Lesson Package Chap 4

LOWER SECONDARY HISTORY INQUIRY LESSON PACKAGE
Unit 2 Life in Colonial Singapore: Was It the Same for Everyone?
Unit Topic:
Chapter Inquiry
Questions:
Chapter 3: Why Did People Come to Colonial Singapore before World War Two?
Chapter 4: How was Life Different for the Various People in Colonial Singapore Before World War Two?
Total Duration of
Unit
Chapter 3 (8 periods x 35 minutes)

Chapter 4 (8 periods x 35 minutes)
The unit seeks to explore why and how people from different parts of the world came to Singapore during the 19 th and
early 20th centuries. It also outlines why Singapore was able to attract these people. Through this series of lessons,
students will develop an understanding of how the different communities of people adapted and maintained their own
unique cultures and heritage in a multi-ethnic society. Students can also better appreciate the rich cultural diversity of
the communities that lived in Singapore during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Rationale for this

units Inquiry
Students exploration of the reasons for the coming of people to colonial Singapore, and identification of similarities and
differences in the lives and experiences of the various communities, develops their understanding of the historical
concepts of causation (Chapter 3) and diversity (Chapter 4), respectively.
Overall Aims
Chapter 3
Historical Content
To help students understand:
Who were the people that came to Singapore in the
19th and early 20th Centuries?
Mass migration in the 19th Century why did it happen?

What is migration?
*Reasons for the mass migration in the 19th
Century
o *The Industrial Revolution
1
Chapter 4
Historical Content
To help students understand:
Experiences of the various people in colonial Singapore
Living Conditions
o Sanitation
o Housing
Employment
o Types of jobs
o
o
Chapter 3
*The End of Slave Trade
*The Opening of the Suez Canal in 1869
Reasons for coming to Singapore

Push factors
o Poverty and starvation
o Unrest and instability
Pull factors
o Better trade and business opportunities
o Better job prospects
*Optional and non-examinable for Normal (Academic)

Course
Key Content Concepts
Colonial rule
Community
Migration
Livelihood

Community
Pastimes
Living Conditions
Key Historical Concept

To help students understand the historical concept of
Diversity:

To help students understand the historical concept of
Causation:
Chapter 4
Leisure and Entertainment
o Activities
Relationships among different communities in
different areas of colonial Singapore.
causes are reasons for a subsequent action or event

there can be multiple causes for events in history
2
people lead different lives and have different

experiences even when they lived in the same place
during the same period in history
the diversity of peoples experiences can be discovered
by identifying similarities and differences in their
experiences.
a common basis or a criterion needs to be used to
make a valid comparison of these similarities and
differences
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Historical Skills
Students are to:
inquire into the causes for human migration in
consideration of global events, regional factors as well
as personal reasons.
extract and record information from a range of
accounts to explain reasons for migration.
21st Century Competencies

Information and Communication Skills students will
learn to identify and locate the relevant information
needed to inform their perspectives on the inquiry
question.
Critical and Inventive Thinking Students are given the
opportunity to develop sound reasoning skills, engage
in reflective thinking, and learn to manage the complex
information and ambiguities inherent in the
perspectives
Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross Cultural
Skills students gain awareness of the global issue of
international trends and events that affected
Singapores History in the 19th and early 20th
centuries. It would give students an opportunity to gain
3
Historical Skills
Students are to:
identify / describe the similarities and differences in the
lives of the various communities living in Singapore.
record and organize information from a range of
accounts to describe the relative significance of the
contributions of the different communities to the social
and economic development of Singapore in the 19th
Century.

Information and Communication Skills students will
learn to identify and locate the relevant information
needed to inform their perspectives on the inquiry
question.
Critical and Inventive Thinking Students are given the
opportunity to develop sound reasoning skills, engage
in reflective thinking, and learn to manage the complex
information and ambiguities inherent in the perspectives
Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross Cultural
Skills students gain awareness of the issue of how
Singapore was shaped by the different heritage and
cultural influence brought by the immigrants in the 19th
and early 20th centuries. This would give students the
opportunity to gain socio-cultural awareness and
Chapter 3
socio-cultural awareness and sensitivity towards
different perspectives.
Outline of
Lessons
1. Lesson 1 - Introducing the Inquiry: Understanding what

the inquiry question requires us to find out and learning
who the early migrants that came to Singapore in the
19th Century were. (70 minutes)
1. Lesson 1 - Introducing the Inquiry: Understanding what

the inquiry question requires us to find out and the initial
experiences of immigrants to a new territory. (70
minutes)
2. Lesson 2 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding

mass migration in the 19th Century and why people were
forced to leave their home countries due to the poor
conditions in the countries (push factors). (70 minutes)
2. Lesson 2 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the

experiences and lives of the European and the Chinese
communities. (70 minutes)

factors that attracted people to migrate to Singapore
(pull factors). (70 minutes)
End Product
(Chapter Task)
Chapter 4
sensitivity towards different perspectives among the
communities of people living in Singapore today.

experiences and lives of the Indian, Malay, Eurasian and
Peranakan communities.(70 minutes)
4. Lesson 4 - Completing the Inquiry: Understanding the

causes of migration to colonial Singapore. (70 minutes)
4. Lesson 4 - Completing the Inquiry: Understanding the

similarities and differences in the lives of the people in
colonial Singapore and consolidation of the chapter
inquiry. (70 minutes)
Students are to produce an information sheet for a group

of foreign exchange students, explaining the reasons for the
coming of migrants to Singapore in the past during the early
19th century to the early 20th century. The information sheet
should address both the push and pull factors that led to the
coming of the early migrants to colonial Singapore and
should be between 150-200 words in length.
Students are to produce a special feature article to celebrate

