Social Studies · Primary 3

Active learning ideas

Building Social Cohesion in a Diverse Society

Active learning works well for this topic because building social cohesion is not just about learning facts. Students need to reflect on their own experiences and see how shared spaces shape their daily lives. By moving, discussing, and creating together, they connect the lesson to their own world.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Social Cohesion and Diversity - Sec 3
• MOE: National Identity and Citizenship - Sec 1

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

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Our Shared Spaces

Display photos of a playground, a hawker center, a school canteen, and an MRT station. Students move around to note one way people of different races interact in each space and share their observations on a 'Harmony Wall.'

How do public housing (HDB) and educational policies contribute to racial and religious harmony in Singapore?

Facilitation Tip

When students investigate HDB estates, ask guiding questions that push them to look beyond the building itself and think about the people who live inside it.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are designing a new community park. What features would you include to encourage people from different backgrounds to meet and interact?' Facilitate a class discussion, prompting students to justify their choices based on the concept of shared spaces.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: My Best Friend

Students think about a friend who is of a different race or background. They discuss with a partner one thing they have learned from that friend (like a word or a food) and share how their friendship makes their life more interesting.

Analyze the role of shared experiences and common spaces in building a collective Singaporean identity.

What to look for

Provide students with a short case study about a fictional neighborhood with different ethnic groups. Ask them to identify one policy or initiative mentioned that helps build social cohesion and explain in one sentence how it works.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The HDB Story

In groups, students look at a diagram of an HDB block. They identify the 'common areas' like the void deck and the corridor, and brainstorm three activities that can happen there to bring neighbors together, then present their 'Community Plan.'

Evaluate the challenges and successes in maintaining social cohesion amidst increasing diversity.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, ask students to write down one example of a 'shared experience' they have had with someone from a different ethnic background and one way this experience helped them understand that person better.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with what students already know about their own neighborhoods. Avoid beginning with abstract definitions of diversity or harmony. Research shows that students grasp these concepts better when they connect them to tangible places like the canteen or the playground. Encourage them to notice the everyday moments they usually overlook.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing how shared spaces create opportunities for interaction. You will hear them talk about real people and places they know, not just textbook ideas. Their reflections should show they understand that harmony comes from daily encounters.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Gallery Walk, watch for students who assume harmony happens naturally in shared spaces.

  Use the case studies from the Gallery Walk to show how Singapore's housing policies, like the Ethnic Integration Policy, were designed to create mixed communities. Ask students to explain how these policies make a difference in daily life.

• During the Daily Logs in Think-Pair-Share, watch for students who believe they only interact with people of other races on special occasions.

  Have students review their logs and highlight moments when they interacted with someone of a different background. Then, ask them to explain how these regular encounters help build understanding over time.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle