Activities in What’s Up
• Contest: If I were the author – page 21
• Let’s Play – Metaphor Making – page 25
Activities at ideas.whatsup.sg
Disaster in Nepal and Tibet shows why we must listen to science (page 1 & 28)
Explains how man-made climate change caused this disaster for humans and nature. “Meet the shy inspirations behind the NDP’s lovable puppets” (page 9) reminds us that even as we celebrate the dugong and other wildlife, more must be done to protect them. A photo essay, “Why we need other species” (page 14–16) illustrates our interdependence with nature.
Bookmarks: Let’s Save the Dugong – For Science & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual activity. To spread awareness about dugongs. After watching a video, the student (1) completes a table differentiating dugongs from manatees (2) lists details about dugongs (3) creates a bookmark featuring a dugong and a conservation message. ⭐
Summary Writing – For English, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To practise summary writing. Steps for writing a summary of the “Why we need other species” article. ⭐
Celebrities are choosing to take breaks to prevent burnout (page 17)
Ariana Grande and several other entertainment and sports stars are taking their mental wellbeing seriously. Meanwhile, with more teens turning to AI chatbots for emotional support, we ask, “Can A.I. replace your good friends?” (page 12) “… or your teacher?” (page 13). High-tech products, mostly with AI now, can help us immensely though — “Wearable gadgets are making it easier for people to track their health (page 24).
Taking Breaks – For English & CCE, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual activity. To reflect on the benefits of taking breaks. From the celebrities-burnout story, students (1) pick out words/phrases connected with “break” (2) list the activities that three celebrities did during their breaks (3) express their hopes for the year-end school break and share their views about the value of taking breaks. ⭐
Design Team: Health Heroes – For Science & Math, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To exercise creativity in response to peer health concerns. Each group (1) polls peers about health concerns (2) presents the results graphically (3) designs a wearable device that addresses the top health concern. Polling table, bar chart, and planner provided.
Food is getting more expensive everywhere (page 6)
A child-friendly explainer about five key global causes. In response, we step into Krsna’s Free Meals to see how “Meals for migrant workers cost just 50 cents at this kitchen” (page 7) in Little India. “Inflation hurts countries, companies and families” (page 19) takes the conversation to a societal level. Sometimes, solutions are found in harnessing free resources, as in “Families in Mexico get help catching rainwater for use” (page 18–19). Optimising resources can be complex though, as Tee & Boba (page 28) discover when they divide a single potato chip.
The Ups & Downs of Food Prices – For English & Social Studies, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To better understand food pricing. Individually, students use the story to detail the causes of rising food prices. In pairs, they (1) respond to five scenarios by predicting their effects on specific food prices (compare answers and explain differences in reasoning). ⭐
Fairness Detectives – For English & CCE, level 3 DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To reflect on the concept of fairness. First, students answer questions about Tee & Boba’s sharing of the chip. Next, they propose the fairest solutions to three given scenarios. Finally, they reflect on the difference between equity and equality. ⭐
Republic of Nauru is now Naoero (page 11)
Countries changing names begs the question why. Names hold meaning and even more so when metaphors come into play. Take for instance, “A ‘white elephant’ wins a seat in Colombia’s parliament” (page 10). But you don’t have to be a politician to “Let metaphors speak for you” (page 25) as even the scientist Albert Einstein did.
Vocab Builder – English, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To strengthen vocabulary and syntax. Students examine the use of given phrases in the white-elephant story, and use the phrases to construct their own original sentences.
Guessing Game: Animal Idioms – For English & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Whole class. To better appreciate animal idioms. To warm up, students individually match animal idioms with their meanings and speculate about the idioms’ origins. Every team then creates an illustration of a favourite idiom. The class tries to guess the idiom being illustrated by each team. ⭐
The Gurkhas: an elite force from Nepal (page 8)
A timely story about the history of the Gurkha Contingent in Singapore and its invaluable contribution. Another awe-inspiring story, “Sabastian Sawe’s feat sets a new standard for marathons” (page 27) teaches about the winning combination of hard work, modern science, and belief. “Dancing Grannies get people smiling and laughing” (page 23) shows us what grit, perseverance, and sheer hard work can do for sharing joy.
Breaking Records – For PE & Science, level 1 DOWNLOAD
Pairwork. To grow understanding of multi-pronged approaches to sporting excellence. In pairs, students (1) list what helped marathon record setting (2) find out recent records of a favourite sport (3) suggest more ways to enable sportspersons (4) share their ideas with the class. ⭐
Marathons Crossword (online) – For English, level 1
Individual exercise. To engage more deeply in the story. Puzzle of 20 words with easy clues. At https://digital.whatsup.sg ⭐
Stories that take on lives of their own (page 20-21)
The Harry-Potter character Dobby has such a following that a huge power project had to change plans to avoid his “grave”. Side bar “Other stories come to life” examine the lasting mark that other stories have. Humans also get attached to spectacular buildings such as “Asia’s beautiful airports” (page 22–23). The story features Rajasthan’s new Jodhpur Airport, amongst others. In contrast, rustic has its powerful draw, as in the Jeju Olle Trail in “Rural walking trails have a lot to offer (page 26).
Walking Trails at School – For English, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Groupwork. To experience creating a walking trail. From a given list of items, students list what they would see if they were to walk along the Jeju Olle Trail. The class is then divided into groups. Each group follows steps to walk around the school and, in the process, create a trail complete with a map with landmarks. The groups then go on one another’s walking trails and identify their landmarks. ⭐
The Great Singapore Creature Challenge – For Social Studies & Art, level 2 DOWNLOAD
Individual exercise. To enjoy creating an icon. Based on the article about Dobby and other iconic characters, students complete a simple matching exercise. The student then uses the given graphic organiser to create a new Merlion-type national character.
⭐ 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.