Singapores 120 years as a British colony by extracting
relevant information from the sources provided in the
coursebook and writing about similarities and differences in
the lives of the various communities living in colonial
Singapore. The feature article should focus on the four main
aspects of life that have been identified for the students in
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
the coursebook and should be between 150-200 words.
Lesson Focus:
Lesson Duration:
Lesson Objectives
CHAPTER 4 LESSON 1
Introducing the Inquiry: Understanding what the inquiry question requires us to find out and the initial experiences of
immigrants to a new territory.
1h 10 minutes (2 periods of 35 minutes)
Historical Content
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to understand:
The initial experiences of immigrants to a new territory.
The living conditions, leisure and entertainment, employment and relationships among the various communities in
the following areas of colonial Singapore before World War Two.
o The Singapore River
o The Colonial Town Centre
i. Community
ii. Living Conditions
iii. Pastimes
Students will be able to understand the historical concept of Diversity:
i.
people lead different lives and have different experiences even when they lived in the same place during the same
period in history.
ii.
the diversity of peoples experiences can be discovered by identifying similarities and differences in their experiences.
iii.
a common basis or criterion needs to be used to make a valid comparison of these similarities and differences.
Historical Skills
6
Students will be able to:

i.
identify and describe the similarities and differences in the lives of the various communities living in Singapore.
ii.
record and organise information from a range of accounts to explain the relative significance of the contributions of
the different communities to the social and economic development of Singapore in the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
iii.
compare and contrast competing sources to formulate responses to the inquiry question on whether life was
different for the various people in colonial Singapore before World War Two.
i. Information and Communication Skills - During their group discussion, students will need to identify and locate the
relevant information needed to describe the differences or similarities in the various aspects of life among the different
ethnic communities.
ii. Critical and Inventive Thinking Students are given the opportunity to engage in reflective thinking as they review and
build on the information that has been shared by their classmates.
iii. Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross Cultural Skills Students gain awareness of the local heritage of the
various immigrant communities that settled in Singapore during the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Pre-requisite Knowledge
Resources
Content
i. Singapore grew in population following its founding as a British trading settlement.
ii. People came to Singapore from different parts of the world.
i. Handout 4.1A: Question Analysis Cards
ii. Handout 4.1B: Graphic Organiser (Compare and Contrast Matrix)
iii. Handout 4.1C: 3-2-1 Activity Cards
iv. Coursebook: Understanding the inquiry question pg.140; Chapter Task pg.141; Think Like a Historian pg.142.
a. Process & Duration

Introduction (5 min)
b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

Chapter Hook Activity (5 min)
c. Purpose
Teacher draws students attention to the chapter inquiry How was life different for the
various people in colonial Singapore before World War Two? Teacher asks them to read
the accounts of three people in Sources 1, 2 and 3. Based on Activity 1 on page 139, ask
students to identify the different viewpoints towards Singapore.
Teacher then links the chapter hook activity to the chapter inquiry question.
Even though the three men lived in the same time period and in the same city, they had
different experiences on what life was like in colonial Singapore.
The teacher can ask them why they think the responses of the three men were different
even though they were in Singapore at about the same time period. Students can
respond about the personal characteristics of the three men based on the provenance
and their experiences and viewpoints. Students can be asked to give their individual
responses.
o
End Product (5 min)
Example of expected students responses:

- Their views are different because of their age gap.
- Their views are different because they came to Singapore for different
reasons.
- Their views are different because of prior experiences
Guiding questions serve to

activate
students
prior
knowledge, and to help
students to focus on the
differences
of
opinions
given by different people
when they first arrived in
Singapore.
Use of personal stories to
stimulate students interest
in the chapter inquiry.
Guiding questions to focus
students attention on the
relevant details in the story.
This will in turn enable
students to draw
connections between the
hook and the areas of focus
for the inquiry.
Briefing on End Product (5 min)
Teacher informs students that they will have to complete a feature newspaper article on
the chapter inquiry question. Students are expected to:
o complete a short write-up on how different groups of people in Singapore
experienced similar or different experiences based on four aspects of life:
8
To allow
students
to
understand the assignment
that is expected and to
enable students to be more

Employment, Leisure and Entertainment, Living Conditions and Relationships
among different communities in Singapore; and
o examine and gather evidence from sources in the coursebook to provide evidential
support to their write-up.
Unpacking of Inquiry
Question (10 min)
Class Discussion: Understanding the Inquiry Question (10 min)
Teacher helps students to understand the demands of the inquiry question by

highlighting the key words of the feature boxes as shown in the coursebook:
o aspects of life
o Different aspects of life, similarities, differences and different people in
Singapore
Teacher can use Handout 4.1A to lead students in a class discussion to understand the
question, or alternatively get students to work in groups on the question, and to present
their responses thereafter.
Main Activity (45 min)
Teacher guides students to the following understandings:

o aspects of life: refers to the employment, leisure and entertainment. Living
conditions and relationships among different communities in Singapore that
students can use to compare two or more groups of people.
o Similarities: similarity can be established in terms of similar aspects of life.
o Difference: difference can be established in terms of different aspects of life.
o Different people in Singapore
c. Purpose
focused in their learning.
Understanding the inquiry

question to enable students
to understand the question
demands, and areas that
they need to focus on for
the inquiry.
Explaining of key terms to
help students to better
understand
the
wider
historical
concept
of
diversity and the historical
skill of compare and
contrast.
Direct Instruction: Think Like a Historian (5 min)
Teacher explains to students the concept of Diversity in Think Like a Historian Part 1.
Teacher can get students to identify what common criteria they can think of to compare
among themselves or among classes in the school. This is to use real life to evoke
9
To
develop
students
understanding about the
historical
concept
of

