach in food preparation. After watching a video on the full use of lotus plants, the student prepares one of two given recipes (one with watermelon rind, the other with jackfruit seeds), and explains the zero-waste concept to those eating it.
HORSES AND HUMANS: A SPECIAL BOND (page 22-23)
A salute to the long-standing bond between humans and horses. Read about horse legends, horse art, thoroughbreds, and work horses. With a side bar about research, “Horses can bond with humans”.
Horse Racing in Music – For Subject & Subject, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To appreciate how some music and art are inspired by horses. Students (i) list three takeaways from the story (ii) respond to two different renditions of the famous music piece Horse Racing by answering questions.
See Sounds. Hear Colour – For Art & Music, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To appreciate synaesthesia. Students view Wassily Kandinsky’s art (e.g. Blue Mountain) to see how his works are inspired by his synaesthesia. While listening to music, students create their own abstract art using Kandinsky-inspired shapes.
ART: LARGE & LITTLE (page 24-25)
“Giant sculptures of everyday objects” (page 24) introduces Singaporean artist Kumari Nahappan’s work. At the other extreme are Wilfred Cheah’s miniatures — see “Tiny models keep kampong memories alive” (page 25), which focuses on Kampong Lorong Buangkok.
Kampong Crossword (online) – For English, Level 1
Individual exercise. To engage more deeply in the story. Puzzle of 25 words with easy clues. ✪
Dear Future Me – For English & Social Studies, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To value capturing memories. Guidelines for compiling a scrapbook of mementoes and including in it a letter to one’s future self. Provided: list of suggested scrapbook items, fill-in-the-blanks template for drafting the letter.
✪ 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.
