Term 1 humanities challenge quiz
Put your knowledge of the Humanities and the world to the test with our Term 1 Humanities Challenge Quiz!
There are separate quizzes for the lower and upper Secondary students so do participate accordingly.
Prizes will be awarded to the first five students per quiz who get no more than two questions incorrect. Good luck!
Updates on the AISS Humanities Team
Department Retreat 2019
Team SuperHuman sure know how to work and play hard as last Thursday (14 Nov) saw all of us spending a fulfilling and productive day together as a department. The day started with a meeting before we proceeded to fill our stomachs at the Lazy Garden Cafe.
For our afternoon bonding session, SuperHuman attended a baking class where we all learnt to bake and pipe some victorian cupcakes. Whose cupcake do you think is the nicest looking?
Happy SuperHuman posing with our final end product
Swipe for more pictures...
Short Film Viewing of 'Unbroken'
Our Secondary 1E, 1NA and 1NT students took part in a reflective session with Kelvin Sng Productions (KSP) as they watched a short film titled 'Unbroken' followed by a sharing/discussion session with the facilitators as part of their ALP experience.
In line with our aim to encourage critical thinking, the film is centred on finding a moral compass through the story of Guang, a student with a severe learning disability. Values such as resilience and having a positive mindset to overcome adversities are highlighted in the film. This activity encourages students to use film as a medium to express themselves and to promote AI values. Students were actively engaged throughout the session and we hope that they will continue to strive towards AI excellence by practising values that they have learnt from this session.
Chat with Director, Kelvin Sng
On Monday (21 Oct) afternoon, selected Secondary 3 students were given the golden opportunity to meet our very own local film director and producer, Mr. Kelvin Sng. Mr Kelvin is the only director in Singapore with films crossing the million-dollar mark at box offices in both Singapore and Malaysia. He has also produced many short films, advertisement and music videos, sometimes for causes such as Typhoon Haiyan and a campaign against consuming shark fins titled 'I am FINished with fins'.
Our students took away many valuable lessons from Mr. Kelvin, such as how to persevere and strive towards your ambition, mission and vision in life as well as continue to contribute and give back to society even after they have achieved their own personal success. We hope that these lessons will continue to be ingrained in their minds and that they will apply these lessons to be active citizens in society. At the end of the session, Ms. Aqilah provided students with a comprehensive summary of the salient learning points that Mr. Kelvin mentioned and encouraged the students to show their gratitude to Mr. Kelvin by giving him a warm round of applause.
Humanities Day 2019
As a post-exam activity, the Humanities department hosted a day of fun games where Secondary 1 and Primary 6 students had an insight into different subjects! Each station had interesting activities and even prizes for the students!
For the Geography booth, students had to piece land masses to form a complete world map, and played a round of charades and pictionary based on
Geography terms!
For the History booth, students visualised Singapore's history into creative drawings. The classroom turned into a historical art gallery where classmates voted for the best art works!
For the POA booth, students attempted a crossword puzzle featuring financial terms, then participated in a Kahoot quiz. Check out the happy smiles on the winning students' faces!
For the Social Studies booth, students were given sources based on the topic of Haze in Singapore. Their task was to sort the sources based on who is the main actor responsible for the haze, mimicking source-based skills that they will learn in Secondary 3!
Preparations for National Examinations
SENIORS
All the best,
In the weeks leading to their National Exams, the SuperHumans are busy helping the seniors through small group consultations. Check out how focused everyone looks! On behalf of everyone, we would like to wish all Seniors the very best!
{
{
"If you want to go fast, go alone
If you want to go far, go together"
Secondary 2 Subject Streaming 2019
If you're currently a Secondary 2 student who is interested in finding out more about the subject streaming that will be happening at the end of this year, please feel free to click on the respective icons. Alternatively, you may approach any one from Team SuperHuman to clarify any questions that you may have.
What are some content/ skills that you have picked up from the subject?
Lutfil: I have learnt new skills on how to interpret online sources that are foreign and to ensure that it is a reliable source of information.
Erni: I have been able to read between the lines and see the bigger picture of many different situations. For instance, from what my friends, family or teachers may be saying or how they may be acting, I am actually be able to infer and figure out what they are really trying to say or their hidden motive. This skill is especially useful in my daily life because it prevents me from having any miscommunication with anyone. With regards to current or political affairs, whenever a speech is being made by an authoritarian figure, I am able to read between the lines, enabling me to think twice before believing everything that is being said, and to to have my own thoughts and opinions. Not everything is what it appears to be. Thus, with the skills being taught in Social Studies, I am now able to understand different situations and different people more clearly.
Yi En: For content wise, I have learnt a lot about Singapore and its diversity which makes it very distinct from most countries around the globe. I have also gained a bit of insight on how Singapore is governed and what are the challenges facing citizens as well as the government. I feel that social studies has also developed my clarity of expression as it requires a step by step explanation and to be logical in our thinking.
What do you like about the subject?
Lutfil: Social studies teaches you more about the social life that we see everyday. It has also widened my knowledge on foreign affairs. Social Studies is a subject that inculcate skills that are very useful and can be applied in our day to day lives.
