18 Aug	Alison Campbell’s Schol Bio workshop 1-4pm at Morrinsville College. Register here.
19 Aug	Science Learning Hub webinar on the science capabilities, 4pm.
26 Aug	SCENZ Chemistry Cluster meeting, 1-4pm, Morrinsville College. Register here
27 Aug	Daffodil Day in support of the Cancer Society www.daffodilday.org.nz/
29 Aug	International Day Against Nuclear tests www.un.org/en/events/againstnucleartestsday/
30 Aug	Earnest Rutherford was born 150 years ago http://www.rutherford.org.nz/
Moon	1Q 16 Aug FM 23 Aug 3Q 30 Aug NM 7 Sep

1. STEM in the Community
   • Weekend event in Tauranga 4-5 Sep: robotics, art-bots, water education, astronomy.
   • Find out about the Global Ambassadors Program.
   • Events for BoP primary schools at the end of August in Katikati, Te Puke and Morrinsville. Some spaces left but be in quick: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/STEM-Wana-events.docx
2. A discussion with IPCC Member & NZ authors on the latest report. Wed,18 Aug, 3-6pm, Royal Society of NZ, 11 Turnbull St. This event will be livestreamed, details sent to those who register.

Info

1. Mātauranga Māori
   • Priscilla Wehi paper Mātauranga as knowledge, process and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/4ba6f/
   • Giselle Clarkson & Priscilla Wehi have created resources about putaputaweta http://www.priscillawehi.com/resources/plant-insect-relationship/plant-insect-download/
2. Student opportunities:
   • The Gifted Learners Awards : Learners from ECE to yr 13 can apply for up to $5,000 for creative projects, testing a hypothesis or other unique opportunities by Tues 31 Aug.
   • Auckland’s Stardome observatory has a new interactive program, Habitat 8. A space mission set on Mars in 2034, students (8 yo +) are seated at working computers & helped to maintain life support systems, manage fuel production & direct the count-down for a rocket launch. There’ll be 3 shows a day, Tues to Sun, 2-17 Oct (in the hols).
3. Digital support:
   • LEARNZ virtual field trips on the Taranaki volcano & backyard biodiversity in term 3.

Resources

1. Biology:
   • Explore some ethical issues in genetics https://www.yourgenome.org/activities/genome-generation-express
   • A video showing some of the variety of micro-organisms and their usefulness.
2. Earth & Space Science:
   • Preview of STILE unit on astronomy
   • NIWA’s air quality lessons https://niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/teaching-resources/air-aware
   • Beneath NZ is a series of 3 documentaries on our volcanoes – Tarawera, Auckland’s Volcanic Field and historically https://tubitv.com/series/2337/beneath-new-zealand
3. Chemistry:
   • Article & resources to link separation techniques to UN Sustainable Dvpt goal about availability of water. https://edu.rsc.org/ideas/add-sustainable-management-of-water-to-your-existing-lessons/4013961.article
   • Student activity using a dataset to determine the concentration of 2 acid solutions by titration https://about.dataclassroom.com/ready-to-teach/acid-base-titration-lab
4. Physics:
   • A demo of thermal conductivity https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/26745/thermal-conductivity
   • Students use their knowledge of forces, density & pressure to figure out how a cartesian diver works. https://www.stem.org.uk/elibrary/resource/30896 [you’ll need to register for both]
5. Primary & intermediate:
   • The NMSSA Science Toolkit for assessing, understanding and supporting Year 7 and 8 students’ learning in Science. https://arbs.nzcer.org.nz/nmssa-science-toolkit
   • Riley Hathaway can come to your school to spread the love about the ocean: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Riley-Hathaway-roadshow.docx
6. Science of COVID:
   • Some lovely graphics about the different COVID vaccines and their development https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/VACCINE-TRACKER/xegpbqnlovq/
7.  EfS:
   • Young Ocean Explorers teacher resources – ideas for the classroom here and here
   • The latest IPCC report – Jamie Morton summary in 5 images and stuff article
8.  Science
   • How is climate change impacting the water cycle? https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/water-cycle-news.htm

MoE/NZQA

1. As well as new standards from 2023, some NCEA requirements are changing too: https://ncea.education.govt.nz/understanding-how-ncea-requirements-are-changing

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. Applications are now open for places on the 2022 Science Teaching Leadership Program. For primary or secondary teachers. Starting in term 1 or term 3. Deadline 10 Sep.
2. STILE Education online conference, Level Up Science Teaching, 30 Sep, 12-6 pm NZT. Info here. Register here. “Australia GST is not applicable to NZ teachers. We therefore ask that those based in NZ pay by invoice so we can charge the appropriate price, $200 AUD (early bird til 30 Aug) or $250 AUD.” Alexandra Russell, Stile Education.

Technicians

1. STELR provide a clip-on microscope for a smart phone to view and record images using the camera function. It includes a UV & an LED light. With the use of the camera’s zoom function, objects can be magnified up to 60x. Instruction sheet here. Order form here.

Cheers, Mike

Brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers