Why is it so hard for the United States to get rid of gun violence? We explore this serious issue in our September issue, in a way kids can understand — Photo: Wikimedia.
Dear teachers,
I apologise for the delay in providing the IDEAS activities that go with the September issue of What’s Up. My mother passed away soon after we finished work on the issue. We were able to get the paper out on time, but IDEAS has been delayed as a consequence. I am sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you and your colleagues.
Check out our new website at http://more.whatsup.sg/. Although we are basically a print newspaper, we do put some “extras” online. We curate the videos and slideshows with care, to ensure that the content is informative, visually appealing and easy for children to comprehend.
Sincerely,
Mary George and the What’s Up team
This month’s IDEAS activities
Alone in a new country (page 6)
About teenager Gaspar Marcos and many other children from Central America who enter the Unites States on their own, and how they are coping in their new, unfamiliar settings.
An Important Letter – For English & CCE &, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To use letter writing for effective communication. Steps for writing a letter to Donald Trump, Gaspar Marcos or President Enrique Peña Nieto regarding the plight of undocumented immigrant children in the US. Provided: the purpose and tone of each letter.
Fun or foolish? (page 8)
Why the game Pokemon Go is causing great anxiety as well as excitement.
Debate: Fun or foolish? – English & CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Whole class. To hone teamwork and debating skills. Motion provided.
Around the world in a solar plane (page 12-13)
Now that the Solar Impulse has completed its journey, a look at why this accomplishment is so special.
The Pioneering Spirit – For Science & Art, level 3 – DOWNLOAD *
Groupwork. To use guided discovery to understand nonfiction text, and to foster creative expression. First, groups discuss the Solar Plane achievement, using guiding questions. Next, each group produces a poster to encourage the use of clean energy.
Searching for lost Southeast Asian films (page 16)
Because they are part of the region’s cultural heritage, some film lovers are determined to find these missing films.
Word Find – For English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD *
Individual exercise. To strengthen figure-ground perceptual skills, and to grow vocabulary. Puzzle of 15 hidden words. Followed by an exercise in matching words to their meanings.
Understand this bill and save money (page 17)
This clear, step-by-step explanation of the new SP Services utilities bill encourages children to be money smart by helping their families to save on utilities.
Get It Right – For English and CCE, level 2 – DOWNLOAD *
Individual exercise. To better interpret the new utilities bill. A fill-in-the blanks exercise combined with having to suggest possible explanations and remedies for the scenario given in the sample bill. µ
Vocab Builder – For English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To strengthen vocabulary. After examining how the given phrases are used in the What’s Up story, students construct new sentences with them.
Paralympics: Overcoming disabilities (page 20-21)
An introduction to the Paralympics, sports such a wheelchair basketball and football 5-a-side are explained. Diagrams show how technology is helping through ingenious innovations.
Portmanteau Words – For English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD *
Individual exercise. To develop an understanding of how blended words are derived from root words. Students are required to complete a table of fourteen blended words by filling gaps with root words provided.
Inclusive Innovations – For English & CCE, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To gain a better understanding of the power of technology. A fill-in-the-blanks exercise followed by questions to guide discussion.
* 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, or fill the form on the front page of this website.
Your feedback on this month’s offerings
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