The school is embarking on its ALP programme – Sustaining the Earth with Applied Solutions (SEAS) which aims to inculcate in our students the 21^st Century Competencies through learning experiences in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and its real-life application to solve problems.

The ALP will comprise activities and learning experiences centred on the theme of Sustainable Earth, with a distinctive flavour of leveraging on technology for students to explore technology-related solutions to address real-world problems.

Under the ALP, we adopted Makers’ Education as an approach to provide students with hands-on learning and building experiences. These activities encourage them to identify, create and apply their learning to solve problems. Our Makers’ ARCADE (ARea to Create And Design for Everyone) was officially opened in March 2018 to support this approach for experiential learning.

 

In line with the ALP-STEM theme of Sustaining the Earth with Applied Solutions (SEAS), efforts are made to reduce unnecessary waste and our use of natural resources in order to protect the earth.

As such, Environment Education seeks to bring an awareness of environmental issues through a whole-school approach through curriculum integration in academic and non-academic subjects. There is an extensive thematic integration of recycling and other environmental topics in the school curriculum. This exposes students to various environmental issues and engages them in discussing solutions which can be applied in their daily lives.

Students are also involved in a number of environmental conservation programmes with far-reaching impact within the school as well as community in the neighbourhood, in partnership with parents and relevant agencies such as NEA and NParks.

 

Environment Education

Newspaper Recycling

Students bring old newspapers and magazines and keep in a designated recycling box in their form classes. These will be collated weekly for internal competition among classes and collected by Sembcorp. Trophies are awarded termly to one class per level for the highest collection of newspaper.

The Green Matters notice-board is updated weekly by PSG members to indicate the efforts of various classes in collecting recycling paper.

 

Food Waste Composting

The school started its food composting efforts this year to educate our students on how to cut down food waste. Food waste produced during food preparation by the canteen stall vendors is collected by the Green Champions. Together with our Parent Support Group members, the food waste is composted using the compost machines and used for gardening in the school.

Food waste composting is also carried out during Captains of the Planet (COP) MCCA, and the compost generated is used in the gardening activities carried out by the COP MCCA.

Food waste is placed in buckets	Crushed food waste is placed in the food compost machine

‘SAY NO TO PLASTIC BAGS’ NTUC PROJECT

Since 2016, WPS has adopted a ‘No Plastic Bag’ policy with our bookshop and canteen vendors. Styrofoam or disposable containers are also not used in school. Staff bring their own reusable containers. In 2018, this initiative expanded to include no straws being used in the school.

The school aims to extend our efforts beyond the school in encouraging responsible behaviour in caring for the environment. In Term 3, our Primary 5 Green Leaders visited Senja Green NTUC Fairprice supermarket and shared with the cashiers and customers why they should say ‘no’ to plastic bags. They gave out reusable tote bags which they made from used T-shirts together with CCE Leaders, and gave them out to NTUC customers.

The Primary 5 Green Leaders also encouraged parents present during Primary 1 registration exercise to use reusable bags instead of plastic bags. They also conducted a survey to understand the public’s habits on the use of plastic bags. Through these opportunities, our students developed their confidence and acquired the necessary presentation skills to engage their community.

A Green Leader conducting the survey with a customer at the NTUC Fairprice supermarket.	CCE Leaders giving tote bags made from recycled materials to NTUC customers.

LIFE Garden

CCE Leaders are scheduled to plant, weed, harvest and feed vegetables to the animals in ARK during recess. They are supported by PSG members and an office staff. During Total Defence Day, P1 students planted sweet potatoes to commemorate the day.

Curricular Activities

The activities and learning experiences are centered around the theme of Sustainable Earth, with a distinctive flavour of leveraging on technology for students to explore technology-related solutions to address real-world problems. Examples of some of the activities include:

• Toy-making project using recyclables
• Interdisciplinary project on water pollution
• Use of Strawbees for prototyping
• Science and Mathematics learning trail
• Coding

Student sharing on his model ship constructed using recycled materials and programmed using a micro:bit during morning assembly.

Students working collaboratively on an interdisciplinary project to obtain clean water.

Students using Strawbees in creation of 3-dimensional models.

Students measuring the moisture content of soil samples using a micro:bit during the Maths and Science learning trail.

Students engaged in coding the micro:bit to create a simple device.

Students working in teams during MTL lesson to create models using recyclables at the Markers’ ARCADE.

Students learning simple coding through PLAY with Dash robots.