25 Feb	12-1:30pm HHMI free online PLD on Science of climate change. Register here.
26 Feb	4pm TENZ webinar about a digital penguins resource. Info here
28 Feb	Deadline to apply for Canterbury uni’s astronomy school for yr 12 students, link here
28Feb-29Mar	Ramadan http://islam.about.com/od/ramadan/tp/ramadan-hub.htm
1-31 Mar	Melanoma March www.melanoma.org.nz/news-events/recent-news
1-31 Mar	Hearing Awareness Month https://www.nfd.org.nz/hearing-awareness-month2020
1-31 Mar	Whio Awareness month https://www.doc.govt.nz/whioforever
1-9 Mar	Sea week http://seaweek.org.nz/ & Seafest Wgtn https://www.loverimurimu.org/festival
3 Mar	World wildlife Day http://wildlifeday.org/
3 Mar	World Hearing day https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hearing-day
4 Mar	World Engineering day https://worldengineeringday.net/
5 Mar	4pm NZASE webinar for OTT on teaching science in the NZ classroom. Link.
10-16 Mar	Brain Awareness Week – Neurological Foundation, Dana Foundation
Moon	NM Feb 28        1Q 7 Mar        FM 14 Mar        3Q Mar 23

1. Talks that may be relevant for us
   • Autumn migration day at Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebirds Centre is Sun 2 March. Observe at the hides (high tide 9:40 am). Talk by Dr Phil Battley on godwits & knots at 1pm. BYO lunch
2. Sea week (1-9 March):
   • LEARNZ virtual field trip on rimurimu seaweed https://www.learnz.org.nz/rimurimu251
   • Resources from Marine Stewardship council
   • A list of resources and events for teachers from Science Learning Hub
   • Science Alive has resources on whale migration, seaweed, estuaries, penguins and toroa. They are also running a sea poetry competition .
3. HATA conference is in Canterbury Apr 13-17. Info here & register here.

Information

1. Student opportunities:
   • Blake Inspire is an opportunity for young leaders (16 y+) with a passion for the environment. In Auckland & Waikato. Scholarships available.
   • Waikato uni offers students the opportunity to experience life as a Science or Marine Science student in the school hols.
   • IYM offers a science experience to inspire yr 11-12 girls in STEM. Apply by 1 Mar.
     • Residential – face-to-face in Wgtn in Jul hols https://www.iym.org.nz/iym-residential
     • Online – over 4 half days in the April hols https://www.iym.org.nz/iym-online
     • Anytime – online https://www.iym.org.nz/iym-anytime
   • Waikato uni is offering a Chem-E car activity for yr 12 -13 Chemistry classes. Students design and build a car that runs on chemical energy in 1-2h per session. UoW Chemical Engineering
2. Numeracy:
   • Graph analysis resources – some science ones in here https://www.turnersgraphoftheweek.com/gow-archive-2013-2023.html
3. Literacy
   • Strategies to help students understand the command words in assessments (you’ll need to join Ed in Chem, it’s free)
4. Science Careers:
   • Article about surprising science careers https://www.weareteachers.com/surprising-science-careers/
5. Aroha Avenue provides gift boxes with a kaupapa Māori https://www.arohaavenue.co.nz/

Resources

1. Biology:
   • Activity to observe pollen tube growth (needs an hour) https://practicalbiology.org/cells-to-systems/reproductive-systems/observing-the-growth-of-pollen-tubes
   • Microscopya is a science video game exploring the inside of a cell https://microscopya.com/
   • Scholarship Biology online tutorials are starting up again soon. Students & teachers can register by joining the FaceBook page AND answering the questions. This will be Alison’s last year.
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • Explore the chemistry of wool & use it as a raw material for bio-based products through simple hands-on activities. https://www.scienceinschool.org/article/2024/extract-value-from-wool-waste/
   • HATA has a new dairy unit for year 9 & 10 (online under Sow the Seed Junior Science).
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • An article about the effect of being in space on the human body, comparing an astronaut with his twin. https://www.snexplores.org/article/how-year-space-affected-scott-kellys-health
   • Simple demo of measuring sea bed depth https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/350_Sea_floor_mapping1.pdf
   • ELI activity modelling sea-floor spreading https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/84_Transform_faults.pdf
4. Chemistry:
   • Activity modelling crystal formation https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/100_Crystallisation_in_pudding_dish.pdf
   • investigate cis-trans isomers of copper(II) aminoethanoate https://edu.rsc.org/a-practical-investigation-of-cis-trans-isomerism-in-transition-metal-complexes/4020781.article
   • RSC’s Teach Chemistry is open access only for UK schools or full RSC members ($$$). NZ teachers can open a personal account (register here) to access 2 resources each month.
5. Physics:
   • In this Teach Engineering activity, students explore the fundamentals of circuits by constructing a basic thermostat.
   • GPB physics in motion has Physics units with videos and worksheets https://www.gpb.org/physics-in-motion
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • Activity making edible ice cream and learning about heat transfer, phase change and insulation
   • Primary science resources for British Science Week 7-16 March. https://explorify.uk/teacher-support/helpful-reads/get-ready-for-british-science-week-2025 . Theme is change & adapt.
7.  Science:
   • Brian Cox experiments for primary and junior secondary. Includes teacher guidance and videos for students of real-life applications and current research in a related area.
   • Science games for primary and secondary from ABC
8.  STEM/STEAM:
   • For those new to STEAM, this article provides an introduction to the key principles (join STEM UK for free)
9. A science book your students might like to read (and the non-physicist teachers too?)
   • My First Book of Quantum Physics by Kaid-Sala Sheddad (for 8yo +) explains the development of the idea as well as particle-wave duality, the uncertainty principle, and radioactivity & includes everyday objects like laser pointers & LEDS.

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. Learning Network NZ, Cnr Universal/Soljan Drives, Henderson, Auckland
   • Leadership retreats in Rarotonga or Queenstown
   • PLD from overseas facilitators https://www.learningnetwork.ac.nz/international/
2. Recorded presentations from the 2024 hui, Science Education: Fit for Purpose. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/3375-2024-science-education-summit
3. Sarah Oliveira is the new PLD facilitator for BEANZ, with a focus on new, overseas-trained, and rural biology teachers. Teachers can contact her at facilitator@gmail.com
4. On Tues 25 Feb 7pm, Mere Manning and Carolyn Green are hosting a webinar on running combined classes for Level 2 and 3 ESS. Sign up here.
5. Free PLD from RSC on Introducing spectroscopy with counterfeit cures. Th 27 Feb 4-5pm GMT (Fri 28 Feb 5-6am NZST). The prac requires an app (Arduino for Android or a light meter for IOS).
6. NZASE Workshops this term will be in Dunedin, Oamaru, Hastings, Cambridge, Auckland & Northland (tbc) 6-17 March. The focus is on internal assessments – looking at moderator reports & exemplars for all L1 sciences & at how to write & critique tasks.
7. The Literacy Place PLD: Science of Learning in Action 14 April, 9-3:30, Waipuna Conference Centre. $340 https://www.theliteracyplace.com/workshop/science-of-learning-in-action-14aprlnz
8. PLD for secondary AgHort teachers: Unit Stds best practice assessment 4 Mar 4-5pm (a repeat of the PLD on 19 Feb)

Cheers, Mike

Mike’s News is brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers and NZASE