We are committed in providing opportunities for our students to explore and develop their natural sense of curiosity in a responsible and conducive environment. As such, the Science Department aims to provide our students with experiences which build on their interest in and stimulate their curiosity about their environment.

Through our engaging and content-rich programmes, we want our students to appreciate how Science influences each of us and our environment.

Applied Learning Programme: Environmental Science

Through our ALP at YPS, developed in the area of Environmental Science, we want to connect academic knowledge and skills with our students’ real world. The emphasis is on the application of thinking skills, connecting knowledge across subject disciplines, stretching imagination and applying these into our authentic society and world we live in.

OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMMES

Plant Tissue Culture (PTC) Programme

We are proud to be one of the few schools in Singapore to have PTC facilities in the compound. Over the years, we also cultured a few hybrids successfully.



Orchid hybrids created by students

PTC is widely used to produce clones of a plant in a method known as micropropagation. It is a collection of techniques used to maintain or grow plant cells, tissues or organs under sterile conditions on a nutrient culture medium of known composition. The PTC programme at YPS is an extension of our Science curriculum on flowering plants. It is designed to train our students on orchid hybridization and the basic skills of aseptic culture using orchid seeds. They gain an insight on how humans can also contribute to creating diversity in living things.


Seed germination on a nutrient culture medium under sterile condition


Planting of young orchids

As an extension to the PTC programme, our students also produce hand-crafted glass coasters using orchid flowers as they study the structures of the orchids. On top of that, these glass coasters were used as a source of funding to help the less fortunate.

As an act to serve the community, we approached Singapore General Hospital (SGH) as a partner to help their needy patients. Our School Advisory Committee supported the school’s efforts in this programme and our students were told of how their creations had meaningfully helped the less fortunate in SGH.

Project "Think, Eat, Save" T.E.S

Project T.E.S. aims to encourage behavioural change to reduce and recycle the amount of food-waste at YPS. Primary 1 to Primary 6 pupils, staff and canteen stall holders are involved in the segregation and recycling of food-waste during the 3 recesses. Through this experiential hands-on closed-loop process to food-waste recycling, our pupils will experience and empathise with the process of food-waste recycling. The school’s on-site food-waste composter machine converts food-waste into compost, which is later used in our school gardens and Science projects.

The daily collection of food-waste is monitored by the Science Department. It is heartening to note that the amount of food-waste collected over time is on a decreasing trend; which is indicative of the pupils’ commitment to reducing food waste by ordering only what they will eat. This project also contributes to National Environment Agency’s (NEA) national waste management strategy to work towards the goal of Singapore becoming a Zero Waste Nation.

Briefing on Project T.E.S. by teacher in-charge	Pupils segregating their food waste into the food waste bin.
Food waste collected	Food waste Composting machine

Science Centre Learning Journeys

Science is the study of things around us. To further enrich the learning of science, pupils in Yishun Primary School visit the Science Centre annually to experience real-world applications of Science through the various programmes there. Each of these programmes aims at supporting the learning of Science for our pupils through authentic contexts.

For example, our P6 pupils have a fun-filled afternoon learning about Science through an amazing outdoor lesson at the Science Center’s Eco-garden. They spend their afternoon looking for various life forms, such as microscopic algae, pond skaters and dragonfly nymphs. The pupils learn field techniques to catch and observe a variety of aquatic organisms which make up the pond community. In the process they also learn about relationships between organisms (e.g. food web) in the pond ecosystem.

Let’s see how the worms respond to light!	Hmm…which seed is this?
Learning can be so engaging!	There are so many types of organisms in a pond community!

Outreach to the Community on Food Waste Minimisation (Chong Pang Community Club)

As part of Yishun Primary School’s outreach efforts, the Science department conducted an outreach themed upon upcycling, recycling and waste minimization. Using posters, displays and brochures, members of the public were exposed to the purpose and ways they could affect change in their own lives to help support environmental conservation. Pupils were also able to leverage on this platform to showcase Science projects completed over the year to highlight green habits and promote green consumerism.

Upcycling efforts using garden waste

Outreach efforts by pupils taking part in the National Youth Upcycling Movement (NYUM)

Our teacher-mentors and pupils at Chong Pang Community Club

500, Yishun Ring Road, Singapore 768679 Tel: +65 6257 7461 Fax: +65 6755 4198 Email: yps@moe.edu.sg