students realisation that common criteria are used in their lives and to transfer this
understanding to the historical context they are are studying.
Expected Students Responses:
o Differentiation by interest (e.g. Korean pop, Japanese pop)
o Differentiation by CCAs
o
c. Purpose
Diversity and the need to
establish
criteria
for
effective comparison.
Think Like a Historian (Diversity) (20 Min).
The teacher may refer to the set of criteria presented on Pg. 142 of the coursebook to
explain to the students that effective comparison requires common criteria by showing
how criteria provides a common setting for students to determine if there are similarities
or differences among different peoples experiences.
The teacher can make use of a Venn diagram to illustrate how two sources can be
compared and to show intersecting similarities based on a common criteria. The teacher
explicitly discusses about the types of information that go into the circles and the
intersection of the circles. Then the teacher guides students through the process by
having them tell the teacher what information is to be inserted into the correct spaces of
the Venn diagram. This activity may be carried out by the students in class or if time
does not permit, complete as a homework
Using the information provided in Activity 1, the teacher can show the similarity in the
perceptions of Low Cheng Gin and Palanivelu Natesan towards life in Singapore.
Whereas, William Hornaday had a difference perception of what life was like in
Singapore.
Different
information
from each
source
10
Similarities in the
information
extracted from
two sources
based on a
common criteria
Activity provides opportunity

for self-directed learning as
students have to apply their
historical
skills
and
knowledge to complete the
Venn Diagram. It also
promotes
collaborative
learning as students are
required to discuss their
ideas before coming to a
conclusion as to what are to
be presented.
c. Purpose
Group Activity: How was life different for the various people in colonial Singapore
before World War Two? (20 min)
Conclusion and Look Ahead

to next lesson (5 min)
Teacher then directs students to the next section of the coursebook to begin reading
about the various communities . Students should be able to read both sections on the
Colonial Town Centre and the Singapore River. They will also be given time to examine
the various sources found in sections 1 and 2 from Sources 4- 20 in the coursebook.
Students will each receive a copy of Handout 4.1B. Students will use Handout 4.1B to
fill their responses on their understanding of the sources they examined in sections 1 and
2. Teacher can model for students, especially low progress learners, how to fill in one
row of the template using some of the sources.
The completed table can put displayed on the class noticeboard. One or two
groups of students can be invited to come forward to share their findings.
Summary and 3-2-1 Activity (5 min)
After students engage with the sections on the Colonial Town Centre and the Singapore
River, ask them to answer the following questions in Handout 4.1C:
Three things that you learnt about the experiences of the people living around the
Singapore River and the Colonial Town Centre areas.
Two more things that you want to find out about the communities living in
Singapore.
One question that you have or one thing that you are unsure regarding what you
have learnt in this lesson.
The teacher then gets some students to present their responses to the 3-2-1 Activity
11
3-2-1 Acitivity Cards are

used to summarise and
consolidate
students
learning and to provide
opportunity for students to
raise questions.

(Handout 4.1C) to check the students understandings.
Teacher collects the 3-2-1 Activity Cards, and ends the lesson by summarising key
learning points.
Remind students who have not completed Handout 4.1B to do it as homework
12
c. Purpose
Handout 4.1A: Question Analysis Cards
Understanding the Inquiry Questio
What are the different aspects of life that

Whatwe
time
canperiod
examine?
are we looking at if it is th
How was life different for the various people in colonial Si
What were the differences and similarities in the way people lived in Singapore
Who were
before
the differen
World
Understanding the Inquiry Questio
What are the different aspects of life that

Whatwe
time
canperiod
examine?
are we looking at if it is th
How was life different for the various people in colonial Si
What were the differences and similarities in the way people lived in Singapore
Who were
before
the differen
World
13
Handout 4.1B: Graphic Organiser Compare and Contrast Matrix
How similar or different were the experiences of the various communities who lived and work at the Singapore River and the Colonial Town
Centre?
Common criteria for Comparison
Similarities
Differences
Eg. Occupations
Eg. Both areas had a large number of wealthy

merchants who set up their businesses there.
14
The colonial town centre had a large number of

British government officials whose offices are
located along High Street. The Singapore River
on the other hand had many labourers and
lightermen who helped in the loading and
unloading of goods from the ships.

Handout 4.1C: 3-2-1 Activity Cards
Reflection
Time
Reflection
Time
CHAPTER 4 LESSON 2
Describe three things that you learnt about the experiences of the people living around the Singapore River and the Colonial Town Cen
Lesson Focus:
Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the experiences and lives of the European and the Chinese communities.
Lesson Duration:
Name two more things that you want to find out about the communities living in Singapore.
Name twoLesson
more Objectives
things that you
want to
find out about the communities living in Singapore.
Historical
Content
List one question that you have or
thing
that you
are unsure
regarding
what you
learnt among
in thisthe
lesson.
one
The living
conditions,
leisure
and entertainment,
employment
andhave
relationships
various communities in the
List one question that you have or one thing that you are unsure regarding what you have learnt in this lesson.
following areas of colonial Singapore before World War Two:
o
o
o
The Singapore River

The Colonial Town Centre
Chinese Kampong

i. Community
ii. Pastimes
Reflection
iii. Living conditions
Time
Reflection Time
Describe three things that you learnt about the experiences of the people living around the Singapore River and the Colonial Town Cen
Key
Historical
Concept
Describe three things that you
learnt
about
the experiences of the people living around the Singapore River and the Colonial Town Cen
Students will be able to understand the historical concept of Diversity:
i.
peoplefind
lead different
lives and communities
have different experiences
when they lived in the same place during the same
Name
livingin
ineven
Singapore.
Name two
two more
more things
things that
that you
you want
want to
to find out
out about
about the
the communities living
Singapore.
period in history.
ii.
List
List one
one question
question that
that you
you have
have or
or one
one thing
thing that
that you
you are
are unsure
unsure regarding
regarding what
what you
you have
have learnt
learnt in
in this
this lesson.
lesson.
iii.
15
Historical Skills
Students will be able to:
i. Compare and contrast the differences and similarities found within and across different historical evidence.
ii. Identify common areas of comparison between the Europeans and Chinese.
iii. Consolidate information from the source to formulate responses to the inquiry question on how different was life for the
various people in colonial Singapore before World War Two.
i. Information and Communication Skills - Students will need to identify and locate the relevant information needed to
make comparisons between the different communities and their way of life.
ii. Critical and Inventive Thinking - Students are given the opportunity to manage complex information and ambiguities
inherent in the perspectives as they analyse sources that offer diverse viewpoints.
iii. Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross Cultural Skills Students gain awareness of the diverse cultural
backgrounds of the people living in Singapore and to seek to understand these communities with different ideas and
perspectives.
Resources
Content
i.
Introduction to the idea of using common criteria for making valid comparison.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Handout 4.2A: Graphic Organiser

