Our school's journey towards the 'School in Nature' vision since 2012
Our school's journey towards the 'School in Nature' vision since 2012
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Since 2012, Commonwealth Secondary School has been on a journey to develop more green spaces on school grounds as part of NParks’ Greening School for Biodiversity initiative so students can experience the wonders of nature right outside their classrooms. Today, the school boasts a collection of 7 eco-habitats rich with biodiversity where students can discover their natural heritage and understand the importance of conserving it.
Since 2012, Commonwealth Secondary School has been on a journey to develop more green spaces on school grounds as part of NParks’ Greening School for Biodiversity initiative so students can experience the wonders of nature right outside their classrooms. Today, the school boasts a collection of 7 eco-habitats rich with biodiversity where students can discover their natural heritage and understand the importance of conserving it.
[CWSS News Feature on CNA 22 Aug 2020]
[CWSS News Feature on CNA 22 Aug 2020]
How urbanised Singapore is learning to live with its wildlife
How urbanised Singapore is learning to live with its wildlife
“IT ALL BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL WORLD”
“IT ALL BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL WORLD”
“At Commonwealth Secondary School, students have been learning in an environment which is a microcosm of Singapore’s natural habitats - from a rainforest to a wetland, and a freshwater stream. It is one of 42 schools in NParks’ Greening Schools for Biodiversity Programme, which helps schools plant native flora and create habitats for more wildlife.
“At Commonwealth Secondary School, students have been learning in an environment which is a microcosm of Singapore’s natural habitats - from a rainforest to a wetland, and a freshwater stream. It is one of 42 schools in NParks’ Greening Schools for Biodiversity Programme, which helps schools plant native flora and create habitats for more wildlife.
The animals that stop by the school became learning opportunities, such as when a reticulated python was found in a school corridor or when a pair of olive-backed sunbirds built a nest there this year.”
The animals that stop by the school became learning opportunities, such as when a reticulated python was found in a school corridor or when a pair of olive-backed sunbirds built a nest there this year.”
“Mr Jacob Tan, biology teacher and key driver of the Commonwealth Secondary School’s environmental education programme, said that the school’s geography teachers have also been using the eco-habitats to get students to link what they observe to their lessons.
“Mr Jacob Tan, biology teacher and key driver of the Commonwealth Secondary School’s environmental education programme, said that the school’s geography teachers have also been using the eco-habitats to get students to link what they observe to their lessons.
“This is the generation of students who will inherit a world where these issues are really going to be a problem. As our students live in an urban environment, the opportunity that they have to get in contact with nature and biodiversity in general is very little,” he said.
“This is the generation of students who will inherit a world where these issues are really going to be a problem. As our students live in an urban environment, the opportunity that they have to get in contact with nature and biodiversity in general is very little,” he said.
The story on the reticulated python, nesting of birds, and Geography lessons are all documented in this biodiversity newsletter (go.gov.sg/cwssbiodiversityissue22), a summary of our school’s approach towards achieving our School in Nature vision, where our students and staff can co-exist and live with nature, and play a part to be stewards and custodians of our wildlife and nature.
The story on the reticulated python, nesting of birds, and Geography lessons are all documented in this biodiversity newsletter (go.gov.sg/cwssbiodiversityissue22), a summary of our school’s approach towards achieving our School in Nature vision, where our students and staff can co-exist and live with nature, and play a part to be stewards and custodians of our wildlife and nature.
[Assembly Programme for Sec 1 to 3 on YouTube LIVE on 17 Aug 2020]
[Assembly Programme for Sec 1 to 3 on YouTube LIVE on 17 Aug 2020]
City in Nature – Singapore’s Nature Conservation Master Plan
City in Nature – Singapore’s Nature Conservation Master Plan
Speaker: Mr Lim Liang Jim, NParks Group Director, National Biodiversity Centre
Speaker: Mr Lim Liang Jim, NParks Group Director, National Biodiversity Centre
Mr Lim Liang Jim is the Group Director of the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), National Parks Board. Jim leads a team of 30 officers who are responsible for biodiversity conservation in Singapore, and administers the Nature Conservation Masterplan, a comprehensive action plan built around four priority areas – Conservation of key habitats; enhancement of habitats and species recovery; applied research; and community stewardship. NBC’s strategy is to help Singapore move beyond a City in a Garden, to be a biophilic city – that is, a city that looks beyond merely greening, but looks at how its citizens can co-exist and live with nature, and play a part to be stewards and custodians of our wildlife and nature. Prior to that, Jim headed the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology (CUGE) at the National Parks Board, which was the division tasked with advancing the professionalism of the landscaping and greening industry in Singapore as well as to champion innovative urban greening solutions through applied research on greenery in highly urbanized settings for the benefit of the city dweller. He also headed the Corporate Strategy and Planning Division in NParks. Prior to joining NParks in 2009, Jim spent nine years in the Foreign Service. He is an ecologist and reptile taxonomist by training.
The speaker will give a rundown of why nature and biodiversity matters to Singapore – both the country and its citizens. He will also provide an overview of the Nature Conservation Master Plan, which aims to consolidate, coordinate, strengthen and intensify NParks’ biodiversity conservation efforts by integrating various programmes and projects. The talk will feature how we work towards enriching biodiversity in our urban environment; the tools and research that goes into informing our conservation efforts; and the platforms through which NParks engage and inspire communities to co-create a greener Singapore.
To start off the Climate Action Week this year with our very first theme of ‘Nature Conservation - More Than Just Greening’, we invited Mr Lim Liang Jim, Group Director of the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), NParks, to talk to our staff and students over our afternoon assembly.
To start off the Climate Action Week this year with our very first theme of ‘Nature Conservation - More Than Just Greening’, we invited Mr Lim Liang Jim, Group Director of the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), NParks, to talk to our staff and students over our afternoon assembly.
