Day 5 and the student's final day on camp.
Group A's final activity was the fun, low ropes course that Group B did the day before. They had a great time during the team building activity and did a great job of supporting and encouraging those less willing to participate. They then went on to participate in the knowledge based quiz and did an amazing job in remembering quite a number of facts learnt during the trip. Group B experienced the wonders of the flora and fauna in the rain forest. They were introduced to a number of local bug species that they had never seen before and will probably remember for quite a while, namely a giant millipede that measures at least 10 inches and the determined leeches that followed them around trying to hitch a ride and get lunch at the same time. They soon forgot about the bugs as they became involved in their survey of the forest floor and canopy to understand the ecology of a rain forest and how it compares to the ecology of the palm oil plantation. All in all a wonderful trip was had by all students and much was learnt about the different ecological systems in the area around Sidili. There are many things that the students will remember about the trip and some they would possibly like to forget but they have all come away richer for the experience. Congratulations G10 you have done ISS proud.
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Day 4 Activities
Today, it was Group A’s turn to walk through the local village to understand what kampong life was like. They also spent some time near the little fishing harbour learning knot tying and navigation skills before proceeding to the mangroves. After being given a lesson on the mangrove system they began their environmental conservation activity of cleaning up the local beach. The students managed to fill 8 large garbage bags of rubbish that had collected along the beach and were utterly shocked by what they found, such a fridge door and the huge amounts of different types of plastic. After lunch the students also had their chance to survey the intertidal area and collect data on the various types of snails. The owners of the resort will use the data collected from both groups during the surveys to determine the impact of humans on the snail numbers immediately below the resort. Group B’s activity today involved a pleasant 15 minute walk to a palm oil plantation where the students were shown the requirements of conducting an ecological survey to understand the natural world in terms of its functioning and what effect humans have on the environment. The students again used the data collection method of quadrats to identify the different varieties of vegetation below the palm trees. They also used trigonometry to determine the height if a palm tree. All of the data that the students collected will be used during tomorrow’s activity in the rain forest where they will compare the vegetation found in the palm oil plantation with that of the rainforest to determine what impact man is having on our natural environment. Once again an action packed, fun filled and enlightening day was had by all and the students have come away with skills and knowledge that they will remember for their future studies. Day 4 Reflection by Connie Hillman Today we started by going to the palm oil plantation. We got to walk and see the plants/fruits that were there. We then did some data collection using quadrats. We stepped through our quadrats and counted the different species and amounts of plants. Once we came back to the resort we were split into groups of around 10 students and we each got called to answer a question of something we have learnt this week. We also had to complete a pathway through a box that was 5 x 5 square. Each right answer we would move a space to then see whether we were getting the right path. After the quiz activity went on the rope course, which was a ton of fun. We started off by going individually and then got into some competitive games. Overall it was an amazing day and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dear G10 Parents,
Further to my message this morning I have been contacted by the trip leader to say that the Grade 10 have cleared immigration much quicker than expected and are now on route back to the High School. They will therefore be much earlier than anticipated. If you are able to collect your child from 4 o'clock onwards that would be much appreciated. Thank you, Sincerely, Christopher Hayward Assistant High School Principal Apologies for the delay but finally, a link to some of the photographs from our daily events. More pictures will be uploaded on our return to school.
https://photos.google.com/ Day 3 Group Activities.
