Humanities
Beliefs
Quality and Innovation – The Way to Success
The department believes that authentic learning and student engagement are key to developing and preparing the students for the 21st Century. Our collective aim is to design authentic lessons that are relevant to the syllabus. Thus, Communication, Collaboration and Information Skills, as well as Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross-Cultural Skills are continually interwoven into our curriculum.
To enrich students’ learning of the various Humanities subjects across various levels, the Humanities Department adopts a developmental structure for Humanities Investigation using Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL). The vehicle to develop these skills in our students is through the IBL fieldwork investigation packages, which provide teachers with the opportunity to align the lower and upper secondary syllabuses to facilitate greater depth of learning, subject mastery and progressive development of skills in the students.
Tapping on digital technologies, the department also explored and adopted various Blended learning approaches, which enabled the students to effectively and collaboratively learn the Humanities subjects of Social Studies, Geography and History through various modes of asynchronous learning and adaptive learning platforms.
Signature Programmes
Secondary One Geographical Investigation & Inquiry: Integrated Geography/CCE LJ to Lorong Halus
The Secondary One students participate in experiential outdoor learning
journeys as part of their Geographical Investigation. They engage in fieldwork
activities such as observing their surroundings and sketching the human
activities to deepen their learning and understanding of a particular geographical
phenomenon and its impact on life and the environment.
Secondary One Historical Investigation & Inquiry: Learning Journey to National Museum of Singapore and Fort Canning park; Leveraging on ICT to Facilitate Historical Investigation
Historical Investigation is an integral part of the new Lower Secondary
History curriculum. In 2023, as part of their Historical Inquiry research,
the Sec 1 level made a learning journey to National Museum of Singapore
and Fort Canning park, to learn more about the lifestyles, living conditions,
different economic and social activities of the different groups of early
immigrants. This History IBL project was designed to facilitate opportunities
for students to make better meaning of Singapore Today based on their discovery
of Singapore’s past.
In addition, the department also leveraged on the department created archaeological dig sandbox and ICT to facilitate the students’ HI projects, which focused on the concept of Historical Evidence. Through the archaeological sandbox, we helped the students better understand the definition of ‘archaeology’ and the work of archaeologists. Then, the students further carried out their individual research on various archaeological and internet sources to write a story about the lives of people who lived in Singapore during the British colonial period.
Secondary Two Integrated Learning Journey for Geographical & Historical Investigation: Exploring Change and Continuity in the Lives of People Living in Sengkang and Punggol
The Secondary Two Historical Investigation project required students to
investigate ‘How far has life changed for people living in Sengkang and
Punggol after World War Two?’ The students went on a learning journey to
Punggol Town Hub and Punggol Waterway which they were required to examine
several aspects of the inquiry question. Each group member researched a
particular area, such as Housing and Living Conditions, Economic Activities
and Jobs, Leisure and Entertainment, and Types or Modes of Transport. The
groups then consolidated their findings and examined the change and continuity
in the various aspects of the lives of the people living in Sengkang and
Punggol. Finally, they presented their findings through a PowerPoint or
video presentation.
Achievements and Recognition
With the guidance of Ms Jenny Wang, our Geography team of Preetisha D/O S Prasath, Gao Xinlei, Isabella Keh Jia Xin and Joycelyn Amanda Tio, took part in the NUS Geography Challenge 2023, an annual competition jointly organised by the NUS Department of Geography and the NUS Geographical Society. Isabella further brought honours to the school with her clinching one of the Individual Bronze awards.
Sec 1 Students engage in GI Water Testing at Lorong Halus
Sec 1 Students engage in GI at Lorong Halus
Sec 1 Students Geography & CCE Learning Journey to Lorong Halus
Sec 2 Students engage in GI sketching at Punggol Waterway Point
Sec 2 Students engage in GI at Punggol Town Library
Sec 2 Students engage in HI at Punggol Town Library
2023 NUS Geography Challenge winners with Mr Siva and Ms Jenny Wang