Yi En: I like that there is no right or wrong answer in social studies, because there are so many different possibilities in which one can go about answering a question. Our answers just has to be logical and well explained. I also enjoy the fact that social studies is very relatable to current affairs and that I can just write my heart out on how I feel especially in the structured response questions.
Izwan: I like that even though Social Studies has a certain weightage of content to memorise, the majority of the social studies exam is a test of my ability to think critically under the pressure of time. The practice of speed and accuracy in Social Studies allows me to expand my calibre and strive for nothing less than excellence.
Nicole: What I like about SS is that the answers can be flexible. Your answer to a question can be completely different from the answer key,yet you can still get close to full marks as long as you explain using short and simple sentences while answering the question requirements.
Erni: Our papers are positively marked so as long as our answers are logical and relevant, there is really no limit to what we can write. It is very unlikely to score a 0 for a question unless of course, you did not answer the question at all. This can definitely help us especially during examinations. We can simply write out and express our own opinions and thoughts on the issues, which are sometimes close to heart and relatable as well, enabling us to cut down on memory work too.
John: It helps me to be able to be more aware of the different Governmental decisions made by the Singapore Government and the positives and negatives of globalization.
Lutfil Hadi Rafli, 4N2
Social Studies
Thian Yi En, 4E2
Social Studies
What are some of the challenges you face when studying for the subject?
Lutfil: Social Studies requires inference skills and some contextual knowledge to answer the question. It was hard at first as I was not able to make suitable inferences for the sources. I was unable to understand most of the sources as it was mostly out of Singapore context.
John: There is a large amount of content when it comes to studying for SRQ part (ii). At times, sources may be hard to interpret due to the language used or abstract cartoons.
Nicole: A challenge that I face when I study for SS is trying to memorise the content for SRQ. Sometimes,it is fine for you to rely on your contextual knowledge to answer the question. However,I always found it too risky to do so and I end up resorting trying to memorising everything. Making your own notes helps a lot.
Erni: The main challenge I face when doing a Social Studies paper, though, is time management. I would not say it is impossible to finish the paper, but it is definitely a challenge to. It is hard to be able to analyse the sources in-depth and think about your answers thoroughly when the clock is ticking. Thus, what I usually do is plan my ‘route’ for the paper. In other words, I decide exactly which questions I will be doing first, how I will structure and attempt these questions, what strategies I will be using for each question, etc. This enables me to strategically maximise the number of marks I can get out of the paper even if I am unable to complete it.
What advice would you give your Secondary 2 juniors regarding the choosing of subject combination?
Lutfil: Social Studies requires skills that are similar to History. Most of the skills that you learn from History classes can be applied to Social Studies, vice versa. It is an advantage for History students as you are able to hone your skills for Social Studies through History unlike Geography whereby the content are different. However, I still chose geography. I knew that my inference skills were not as strong as my Geography skills. Hence, I have decided to take Geography which will help me boost my overall combined humanities marks.
Erni: As Social Studies is a new and compulsory subject that you will be taking in upper secondary, my advice is just to have an open mind about it. At some point, you may feel really confused and frustrated about certain concepts or formats. All I can say is do not be so quick to think of the subject as tough or meaningless, and then give up. Some seniors may say that this subject can be a little dry and perhaps a little boring at times, but if you just give it a chance, you will eventually see that the skills being taught can actually be applied in your day-to-day to life and in the future. Just remember to give your fullest attention during lessons and also clear your doubts with your teachers or peers as soon as possible, before giving it another shot. Once you get the hang of it, you will find that there really is nothing much to worry about for the subject, and you might just find how fascinating Social Studies can actually be.
Izwan: Choose subjects that you are passionate about because passion will subconsciously develop a sense of determination and motivation which will encourage you to strive to do your best.
Yi En: Choose the subject you have an interest in and not just the one you do better in. This way you will feel more motivated to work hard on that subject. Be open minded to the new subjects, approach it with a positive attitude as if you want to learn more and not just learn for the sake of doing well in examinations.
John: Choose what your heart desires. It is much easier to study a subject with passion instead of studying a subject for the sake of doing so.
Nicole Kayle Penaranda
Dacumos, 4E2
Social Studies
Erni Faizah, 4E2
Social Studies
John Chin, 4E2
Social Studies
Izwan, 4E2
Social Studies
What are some content/ skills that you have picked up from the subject?
Nadia: I learnt skills such as Inference, Compare & Contrast and Evaluative. Some content that I know of: Dutch colonialisation in Indonesia, British colonization in Malaya, The Rise & Fall of Germany under Hitler, Reasons for outbreak of World War I & World War II [and its impacts], Reasons for defeat of Russia and Japan.
Desmond: Malaya and Indonesia Colonial Rule, WW1 and WWII. Skills for different types of SBQ (helped me in Social Studies too) and techniques to write good essay.
What do you like about the subject?
Nadia: It's extremely interesting to learn about how certain leaders like Hitler could be leading for a period for time with his expansionist aims, similar to Japan's Emperor. Yet, both were overambitious and ended up being defeated by the Allies [mainly U.S & Britain]. It got me wondering how our lives would be like if the two Axis powers managed to conquer the world. The subject also made me empathize with the leaders. Despite some horrible things they did, I do feel bad for Germany who had to take all the blame for WW1.
Desmond: Interesting content during wartime and being able to understand the feelings and actions of the people in the past.
What are some of the challenges you face when studying for the subject?
Nadia: Besides memorizing the content, I find interpreting the source difficult for me. I also find the chronological order of events hard to remember and often confuse myself when asked about the dates of certain events or the leaders of the countries. Sometimes, managing my time during the exam can be difficult too.
Desmond: Too much content to memorize for essay questions.
What advice would you give your Secondary 2 juniors regarding the choosing of subject combination?
Nadia: If you sincerely love History, please take Pure History! Compared to lower Sec where you learn about how Singapore fought to achieve independence, you will be learning about the REST of the world like Germany and Russia which you may be not as familiar with. For now, the sources may be easy for some of you to score straight A1s without studying much but trust me, the transition from Secondary 2 to Secondary 3 is a huge leap. You NEED to have a wide range of vocabulary. Your command of the English language has to be strong so you can elaborate your points. Search up synonyms of certain words like "superior" and memorize them. You also need to constantly do mind-maps so you can visualize the overview. There are many trips too that you can look forward to!
Desmond: If you are interested in the subject and are willing to put in effort to study and listen in class, do not be afraid to take the subject because of the difficulty of the subject. Interest and the attitude to learn are two important factors that will allow you to enjoy and score well for the subject.
Alysia Nadia, 3E3
Pure History
Desmond Ng, 3E3
Pure History
Ariel Kwa, 4N2
Geog Elective
Nur Ezalea , 4E1
Geog Elective
What are some content/ skills that you have picked up from the subject?
Ariel: Realising how climate change actually affects us via the enhanced greenhouse effect, how countries have been combating it and how Singapore handles this situation along with the many effects of all the anthropogenic factors. Learn how weather and climate actually plays a part in Singapore and other countries like why certain countries although at the same altitude, have different temperatures (mostly due to latitude which is the biggest factor). Along with how monsoons work as well so we know why it’s always raining nearer to the end of the year. We also learn about tectonic plates and how this can cause earthquakes and form volcanoes. We learn about how tsunamis and landslides form and the after effects of these natural disasters!
Ezalea: I learned that to be able to memorise the notes, I need to fully understamd the concepts and process. When drawing diagrams or graphs, I must always label correctly. In answers, key words are very important.
What do you like about the subject?
Ariel: It is very relatable and very in tune with the current world affairs. It broadens and builds upon general knowledge and allows you to see the earth in a different light that can help you especially if you can identify a possible natural disaster before it happens, saving lives! A girl who learnt about tsunamis saw that the water was receding and managed to save thousands of life as a tsunami actually hit the shore! This proves that geography is beneficial for you in life later on and will allow you to understand the world and how to interact with it better!
Ezalea: I like that I can relate my geographical knowledge in real life like tourism and food. For weather and climate, I find it easy to memorise because once you fully understand what is happening, you can remember the key points easily. For plate tectonics, I memorise the world map by visualising what is happening and I use actions to visualise the different plate boundaries.
What are some of the challenges you face when studying for the subject?
Ariel: It is definitely content heavy and you really need to understand how things work. If you have a vivid imagination, this is possibly a better subject for you. Generally even if you don’t enjoy this subject, you’ll still do well because you can apply common sense and barely graze the passing mark.
Ezalea: When I do not analyse the question, I may answer wrongly because sometimes questions may ask to give examples and explanations. For essays, I may forget the points as they may get jumbled with my other knowledge.
What advice would you give your Secondary 2 juniors regarding the choosing of subject combination?
Ariel: Choose whichever subject that is more interesting and that you can endure two years worth of work for! Geography is more relevant to current day affairs while history is more on what has happened in the past and how to prevent the same thing from happening again. If you like listening and learning stories, history may be a better fit for you! For environmental activists or more lazy people, geography may be more suitable. Social studies is more on how Singapore functions as a country with how the government has integrated immigrants and allowed for a more diverse society and building a sense of belonging. It is extremely crucial because it also teaches you to be a better citizen and allows for more depth in the learning of this country. I hope you choose wisely and don’t regret your decisions!
Ezalea: Geography is mostly about understanding concepts. Once you can understand it, you can definitely memorise it because geography is logical. But for some topics, there are new terms that are bombastic but are actually simple to understand. Memorise smartly if you are unable to understand.
What are some content/ skills that you have picked up from the subject?
Xin Yue: Many things you learn in history can be easily applied to social studies, in history you get to learn many interesting detailes facts about the cause of war, rise of hitler and the consequences of many country leaders mistakes.
What do you like about the subject?
Kavan: I can understand more about the past and studying History is like reading a story. I like the subject as I get to do group work and presentation. Thus, I also gained confidence in speaking in front of the class.
