Play and Learn Math (P.A.L.M)

Discover how Si Ling Primary School's P.A.L.M programme makes Mathematics enjoyable and meaningful through school-wide events, learning journeys, and hands-on mini projects that bring mathematical concepts to life.

Last updated 4 August 2026

A comic strip featuring two Si Ling Primary students in school uniforms. In the first panel, one student complains 'When are we EVER going to use math?' while the other responds 'What do you mean?' The conversation continues with one student arguing that math is everywhere in the real world, while the other remains sceptical. In the final panel, a confident student points upward and explains that the school has programmes such as Math Week for students to learn in fun ways, to which the other student excitedly responds 'Woah! That sounds exciting!'

Learning Math in Si Ling Pri goes beyond pen-and-paper drills. Our students get to enjoy the school-wide Math Fun Week, and Learning Journeys, as well as through mini projects, and the level-specific activities carefully designed to engage each cohort. In all these exciting experiences, students really get to play and learn Math in new and fun ways!

Our mathematics programme and events are organised to arouse interest in pupils in the learning of mathematics. These programme allows pupils to learn mathematics in a fun and enjoyable way. At the same time, they also see the application of mathematics in real authentic situation which motivates them to learn mathematics.

The play and learn mathematics (PALM) programme get pupils to apply their mathematical concepts in projects. Pupils develop 21 CC skills through planning, crafting and designing these projects.

Supermarket Experience

Our students can shop at our very own specially designed supermarket room, where items are labelled with price tags for them to purchase. Students select items within a given budget while learning important life skills such as addition, budgeting, and making thoughtful choices when selecting the correct items. The entire shopping experience is filled with fun, teamwork, and meaningul hands-on learning.

Math Fun Week

$Students in school uniforms participating in Math Fun Week activities, with one group pointing at number cards on a wall supervised by a teacher, another group playing a spinning wheel game on a tv screen, a teacher engaging students in a recess actvity and a student browsing items on a shelf.$

Students get to indulge in learning experiences that are enjoyable and fun, both in the classrooms and during recess!

They get to have fun while applying what they have learnt! As an extension, we integrate Art and Math and get students to design zentangles, fold origami and make animals using shapes and submit them via SLS.

Math fun week is held annually to engage pupils with fun-filled mathematics activities. Pupils get to investigate and apply mathematics concepts through the problems created for them to develop their reasoning and critical thinking skills! Pupils were given opportunities to explain to their classmates how they derived their answers.

$A collage of three photos from Si Ling Primary School's Math Fun Week, with a banner displaying the event name at the top, one group of students running enthusiastically in a corridor during an activity, and a student working on a hands-on activity at a table guided by a parent volunteer.$

In addition to the activity in the classroom, there were activities in Student Learning Space (SLS) for the different level to demonstrate their creativity. Learning Math is fun!

Here are some of the works of the students.

Six samples of Primary 1 students' work showing hand-drawn repeating patterns using shapes and symbols. The patterns include hearts, triangles, circles, stars, moons, suns, and rectangles drawn in various colours, demonstrating students' understanding of mathematical patterns.

Primary 1: Making patterns using shapes/ pictures.

Eight samples of Primary 2 students' work showing animals created using geometric shapes. The creations include a dog, fish, giraffe, panda, turtle, cat, and bird, made using cut paper, drawings, and craft materials, demonstrating students' ability to apply shapes in creative art-making.

Primary 2: Creating animal using shapes.

Seven samples of Primary 3 and 4 students' work showcasing creative art projects. The pieces include fish and house shapes made from cut and folded paper, colourful drawn fish with stripe patterns, a decorated art portfolio cover, and repeating patterns using stars, hearts, suns, and moons, demonstrating students' skills in symmetry, patterns, and craft.

Primary 3 and 4: Creating symmetric figures.

Seven samples of Primary 5 and 6 students' artwork showcasing intricate black-and-white zentangle and geometric pattern drawings. The pieces feature detailed repetitive patterns including diamonds, spirals, checkerboards, radiating lines, and a yin-yang symbol filled with elaborate designs, demonstrating students' advanced skills in line work, texture, and visual art.

