Social Studies · Primary 1

Active learning ideas

Religious Pluralism and Social Harmony

Active learning turns abstract ideas about festivals into lived experiences for young students. When children share their own family stories or work together on a visual project, they connect concepts of respect and community to real emotions and relationships, making pluralism tangible rather than abstract.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Religion and Society - MS

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Numbered Heads Together
• 30 min · Whole Class

Sharing Circle: Family Festival Stories

Gather students in a circle. Each child shares one family festival activity using a photo, drawing, or verbal description; teacher starts with a model. Class records similarities and differences on a shared chart paper.

Can you name some festivals celebrated in Singapore, such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya, or Christmas?

Facilitation Tip

During the Sharing Circle, invite students to bring a small object that represents a family tradition to anchor their stories and build confidence.

What to look for

Show students pictures of different festival symbols (e.g., a red packet, a diya lamp, a ketupat, a Christmas tree). Ask students to name the festival each symbol belongs to and one custom associated with it.

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

Activity 02

• Numbered Heads Together
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs Practice: Festival Greetings

Pair students from different backgrounds. They teach each other simple greetings or customs, like 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' or lighting a diya, then switch roles. Pairs perform for the class.

What do you and your family do during a festival?

Facilitation Tip

For Festival Greetings, model tone and gestures with a student partner first, then provide sentence frames like 'Selamat Hari Raya' or 'Happy Deepavali' on cards.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine your friend invited you to their house for a festival. What is one thing you could do to show respect for their family's traditions?' Encourage them to share ideas about polite behavior and participation.

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

Activity 03

• Numbered Heads Together
• 40 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Harmony Mural

Provide chart paper, markers, and festival images. Groups draw Singaporeans celebrating festivals together, labeling customs. Groups present their murals to explain contributions to harmony.

How do Singaporeans from different backgrounds celebrate together?

Facilitation Tip

When creating the Harmony Mural, assign each group a section and a symbol to trace, reducing overwhelm and ensuring all voices are included.

What to look for

Provide students with a sentence starter: 'One way Singaporeans celebrate together during festivals is by ______. This helps to create ______.' Students complete the sentences to show understanding of shared celebrations and social harmony.

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

Activity 04

• Numbered Heads Together
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Festival Postcard

Each student draws a postcard inviting friends to their festival, noting one custom and one shared activity. Collect and display postcards around the class.

Can you name some festivals celebrated in Singapore, such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya, or Christmas?

Facilitation Tip

Have students write their Festival Postcard drafts on scrap paper first to allow for revising and editing before final presentation.

What to look for

Show students pictures of different festival symbols (e.g., a red packet, a diya lamp, a ketupat, a Christmas tree). Ask students to name the festival each symbol belongs to and one custom associated with it.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should ground discussions in students' lived experiences, using concrete objects and actions to build understanding. Avoid overgeneralizing customs; instead, highlight variability within traditions to prevent stereotyping. Research suggests that young children grasp abstract concepts like harmony best through narratives and collaborative projects that connect to their identities.

Successful learning looks like students confidently linking customs to festivals, using respectful language in role-plays, and contributing ideas that reflect shared values in group work. Students demonstrate understanding when they explain why traditions matter to different groups and how celebrations bring people together.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Sharing Circle: 'Festivals belong only to one race or religion.'

  During Sharing Circle, if a student says a festival is only for one group, redirect them by asking, 'Have you ever seen your neighbor or friend celebrate this festival with you? Share a time when you saw someone from another background join in the joy.'

• During Festival Greetings: 'All festivals are celebrated the same way everywhere.'

  During Festival Greetings, provide two greeting cards with slightly different customs (e.g., 'Happy Deepavali' vs. 'Happy Diwali') and say, 'Look at these two cards. What differences do you notice in how people might celebrate? Share with your partner.'

• During Harmony Mural: 'Festivals do not promote social harmony.'

  During Harmony Mural, point to mixed symbols on the mural and ask, 'How do these different symbols sitting together show us how festivals help people live peacefully? Explain to your group what you see.'

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Methods used in this brief

• Numbered Heads Together