We started our Start Small, Dream Big project, introducing our 2021 theme to the children of our Nursery 2, Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 classes.
Our theme for SSDB 2021 is: ‘Caring for Singapore Wildlife and Nature’. We will be partnering with Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and embark on the exciting journey of discovering Singapore Wildlife, and what we can do to protect it.
We warmed up to the project with an Elephant Silhouette Water Painting activity, and the children in Kindergarten 1 and 2 made the most beautiful and colourful paintings of elephants while learning how to use Watercolours as an art medium!
The children were introduced to SSDB and the slogan ‘Noone can do everything, but everyone can do something’. We had a discussion about what that really means, and read the storybook “Captain Green and the tree machine”, in which Captain Green tries to save the trees and animals all by himself. But he soon realizes it’s too big of a task for him alone, and with the help of all the children, he could achieve much more!
We read ‘Python on the playground’ together and learned about what to do when encountering a wild animal that gets lost, we talked about the animal rescue hotline (ACRES) and how the Singapore Zoo plays an important part in rescuing these animals, and releasing them back into the wild.
The children have put up our first animal discovery cards on our “Animal Discovery Wall”. We are looking at both endangered and common animals so the children can relate and find the common animals in their direct environment (like common birds, lizards and insects) as well as be amazed by the wondrous and special creatures we share our country with, from the secretive and shy mousedeer in our forests to the mysterious and magical dugongs in our coastal waters
When inquiring together about what kind of animals live in Singapore in the wild, the children quickly went from thinking there are barely any, to realizing the amazing variety of wildlife all around them! From spectacular animals like sharks, eagles, herons and monkeys, to the less distinctive like snails and birds, the children could think of many animals together!
To end our SSDB opening month, we went on to talk about our own theme and pledge: “To Care for Singapore Wildlife and Nature”. What a pledge actually is, and what are the ways we can care for our wildlife and make a difference with small deeds. The children came up with great ideas of how they can help to take are of wildlife and nature, like recycling, picking up trash, use the recycle bin, bringing a hurt animal to the doctor, and calling the wildlife rescuers when they see a lost animal. We then made handprint pledges with paint, which are displayed on our ”Start Small, Dream Big“ Wall.
The children brought home the take-home-activity ZOO-IN-A-BOX,
where they will have the opportunity to work together with their parents on creating a zoo! The children will bring their ZOO-IN-A-BOX to school next month for a show and tell, in anticipation for our trip to the Singapore Zoo (where they will discover and observe real animals, their habitats and what makes them special)!
