2023 YEARBOOK - Humanities Department

2023 YEARBOOK

The mission of our Humanities Department is to cultivate confident and socially aware learners who will be active contributors to a diverse and interconnected world. Our vision is to foster a community of students who are not only well-versed in the humanities disciplines but are also equipped with the essential 21st-century skills. We aim to develop confident learners who are curious and adaptable life-long learners, who are engaged with global issues and develop a sense of empathy and cultural appreciation, through active contribution to society.

Humanities Investigations

It is our goal for students to understand and appreciate the environment and communities they live in. Opportunities for Inquiry Based Learning such as focusing on authentic contexts and giving students space yet guidance encourages them to be led by their own curiosity.

Geography

The Geography team is dedicated to providing our students with hands-on experience in geographical data collection from diversity of sources, including field investigation. Our goal is to cultivate a sense of responsibility and foster critical thinking among the students, while nurturing their communication and collaboration skills.

Our Secondary 1 students headed to the Learning Forest at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Geography concepts came alive as students could walk on the 200m elevated canopy link to experience being within the canopy layers of a tropical rainforest. They put their observation skills to good use as they practised their field sketching techniques at the arboretum. Our Secondary 3 students also boldly conducted interviews and also carried out other fieldwork investigations such as pedestrian count and land use survey to understand how shops were arranged in the Festive mall to meet the needs of the residents. The students were able to put into practice the skills they learnt in class and see the real-life challenges and benefits of each of these Geographical Investigation techniques.

History

Visiting the National Museum of Singapore, the History students could apply their historical knowledge in searching for relevant and reliable historical sources. They were tasked to investigate and take a closer look at how Singapore has transformed through the years after World War II to the present day. Scrutinising artifacts and reviewing different types of sources up close, it was imbibed in the students that they cannot take peace and prosperity enjoyed in Singapore today for granted, as it is the result of purposeful actions taken to overcome real challenges. Using their knowledge, they wrote a report on the impact of these transformations on the people of Singapore and put themselves in the shoes of others, writing a diary entry bearing the testimony of those who lived through tumultuous times. Finally, they gamified content by creating games to educate their fellow schoolmates on the change and continuity (such as housing, education, and public health) observed through the lens of History in order to make the learning of history feel alive, contemporary and relevant.

Social Studies

This year, Secondary 3 students focused on investigating the foreigners’ experiences of living in Singapore. They underwent a very comprehensive and robust investigation process that was designed to align with content and assessment. In their first task, they had to be discerning in finding suitable individuals to interview based on considering the context and lifestyle of their potential respondent, before phrasing questions in the best way possible to elicit open and relevant responses. Following which, the students used Otter.ai as a transcribing app, and proceeded to code their interview responses into different categories.

These tasks helped students to be more knowledgeable of the contemporary issues in Singapore and through their research gained insights into the multiple perspectives on the issue. This will help them in being empathetic towards others who are different from them be it in terms of perspective or cultural/national background. Students also learnt to consider issues holistically in terms of being more specific in describing causes, impacts and examples. These skills were put to good use in the final task, in which students came up with insightful and heartfelt personal responses as part of their individual reflection.

Humanities Week

The inaugural Humanities Week unfolded in Term 2, from15 to 19 May 2023. The central theme, 'A Whole New World,' guided students across various disciplines within the Humanities – Geography, History, Literature, and Social Studies – on a captivating journey to delve into the transformative shifts of the 21st century. They explored the current and potential future global impacts during their interactive lessons. Armed with their Humanities Week 2023 "passport," students were invited to embark on a visual tour through the library's mini exhibition. Here, they had the opportunity to admire the splendid artifacts their peers had crafted, offering artistic interpretations of their perceptions of 'A Whole New World.'

Geography

The Secondary 1 Geography students showcased their commitment to the preservation of our rainforests and mangroves, extending their classroom learning to holding an exhibition. Through intricate dioramas, they skilfully conveyed their deep appreciation for these ecosystems. Their presentation enlightened their peers about the various layers and unique attributes of tropical rainforests and mangroves. Furthermore, students were provided with the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions concerning the far-reaching consequences of human activities, such as deforestation, on our planet. With their newfound understanding and dedication, they jointly pledged to champion the cause of forest conservation, marking a significant step towards safeguarding these invaluable environments.

Our Secondary 3 Geography students enthusiastically presented their research findings and firsthand observations from their fieldwork investigation to Our Tampines Hub and Tampines Central Park. During their visit, they explored the intricate sense of place and the deep sense of belonging that residents of Tampines held towards their community. Their learnings were shared to their peers through the videos they have created.

History

Students from Secondary 2 and 3 History classes embarked on a journey delving into the pivotal developments that have shaped the Singaporean and global landscape we inhabit today. Secondary 2 students focused their attention on the critical themes of housing, public health, and education, unravelling their roles in Singapore's nation-building process. A highlight of the exhibit included an exact replica of a local house from the pre-HDB era, serving as a visual time capsule that allowed students to vividly appreciate the living conditions of the past and the remarkable evolution of Singapore's housing landscape over the years. Students actively engaged themselves in the games created by their fellow peers, enjoying the experience of learning about the history of Singapore.

Literature

Our Literature students explored the universal theme of friendship in Jessica Tan’s “Letters”. Set in the 1980s, the story is about the friendship forged by Lynn with a South African boy, Petrus, and also her friendship with an elderly neighbour, Uncle Boon. The story helps students understand that human connection can happen despite physical distance and cultural differences, and despite vast differences in age, too.

Social Studies

Our Social studies students worked on the theme ‘Food: Culture, Compost, Care, Climate’. Food is an indispensable part of our lives. Students from Sec 1C, 2D, 3D and 4D investigated the importance of food in their lives in a whole new world. Through artefacts, these students expressed what they understand about food in the whole new world we live in today. In the era of globalisation, exchanges and connections between cultures have become increasingly common, resulting in a fusion of cultures. 1C explored this through the creation of fusion food which they showcased using plasticine mock-ups. In collaboration with Environment Committee, 2D explored food sustainability through composting, where the soil mix is then used to grow lettuce. They had a salad sampling party which was very well-received by the students. Sec 4N(A)/Express and 5N(A) students explored the issue of food security vis-a-vis a specially curated lesson package in SS class.

Students from 3D and 4D carried out a combined VIA project - Food Donation Drive in collaboration with Food Bank Singapore. This VIA also served as an extension of their SS lessons food security and drawing real-life relevance about what a caring and inclusive society is like in Singapore.

Humanities Week concluded on an exhilarating note with the highly anticipated Humanities Challenge, where two student representatives from each class participated in the competition. Working in pairs, these students scoured the exhibits in pursuit of answers to questions. The event was a source of joy and excitement for all participants, and the victorious pairs were rewarded with coveted MacDonald vouchers, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to their accomplishment.

Competition

The Prove It! Contest is a competition organised by the National Library Board (NLB) where students are equipped with news and information literacy skills, and they can learn to build confidence to become effective ambassadors of information literacy skills in their schools. This year, there are 2 teams of Secondary 2 students who represented Springfield Secondary School in the competition. The students were required to produce a short newsreel video and a written article based on a selected topic, followed by an advocacy component in which the teams would share their findings to the school via physical method (e.g. school assembly/classroom sharing) or digital method (e.g. school Instagram).

We are pleased to inform that the teams did our school proud with the following results:

2E: Muhammad Eldrick Sum Hong Xiang, Goh Kai Xin Jovina, Cheong Kaiwei Clariss, Mohamed Rayhaan Afraaz Bin Anwar

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