LKCNHM x CHIJ Kellock Primary School Camp 2023

POSTED ON BY Dena Ling

The CHIJ Kellock Camp is an annual programme developed and organised by our Outreach and Education team for Primary 4 students from CHIJ Kellock Primary School. Held from 6 to 8 March 2023, the theme for this year’s camp was ‘Digestion’.  

We welcomed close to 190 students to our Museum who were engaged in various activities to learn about the different ways in which organisms obtain their prey and digest their food. 

The students were taken on a guided tour around our gallery and learnt many interesting new facts about the digestive processes of various organisms. They were particularly fascinated by how some birds swallow small pebbles or gravel that act as ‘teeth’ in their gizzards, a muscular part of their stomachs, to break down food into simpler substances for digestion. The students asked many thoughtful questions and were eager to soak up every detail about our exhibits on display.

 

Photograph of students on a guided tour in the Museum gallery

Students attended a guided tour to learn about the digestive processes of various organisms.

 

The highlight of the programme was the ‘Be an Investigator’ workshop which saw students roll up their sleeves to take on the role of junior investigators. They were tasked to investigate a case involving the ‘death’ of a wild civet cat found outside our building. 

Rotating between hands-on stations that explored the teeth marks, tracks and scats of five suspect organisms found on or near the victim, the students demonstrated great teamwork to narrow down the list of suspects. Eventually, they identified the animal that caused the death of the civet cat!

 

Photo of students gathered around the table, examining organism skulls and teeth while being guided by an education officer of the Museum

Students learning to deduce if an organism is a carnivore, herbivore or omnivore by close observation of skulls and teeth structure.

 

Students gathered around a table, engaging in scat identification activity. Photos, drawings and texts are printed onto a piece of paper they are working on

Students were tasked to match text descriptions of scats from various suspect organisms to the correct photos and drawings.

 

The enthusiastic students are a reminder of the joy of discovery that lies at the heart of scientific inquiry. Thank you to the students and teachers from CHIJ Kellock Primary School for learning about the natural world with us! 

Photo credits: Outreach and Education Team