Handout 4.2B: Source Worksheet
Coursebook pg. 140-143
Unit 2 Source kit items
o Item 1: News report of the Commission for Chinese Labourers. 1876
o Item 2: Settlements currency minted during the reign of King George V (1910 - 1936) and King George VI
(1936-1952)
o Item 3: Promissiory Note between English civil servants and a Chettiar
o Item 4: Letter from Plaintiff regarding Chinese remittances dated 1910
o Item 5: Letter of employment for a Chinese teacher dated 1835
16
17


Recap (5 min)
Teacher selects 3 students to share their learning points about what they have learnt in
the previous lesson. The teacher can also clarify any doubts that are presented by the
students as well as any questions that the class might want to raise.
Hook Activity (10 min)
Teacher links the recap to a short video documentary of colonial Singapore entitled
Singapore, Crossroads of the East from online at http://www.globalimageworks.com.
The teacher should start the video documentary from 2.30min to 5.35min. Teachers can
use this online video to ask students about their understanding of the aspects of life of
various people in Singapore presented in the video and what the experiences of the
people were probably like as it was presented in the video
Teacher can focus on the experiences of the people featured in the documentary.
Teacher gets students to do a Think-Pair-Share on the following questions:

o What have you learnt about the lives of the immigrants in Singapore?
o Based on the video, how did the lives of the people vary from one another?
o How far did the groups of people in Singapore share in similar events or activities?
Teacher sets the key learning objectives for the lesson, and situates the lesson within
the chapter inquiry.
c. Purpose
Recap to reinforce students
learning
Hook activity to stimulate

students interest in the
experiences of the people
who lived in colonial
Singapore during the early
20th century.
Setting of learning objective

to focus students learning
and promote self-monitoring
of learning.
Teacher explains to students that in order to ascertain Diversity, there needs to be a

common criterion for comparison. Teacher can illustrate common criterion using
examples from daily life e.g. students views towards their favourite books or television
shows, and how categories such as the personality of characters can be used as
common criteria for comparison. Teacher elicits students responses as to the common
criteria that could be used for the inquiry:
18
To
develop
students
understanding
of
the
historical
concept
of
Diversity
To provide context for the

i.
Living Conditions
ii.
Employment
iii.
iv.
Relationships among different communities in Singapore
c. Purpose
comparison of different
communities in Singapore.
Source Analysis: The European and Chinese Communities in Singapore before World
War Two (35 min)
Use of Source Kit items to

provide students with a
multi-sensory
learning
Teacher recaps with students over the European and Chinese communities that they
experience, and to develop
have read so far. Using the four common criteria, students are told to write down points
students source analysis
on each of the common criteria and compare the two communities together.
skills through extracting
relevant information from
Source Kit
sources andofcomparing
Teachers can use the items in the Source Kit to complement and enhance students the
understanding
the
of
source
information.
lives of the people in Singapore.
o
Item 1: News report of the Commission for Chinese Labourers. 1876.

the source to get students to understand the difficulties of life for the coolie labourers during
the 19th Century. This will help them contextualise what they read about the Chinese
community living along Kreta Ayer especially in terms of housing, leisure and entertainment.
Item 2: Settlements currency minted during the reign of King George V (1910 - 1936)
and King George VI (1936-1952). This source should be used in context with the other
sources that state a monetary income. For example, item 5 is useful to students to estimate
the monthly wages of the various occupations. They can also pay attention to the price of
some of the goods that were featured in the advertisements on page 147 of the coursebook.
Item 3: Promissory Note between British officials and Chettiar. This note highlights the
complex relationships of the different races and how they interact with each other. While the
British were rulers of the island, they had to depend on the Asian immigrants to provide them
with financial services, not just as menial labourers.
Item 4: Letter from Plaintiff regarding Chinese remittance owners in the 1900s
source is important as evidence to show the amount of money being transferred back to China
by the immigrants. It provides students with the understanding of how much money was being
19

c. Purpose
remitted back to China. They can infer about the experiences of the Chinese merchants and
what the legal document tells about their way of life.
o
Item 5: Letter of employment for a Chinese teacher dated 1835. This short notice helps
put the cost of items in perspective. Comparisons can be made between the salary of the
teacher to the goods advertised on page 147 of the coursebook so that students understand
the value of money during the 19 th and early 20th century colonial Singapore. This will help
them determine the life experiences of various people in Singapore based on what they
probably earn in different occupations.
The teacher will proceed to help students recap on how to examine sources to
understand historical events in Chapter 1. Teacher will guide students on the use of the
source kit with the following steps:
o The teacher will introduce the source items to the students by laying them out on a
table and inviting groups to come forward to examine the sources.
o Based on the quantity of source kits available, the teacher will either have students
look at a variety of sources listed above or different groups to look at separate
sources. Using the Source Worksheet (Handout 4.2B), students will fill in their
examination of the sources and discuss among themselves about any differences
in their answers.
Teacher is to guide students to the following understandings:

o That there was interaction among the different races in Singapore.
o There was a distinction between the wealthy Europeans and Asians from the other
community groups especially in terms of occupation and living conditions.
o The different groups of people lived predominantly in separate areas but there
were a comfortable mix of other racial communities within these areas.
o Teachers can get students to read the sources found in the coursebook and use
the source information to fill in the relevant portion of the graphic organiser
(Handout 4.2A) at this point.
Teachers can model for students, especially low progress learners, how to fill in the
graphic organiser. Teachers can also provide guiding phrases and words to enable
them to fill in the template.
Extension (Optional)
20

