H1 - The Department of Education

English
Singapore Adventures
Outcomes
Conventions
Students use the conventions of Standard Australian English with understanding and
critical awareness.
Viewing
Students view a wide range of visual texts with purpose, understanding and critical
awareness.
Writing
Students write for a range of purposes and in a range of forms using conventions
appropriate to audience, purpose and context.
Outcomes addressed are based on the Curriculum Framework Western Australia 1998.
Students will produce a piece of writing set in Singapore. They will use a selection of
images to support their writing.

Students are to choose a selection of images from the list found in the Resources
section at the end of this unit of work. The number of images recommended in
the various phases of learning sections.

A map of Singapore can also be used to assist students in locating the names of
settings for their writing.

Writing must include correct spelling and punctuation and should be developed,
using the processes of notemaking, planning, drafting, conferencing, testing their
work with an audience, revising, editing and proof-reading prior to publishing in a
format chosen by the student.

Published text-types might be a story, poem, comic strip, picture book, play,
diary, report, newsletter, and digital presentation.

Target Languages – bahasa Indonesia, bahasa Malay and Mandarin – students
should be able to access common usage words and names in these languages.
See Some Languages of Asia in the Savouring Singapore – Languages (LOTE)
resource.
© Access Asia and Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2008
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Task description by phase of development
Middle childhood (typically years 4–7)
Singapore Smorgasbord

Students choose an image from the ‘Images A’
list and write a sentence about it. Initially the
activity should be modelled and an image
chosen, vocabulary brainstormed and recorded
for student reference. Teachers may record this
sentence or students could write their own,
depending on the stage of writing development.
The sentence should include correct punctuation.

Choose some pictures from the images section.
Write captions for these pictures.

Write a story using three images from the
‘Images B’ section. Choose one of the target
languages and base your characters on this
culture. Include some of the names and phrases
from this language.

Select two or more images with people in them.
Write dialogue for the characters in the images
selected.

Write a comic strip. Using some of the images from the list to form part of the
story.

Write an adventure story set in the Jurong Bird Park.

Write a script for a Jurong Bird Park show.

Write a script for the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo.

Write a newspaper article or television report giving information about the escape
and capture of an animal from the Singapore Zoo.

Write and produce a puppet play using animals from the Singapore Zoo or the
Jurong Bird Park. Make the puppets, design the set and backdrop for the play.
Perform the play to your classmates.

Draw a map of Singapore and include several places a tourist might visit. Write a
short paragraph describing each of these places. The paragraphs should be
written in such a way as to encourage a tourist from Australia, Malaysia, China or
India to visit.

Incorporate some vocabulary from the target languages of bahasa Indonesia,
bahasa Malay and Mandarin into the activities above.
© Access Asia and Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2008
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Early adolescence (typically years 8–10)
Stories to Tell

Select some of the images from
the ‘Images C’ list and write a
story using characters from one
of the following cultural
backgrounds that make up
Singapore – Chinese, Malay or
Indian. Develop the characters
to include dialogue and devise a
problem solving situation.

Write a story set in the
Singapore Zoo. Use animals as
the characters in the story.
Publish this story to suit readers
of one of the following groups –
6 to 7 year olds; 10 year old
boys; 12 year old girls, or an age and gender selection of your own choosing.

Make a picture story book using birds in the Jurong Bird Park as your characters.

Include some words from Chinese, Malay and Bahas Indonesia

Imagine you are the Prince from Palembang who, in the 13th century was
shipwrecked on what is now known as Singapore Island. Write his story, including
his sighting of the creature, which he believed to be a lion, for which he named
the island Singa-Pura or Lion City.

Write a story in which you describe the life of Miss Agnes Joaquim who in 1893
discovered a magnificent orchid in her Singapore garden. The orchid was chosen
to become Singapore’s national flower in 1981.
Late adolescence (typically years 10–12)
Symbols of Singapore

Research the symbolism of the national flag of Singapore. Write a report to be
read in Singapore’s national parliament, justifying this symbolism and relates it to
a modern nation, which is a mix of ancient cultures.

Select up to 20 images from the Images D list and organise them into a story
board for a fictional film set in Old Singapore. Incorporate some vocabulary from
the target languages of bahasa Indonesia, Chinese and bahasa Malay.

Write a new national anthem for Singapore. Write a letter to the Singapore
Parliament detailing reasons for your new anthem and persuading them to adopt it.
© Access Asia and Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2008
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
Write a letter to an international company persuading them to invest in Singapore
or to set up their Asian headquarters there, outlining why Singapore is the place
of choice.

Write a poem in rhyming couplets about Singapore and its place as the gateway
of Asia.

Write an illustrated poem, about Singapore’s buildings.
Resources

Refer to ‘Some Languages of Asia’ document.

Refer to ‘Images List A’, ‘Images List B’, ‘Images List C’, ‘Images List D’,
‘Images List E’ and ‘Images List F’ documents.

Singapore’s Flag.

Singapore's National Anthem.

Jurong Bird Park.

Singapore Zoo.
© Access Asia and Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2008
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