Xin Yue: As long as you can make up a story line that helps you remember each chapter, you can easily score for this subject. Source Based Question can easily be scored just by being able to understand the source. By applying the stories you have remembered into your Structured Essay Question, scoring full marks is not that hard.
What are some of the challenges you face when studying for the subject?
Kavan: Memorizing content was challenging for me which is why I personally feel that you should make your own history notes so that you will understand more in details.
Xin Yue: Picking up content was a bit hard for me, because unlike lower secondary History where creating a story inside your head is easy, upper secondary History is really detailed and you learn quite a bit of the political aspect which I find it hard to string into stories especially when context is not given.
What advice would you give your Secondary 2 juniors regarding the choosing of subject combination?
Kavan: I think that you should choose what you like first before considering how well you have done for that subject. If you do not like the subject, you will not put in your best. I would encourage you to choose a subject that you have passion for.
Xin Yue: Pick what you like, don't pick the subject because of the advantages you see on the surface, have a passion for it and you will naturally do well. If you don't know your passion, listen to the advice of your seniors and teachers and you won't go wrong.
Kavan Qu, 4N1
History Elective
Loke Xin Yue, 4N1
History Elective
Adriana, 4E3
Principles of Accounts
Marilene Ang, 4E3
Principles of Accounts
What are some content/ skills that you have picked up from the subject?
Marilene: Knowing more about business understanding more concepts and roles and different accounts for different usage.
Adriana: Managing money.
What do you like about the subject?
Marilene: I like everything about POA because everything is new to me and hence it is interesting in class. It is not a difficult subject to understand as well.
Adriana: The satisfaction of being able to balance final accounts is wow and I get to learn about taxes and freight (can be applied in real life) so it is quite beneficial for me.
What are some of the challenges you face when studying for the subject?
Marilene: Not many challenges to be very honest. If the basis of POA are mastered, everything else will be easy to understand.
Adriana: Forgetting the way to do topics that are rarely tested like petty cash and cash book.
What advice would you give your Secondary 2 juniors regarding the choosing of subject combination?
Marilene: Do not prioritise Additional Math. It is not that Additional Math is more useful but these two subjects are useful for different pathways in the future so if you are interested in business, it will be good for you to consider taking POA. It is not a difficult subject to pick up as well.
Adriana: It is not difficult to get an A1 for POA. You just have to pay attention and do the work assigned. There is also no need for POA tuition. Jiayou guys!
Teacher Work Attachment @ Canberra Secondary School
On 9 July 2019, Mr Chong and I went on an attachment to Canberra Secondary School to experience first-hand how the humanities department was like there. We did not know what really to expect, except that we will be following certain lessons of the subject we teach. It was pleasant to see faces of other teachers from the cluster as well during the welcome briefing. We exchanged our teaching subjects and chat about the joys and woes of teaching those subjects.
We were introduced to the strategy that all Canberra Humanities teachers aimed to incorporate into their lessons. They were focused on using "assessment for learning" or AFL. In short, it was a focused feedback obtained from the students to gauge how well they have learnt or participated in the lessons. It also provides feedback on how the lessons can be improved and what to emphasise on next. It requires much planning and design as was plain when we attended the lessons with the students.
Following the lessons, I went on to join the students on a Geographical Investigation. One of my joy of learning and teaching Geography was the real life application and learning that takes place in and out of the classroom!
Nearing the end of the day, the teachers were all clearly exhausted, but a big smile were on their faces knowing that students have completed what they set out to do and it was an afternoon well-spent at the site investigating the amenities and facilities. The exchange was fulfilling and rewarding. I hope that it will be our turn to host soon. - Mr Tan WH
Teachers' Day 2019
Here are some shots of our SuperHuman celebrating their Teachers’ Day:
Humanities Movie Screening: Operation Finale
To celebrate the end of a hectic term, the Humanities department along with our Secondary 3 Pure History students, hosted a movie screening session for the movie, Operation Finale.
The movie screening session saw a huge turnout of the lower secondary students who were interested to learn more about the aftermath of World War II. It was all in all a fruitful afternoon spent as students got to chill while expanding their knowledge at the same time.
What's On: Movie Screening!
Monday,
2 September
3.30 - 5.30pm
AVA Theatre
Stressed out about school work? Take some time off to celebrate the end of the school term with a movie screening session hosted by our Secondary 3 Pure History students!
It will be a cozy affair with drinks and snacks (available for the first 90 students), so grab your buddies and head down to the AVA Theatre next Monday!
Humanities Trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2019
During the June holiday break, the Humanities department had conducted a 6-Day, 5 Night Learning Journey and cultural exchange programme to Yogyakarta, Indonesia for the Secondary Three Humanities students. The objectives of the trip was to help students develop a greater appreciation for Indonesia History and Geographical environments.