The Source Kit contains rich materials that could be used to support various lesson ideas.
Below is an example of a possible extension activity to support the History Investigation for
Unit 2.
c. Purpose
Source Kit item to provide
students with a multisensory
learning
experience, and to develop
Source Kit
students source analysis
Teacher can use the Source Kit items to enhance students understanding about the different pastimes and
skills through extracting
other aspects of life that people experiences in colonial Singapore before World War Two.
relevant information from
the sources
and comparing
Unit 2 Item 8 Photographs on different entertainment activities and leisure activities
that were
of source
prevalent during the 19th to early 20th centuries: Teacher can get students to examine the
sourcesinformation.
and
pose the following guiding questions:
o What forms of entertainment activities can you identify?
o What do these sources tell you about the reasons why people participate and attend entertainment
activities?
The teacher can also begin to introduce the students to think about leisure activities
enjoyed by people in colonial Singapore before World War Two by showing them
photographs of the different forms of pastimes.
This activity can be a prelude to the understanding of the Historical Investigation that the
students will do at the end of Unit 2.
The teacher can provide suggestions to the students on how they should go about
researching more about these leisure activities by introducing them to online research
portals such as the a2o.com.sg and sgcool.com websites.
Summary and Q&A Mix-up (10 min)

Conclusion and Look Ahead
to next lesson (10 min)
Teacher will get the students to write questions and corresponding answers about what
they have learnt on separate cards.
The teacher does a brief check of the answers before randomly distributing the answer
cards to the students so that each student will end up with different answers but still
holding onto their question that they have written.
21
To check for understanding.

The teacher will invite two or three students to ask the question in their hand to the class.
Students who think they have the answer to the question can raise their hands. The
teacher will call on these students to read out the answers. The teacher will proceed to
clarify should students not have the appropriate answer to the question.
Alternatively, the teacher can prepare some questions and answers in anticipation that
the students might not ask questions.
Teacher then sums up key learning points, and informs students that they will be learning
more about peoples experiences in Singapore before World War Two next lesson.
22
c. Purpose

How similar or different were the experiences of the various communities in Singapore during the 19 th to early 20th Centuries
Common criteria for Comparison
Similarities
Employment
Living Conditions
Relationships among the communities

in Singapore
23
Differences
Handout 4.2B:
Source Worksheet
Type of Source: ___________________________
Title of source: ___________________________________________________________
Date of source: _________________
Author/Creator of source: ________________________ Occupation/Title: ____________
For whom the source was created for: __________________________________________
List three things the author said (or that you notice) that you think are important that will help
you address the inquiry topic:
1)__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2)__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3)__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
What aspect(s) of life are highlighted in the source?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
24
CHAPTER 4 LESSON 3
Lesson Focus:
Lesson Duration:
Lesson Objectives
Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the experiences and lives of the Indian, Malay, Arab and Bugis communities.
Historical Content
The living conditions, leisure and entertainment, employment and relationships among various communities in the
following areas of colonial Singapore before World War Two.
o
o
Serangoon
Kampong Gelam (Glam)

Community
Pastimes
Living conditions

Students will be able to understand the historical concept of Diversity
people lead different lives and have different experiences even when they lived in the same place during the same
period in history.
25
Historical Skills
Students are to:
i. Compare and contrast the differences and similarities found within and across different historical evidence.
ii.
Record and organise information from a range of accounts to explain the relative significance of the contributions of
the different communities to the social and economic development of Singapore in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
iii.
Identify and describe the similarities and difference on the different aspects of life experienced by the different groups
of people.
iv.
Consolidate information from the sources to formulate responses to the inquiry question on how different was life for
various people in colonial Singapore.

i. Information and Communication Skills - students will need to identify and locate the relevant information needed to
inform their perspectives on the aspects of life for different people living in communities in colonial Singapore.
ii. Critical and Inventive Thinking - students are given the opportunity to manage complex information and ambiguities
inherent in the perspectives as they analyse sources that offer diverse viewpoints on the way of life for different
communities.
26
Content
i.
Resources
Introduction to the idea of using common criteria for making valid comparison.
i. Handout 4.3A: Graphic organiser on the historical skill of compare and contrast of sources
ii. Handout 4.3B: 3-2-1 Activity Cards
iii. Coursebook: Chapter Task (Part1)Pg.172-173
27

Main activity (60 min)

Teacher links the recap to the lesson focus on the aspects of life experienced by the different
communities before World War Two.
Using a short video from OPAL entitled Changing Times: Kampong Glam/ Geylang Serai and/or
Serangoon, the teacher can introduce Kampong Gelam and/or Serangoon to the students and
ask them highlight similarities and differences in the ways of life portrayed in the video to the
communities they have learnt about in the previous lesson.
Teacher should also highlight to students that different people would have different life
experiences because of culture, occupations and social ties with other groups of people.
Teacher outlines the lesson objectives, and situates the lesson within the chapter inquiry by
emphasising the fact that students should think beyond making comparisons between and among
different communities and look at how various people in each community also had different life
experiences based on the different aspects of life provided in the Think Like a Historian section on
pg. 142 of the coursebook.