Our students from the New Media Club were involved in setting up the video cameras and cables so that his talk could be live-streamed from our library to the classrooms.
Our students from the New Media Club were involved in setting up the video cameras and cables so that his talk could be live-streamed from our library to the classrooms.
In his talk, Mr Lim gave a rundown of why nature and biodiversity matters to Singapore – both the country and its citizens. He also provided an overview of the Nature Conservation Masterplan, which aims to consolidate, coordinate, strengthen and intensify NParks’ biodiversity conservation efforts by integrating various programmes and projects.
In his talk, Mr Lim gave a rundown of why nature and biodiversity matters to Singapore – both the country and its citizens. He also provided an overview of the Nature Conservation Masterplan, which aims to consolidate, coordinate, strengthen and intensify NParks’ biodiversity conservation efforts by integrating various programmes and projects.
He also mentioned how NParks has been working towards enriching biodiversity in our urban environment, using the tools and science research which goes into informing our conservation efforts, and the platforms through which NParks engage and inspire communities to co-create a greener Singapore, a City in Nature.
He also mentioned how NParks has been working towards enriching biodiversity in our urban environment, using the tools and science research which goes into informing our conservation efforts, and the platforms through which NParks engage and inspire communities to co-create a greener Singapore, a City in Nature.
He applauded how our school is actually playing a big role in fighting climate change by enhancing the habitats and helping students and staff get connected to nature.
He applauded how our school is actually playing a big role in fighting climate change by enhancing the habitats and helping students and staff get connected to nature.
NParks has been supporting our school's STEM Elective with expert knowledge and provision of seeds, to contribute to the propagation of native species under the Forest Restoration Action Plan, announced by NParks at the start of 2019. The Action Plan seeks to strengthen the resilience of our native rainforests by restoring ecological processes, and enhancing the biodiversity and ecological connectivity in these areas. This will improve the habitats for native biodiversity. It is also timely to assist with the succession of the early secondary rainforests to more mature and diverse rainforests over time. This will strengthen the resilience of our forest landscapes to climate change, and will be achieved through a science-based approach that will involve the sustained planting of native rainforest species.
NParks has been supporting our school's STEM Elective with expert knowledge and provision of seeds, to contribute to the propagation of native species under the Forest Restoration Action Plan, announced by NParks at the start of 2019. The Action Plan seeks to strengthen the resilience of our native rainforests by restoring ecological processes, and enhancing the biodiversity and ecological connectivity in these areas. This will improve the habitats for native biodiversity. It is also timely to assist with the succession of the early secondary rainforests to more mature and diverse rainforests over time. This will strengthen the resilience of our forest landscapes to climate change, and will be achieved through a science-based approach that will involve the sustained planting of native rainforest species.
At the start of this year, seeds of endangered forest species were germinated by our STEM Elective students in our school's plant nursery, which eventually grew into tree saplings that were planted out by the students to our school's eco-habitats to strengthen the ecological resilience and at the same time propagate native endangered plant species, contributing to the One Million Trees movement.
At the start of this year, seeds of endangered forest species were germinated by our STEM Elective students in our school's plant nursery, which eventually grew into tree saplings that were planted out by the students to our school's eco-habitats to strengthen the ecological resilience and at the same time propagate native endangered plant species, contributing to the One Million Trees movement.
After the assembly talk, Mr Lim and the accompanying staff from NParks were invited to plant two Seashore Ardisia at our Wildflower Meadows, contributing to the One Million Trees movement that aims to restore nature back into our city through planting a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years, as part of NParks’ efforts to achieve our new City in Nature vision.
After the assembly talk, Mr Lim and the accompanying staff from NParks were invited to plant two Seashore Ardisia at our Wildflower Meadows, contributing to the One Million Trees movement that aims to restore nature back into our city through planting a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years, as part of NParks’ efforts to achieve our new City in Nature vision.
We would like to thank NParks for the sustained partnership with our school in providing meaningful learning opportunities for our students all these years.
We would like to thank NParks for the sustained partnership with our school in providing meaningful learning opportunities for our students all these years.
[Kahoot! Challenge on Nature Conservation]
[Kahoot! Challenge on Nature Conservation]
View the exhibition panels at the EE Hub next to the cafe before attempting this Kahoot! Challenge.
View the exhibition panels at the EE Hub next to the cafe before attempting this Kahoot! Challenge.
Human Wildlife Co-existence in CWSS
Human Wildlife Co-existence in CWSS
Commonwealth Secondary School aims to nurture students’ interest in green issues and empower them to become environmental advocates and stewards both within the school and the community. By nurturing students’ appreciation and connection with the natural world, activism emerge as a natural outflow of this love for nature. The school’s role in this is doubly important because many of our students live in a built-up environment with limited access to nature.
Commonwealth Secondary School aims to nurture students’ interest in green issues and empower them to become environmental advocates and stewards both within the school and the community. By nurturing students’ appreciation and connection with the natural world, activism emerge as a natural outflow of this love for nature. The school’s role in this is doubly important because many of our students live in a built-up environment with limited access to nature.
In this video, you will get a glimpse of the Eco-Habitats that are integrated into the environment of the school, where students and staff benefit from daily exposure to nature and biodiversity, allowing them to develop a love and greater appreciation
In this video, you will get a glimpse of the Eco-Habitats that are integrated into the environment of the school, where students and staff benefit from daily exposure to nature and biodiversity, allowing them to develop a love and greater appreciation
of nature. You will also understand how students and staff in the school now are responsible to report sightings of wildlife in the school, especially when the animals require medical attention or protection.
of nature. You will also understand how students and staff in the school now are responsible to report sightings of wildlife in the school, especially when the animals require medical attention or protection.
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