Today, it was Group B’s turn to visit the Rohingya refugee school and although there was some apprehension before the visit the students did an amazing job with the kids at the school. It was never going to be an easy day, as the Rohingya students were so enthusiastic about the visit that it was difficult to contain their excitement. The ISS students had prepared a series of interactive activities around specific content subjects as well as preparing games that kept the Rohingya kids wanting more. The groups were constantly running, dancing and laughing and there was never a dull moment for either of the groups of students. The ISS students showed a real sense of empathy and understanding towards the Rohingya student’s difficulties and the teachers were extremely proud of the way they conducted themselves. Group A were scheduled to do a farm visit today where they too were able to experienced how crops were planted in a sustainable way. They were able to try out their skills at fishing with a hand line and a number of the students were able to catch a fish, a first time experience for many of them. They had great fun rowing on the lake in kayaks as well as build their own rafts and try them out in the pond. They had great fun planting corn in the fields and realised how difficult and exacting farming life can be. Day 3 Reflection by Taegyun So Today, Group B had a chance to visit the Rohingya Tampoi School. There were many different ages of the students and we were split into the smaller groups. My group was responsible for taking care of the students who are 14 to 16. Before I got to the school, I imagined that I could communicate well since they are similar age as us. As I thought, I had an amazing experience with them during the lesson. We played some games with them such as packman, name games, and football, we also taught them some geography and mathematics through different activities. I was worried that they might lose their concentration if we are just reading a geography book, and so we planned to have some puzzles and quizzes. Therefore, they were interested and they enjoyed the activities a lot. Also, we taught them some Mathematics tricks. It was special time for me to have communication with the students who were all refugees. I will never forget today’s experience. Day 3 Reflection by Sayma Shanta Wearing a swimsuit isn’t how I like to start my mornings, however, today was different, in the best way. As the early morning sunshine rose high above our heads, we took our hats and were off. Firstly, we arrived at a village area, where we made a quick stop to play a game of biddy biddy bop, it was pretty unusual, but we were all very hyped. Anyway, today was eventful, after all of that paperwork with maps, trees, and geography in the past few days we finally had the chance to jump into the water. It was very fun! I felt like a child who was given chocolate! Not from a stranger of course! My favorite activity was kayaking because it challenged us mentally and physically, nonetheless, my friends and I conquered our fears of falling out of the kayak as we navigated our boats, figuring out where to go and how to keep our boats floating, we raced and played tag with each other as well. A few other activities which we got to do were rafting with bamboo boats, learning to plant corn and fishing. It was an amazing day full of adventures and happiness, an unforgettable journey. The student's experiences just keep getting better!
Today, there was plenty of activity and learning and for one group in particular there was a chance to show off their teaching abilities in the classroom. Team A were taken on a two hour bus trip to visit a Rohingya Refugee school where they developed and delivered a range of fun, educational activities to a wide range of Rohingya students. Our students coped brilliantly, keeping the Rohingya learners engaged and active and formed real bonds with them, which they will remember for some time to come. The lower age groups proved to be quite a challenge with their liveliness and enthusiasm but they were firmly controlled and their energies appropriately channeled into meaningful and fun learning experiences. Group B were introduced to the local Kampong where they were educated about the local plant life and learnt how versatile and important the coconut palm is to the community. They were then taken to a mangrove where they learnt how the trees survive in the salt water and how important the mangroves are to the seashore ecology. The group was then involved in a beach clean-up where they could see first-hand, the volume of plastic and other pollutants that wash up on to the shore on a daily basis. After eating lunch and a few team building games, whilst they waited for the rain to end, the students were shown the skills needed to survey the tidal-pools to monitor the different varieties of snails living amongst the rocks. Another wonderful day was had by all and great examples of friendship and support for others were observed within the various teams. Louis Lancaster – Day 2 Reflection Today we went to a Rohingya refugee school to play games with the students and teach them things that they do not know. Our group was the game group and the student’s ages were around 9 – 13. The students listened a lot and were smiling, which means they were enjoying themselves. After eating lunch we changed groups and the students that we had were the same age but this time they did not listen very well and it was very hard to teach them a game. Me and Gayathri changed groups again and we were with a group of students that were very young and it was even harder because we had to invent a game and be very strict with them. After we returned to the resort we had dinner and then had a debate about palm oil. Day 2 – Victor Ueki’s Reflection As we wake up for our second day of the trip we wake up at 7:30 in order to have breakfast in the cafeteria inside the resort. We then made our way outside the resort in our groups and we learnt about the many different plants in Malaysia. Our first plant being Malaysia’s national flower, (Hibiscus) which I have learned is used for tea. Later on we walk towards the village and saw the difference between Singapore and Malaysia. We finished our tour around the small but interesting village-Sedili Besar and we learn important skills – tying different types of knots and their specific uses and using compass for navigation. After learning our skills with knots and compasses we proceeded to clean the beaches and learn about the unique mangrove trees, and how they grow in the salt water. As we arrive back at the resort we took a quick break, eat lunch and have a short free time. Finally we make our way to the tidal pools next to the resort and see and learn about the sea creatures. As the sun goes down we return to the resort have dinner and start planning for the next day, which we will be teaching young students at the Rohingya refugee school. Wow, what a day filled with excitement, fun and a sense of achievement for many of our students. They experienced activities that they never thought they would ever attempt. The students were broken up into two teams and each team participated in a different educational activity.