Teacher recaps to students that in order to determine how similar or different was the lives of the
various groups of immigrants, there needs to be a common criterion for comparison. Teacher can
illustrate common criterion using examples from daily life that students can easily relate to e.g.
students views towards their favourite books or television shows, and how categories such as the
personality of characters can be used as common criterion for comparison. Teacher elicits
students responses as to the common criteria that could be used for the inquiry:
Relate the discussion to pg.172 of the coursebook and discuss how these aspects of life can be
used to determine if the lives of the people living in colonial Singapore ware largely the same or
different.
28
c. Purpose
Hook
activity
to
stimulate
students
interest
Setting of learning
objective to focus
students
learning
and promote selfmonitoring
of
learning.
c. Purpose
Student Group Activity: Checking for Prior Understanding (15 min)

Using the graphic organiser on pg. 170 of the coursebook, students are directed to fill in
the blanks for Serangoon and Kampong Gelam based on what they have learnt. This
would be an appropriate time for the teacher to check on students knowledge and
comprehension of the previous lessons as they fill in the blanks for the European,
Chinese, Malay and Indian communities in pairs or in groups.
Class Discussion: The similarities and differences in aspects of peoples lives in the Malay
and Indian communities (40 min)
Teacher will lead a class discussion to consolidate students learning. Teacher can pose the
following questions to the students, and write the responses on the board:
o How would you describe the lives of the people (with reference to the sources that they have
studied)?
o How do you think their experiences might have accounted for the different life experiences
they led in colonial Singapore?
Teacher can re-visit the section on Think Like a Historian on pg. 142-143 to emphasise the need
for comparison using common criteria to explain similarities and differences in the lives of the
various people in Singapore.
Teacher to guide students to the following understandings:

o That there were differences in the lives led by people within their own communities; and
o There were common experiences where people from different communities met and
interacted with each other. They also shared common interests.
Using Handout 4.3A, the teacher can get students to practise on what they learnt about the
concept of diversity by engaging the students in reviewing the similarities and differences of the
29
Class discussion to
stimulate
students
thinking and to guide
students to the key
learning points of the
role-play activity.

various communities in colonial Singapore and to examine a further breakdown of the criteria to
specific aspects of life eg. occupation, housing etc.
The teacher will proceed to explain to the class how the handout should be completed and what
information should the students be looking out for. The class will be divided into groups of 6 to do
the activity
Within the group, the students will be sub-divided into three students and be tasked to research
on either the Malay or Indian community and the aspects of life that people within these
communities experienced in the 19th and early 20th centuries through the use of the coursebook
and the sources listed in pages 171 to 183.
After 15 minutes, the teacher shall ask the group to stop their research and gather together to
share their findings with each other. Based on the summary of their conclusions, groups will
collate the information. This can be done as part of the homework assigned to the group archivist
and leader.
c. Purpose
Extension: (optional)
Students can read more from the oral interviews of people who lived in Singapore before World
War Two. The transcripts for these accounts can be downloaded from the National Archives of
Singapore website. For example,
http://drm.a2o.nas.sg/DJVUServer/PdfStampServlet?
app=cord_data&filepath=1081/OHC001081_001.pdf
The teacher will inform the class that their reading of the transcript should be completed in
silence. All communication is done in writing. Students should be told that they will have time to
speak in pairs and in the large groups later. Go over all of the instructions at the beginning so that
they do not ask questions during the activity. Also, before the activity starts, the teacher should
ask students if they have questions, to minimize the chance that students will interrupt the silence
once it has begun. You can also remind students of their task as they begin each new step.
30
Extension activity to
deepen students
understanding of
peoples life
experiences during
colonial Singapore. It
also serves to
provide an authentic
learning experience

Each group receives a sheet of butcher paper and each student a marker. The groups read the
oral interview text in silence. After students have read, they are to comment on the text, and ask
questions by writing these on the butcher paper. The teacher can determine the length of this
step, but it should be at least 15 minutes.
Some questions are provided as examples below.

o
o
o
c. Purpose
by enabling students
to connect with
people who had lived
in colonial Singapore
before World War
Two.
How would you describe Mdm Tays experiences when she moved from China to settle in
Singapore? Were there any changes to her life?
What do you think was Mdm Tays opinion towards her new life in Singapore compared to
her previous lifestyle in China?
Which areas did Mdm Tay refer to when she compared her life in Singapore to her previous
lifestyle in China?
Summary and 3-2-1 Activity Cards (10 Min)

Conclusion and Look
Ahead to next lesson (5
min)
After students engage with the sections on Serangoon and Kampong Gelam, ask them to answer
the following questions in (Handout 4.3B):
o Three things that you learnt about the communities living around the Serangoon and the
Kampong Gelam in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
o Two more things that you want to find out about the communities living in Singapore.
o One question that you have or one thing that you are unsure of regarding what you have
learnt in this lesson.
Teacher collects the 3-2-1 Activity Cards, and ends the lesson by summarising key learning
points.
Teacher can use students responses to determine what the students have learnt during the
lesson and from the activities they carried out. 3-2-1 responses can help teacher to identify areas
of the topic that may need to be reviewed again or concepts or activities that hold special interest
31
Exit Cards to
summarise and
consolidate students
learning and to
provide opportunity
for students to raise
questions.

Compare and Contrast

for students.
c. Purpose
What are the communities(s) you are investigating?
List the various groups and people that are members of that community and circle the one that
you are recording on this page (use additional pages to record information on others).
Describe their position/role in society.
Evidence?
How is their position/role similar or different

from another community living in colonial
Singapore?
Evidence?
32
Comparing the communities you have studied, what aspects of life were different for them?
(Some examples might include recreation, occupations, housing, living conditions etc.)
How do you think the lives of the people within these communities would be influenced by the
aspect of life you described above?
Handout 4.3A: Graphic Organiser Compare and Contrast
33
Handout 4.3B: Exit Cards
Reflection Time
Reflection Time
Describe three things that you learnt about the experiences of the people
living around
Serangoon
and
the about
Kampong
Describe
threethe
things
that you
learnt
the Gelam
experiences of the people living around the Serangoon
and the Kampong Gelam
Name two more things that you want to find out about the communities living in Singapore.
Name two more things that you want to find out about
the communities living in Singapore.
List one question that you have or one thing that you are unsure regarding what you have learnt in this lesson.
Reflection Time
List one question that you have or one thing that you are
unsure regarding what you have learnt in this lesson.
Reflection Time
Describe three things that you learnt about the

Describe three things that you learnt about the

34
CHAPTER 4 LESSON 4
Lesson Focus:
Completing the Inquiry: Understanding the similarities and differences in the lives of the people in colonial Singapore and
consolidation of the chapter inquiry.
Lesson Duration:
Lesson Objectives
Historical Content
Experiences of the various people in colonial Singapore
Living Conditions
o Sanitation
o Housing
Employment
o Types of jobs
o Activities
Relationships among different communities in various areas of colonial Singapore.
The living conditions, leisure and entertainment, employment and relationships among different communities in different
areas of colonial Singapore before World War Two.