The students visited cultural landmarks in Yogyakarta such as Borobudur Temple and Ratu Boko temple, which are classified as UNSECO heritage sites around the world. These locations filled the students with wonder as they were better able to appreciate the deep religious ties that the people had within their culture. In addition, visits to the Old Benteng Vredeburg Fortress museum also served to provide students with greater insight into the Colonial history of Indonesia for the students. Apart from historical insights, the trip also served to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity to discover the beauty and ferocity of mother nature as well. Through the use of jeeps, the students explored the various segments of Mount Merapi to learn more about the impact of volcanic activities upon the livelihood of people. Afterwhich, by taking a leap of faith, the students absailied into Jomblang cave and were amazed by the process of cave formations. Lastly, the students also immersed themselves into the cultural practices of the people by participating in rice planting activities and Batik making sessions.
The students had great fun learning and exploring the sites in Yogjakarta. Through experiential learning, the students had gained a better understanding of the humanities aspects of Indonesia and came back to Singapore with stronger ties among themselves and greater appreciation towards Singapore.
Click on these icons to read more about our students' reflections:
Raffles Model United Nations 2019
While most students are idling away their holidays 7 students participated in the Raffles Model United Nations held over 4th, 6th and 7th June 2019.
There, they role played representatives of countries and negotiated to pass resolutions that benefit their countries. Each of the students were assigned to a specific council where they debate over issues pertaining to topics particular to that council. Each of them, armed with research, a position paper, and a determination to learn and have fun, did well in their debut to the MUN scene.
The students received a crash course on Model United Nations and had a short preparation which was hectic due to their mid-year-examinations just weeks before. Nevertheless, the students did not give up.
For all of them, it was their first time MUN-ing and it was certainly not easy. There were new terms, new procedures, new rules, but also new friends. They were extremely shy from the start, but with the encouragement of their friends and teachers, the team gained confidence and were actively participating.
Jokes like "how to pass motions" and irritating nuances like "this delegate" became the norm and the conversations over the few days were simply on contemporary world issues.
Through the sessions, the students were able to appreciate international affairs and organisations such as the United Nations. They were able to put their thoughts in perspective and engage their peers objectively.
Let's look forward to their next MUN and to RMUN 2020!
Leading the conversation during an unmoderated caucus
Pantry Party: Birthday Celebrations
SuperHuman celebrating the belated and upcoming birthdays of the April, June and July babies in the team: Ms Farhanah, Mr Syed, Ms June, Ms Aqilah and Ms Chow.
SuperHuman Lunch and Farewell for Mr Salifian
Before the start of a new term, team SuperHuman gathered and bonded over some Tom Yum Hotpot lunch. We had a ball of time as we caught up with one another after the long June break. We also took the opportunity to present a farewell gift to Mr Salifian, who will be leaving AI this August to embark on his undergraduate studies at NUS. We sincerely thank Mr Salifian for all his efforts contributed to the department and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours!
Teacher Work Attachment to Woodlands Ring Secondary
In Term 2, Ms Aqilah and Ms Lui attended a work attachment to Woodlands Ring Secondary to learn more about teaching and learning the Humanities in the classroom!
My day's trip to Woodlands Ring Secondary School was a meaningful and humbling experience. I was keen to find out how Social Studies revision is conducted for graduating classes as for myself, I often revise with my students through the use of revision packages and timed practices. May Peng took 4E1 through an analysis lesson, where students were ranking their peers' answers according to levels and explaining why they chose to rank their peers answers that way. Through this session, it was apparent that students learnt how to evaluate answers and applied this to their own answers to identify their own mistakes. It resulted in quality instead of quantity corrections and reinforcements of expectations for the SBQ skill of comparison.
I was also keen to look at how content is being taught to 5NA students as I am currently teaching 4NA students and the pedagogy adopted could be useful for me to apply to my class. Farhanah took me through a lesson with 5N2 which was engaging as she had a highly positive TSR with her students. As a result, students were eager to answer her questions and were delighted to hear trivia facts from her. Although the content was heavy (Cold War), her students' enthusiasm remained high throughout the lesson and they had productive class discussions. This inspired me to continue to ingrain deep interest and motivation towards History as a subject which hopefully would transpire to become passion for some of my students.
With the warm hospitality from Woodlands Ring Secondary School, the trip was in sum, an enjoyable and enriching one. I would like to thank the HOD of Woodlands Ring Secondary School and his amazing department for hosting us. See you all!
Attending this work attachment was truly enlightening. As a beginning teacher, I was exposed to how lessons were conducted in a different school. I witnessed a Secondary 4 Social Studies lesson on globalisation and
the hybridisation of cultures where students had to design a new food menu that infuses local cuisines from two different cultures! Some came up with a Satay-
inspired waffle dish with peanut sauce, while others attempted to bring together an American hamburger with Italian pasta. Students got creative with their designs with coloured markers, and presented their ideas to the class. I really enjoy seeing students unleash their creativity through drawings and designing, and this is something that I would hope to infuse into my lessons in AISS more frequently as well!
Thank you WRSS for such a fulfilling learning experience!
Humanities Overseas Trip to Yogyakarta 2019 Information
Exploring future pathways in the Humanities education @ 23 April, 2019
Our 4E students visited ASRJC for the Humanities Academy Distinguished Speaker Series. The theme is ‘Becoming Singapore’.
We are honoured to hear the Guest speaker, Professor Tan Tai Yong (President of NUS-Yale).
