Thomson
Celebrating Singapore, Celebrating Us: Our National Day Trip to Gardens by the Bay
This National Day, our Elementary students swapped the classroom for one of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks — Gardens by the Bay. It was a morning of towering Supertrees, misty rainforest domes, and more than a few dinosaur encounters, all in celebration of the nation’s birthday.
A Morning Among the Supertrees
The day began at Supertree Grove, where students posed beneath the famous 50-metre structures with the Marina Bay Sands skyline in the background — a fitting first stop for a trip about Singapore’s story of growth. From there, the group made their way to the Cloud Forest, where a 35-metre indoor waterfall and dramatic karst-like formations gave students a glimpse of a rainforest ecosystem few get to see up close.
Over at the Flower Dome, an unexpected highlight awaited: a life-sized Jurassic World exhibit, complete with a roaring T-Rex, tucked among gardens inspired by Mediterranean and semi-arid climates. Squeals, peace signs, and a fair number of photos followed.
More Than a Day Out
Beyond the photo opportunities, the trip was an extension of what students have been learning in class about National Day and what it means to belong to Singapore. Just as Gardens by the Bay brings together plants and structures from cultures around the world, students spent time at the Flower Dome exploring flora and design influenced by Indonesian culture — a small but meaningful reminder of the many traditions that make up our nation, and our own school community.
The Gardens’ story is also one of sustainability: a vision for a “clean, green, and happy future,” as one of our teachers put it. For students, seeing that vision built into real trees, domes, and waterways made the idea of a green Singapore feel a lot less abstract.
As one Grade 7 student reflected afterward: “Respect brings people together, even from different countries.” It’s a simple line, but it captures exactly what we hope students take away from days like this.
Turning Experience Into Learning
Back on campus, students spent time journaling about their day — what they saw, what surprised them, and what they learned. This kind of reflection isn’t an afterthought; it’s a deliberate part of how we approach experiential learning at Heritage Academy, helping students process new experiences and make them stick.
It’s also a small window into our broader approach to teaching and learning.