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Singapore River
Colonial Town
Chinese Kampong
Serangoon
Kampong Gelam
Geylang Serai
Katong
35

i.
ii.
iii.
Community
Pastimes
Living conditions

Students will be able to understand the historical concept of Diversity
i.
people lead different lives and have different experiences even when they lived in the same place during the same period
in history.
ii.
iii.
Historical Skills
Students are to:
compare and contrast the differences and similarities found within and across different historical evidence.
record and organise information from a range of accounts to explain the relative significance of the contributions of the
different communities to the social and economic development of Singapore in the 19th century.
identify and describe the similarities and differences on the different aspects of life experienced by the different groups of
people.
36
i. Information and Communication Skills Students will need to identify and locate the relevant information needed to inform
their perspectives on the aspects of life for different people living in communities in colonial Singapore.
ii. Critical and Inventive Thinking During the group activity, students are given the opportunity to manage complex
information and ambiguities inherent in the perspectives as they analyse sources that offer diverse viewpoints by examining
the experiences of the various groups of people they have studied.
Content
i. Introduction to the idea of using common criteria for making valid comparison.
Resources
i.
ii.
iii.
Handout 4.4A: Compare and Contrast From Newspapers to History Texts

Handout 4.4B: Graphic Organiser
Coursebook : Think Like a Historian pg. 194-196; Chapter Task pg. 196; Chapter Review pg. 197
37


Recap (5 min)
c. Purpose
Recap to reinforce students
learning.
Teacher verbally recaps the key learning points from the previous lesson and to clarify doubts
based on the questions in the exit cards from lesson 3 regarding the communities living in
Serangoon and the Kampong Gelam areas.
Hook activity to stimulate
students interest.
Teacher leads students to the final section of the inquiry by using a newspaper clipping about
the Eurasians in 1939 (http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Page/straitstimes193902131.1.15.aspx). Teacher can elicit students responses using the following questions on the
source:
o What does the writer of the news article say about Eurasians?
o Does the information from the newspaper agree with what you read about the Eurasians
on pages 188-192 of the coursebook?
The students will be divided into groups of four and asked to examine sources 75-82. The
group leader is expected to assign two sources to each student in the group.
After 5 minutes, student speakers from some of the groups can be invited to present their
findings in comparison to what they have read from the newspaper article.
Guiding questions to focus

students attention on the
relevant details in the quote,
and to scaffold students
understanding of the source.
This in turn enables students
to draw connections between
the quote and inquiry.
Expected students responses:

o
o
Similarities: The community spoke English and were mainly Christians.

Differences: Newspaper claims that Eurasians were poor and did not have a high social
38
Setting of learning objective

to focus students learning

status in Singapore.
c. Purpose
and promote self-monitoring
of learning.
Teacher introduces the lesson objective to students, and situates the lesson within the inquiry
by asking students to describe the differences in the lifestyles of the Eurasians. The teacher
will help students sum up their findings by telling them that they should be aware that the
lives of the people from within the same group of people can be very different. However, they
might still enjoy the same cultural events, activities and pastimes.
Direct Instruction: The development of Geylang Serai as an enclave for the larger Malay
community and Katong as an enclave for Eurasians and Peranakans (10 min)
The teacher will inform students how the economic development of Singapore led to the
influx of different groups of people. This resulted in intermarriages among different groups of
people and they began to form their own distinct communities in Singapore.
Using the sources on pages 184 to 193, the teacher can point out how the different
communities incorporated some of the cultural practices of the different communities their
parents belonged to in order to form a unique culture of their own.
Group Activity: Identifying differences and similarities within a community. (20 min)
Using computers and Handout 4.4A, students will begin to find out more about the Eurasian
community and contrast their information to the newspaper article that they have read as part
of the hook activity and proceed to discuss the common points of information they have
selected from the article and whether it agrees or disagrees with what they have found out
during their research.
39
To provide context for

students to draw connections
between
the
Chinese
Peranakan and the Eurasian
communities to compare for
similarities or differences.
Group work to promote

collaborative learning as
students are given the
opportunity to share and
discuss ideas based on the
concept of diversity within a
community.
c. Purpose
The students can use the criteria provided on page 142 of the coursebook as guiding points
for their research.
Students will then collate their answers on Handout 4.4A and two students from each group
will be selected from different groups to present their finding to the class. The class can ask
questions about their comparisons to determine if the group has correctly identified common
criteria for comparison.
Consolidation (20 min)
Teacher provides students with the following instructions:

o Every group is to work on sources 75-82 in the coursebook and use Handout 4.4B.
o Every group will record their findings in their graphic organisers (Handout 4.4B), and one
group will be chosen to present their answers.
o Students who are listening may add additional points or disagree with the findings of the
presenters. The teacher will have to bear in mind that students should identify the
common area of comparison before the comparison is considered valid.
Teacher will serve as a facilitator during the group activity. Teacher can provide additional
scaffolding questions for low progress learners in analysing the sources. The teacher can ask
questions such as,
o Does the source depict a house typical of a certain community? Or does the source
depict a certain occupation or lifestyle?
o Who is the community that is being featured in the source?
o From the way the people are dressed or the work they are doing? What was life like for
them?
40

o Does the source agree with or is different from the description of the community in the
coursebook?
o What is different or similar about the source and what is described about the community
in the main text?
o What the people are doing in the photograph and what is described about the
communitys main occupations?
c. Purpose
Teacher can also model for students how to complete one column of the graphic organiser.
This will apply especially for low progress learners.
Briefing on End Product (5 min)

