In this Week 7 LAB project, students explored natural history in Singapore and Sarawak.
Half of the group’s time was dedicated to science and nature observations: they read pieces from early naturalists such as Alfred Russel Wallace’s Malay Archipelago, identified easily observable species such as birds and frogs, participated in wildlife surveys and took field recordings of the natural environment. The LAB also introduced students to concepts of ecology and evolution, which they will revisit in Scientific Inquiry (SI) of the Common Curriculum. The other half of the group’s time was devoted to reflective writing about their experiences and other creative activities, such as recording soundscapes and group reflections.
One of the goals of this interdisciplinary approach was to allow students who identify as writers, artists, or musicians to experience nature in a way that invited them to learn more, and to show how scientific approaches could open up a literary narrative. These activities built on the critical reading and writing skills which students continually develop during their time at Yale-NUS, while also introducing emerging forms such as the audio essay. For the Week 7 symposium, the group created an interactive exhibition to showcase narrative essays the students worked on throughout the week. These essays spanned visual and aural mediums and engaged in the nature, history, and politics of the region.