Winners of Humanities Challenge #1
Seah Jun De, 1E2
Muhammad Khairun Raiyan bin Mohd Hazli, 1E3
Dhearaen Khasrat Kumaresan, 1N2
Ashuntha Rani D/O Elvin Nathan, 2E2
Lek Hui Emn, 2N2
Darrell Lee Kang Ming, 3E3
Rachel, 3N2
Nur Quraisyah, 4E1
Muhammad Khairuddin Bin Rosli, 4N1
Choong Yuki, 4N2
A very big Thank You to those who have participated in the first Humanities Challenge of 2019! We hope that you have picked up interesting knowledge about Humanities from the challenge!
Congratulations to the following top 10 winners (in no order of merit) for this Humanities Challenge:
To claim your prizes, please kindly look for Mr Syed, HOD of Humanities at the Level 1 HOD office either during your recess breaks or after school dismissal! Please do so by Term 1 Week 9 :-)
Please continue to stay tuned to more exciting activities that Team SuperHuman will bring you in the near future!
Our winners!
Application for Humanities Overseas Trip To Yogyakarta 2019 is now closed
Have you always wanted to apply what you have learned in the Humanities classes into real life? You are now invited to do so with your Humanities teachers as you embark with us on an overseas Humanities trip to Yogyakarta this coming June holidays, from 20-25 June 2019. Application will be open to only the Sec 3 Express and NA students.
You may click on the respective buttons below to be directed to the PowerPoint slides containing the details of the trip & to sign up for the trip. Do discuss with your parents about it and express your interest in the google form by Term 2 Week 3.
Please feel free to clarify any doubt that you may have with either Ms Theresa Ong or Mr Chong Wensheng :-)
Welcome back!
The AISS Humanities Team would like to warmly welcome back two familiar faces: Mr Gireesh and Mdm Lynn Tan!
Mdm Lynn Tan is back on board after her maternity leave while Mr Gireesh will be with us for four weeks for his Teaching Assistantship. He is currently studying in the National Institute of Education.
If you do see them around school, give them your brightest smile!
Mr Gireesh
teaches History
Mdm Tay
teaches POA
Humans Talk: March 2019
Hello there! My name is Ms. Lui, a Geography and Social Studies teacher newly posted to AISS.
"Thank you Geography for opening my eyes to the great big world."
This was my tribute to the subject when I ended my educational
journey as a student majoring in Geography in the National
University of Singapore. Studying Geography is not just about
studying rocks, oceans, and volcanoes, but also about how humans coexist with the environment and non-human world (animals included!)
I hope that all my Geography students will
have WOW moments as I introduce the wonders
and marvels of our great big world, and also learn
to appreciate the delicate nature that surrounds us.
More about me
-
Musician
-
Fitness enthusiast
Application for the MOE History Challenge 2019 is now open!
History students, fall in!
Are you interested to display your Historical knowledge and attend a History talk by a NUS professor?
Your chance is here! As long as you are a 3E/3NA student taking either History elective or Pure History, you will be eligible to join the History Challenge organised by MOE. All you have to do is to fill up a simple form for us to learn more about you. If you are shortlisted, you will be approached by your History teachers.
In the meantime, if you have any queries regarding the Challenge, please approach your friendly History teachers :-)
2019 Humanities Curriculum Briefing @ 1 March 2019
On 1 March 2019, Mr Syed, Ms Ong, Mrs Rai and Ms Farhanah visited the Academy of Singapore Teachers to attend the Humanities Curriculum Briefing:
Humans Talk: February 2019
Subject: Mr Tan Wei Hong - Part 1.0.0.1
Hello there! Mr Tan here. Thank you for all who nominated me to write about myself in this post. So here I am, telling more about myself and debunking the myth that teachers are mysterious creatures that have no life.
I took a personality test and here is the result. SORRY that I have super low ambition. But Hey! I am super patient. If I flare up, you know I have lost it.
Speaking of lost, bet that you cannot recognise me below. As a teacher, I have a life, but I am losing my hair (Students make us teachers so stressful!)
What life you say?
I have always been interested in Music. I am not from a high SES family, but I was blessed with a Mom that tries to give me what I like even though the financial situation did not really allowed it. Of course, my formal training in music stopped even before I took my O’level Music, but it did lay a foundation for me at later stages to pursue various instruments when I had the chance. Family is always the greatest.
These are the pictures of me playing and performing the O'Koto during my NUS years.
(right) Recital with the NUS Piano Ensemble
Understanding how nature works and trying to save it has been my dream. My A’Level grades were mediocre, however, luckily I was able to take a course in Chemistry in NUS which opened many doors. However, this only made me realise that such opportunities were not available for everyone. I cherish my experiences and is always willing to share them. Seek and you shall find!
Working and chilling with the residents (as a Resident Assistant)
Cultural immersion to the homeland of Yung Chun!
(top) When I was the Chief Food planner! (Taste the World)
(right) Working hard while studying!
2 times Best Delegate for the North East Asian Network Forum!