Conclusion (10 min)
Teacher informs students that they will have to apply what they have learnt about
comparison, as well as the content in the inquiry to their end-product. Students are to create
a newspaper article that features a short write-up on similarities and differences in the
lifestyles of the different communities in Singapore before World War Two. Teacher is to
ensure that students have at least 3 days to complete the newspaper feature. Students are
encouraged to use the information that they collected and written in the table provided in the
Think Like a Historian Section on Pg. 194-196 as a guide to organise their points for the
newspaper feature.
Teacher can also get students to complete the Chapter Review on pg. 197 to recap what they
have learnt.
Teacher then verbally sums up the key learning points, and situates students learning within
the wider unit inquiry of how peoples lives in Singapore were different.
Link to Unit Inquiry (5 min)
Teacher helps students to see connection between chapter 3 and chapter 4 inquiry
41
To ensure that students are

clear about the expectations
and learning outcomes of the
end-product.
Recap to consolidate and

reinforce students learning
To enable students to draw
the connections between the
chapter inquiry and the unit
inquiry
c. Purpose
questions and the Unit inquiry question Life in Colonial Singapore: Was It the Same
for Everyone? By showing the link between the two inquiry questions, the teacher will To
ensure that the students are aware that chapter 3 and chapter 4 are not mutually exclusive
topics. Students will be able to comprehend that if people were forced to come to Singapore
due to adverse circumstances in their countries of origin, their lives and experiences in
Singapore would probably be very different from people who were attracted to come to
Singapore because of the opportunities available during the 19th to early 20 centuries.
The teacher can draw the following links between the chapter inquiries to the unit inquiry:
o
o
o
Why did people come to Singapore before World War Two? Why did people leave their
homelands and why were they attracted to Singapore?
How was life different for the various people in colonial Singapore before World War
Two? Since many people came to Singapore hoping for a better life, did everyone see
similar improvement to their lives in Singapore?
How would the lives of the people who came to colonial Singapore before World War Two
be different compared with those who were attracted to come to colonial Singapore
before World War Two?
42
enable students to
understand the connections
between the unit and the
chapter inquiries.
Handout 4.4A: Compare and Contrast From Newspapers to History Texts

Newspaper Source: http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Page/straitstimes193902131.1.15.aspx
Instructions: Your task will be to identify and describe aspects of similarities and differences
in the lives of the Eurasians by comparing the information in the news article in 1939 to what
you have researched about the Eurasian community in the past from websites and history
books.
First read and examine the news article provided online, and then find more recent articles,
books or online resources about the history of the Eurasian community in Singapore during
the early 20th century. Use the information you gathered to answer the questions below.
What is the opinion of the author about the Eurasians in Singapore?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
List three points of information about the lives of the Eurasian community that the author
talked about in the news article.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Based on your research on the Eurasian community, describe whether the information you
have collected agrees or disagrees with the three points of information you have listed
above.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
43
Handout 4.4B: Graphic Organiser Compare and Contrast Matrix
How similar or different were the experiences of the various communities in Singapore during the 19th to early 20th Centuries
Common criteria for
Comparison
Europeans
Chinese
Indians
Employment
Leisure and
Entertainment
Living Conditions
Relationships among
the communities in
Singapore
44
Malays
Eurasians
ChinesePeranakans

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LOWER SECONDARY HISTORY INQUIRY LESSON PACKAGE

Unit 2 Life in Colonial Singapore: Was It the Same for Everyone?

Chapter 3 (8 periods x 35 minutes)

Rationale for this

Mass migration in the 19th Century why did it happen?

Reasons for coming to Singapore

*Optional and non-examinable for Normal (Academic)

Key Content Concepts

Key Historical Concept

Key Historical Concept

causes are reasons for a subsequent action or event

people lead different lives and have different

21st Century Competencies

21st Century Competencies

1. Lesson 1 - Introducing the Inquiry: Understanding what

1. Lesson 1 - Introducing the Inquiry: Understanding what

2. Lesson 2 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding

2. Lesson 2 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the

3. Lesson 3 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the

3. Lesson 3 - Developing the Inquiry: Understanding the

4. Lesson 4 - Completing the Inquiry: Understanding the

4. Lesson 4 - Completing the Inquiry: Understanding the

Students are to produce an information sheet for a group

Students are to produce a special feature article to celebrate

Students will be able to:

a. Process & Duration

b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

End Product (5 min)

Example of expected students responses:

Guiding questions serve to

Briefing on End Product (5 min)

a. Process & Duration

b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

Class Discussion: Understanding the Inquiry Question (10 min)

Teacher helps students to understand the demands of the inquiry question by

Main Activity (45 min)

Teacher guides students to the following understandings:

Understanding the inquiry

Direct Instruction: Think Like a Historian (5 min)

a. Process & Duration

b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

Think Like a Historian (Diversity) (20 Min).

Activity provides opportunity

a. Process & Duration

b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

Conclusion and Look Ahead

Summary and 3-2-1 Activity (5 min)

3-2-1 Acitivity Cards are

a. Process & Duration

b. Learning Activities and Outcomes

Remind students who have not completed Handout 4.1B to do it as homework

Handout 4.1A: Question Analysis Cards

Understanding the Inquiry Questio

What are the different aspects of life that

How was life different for the various people in colonial Si

Understanding the Inquiry Questio

What are the different aspects of life that

How was life different for the various people in colonial Si

Handout 4.1B: Graphic Organiser Compare and Contrast Matrix

Eg. Both areas had a large number of wealthy

The colonial town centre had a large number of

The Singapore River

Key Content Concepts