Activities at digital.whatsup.sg:
• Not Giving Up – page 2
• Forest Adventure – page 9
• Contest: Name a School Bus – page 15
• Contest: If You Were the Captain– page 17
Activities at ideas.whatsup.sg
AMAZON IN DANGER (page 8-9)
A double bill, “Deforestation’s devastating impact” (page 8) and “The Amazon’s pink dolphins” (page 9)”, accentuate the fine balance of the Amazon’s rainforest wildlife.
Letter to a Friend – For English & Social Studies, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practice summary skills through letter writing. In a letter to a friend, the student explains what is happening to the Amazon rainforest, why we should care, and what kids can do to help save rainforests everywhere.
Guess Who? Amazon Edition – For English & Science, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To engage with the wildlife facts in the story. Matching a list of ten names of wildlife creatures with characteristics about them. ⭐
A SNAPSHOT OF SHANGHAI UNDER LOCKDOWN (page 10)
A Singaporean living in Shanghai tells us what it was like to live through the city’s strict lockdown as it battled COVID. Salutes the community spirit that prevailed.
Defining Community– For English & CCE, level 3 DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To explore the meaning of community. Students (i) respond individually to statements about what community means and (ii) discuss in small groups questions about belonging to communities.
Commemorative Stamp: We Did It Together – For CCE & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To use the visual arts to capture the lived experience of a historic event. Steps for designing a commemorative stamp highlighting the good that came out of the pandemic for families, schools, and communities.
Grow Your Own Spring Onions – For Science, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual activity. To enjoy gardening. Simple steps for growing spring onions at home, with a tracking table to measure and sketch observable growth.
A FAMILY ROAD TRIP THAT LASTED 22 YEARS (page 15)
The Zapp family share their experiences of a 22-year journey around the world.
Road Trip Crossword (online) – For English, level 1
Individual exercise. To engage more deeply in the story. Puzzle of 20+ words with easy clues.
If You Had a Magic Lamp – For English, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To hone friendship-making skills. Students explore using the ice-breaker question that a Zapp family member used to get to know people better.
Debate: Rolling Stones Gather No Moss – For English, level 3 DOWNLOAD
Whole class activity. To develop critical thinking and oracy. A debate format where all students can participate. The motion: That the nomadic lifestyle of the Zapps is like the proverbial rolling stone gathering no moss.
IN UKRAINE, TRAIN STATIONS BECOME SHELTERS (page 1)
The cover-page brief continues in “Ukraine: train stations turn into shelters” (page 6) to tell the story of children being taught by volunteer teachers in a repurposed metro station. “Powering on: A new purpose for an old power station” (page 16–17) is about another repurposed building – the St James Power Station in Singapore.
Repurposed Buildings – For English & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To better understand repurposing. Based on the What’s Up story and a video of surprising new uses for old buildings, the student prepares and presents a three-minute talk about the benefits of repurposing buildings.
Old Space, New Purpose – For Social Studies & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To explore creative repurposing of small spaces. Steps for developing a plan to repurpose a small, unused space at home.
My Wishing Star – For English & CCE, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To grow in empathy and respond symbolically. Students (i) fill a table about the challenges faced by Ukrainian children and volunteer teachers in the metro shelter and (ii) make a wishing-star bookmark of their hopes for children and teachers in war zones.
SOUTHEAST ASIA’S YOUNGEST COUNTRY (page 14)
About Timor-Leste, one of the world’s newest nations — its rocky journey to statehood and its economic challenges.
A Wheel of Ideas – For English, level 3 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practise using an idea-wheel graphic organiser to organise information. Students create an idea wheel on Singapore based on the example for Timor-Leste.
Shape Poem: Through a Bus Window – For Social Studies & English, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual. To experience constructing a shape poem. The student lists keywords about Timor-Leste from the What’s Up story and a video, learn about shape poems, and constructs one using the given bus-window template.
SAUDI ARABIA’S BOLD VISION FOR A NEW CITY (page 11)
Ambitious plans for Neom (“new future”), a brand-new eco-city in Saudi Arabia.
Greenwashing – For Social Studies & CCE, level 3 DOWNLOAD
Pair work. To grow in media literacy. Elaborates on the explanation in the story and gives an example of greenwashing. The students then complete a table by giving suggestions for alternatives. ⭐
⭐ 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.
