Humanities
Vision
Mission
Key Activities
In line with our school’s aim of developing GYSS students to be leaders, thinkers and advocates, the Humanities department provides many opportunities for our students to become confident communicators and critical thinkers. We provide different platforms and an enriching learning experience for our students such as the Humanities Week and our Historical and Geographical Investigation projects. We believe that through these activities, our students would gain substantial experience, hone their thinking skills, uncover personal aptitude and be motivated to excel.
In making the learning of Geography a more authentic experience, students were given the opportunities to embark on fieldwork studies at Singapore River, Bishan Neighbourhood and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. At each of these sites, students learned how to formulate and test their hypothesis, collect data and form conclusions. They also had the opportunity to interview residents and tourists and build on their communication skills. Through such experiences, students get to understand that research and data collection requires ample time and effort as well as skills to build an accurate and unbiased conclusion.
 Our students politely engaging a tourist to do an interview survey at the Merlion park. |  Our students eagerly explaining the questions to the tourists. |
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 1N2 students observed and sketched the parts of the Tropical Rainforest trees for their fieldwork investigation. |  The Secondary One students analysed the write up in the Bukit Timah Visitor Centre for more information on the tropical rainforest in Singapore. |
Enrich@Humanities
1) Humanities Week
In July 2019, the Humanities Department held its Humanities Week, which aimed to increase students’ awareness of global and local issues, cultivate thinking skills and develop perspective-taking through signature events held by the department. In line with these objectives, an adapted version of WordUP was carried out with our secondary one participants to strengthen their geographical vocabulary and concepts. Our secondary Two students immersed themselves in the Southeast Asian historical board-game challenge that solidified concepts and knowledge learnt about early Singapore history.
A key highlight during the Humanities Week was the partnership with the Central Provident Fund (CPF). The interactive digital activities and mini activities in the form of case scenarios presented to Secondary Three students help in bringing greater awareness, address students’ misconceptions and enhance their understanding of the relevance and importance of CPF in their lives.
An epic conclusion to the Humanities Week was the Humanities Quiz entitled “We are Global citizens” where our graduating students, fuelled with the knowledge and skills attained throughout their secondary school lives, enthusiastically pitted themselves against each other by answering a series of questions across the three core subjects.
 Our secondary two participants in the historical board game challenge on early Singapore |  Secondary Three students immersed in interactive mini-games through situational context |
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 Secondary three participants completing a station during the Humanities amazing race challenge |  Secondary Three students immersed in the digital board game illustrating the processes of CPF |
Student's Feedback
2) Humanities Overseas Learning Journey to Vietnam
The Humanities department organised a 5D4N Humanities Overseas Learning Journey to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, yearly until 2018. However, the overseas trip will be biennially carried out from 2019 onwards. The next trip will be in 2020. The objective is to provide opportunity for our students to harness important life-skills such as financial literacy, public-speaking, teamwork and ICT. It also serves to broaden students’ perspective towards how historical development shapes societal and environmental concerns today. With the application of Humanities skills and critical thinking skills of current issues facing the region and the world, students cultivate civic-mindedness and appreciation of Singapore through the encounters and interactions with the local people in Vietnam. Students journeyed through Ho Chi Minh using their Social Studies, Historical and Geographical lenses to appreciate the cultural and social aspects in the city. This trip also sees students having having the opportunity to have a school immersion programme with a local Vietnam school and do their bit for charity for a local Vietnam orphanage.
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3) NUS Geography Challenge
Through participating in this challenge, students embarked on independent learning. The theme was “Singapore: The Journey of a Global City.” The theme is on Development, focusing on the local and global changes in different spheres such as social, political and economic and how it has impacted Singaporeans across the dimensions of space and time. Through this theme, we students are educated and enlightened on the development of Singapore and its standing on the global stage while encouraging them to think of opportunities and solutions for the problems that lie ahead for the nation in an ever-changing world.
Participants of the 2019 NUS Geography Challenge
4) Seismic Talk for Sec 3 Geography students
Secondary 3 Geography students were engaged in a Seismic talk shared by Dr Karen Lythgoe from the Earth Observatory Singapore, NTU. The sharing dealt with seismic hazards and possible impacts in Singapore. With her experience in seismic data, she shared interesting facts of Singapore’s underground seismic structure and hazard. Students learnt that Singapore may hold valuable resource such as water and energy which can be possibly harnesses in the future, such as may Hot Springs at Sembawang area. Some students were eager to understand the possibility of earthquakes in Singapore and the magnitude it may have.
 Principal Mr Alvin Lim with Dr Karen Lythgoe |  |
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Student's Feedback
  
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