Team A, visited a rainforest where they measured the height of the forest trees and investigated the various species that inhabited the forest floor. Team B, visited an organic rice farm where they learnt to plant rice, paddle across a pond on a simple bamboo raft and catch fish using a traditional drag net. All in all a thoroughly successful, all be it an exhausting day, as explained in reflections by Gayathri Kanchibhotla and Daria Nekrasova. A link to todays images will be posted soon. Day 1 by Gayathri (Group A) Today our group visited a rainforest where we could observe the biodiversity. We walked deep into the forest and came across various insects and plants. We learnt that a rainforest is rich in a variety of species and the layers of soil. Some members of the group had issues with leeches, which was disturbingly hilarious. Later we did a survey where we measured a chosen space and counted the number of species, calculated heights of trees and the light intensity. It was enjoyable and informative as the groups worked very well together. Next, (after lunch), we went on an endless walk to a palm tree plantation to repeat the activities and compare our results from the rainforest. Overall, the day was very tiresome but it was very educational and we all learnt something new. Daria, Group B, Day 1 Today we got to go visit the eco farms. There we looked at the shrimp farms, rice plantation and fishing. For the first time ever I got to plant rice in clay. We were given rice paddy’s and we were meant to get into the mud to dig in holes in different rows. After that we got to look at the rice mills and we saw how the rice grains are milled and cleaned. It really made me realize how much work is put into creating just a small portion of rice. We then got to look at how produce gets transferred by rafts over the rice paddy’s and multiple prawn farms. After which we got a taste of what fishing used to be like by using a net and physically walking through the water. Overall it was a really great way to start the trip. Students arrived bright and early to school for an early morning start for their trip to Malaysia. By 6:18am the two buses had set off and the WWW trip had begun.
Just a few days to go until Grade 10 students takes off for a fun filled week of action packed educational excitement in Malaysia. The trip promises to give the students new experiences in a safe, fun and educational environment.
Just a few important announcements: - The buses will leave the school at exactly 6:15am, so the students must be at school by no later than 6:00. Preferably earlier if possible. - The buses will leave from the lower car park, so students should congregate there where a head count will be done before we load the buses. The students will experience the wonders of a rain forest, where they will study the exotic fauna and flora both in the forest canopy and the forest floor. They will visit an organic rice and shrimp farm, where they will learn about the benefits of sustainable farming, as well as learn skills associated with rice planting, fishing and bamboo raft building. One of the more important educational activities will be the visit to the Rohingya refugee school, where our students will interact directly with the students at the school to form firm bonds. Each group of ISS students will participate in delivering informative educational lessons and conduct fun games and team building activities with a range of students of different ages at the school. Our students will also have hands on experience in studying seashore ecology and then participate in a beach clean-up, where they will be educated on the damage that is being caused to our seas by the pollution that is building up in the oceans. The students will end off the week with a visit to a palm oil plantation and how these plantations have benefited local communities. |
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