Enjoying river punting with a Student Fellow at University of Cambridge. >.<
Yup, you get it. I have had a pretty exciting life and you might ask: “why then are you a teacher leh?” True that. There were/are many choices: work in Samsung C&T, do research, a career in performing music, work as a coordinator, start a company, etc. The incident that started it all, was because of…. You guessed it, a teacher.
Languages have always been a favourite subject of mine although I fail my Chinese to such extent that my Chinese Teacher who happens to be the HOD ran down an entire hallway screaming that I passed when the national results were released. This to me was significant. A teacher who seemed to have ‘given up’ on me went hysterical just because I passed the subject she has been desperately trying help me in. This left a deep impact in my life. I told the story to many of my students, merely poking fun at how horrible I was in certain subjects, but to me this was the start of when I seriously considered teaching as a career.
To my students, experiences shape us. Many of our decisions are made due to past experiences. On a daily basis, let us learn and grow together, creating that positive experience in AI. Do wait for part 1.0.0.2.
Humanities Challenge #1
Are you up for some Humanities Challenge?
You can now display your Humanities knowledge and pick up new knowledge as you attempt a simple History, Geography and Social Studies quiz! Not only that, you will also stand a chance to walk away with some attractive prizes that are prepared by Team SuperHuman! All you have to do is to click on the following link to access the quiz:
The deadline for the challenge is in Term 1 Week 7, and the top 10 winners will be announced in Week 8! Wait no further, and hurry join in the Humanities fun now! :-)
PS: Please approach anyone from Team SuperHuman if you encounter any difficulties!
Happy Birthday, Ms Candee Foo!
Last Friday saw team SuperHuman coming together to surprise Ms Candee, the only February baby in the department! We wish Ms Candee the happiest of birthday and may she have an incredible year ahead! :)
Humans Talk: January 2019
Hi everyone,
I am Ms Farhanah and I teach History and Social Studies. I fell in love with History when I was in Secondary Two right here in the compound of Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School. (More specifically, junior block, second level, classroom nearest to the hall). Ever since then, I have pursued History at A Levels in Anderson Junior College and went on to get a History degree from National University of Singapore. (I was so anxious to know if I could get into NUS to study History because at that time, in 2010, it was the only university in Singapore that offered a History degree. Now NTU offers it too!)
Now I teach with a mission to impart the love for History to my students. I believe that History is not “the old-boring past”. History equips us with a lot of values and skills as we live our daily lives- strong sense of right and wrong, discerning in our judgement and ability to think independently and critically. The pain of constant writing will also enable us to communicate effectively in the future.
History is exciting! Growing up, I always asked myself, “Why am I Malay? Why am I at this part of the world? How did I become Muslim?” Through learning History, my questions were answered.
I‘ve always enjoyed Art and Religious Histories since I was 19 and what an uncanny coincidence that my fiancé is also an Art Teacher! We visit many museums together- while I plan for your Historical Investigations, he does his research on artworks and artefacts in the museums for his art classes. I also enjoy the company of pre-school going nieces and enjoy talking to them almost every day! Interacting with them always makes me feel young again. In my free time, I love to cook, bake, sew, swim, run and zumba!
Hello, 2019!
Hello there, greetings from your Humanities teachers (also affectionately known as Team SuperHuman)!
Have you ever wondered how the school lives of your Humanities teachers were like? Are you interested to find out about the tried and tested study tips from your Humanities teachers? Or do you just want to learn more about your teachers in general?
You now have a chance to do so!
This year, in addition to the regular updates that we have regarding the Humanities department, we are introducing a new corner on our Wixsite – Humans Talk! Featuring a teacher each month, Humans Talk aims to bring you closer to your Humanities teacher as each teacher guest writer will share more about their personal stories, exclusive study tips, interesting anecdotes, and anything else that you might be curious about!
– Humans Talk by AI Team SuperHuman –
where the Humanities discipline is being discussed;
where the voices of the people in the Humanities team are being heard
We hope that you are as excited as us to kick start our very first Humans Talk corner. As all your teachers are very eager to be featured on Humans Talk and share their own personal stories (and we certainly do not want World War 3 to break out among the teachers), we would like to invite you to help us decide who gets to be our first teacher guest writer for Jan 2019! All you have to do is to follow these steps:
1. Click
2. Vote for the teacher of your choice by 18 Jan 2019 (Friday)
It would be great if you can help to spread this piece of exciting news to your fellow AI friends and we can’t wait to share more in due time! Till then, Team SuperHuman wishes everyone a fruitful Term 1 2019! :-)
Happy Birthday, Ms Theresa Ong!
In this month of Pantry Surprises, AI SuperHuman prepared a little surprise for our January Baby, Ms Ong. We wish Ms Ong a very Happy Birthday and a year filled with lots of joys and laughters! :-)
Farewell for Mr Faizal, Ms Ong Lay Hoon and Mr Gireesh @ 19 Nov 2018
It is with great sadness that we had to bid farewell to Mr Faizal, Ms Ong Lay Hoon and Mr Gireesh who will be leaving AI to take on new roles elsewhere. AI SuperHuman will definitely miss working alongside these three teachers. Team SuperHuman would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Faizal, Ms Ong and Mr Gireesh for their contributions to the team and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours!
