Social Studies · Primary 2

Active learning ideas

Public Housing Policies and Social Cohesion

Active learning works well for this topic because young students connect abstract policies to their daily lives through concrete tasks. Mapping, surveying, and role-playing let them see how HDB rules shape the streets and people they know.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Singapore: A Developed Nation - Sec 1
• MOE: Challenges and Responses - Sec 1

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Four Corners
• 40 min · Small Groups

Neighbourhood Mapping: Ethnic Mix in Blocks

Provide maps of the school neighbourhood. Students mark HDB blocks, note ethnic shops or facilities, and discuss how they serve diverse residents. Groups present findings to the class.

How do HDB policies promote social integration among different ethnic groups?

Facilitation Tip

During Role Play, time the planning phase strictly so students experience the pressure of tight deadlines in community work.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of an HDB block. Ask them to draw one feature that helps neighbours from different backgrounds interact (e.g., a playground, a void deck) and write one sentence explaining why this feature is important for social cohesion.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Four Corners
• 30 min · Pairs

Class Survey: Living in HDB

Students survey classmates about their flats, family backgrounds, and shared spaces. Tally results on charts, then discuss how living together builds friendships across groups.

What are the economic and social benefits of public housing in Singapore?

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are moving into a new HDB flat. What are two things you might learn or experience from living next to people from a different ethnic group?' Encourage them to share ideas about sharing food, celebrating festivals, or learning new words.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Four Corners
• 45 min · Small Groups

Model Estate Building: Plan for Harmony

Using blocks or craft materials, groups design an HDB estate with quotas for ethnic groups and shared amenities. Explain choices and how they promote mixing.

Discuss the challenges and successes of HDB in creating inclusive communities.

What to look for

Present students with two scenarios: one showing a diverse HDB neighbourhood with shared activities, and another showing a less integrated one. Ask students to point to the scenario that better reflects the goals of HDB policies and explain their choice in one sentence.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 35 min · Small Groups

Role Play: Community Event Planning

Assign roles like residents from different races planning a block party. Groups negotiate activities that include all cultures, then perform for the class.

How do HDB policies promote social integration among different ethnic groups?

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of an HDB block. Ask them to draw one feature that helps neighbours from different backgrounds interact (e.g., a playground, a void deck) and write one sentence explaining why this feature is important for social cohesion.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should move between concrete and abstract thinking. Start with what students see, then connect it to policy goals. Avoid long lectures; instead, use quick discussions after each activity to reinforce the link between features and social cohesion.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing how shared spaces and policies bring different neighbours together. They should explain why features like void decks and quotas matter, using ideas from their own investigations.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Neighbourhood Mapping, watch for students assuming HDB blocks are all the same income level.

  Ask students to check the posters and photos they collected to identify different flat types and household incomes within one block.

• During Class Survey, watch for students repeating the idea that ethnic groups stay separate in HDB blocks.

  Have students add one example of a shared activity or space from their survey to the class list on the board.

• During Model Estate Building, watch for students ignoring the EIP quotas in their designs.

  Remind groups that each model block must include labels showing the ethnic mix percentages and shared spaces they chose.

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Methods used in this brief

• Four Corners
• Role Play