Activities at digital.whatsup.sg:
• Contest: If I were April – page 19
• E-waste Word Search – page 21
Activities at ideas.whatsup.sg
WILD WEATHER WARNS THE WORLD THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS SERIOUS (page 1)
About the hopes for COP26 in November when government leaders will meet to address the climate crisis. Meanwhile, technology is helping. See “Extreme and clean” (page 1), about the Extreme E motorsports series, and “The hunt for methane leaks” (page 10).
Contest: Three Greenhouse Gases – For Science, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To better understand the greenhouse effect. The contest requires (i) fact finding about carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide (ii) submitting a Venn diagram of their commonalities and differences. Contest deadline: 5 Nov 2021.
DISCOVERY OF GIANT RHINO SHEDS LIGHT ON PAST (page 7)
Recent fossil finds in Central Asia are shedding light on prehistoric species. Another exciting development, “Kaeng Krachan forest wins World Heritage status” (page 11), explains why the local Karen community is unhappy about it.
Kaeng Krachan Crossword (online) – For English & Science, level 1
Individual. To strengthen reading comprehension and vocabulary. With easy clues to 20-word puzzle. ✪
Six Standpoints: A Giant Rhino Today– For English & Science, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To strengthen perspective taking. Each group prepares and presents, from a unique standpoint, a monologue about encountering a living giant rhino today. The six standpoints: the giant rhino, a scientist, a child, a fish, a bird, and the ground.
PLANET EARTH IN 500 YEARS (page 8-9)
A brief explanation on what will influence our planet’s future. Also on these pages, “A village in Ghana disappears under the waves” is a photo essay of coastal erosion’s effect on Fuvemeh, a village in Ghana.
Planet Earth in the Future – For Science & English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To exercise comprehension and imagination. After listing three points from the What’s Up story, students read an abstract of E M Forster’s The Machine Stops (1909), respond to prompts, and describe their own prediction of Earth in 500 years. . ✪
If I Were a Builder – For Art & Social Studies, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual work. To apply, in design work, an understanding of climate change. The student sketches designs for three new houses to replace the destroyed ones shown in the images of the What’s Up story about the village in Ghana.
ANCIENT SNACK BAR REOPENS (page 16)
The discovery of a thermopolium in Pompeii shows that fast-food joints have been around for a while. With side bar “What happened to Pompeii”. High-tech such as lidar is revolutionising archaeology all over the world (see “Rediscovering lost cities”, page 14–15).
Find the Antonyms – For English, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practise inferring meanings, and to grow vocabulary. The student locates in the story the antonyms of a list of 20 given words. Followed by sentence construction with three pairs of antonyms. ✪
WALKING THE GLOBE, COLLECTING STORIES (page 17)
In contrast to our high-tech stories, we have a low-tech explorer’s amazing (slow) journey. Journalist Paul Salopek is retracing the earliest migration of humans in his Out of Eden Walk.
Write a Profile– For English, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To practise writing a profile of a person. Using the given outline with Salopek as an example, the student writes a profile of an adult at school whom he/she admires.
Storytelling with Sticks and Stones– For CCE & Art, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To experience two modes of storytelling. The student (i) recollects and orally shares a cherished story, (ii) constructs an original (wordless) story outdoors using natural materials and (iii) leaves the wayside display for passersby to make meaning of.
Where In the World– For English & Social Studies, level 1 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To visualise an epic journey, and articulate preferences. Students (i) label places on a map (ii) record Salopek’s experiences and (ii) share their own travel desires. ✪
ZUBIR SAID: THE MAN WHO LOVED MUSIC – AND HIS COUNTRY (page 20)
A tribute to a remarkable music composer who was devoted to Singapore.
Writing Majulah Singapura Beautifully – For English & Art, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Individual. To explore calligraphy for communicating meaningful messages. After reading the English translation of our National Anthem, the student writes a favourite phrase of the anthem using calligraphy. With two helpful video links. No special tools needed. ✪
Character Study: Zubir Said– For CCE, level 3 – DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To practise character analysis based on nonfiction text. Guidelines for writing a character profile of Zubir Said by relying on facts given in the What’s Up story.
THE FUTURE FOR SPORT IS “MIXED” (page 23)
At the Tokyo Olympics, women and men competed alongside one another in more than ten different sports. This story offers lessons we can glean from Tokyo2020 about mixed teams.
Our Mixed Medley Art – For CCE & Art, level 2 – DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To explore multi-model medley art. Each member of the group uses a different medium from the rest to create — round-robin style — an artwork on the common theme of “A Fun Sport”. Prompts for reflection on the unpredictability of such teamwork. ✪
✪ 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.
