CCE · Primary 1

Active learning ideas

Celebrating International Friendship

Active learning works well for International Friendship because young students build empathy through concrete interactions. When children write letters, handle cultural artifacts, or design shared activities, they move from abstract ideas to personal connections they can see and touch.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Global Citizenship - P1
• MOE: Diversity and Inclusion - P1

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Pen Pal Letters

Students pair up and imagine being from different countries. Each writes a simple letter sharing a favorite festival or food and asks a question about their partner's culture. Pairs exchange and reply, then share one new fact with the class.

Justify the importance of international friendship and cooperation.

Facilitation Tip

During Pen Pal Letters, assign pairs carefully to ensure diverse imaginary locations and guide students to include questions about daily life as well as festivals.

What to look for

Give each student a card with the name of a country. Ask them to write one sentence about a way people in that country might celebrate something special, and one sentence about how children in Singapore could be friends with children from that country.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Cultural Celebration Stations

Prepare four stations with photos, music, and props for festivals from various countries. Groups visit each for five minutes, drawing or noting one unique feature. Regroup to compare observations.

Compare ways different countries celebrate their unique cultures.

Facilitation Tip

At Cultural Celebration Stations, rotate groups every 8–10 minutes so children experience multiple traditions without overload.

What to look for

Show pictures of children from different countries celebrating. Ask: 'What do you see these children doing? How are their celebrations similar or different? Why is it good for us to learn about how other people celebrate?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Design Friendship Activity

Discuss ways to befriend children abroad, such as drawing pictures or learning greetings. Class votes on ideas and co-creates a poster showing the activity steps. Display it in the classroom.

Design an activity to promote friendship with children from other countries.

Facilitation Tip

For Design Friendship Activity, provide only one shared set of craft materials per group to force cooperation and problem-solving.

What to look for

Ask students to draw a picture showing two children from different countries playing together. Then, have them share their drawing with a partner and explain one way they are cooperating in the picture.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: My Global Friend Drawing

Each student draws a friend from another country, labels shared interests, and cultural differences. Students present drawings in a gallery walk, noting common themes.

Justify the importance of international friendship and cooperation.

Facilitation Tip

For My Global Friend Drawing, model how to highlight both shared interests and cultural symbols in the artwork.

What to look for

Give each student a card with the name of a country. Ask them to write one sentence about a way people in that country might celebrate something special, and one sentence about how children in Singapore could be friends with children from that country.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with simple comparisons children know, like food or games, to build bridges before introducing festivals. Avoid overwhelming them with too many countries at once. Research shows that repeated exposure to a few cultures builds deeper understanding than brief glances at many. Keep the tone positive and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

Successful learning is visible when students speak about similarities between cultures, choose kind words in their letters, and collaborate smoothly in groups. Their drawings and explanations should show cooperation and appreciation for differences.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pen Pal Letters, watch for students who write only about what is familiar to them.

  Guide them to ask questions about festivals, food, or games from their partner’s imaginary country and respond with curiosity about those topics.

• During Cultural Celebration Stations, watch for students who assume all celebrations are the same.

  Prompt them to look closely at the artifacts and ask, 'What do you notice that is different from our celebrations?' before moving on.

• During Design Friendship Activity, watch for groups that focus only on individual contributions.

  Ask each group to identify one way their design shows cooperation and add a label or arrow pointing to it on their poster.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle