Home-Based Learning

As the lower secondary students embark on the journey of learning more about Singapore’s rich history from 1299 to the 1970s, four informative videos have been selected for this Blended Learning Package from the vast collection of the National Library, with an aim to pique their interest in history through providing specially curated resources to make their learning more interesting and engaging.

The four selected videos from the National Library’s From the Stacks collection featured letters, documents, newspapers and a map written or printed during a particular period in the history of Singapore:

1. Chart of a Skirmish between the Dutch and the Portuguese in the Johor River – from 1606, during the era of the Johor Sultanate

2. Letters from Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles to Lord Lansdowne – from the 1820s, after the British established a trading post in Singapore

3. Collection of Business Documents on the Seletar Rubber Estates Limited – from 1909 to 1921, when Singapore became a major processor and exporter of rubber

4. The Syonan Shimbun – from 1942 to 1945, during the Japanese Occupation

There is also a Kahoot! Challenge quiz for each video, to ensure that the student’s learning experience has been fruitful.

From the Stacks is a collection of exclusive videos highlighting rare materials of historical significance in the National Library’s collection.

Please visit these websites for more e-resources from the National Library and the National Archives: The National Library Board e-Resources (https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/main/) and Archives Online

ABOUT THIS VIDEO

Senior librarian Ong Eng Chuan takes a look at Letters from Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles to Lord Lansdowne, written between 1820 and 1823 to garner support for Raffles’s efforts to secure Singapore as a British trading base in the Malay Archipelago. The letters offer a valuable first-hand account of Singapore in its early days as a British settlement and how it was already becoming an important commercial port, with over 100 ships sailing in to trade.

WATCH

Watch this video before you attempt the quiz below:

QUIZ

Try the Kahoot! Challenge quiz.

EXPLORE

Explore the publications and documents about Stamford Raffles from the NLB Book SG website.

ABOUT THIS VIDEO

Librarian Lee Meiyu and archivist Fiona Tan present "The Syonan Shimbun", an English newspaper published during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. Together with its Chinese imprint 昭南日报”Zhaonan Ribao", it was integral to the dissemination of news and information about Japanese rule and culture across Japanese-occupied Malaya. It carried official notices, wartime propaganda and price lists of essential goods. Today, it serves as a historic record of the suffering that people went through during the Japanese Occupation.

WATCH

Watch this video before you attempt the quiz below:

QUIZ

Try the Kahoot! Challenge quiz.

EXPLORE

• Visit the Newspaper SG website, and read the first issue of the Syonan Shimbun.. You can view the thumbnail for the first page here.
• Watch this video from The News Gallery for an analysis of how the Fall of Singapore was reported in the Syonan Shimbun and other newspapers.

ABOUT THIS VIDEO

What do sleepy Sembawang Road shophouses have to do with London’s hot international stock markets? The answer: “ulu” rubber plantations. In the mid-1890s, Henry Ridley, director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, persuaded Chinese merchant Tan Chay Yan to start planting rubber on a commercial scale. This inspired another businessman, Tan Kah Kee, to grow rubber plants along with his pineapples in his estate in Selatar. Explore the Seletar Rubber Estates with Senior Librarian Timothy Pwee through our collection of business documents and letters.

WATCH

Watch this video before you attempt the quiz below:

QUIZ

Try the Kahoot! Challenge quiz.

EXPLORE

Read more about Tan Chay Yan and Tan Kah Kee at our Infopedia website.

ABOUT THIS VIDEO

Senior librarian Makeswary Periasamy introduces "Contrafactur des Scharmutz els der Hollender wider die Portigesen in dem Flus Balusabar", also known as Chart of a Skirmish between the Dutch and the Portuguese in the Johor River. It is a 1606 schematic sketch that vividly depicts the battle between the Portuguese and the Dutch from 6 to 11 Oct 1603, fought off the southeastern coast of Singapore at the Johor River.

Published by the De Bry Family, a well-known family of cartographers, engravers and publishers, it affirms the strategic importance of the Singapore Strait in providing access to the lucrative east-west maritime trade routes. From the Stacks is a collection of exclusive videos highlighting rare materials of historical significance in the National Library’s collection.

WATCH

Watch this video before you attempt the quiz below:

QUIZ

• Try the Kahoot! Challenge quiz.

EXPLORE

• Read more about this map here.

In this video, learn how to access useful digital resources by the National Library and National Archives of Singapore. These resources are suitable for both teachers and students for various subjects.

Chinese New Year is a time when age-old superstitions are observed by households as festive customs and traditions. Superstitions add colour and flavour to the festive celebrations. However, have you ever wondered about the significance of these superstitions and myths? Or tried to research how these superstitions originated in the first place?

Download the infographic here: What is the truth behind Chinese New Year superstitions?

Deepavali (Diwali) is one important festival celebrated mainly by Hindus all over the world. It is known as the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil. In Singapore, the streets in Little India are lit up with beautiful decorations, accompanied with activities, about one month before the festival.

Download the infographic here: Know Your Festival - Deepavali

Christmas is an annual festival celebrated on the 25th of December. Traditionally, it is a Christian festival which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

In Singapore, Christmas is a time when buildings and malls are dressed up in festive decorations, with celebrations amongst families and friends involving gift exchanges and feasting.

Download the infographic here: Know Your Festival Christmas

Fun DIY printables, discussion worksheets, inspiring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) activities, literary quizzes and reading resources to engage children, teens, families and educators in reading and learning.

URL: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/discovereads/diy-resources/

The festival of Eid, known as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore, is a festival celebrated by Muslims. It is celebrated after a month of fasting during the holy Ramadan. It is a time of forgiveness and family gatherings in which beautiful clothes are worn and delicious feasts are shared. Here are some interesting things to learn about the festival!

Download the infographic here:

Know Your Festival: Hari Raya Puasa

Want to know if your child knows how to discern information from different sources? We have adapted our myth-busting game into an online quiz for their learning needs. Have them defeat the Fake News Monster by answering the quiz questions correctly!

Before your child attempts this quiz, you may wish to check out our resources on combating fake news HERE.

START THE QUIZ

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Ace Your Project Work is a resource for primary school teachers to help their students improve on project work skills. Lesson plans and worksheets based on the S.U.R.E (Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate) steps are enclosed within the resource for teachers to refer to.

FOR UPPER SECONDARY, PRE-U & JC STUDENTS

In this e-lecture, learn how to conduct academic research online using a combination of efficient search engine guidelines and the National Library Board’s eResources website. Please download the S.U.R.E. Research Guide to complement your learning.

S.U.R.E. Research Guide

The S.U.R.E. Research Guide has been developed based on the four steps of S.U.R.E. and will teach students and adult learners about the principles of effective research, how to use NLB’s eResources (readily available online) and guidelines on combating online falsehoods.

The content is suitable for secondary and post-secondary students conducting research for their projects and school assignments. Working professionals can also use this guide for their academic and general research needs.

Download the PDF file HERE.