Playworks

What is PlayWorks?

PlayWorks is Riverside’s original curriculum innovation and Applied Learning Programme (ALP) to nurture Critical and Inventive Thinking in our Joyful and Purposeful Learners. PlayWorks engages our Riverians in critical and inventive thinking and collaborative problem solving, using different design materials and tools. Our Riverians also nurture values and build character through their involvement in PlayWorks.

The PlayWorks protocol has five inventive processes (Understand, Plan, Design, Build and Improvise) and three essential processes (Communication, Collaboration and Reflection). The “Sparkling with Character in Purposeful Play” framework spells out the behavioural expectations based on the school’s SPARKLE Values. For example, Riverians are expected to demonstrate Perseverance by never giving up and Adaptability by being open-minded and flexible when engaged in PlayWorks.

Riverians engaged in active discussions and reflections with their peers and teachers during PlayWorks activities.

  
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  Implementation of PlayWorks in Riverside

      
        

  Our school engages Riverians in PlayWorks through two prongs: Signature Experience and Pervasive Application. In Signature Experience, there is a signature module at every grade level which uses different mediums and tools as shown in the table below.

  Level	Theme	Medium Involved
  P1	LegoWorks “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”	Lego
  P2	LegoWorks “The Three Little Bunnies and the Big Bad Wolf”	Lego
  P3	PaperWorks “Redesign the Game that We Once Played”	Paper
  P4	ParkWorks “Building a Park that Meets Community Needs”	Recycled Materials
  P5	UpWorks “Transforming Trash to Treasure”	Discarded Materials
  P6	HeartWorks “Leaving a Mark”	Discarded Materials

  
  
  
  P1 and P2 Riverians working together to come out with their group solutions using Lego bricks.
  
  
  P3 and P4 Riverians made use of paper and other recycled materials to solve problem scenarios that are relatable to their daily lives.
  
  
  
  P5 and P6 Riverians learnt about the importance of upcycling to ensure a sustainable future. They made use of waste pallet wood to create artefacts. The graduating cohorts made use of the wood tiles to design what the school meant to them. In Pervasive Application, Riverside’s PlayWorks Protocol is applied across various disciplines (i.e. Composition Writing, Science Performance Tasks, Art and VIA projects etc. ) It is essentially a relevant problem-solving protocol that we hope Riverians can use beyond the six years in Riverside.

    
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  Tinkerspace

      

  

  Tinkerspace is Riverside’s own makerspace which is conducted once a month during the recesses. Riverians put on their creative, critical and inventive thinking caps to explore different materials and tools to solve various scenarios through hands-on activities.
  
  

  Students make use of the different types of materials to create an item related to the theme: A Gift for A Friend.