Lesson 2 - Where is Malaysia?

Aim: To research basic statistics and information about Malaysia and their bat population

Using the program Google Earth, ask the students to pair up and discuss where they think Malaysia actually is on the map. Ask them to justify their answer when it's time to share. (You can use a map of the World and print it off if you can't use Google Earth)

Map of the World

The next part of this lesson will take around 45 minutes. You will be dividing the students up into four groups. Each group will receive a research topic theme concerning Malaysia, and will be encouraged to use any possible resources to find information on that theme: the internet, school library etc.

Religion

1. What are the major religions followed in Malaysia?

2. Is there any difference in the amount of people following a specific religion on the Peninsular Malaysia

compared with Malaysian Borneo?

3. What percentage of the Malaysian population follow each religion?

Borneo/Peninsula Malaysia

1. Why is the country of Malaysia on the 'mainland' and partially on an island?

2. Which area has the highest population? Peninsular or Borneo, and what is it?

3. Does Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo have different industrial imports/exports?

Food/Cuisine

1. What main 'styles' of food can you find in Malaysia?

2. Is there a difference between Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo?

3. What main food types are used in the majority of cooking in Malaysia? (eg: what are the 'staple' foods?)

The Environment

1. What environmental types can be found in Malaysia (eg: rainforest, etc)

2. How many different Mammal species can be found in Malaysia?

3. How many of those Mammals are bats? And where are they normally found?

The following questions should help each group to find suitable information. The students should aim to answer as many questions as possible, working together, in around 35 minutes.

When this information (as much as possible, it may be difficult) has been found, a great way of sharing a large amount of information quickly is to use the 'Jigsaw' strategy. One person from each of the four main groups will now make new groups together, each group must have at least one member from the four topic themes. They can then take it in turns to share their information, and listen to the information found by the other groups.