Primary 5 and 6: Creating Zentangles.

Learning Journeys

Students in school uniforms on a supermarket learning trail as part of Math Week, with one group examining product labels along the shelves with clipboards, another pair of students smiling and pointing at items near a refrigerated section, and a group of students posing cheerfully with their activity booklets in the supermarket aisles.

Learning journeys encourage students to learn not only through the classroom but also through experiential learning, giving them a breather from their academic routine .

Some of these Learning Journeys are also designed with cross-disciplinary learning objectives, for example, students get to learn about Math and Science.

One of the best ways to broaden our minds is to travel and be exposed to the world. Learning journey encourage pupils to learn not only through the classroom but also through experiential learning, giving them the chance to break out of their academic routine.

Mathematics Trail (Primary 1-6)

Mathematics Trail is an interactive way to learn mathematics beyond the classroom and textbooks. Using mathematics trail, pupils can see and experience mathematics concepts that are applied in their daily activities and things around them. Through the use of iPads, pupils are able to move about answering questions using the camera function, recording of video to answer and explain their answers. They also engaged in cooperative learning as they work collaboratively to complete the assigned tasks.

Two photos of students using iPads for learning. In the first photo, two girls collaborate closely while working on an iPad. In the second photo, a group of students with iPads walk through a school corridor decorated with sports-themed murals and framed posters, suggesting an outdoor or trail-based learning activity.

Students using the iPad to take picture of a Math concept.

Two photos of students engaged in iPad-based learning activities. In the first photo, a teacher in a hijab guides two students working on iPads in a busy classroom setting. In the second photo, a group of students hold iPads and look attentively, with a teacher visible in the background, suggesting a guided learning activity.

Students using the iPad to solve the challenging puzzles.

Two photos of students applying measurement skills outside the classroom. In the first photo, the student uses a measuring tape against a wall decorated with a mural of a traditional Indian figure. In the second photo, another student reads an informational display panel about sustainable materials, suggesting a real-world mathematics learning activity conducted around the school.

Students using a metric ruler and protractor to measure the length and angle of wall murals.

Mini Projects

In Si Ling, we provide opportunities for students to participate in mini projects that get them to apply their Mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills in some of their real-life activities.

Mathematics projects across Primary 1 to 6, where pupils apply mathematical concepts through creative and real-world tasks.

Level	Project
P1	Pupils write a mathematical story/poem/jingle. They apply what they learnt on addition and subtraction to write mathematical stories.
P2	Pupils weigh the flour and measure the amount of water to make the dough before writing a recipe on making the pizza.
P3	Before going to the Zoo for their learning journey, pupils plan an itinerary for a day at the Zoo using what they have learnt in the topic time.
P4	Pupils design and create a mathematics game using any mathematical concepts they have learnt.
P5	Pupils create a video to teach a mathematical concept to their friends.
P6	Pupils design and create a mathematics trail in school for their primary 5 peers.

A student peers closely at three containers of different shapes filled with green-coloured water, each marked with a red dot, during a hands-on mathematics activity exploring volume and capacity.

Learning Through Play at Primary One to Primary Five

Primary One

In Primary 1, our students are transformed into story writers and have to create stories using addition and subtraction concepts which they have learnt. Be amazed by the lovely stories they created.

Primary Two

What better ways of introducing our Primary 2 students to mass and volume by getting them to make their own dough for baking!

Primary Three

A learning journey to the Zoo is what many students look forward to when they are in Primary 3. Before the trip, we get them to write an itinerary on the places they would like to visit with some descriptions on the endangered spices they could find there.

Primary Four

Short of Math games to engage the students? Let our Primary 4 students use their creativity to design new Math games using the Mathematical concepts they have learnt. They will never be bored again!

Primary Five

What happens when a friend misses the Math lesson? No fear. Our Primary 5 students are here to the rescue. They will be making a video, poster or Powerpoint presentation to teach their friend what they have missed.