Department Retreat at the Malayan Council @ 19 Nov 2018
As part of the department retreat, AI SuperHuman gathered at the Malayan Council where we first had a scrumptious lunch together before discussing about the department action plan. It was a productive afternoon session because besides getting work done, the team got to spend quality time with one another too!
Learning Journey to the Jalan Kukoh Neighbourhood @ 19 Nov 2018
AI SuperHuman spent a fulfilling morning at the Jalan Kukoh neighbourhood on the 19th of November as the tour around the neighbourhood as well as the interactions we had with the social workers and Mel, founder of Plus Point Dancer Academy, have provided us with a chance to reflect and rethink about the issue of social inequality and social integration. Under the guidance of Mel, SuperHuman also managed to try our hands at hip hop dancing. Be sure to check out the videos below to catch SuperHuman in action!
We also had the honour of having our Principal, Ms Chew, to join us for the learning journey and on behalf of the Humanities department, Mr Syed presented a farewell gift to Ms Chew who will be leaving AI come December 2018. We thank Ms Chew for all that she has contributed to AI and wish her all the best!
P6 Immersion @ 23 Oct 2018
To allow the P6 students who joined us for the P6 Immersion to have a better idea of what humanities is all about, Mrs Rai and Mr Chan conducted simple activities for both Geography and History respectively. We hope that the introduction to these humanities subjects has helped to expose the students to a new academic discipline before they embark on the secondary education.
Humanities Challenge @ 22 Oct 2018
As part of the post-exam activities, the secondary 1 students participated in the annual Humanities Challenge where they visited the different humanities booths (History, Geography, Social Studies and POA) to join in the fun-filled activities thoughtfully planned by AI SuperHuman. Through the games, students were able to discover their interests in the various humanities subjects and students also realised that the learning of humanities is not that mundane and daunting afterall!
History booth: Hitler's story (his story)
Geography booth: Jiakkoppi
Social Studies booth: Who wants to be the king of refugee?
Principles Of Accounts booth: POA 101
Humanities Department Benchmarking @ Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School, 26 Sep 2018
SuperHuman had the opportunity to visit KCPSS for our annual benchmarking exercise where the key practices adopted by both AI and KCP humanities department were being shared. It was a fruitful session as SuperHuman were able to pick up useful insights and ideas that we are excited to implement in AI in the future! :-)
N8 Teacher Work Attachment @ Sembawang Secondary, 30 July 2018
Ms Farhanah and Ms Ong attended the TWA at Sembawang Secondary School, learning precious strategies to share with the department, to apply in our classrooms.
Congratulations Mr Syed on your newborn princess!
Farewell for Mr Teo Wee Ren @ 22 May 2018
Humanities Department Dinner at Swensens @ 30 April 2018
Just before the SA1 Exam, SuperHuman took some time off to bond with one another over dinner. Besides good food and conversation, the teachers have sufficient fuel to last them through the marking season.
Cluster TWA at AISS @ 29 March 2018
The team of Cluster teachers visited AISS and sat in to observe lessons conducted by our Humanities teachers. We had a fruitful discussion which benefited both sides where we all learnt and shared best practices with each other; keeping open to both positive and constructive feedback to improve teaching and learning in our classrooms.
ASEAN Quiz (National) at NTU-NIE
This year, two teams of Sec 4 students represented AISS in the 8th ASEAN Quiz (National) held at NIE-NTU campus.
These students competed with 66 other teams to reach the Semi-Finals. Though they didn’t make it to the Finals (Top 3 teams), the experiences earned were immense - they will be sharing their takeaways during International Friendship Day on 6 Apr. We also brought 10 student supporters across the 4E classes to support their peers.
Here are some pictures capturing the best moments...
CPDD History and Geography Briefing 2018
CNY Lohei Celebrations
Farewell in 2017
On December 26, 2017, we held our farewell for Ms Zhang Weili who will be leaving AISS, as well as Ms Hema, Ms Syafiah Chong and Ms Candee Foo, who will be specialising in their first curriculum subject cum 2018.
SuperHuman thank them for their contributions and wishes them the very best for 2018.
History and EBS Unit Lunch at Bali Thai Causeway Point @ 15 Nov 2017
Humanities Day 2017
Our students in action....
Here are the respective slides prepared by our own subject teachers for Humanities Day 2017:
HISTORY
POA
GEOGRAPHY
SOCIAL STUDIES
Humanities Day 2017
Consultation Sessions in AI
Few days before we embark on our end-of-year Exam as well as the national exams. Our teachers working hard with the students, providing consultations till late in the evening :)
Humanities Department Benchmarking at Edgefiled Secondary School @ 19 Sept 2017
Historical Scene Investigation 2017 at NLB
On 4 September 2017, we sent a group of four Sec 2 students for the Historical Scene Investigation 2017 organised by NLB.
Our students are represented by:
1. Tan Hong Zhang (2E1)
2. Ivan Dzakirin (2E1)
3. Nur Hidayah (2N1)
4. Phang Xu Zhe (2N1)
Some photos taken in the process:
