It was an eventful six months in the latter half of the year, with many exciting holidays and engaging activities for our children! The theme for the holiday period was “Art and Science,” in which numerous crafts activities, places, as well as experiences were introduced to the students. We visited the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Art Science Museum at Marina Bay Sands, and even a Hydroponics Farm.
Games like “Do You Love Me?” and “The Longest Line” were enjoyed by both the children and teachers. Look at the long array of dishes prepared and the children’s excited faces!
2016 Christmas Party Celebration
Merry Christmas! We just wrapped up our favourite holiday on Ke Hui Xuan (P1) with her 3-D Christmas tree in preparation for the festive season. This is just a tip of the iceberg of what happened this December holidays!
the 23rd of December, sharing laughter and fun for everyone. We also had gift exchanges and a potluck session, where children were encouraged to each bring a present and a snack or drink to share with their friends in the Centre. 1|P age
During the holidays, the children were immersed in
Tricia Goh (P3), with a dinosaur and Super Mario (Above): magazine specially by herself Primary 3collage student Tricia curated Goh with her magazine collage, complete with a cut-out of a dinosaur and SuperMario. Children were encouraged to bring their own stack of printed glossy papers from home to create a personalised cover out of the pages. We saw some really inventive minds at work as they whipped up a variety of designs with just glue and scissors. Teachers were heartened to see some children identifying with their personalities and the things they like, ranging from monsters to princesses. Well done, our YMCA creative youngsters!
activities that not only honed their artistic skills, but also revealed their perseverance and focused mindsets! From dinosaur fossil-making and paper clock-making to creating their own art collages, our children dabbled with materials like glu-sticks, paper plates, paper and plasticine. Artistic talents were unearthed as they had fun at the same time. They even picked up new skills such as reading the clock and paper origami, and plasticine-shaping! The children also got to participate in a few video-making sessions, exhibiting their exuberant personalities, and dancing to the beat. (Left, above): Students Neo Jian Lu and Clyde Ang (left and right), who are Primary 4 and 3 respectively, with their decorated clocks. With guidance, we saw some beautiful timepieces made by our talented children. (Left, bottom): A pearl in its shell made of plasticine, done by Zaccaheus Heng (P2). After a trip to a history museum, our children created fossils from things they saw at the galleries.
Fun With Crayons
The children also had an amazing time playing with coloured wax pastels (picture above). They picked up artistic techniques like learning how to blend the different pigments to form gradients on their drawings. Subjects like Draw Your Favourite Desserts, Hot Air Balloons, Tree House and Sea Creatures were taught to the children. Several mystical creations were invented by our children’s imaginative minds. It was truly an interesting sight to see some of the little ones guide their classmates with much enthusiasm and patience. Some even waited for their friends before (continued on next page) 2|P age
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moving on to the next phase of their artwork. To see such helpful spirits puts a smile on our faces. For those who did not particularly enjoy art and crafts, they exhibited perseverance as they presented their colourful works. With the encouragement of their friends and teachers, their finished works further proved that truly, every child is creative and is capable of producing works of the same caliber as their peers. Shown here are some selected artworks from the “Sea Creatures” edition. (Pictures on the left): With much gusto, our little farmers scooped soil into their hydroponic kits. They got the chance to sniff and inspect various types of plants like pineapple, rice and even rubber!
All In a Day’s Work
Children made their way to Easi Garden Farm at Bukit Panjang on a hot and sunny morning with questions: “What’s hydroponics?” “Can plants really grow without soil?” Soon after, we were joined by our two lady guides, who explained how the plants naturally absorb their mineral nutrients in a water solvent. Finally, the children rolled up their sleeves, scooping fertilised soil to their hydroponics kits with much gusto and pride. After patting it tight and neat, the little farmers then poured in some kang-kong seeds and water. Satisfied with queries answered and information downloaded into their mighty brains, grins showed on the children’s’ faces as they went back, eager to share their experiences and learning with their friends and family. (Left, bottom): Brave souls were made out of our boys and girls as they dared each other to feel earthworms wriggling on their palms, whilst learning about the importance of these tiny animals to the plant ecosystem. 3|P age
An Afternoon with a Webby Friend
Students discovered the beauty of friendship through the play “Charlotte’s Web”. Presented by the Singapore Repertory Theatre, it is an adaptation of the famed novel by E. B. White.
Future World: Where Art Meets Science
A day filled with joyous atmosphere as the children got a first-hand experience of the “graffiti nature of future world” – an exhibition which offers a thrilling journey of discovery across nature, town, park and space. Children also sat down in a rainbow room to color and decorate their own fishes and aquarium. After this, their fishes were then scanned and turned into animated fishes that ‘swim’ in the ‘sea’ on screen. The children enjoyed identifying and watching their respective fishes swim.
(Pictures above): Students learnt about colours and its combinations through the Media Colour Block, one of the exhibit’s many features at the Art Science Museum.
Our children were wide-eyed in wonder, seated with eyes glued to the stage as they watched actors sing and dance with their props. Some of them even swayed and sang along with the performers. The story’s turn of emotional twists tugged some of us at the heartstrings, touched by the spider’s sacrifices made for her beloved friend Wilbur. We hope that through this, the children will understand and exhibit a kindred and caring spirit to their friends not just in YMCA SCC, but in school and at home as well.
(Above): A group photo with a photobooth set up like the barn in Charlotte’s Web.
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(Above): Our children couldn’t resist taking a photo with the star attraction, the Sauropod Fossil Skeletons.
(Above): Our students being fascinated by the beautiful displays of marine fossils like starfishes and turtles.
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Children were brought to a historic wonderland
which houses over a million specimens, making it one of the largest biological collections in Southeast Asia. Singapore’s first and only permanent natural history exhibition, the museum is also an education and research facility for studying biodiversity science. It is an ever-expanding exhibition, with active research conducted on plants and animals in the Southeast region. The children were brought back as early as 1849, feeling skulls of animals and going, “Eek!” while devouring up information of specimens. We also saw the museum’s star attraction, three HUGE sauropod fossil skeletons. Students had fun interacting with some displays, listening to animal sounds as well as with movable cursors. The exhibit also included a miniature forest, showing us many native plants like cycads and gymnosperms, as well as mangroves!
(Above): The museum’s extensive compilation of fossils and preserved bodies continued to wow the little explorers, with a few of them snapping photos on their phones to share with their family and friends. 5|P age
Launch of Habits of Mind lessons The “Habits of Mind” sessions were conducted as part of the centre’s enrichment programme during the last term of the school year. The Habits of Mind principles allow children to understand what are the good habits they can adopt. Through video clips and fun activities, they get to feel and process what it’s like when we say “Never give up!”. Initially, there was some resistance to play the game but as the session progressed, everyone asked for more activities! Looks like the children learned in a fun way that in life, there may be difficult tasks to complete; but if we have a persisting mindset, it can help us accomplish many things. (Left photo) “Never Give Up” Thaddeaus Lau (P3) is trying to use a pair of chopsticks to pick up a melon seed and get back to his group. Nowadays, children seldom use chopsticks in their daily meals so it might pose some pressure to some children. Yet, through this short activity, they learned to persevere in difficult tasks. (Right photo) The One Hit Wonder Game was a hit! Set up in teams, everyone must keep the balloon off the ground for as long as they can. Team with the longest time wins. Communication is also a key factor for this fun activity.
The 4th SCC English Storytelling Competition It was a much-awaited annual gathering of our young storytellers on 7 Sept 2016 at the YMCA LKC Auditorium and Learning Hub. This year’s theme was Peace.
Congratulations! You are all winners! Our young storytellers with their certificates (and goodie bags!) pose for a photo together with the judges.
We had three creative representatives who competed this year: Kennice Loh (P4), Adelle Neo (P2), Kuo Hsin Yi (P2). Adelle Neo took home the 1st Runner-Up Prize for the Lower Primary Category.
(Left to right): Kuo Hsin Yi, Adelle Neo, Kennice Loh and Danelle Neo. 6|P age
Let’s Go Entreps! The Junior Entrepreneur Project was made possible on the 10th of October with the help of both the students and teachers. Character coasters and key chains made of Hama beads as well as pen holders and photo frames were some of the products made out of popsicle sticks.
Light our Lanterns Away! A lantern for you and me, a lantern we share with glee I cut, you paste, I colour, you say “hey, it’s not a race!” For we create because it’s fun And to share everything is how it’s done!
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The YMCA @ St Hilda’s SCC Team: (From left) Auntie Masilah, Ms. Aqilah, Ms. Narelle, Ms. Kimberly, Ms. Vida, Ms. Jaslin, Ms. Rachel, Ms. Dionne and Ms. Melissa
YMCA St Hilda’s Student Care Centre C/o St Hilda’s Primary School 2 Tampines Avenue 3 Singapore 529706 Tel: 6694 8662 Email: shscc@ymca.edu.sg Special Thanks To: Rachel Tan, Kimberly Fong, Narelle Quek and Jaslin Goh for their contributions to this newsletter
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