1-31 Oct | Health Literacy month www.healthliteracymonth.org/ |
1-31 Oct | Save Kiwi month www.kiwisforkiwi.org/save-kiwi-week/schools |
1-31 Oct | Breast Cancer Awareness month www.nzbcf.org.nz (Pink Ribbon) |
23 Oct | Mole day http://www.moleday.org/ |
23 Oct | World climate action day https://www.climate-action.info/day/ |
24 Oct | World polio day http://wpd.typepad.com/worldpolioday/ |
26 Oct | SLH webinar, antimicrobial resistance w Siouxsie Wiles 4-4:45pm. Info & register here. |
27 Oct | 9:30 am NZ ShakeOut, EQ drill & tsunami evacuation/ hīkoi. Plans & resources here. |
27-29 Oct | Waitaki Geopark Festival. Program here. |
28 Oct | Partial lunar eclipse (not visible from NZ) |
30 Oct | NZ teachers’ day |
31 Oct | Nominations close for Cawthron’s Freshwater Champions award at 5pm |
5 Nov | World Tsunami Awareness Day |
6-30 Nov | NZQA exams |
Moon | FM Oct 29 3Q Nov 5 NM Nov 13 1Q Nov 20 |
- Mis Information, a documentary film about Siouxsie Wiles’ experiences during the pandemic, opens nationwide from 26 Oct. Trailer here.
- Cawthron Aquaculture Park’s open day is Sat 28 Oct. Book a spot on one of 10 tours. 139 Glen Rd, Glenduan. Register here.
- It’s Halloween next week, Tues 31 Oct:
- Three freebies from Teachers pay Teachers. You’ll need to join 1st (its free to join).
- Pumpkin seeds as a context for learning about the 3 major nutrients.
- Primary Halloween practicals with student handout and teacher notes
- Pumpkin life cycle powerpoint.
- Article on the environmental costs of fireworks
- Halloween infographics https://www.compoundchem.com/category/halloween-chemistry
- Three freebies from Teachers pay Teachers. You’ll need to join 1st (its free to join).
- This year, Forest & Bird is celebrating their 100th birthday and are looking to crown the bird of the century. Votes start Mon 30 Oct on the Bird of the Year website.
- Wellington Botanical Society field trip to Days Bay Loop, from 9:45am Sat 4 Nov. Info here
- Tūhura Tuarangi – Aotearoa in Space is a showcase designed to excite students in yrs 5 to 9 about space, STEM and space-related careers. It’s at the National Aquarium in Napier 4 Nov-14 Dec
Info
- Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
- Soana Pomaka, principal at Tamaki College, talks about the challenges her decile 1 school tries to address. https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/the-system-wont-shift-to-help-our-kids
- Mātauranga Māori:
- E-Tangata article on the destruction of Banaba and Nauru to provide phosphate fertiliser for NZ and other countries.
- Video on Māori attitudes to periods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHhUAxuwO6Y generated interesting discussion in a human reproduction lesson for Annetjie Botha.
- Pedagogy:
- Some ideas for force and motion do-nows (Americans call them bell-ringers) https://virtualscienceteachers.org/bell-ringers-motion-and-stability-forces-and-interactions
- TES article (1 free/month to nonmembers) on what research shows need to be in our planning
- Professional reading/watching/listening:
- 7 Aug Education Gazette has articles on Rocket Lab outreach & a cultural diversity facilitator at Riccarton HS.
- Article on a practical va’a program for Pacific students that draws on ancestral wisdom and practices https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/navigating-wellbeing-with-ancestral-wisdom/
- Student opportunity
- A paid internship is being offered with Mr Apple in Hawkes Bay for a total of 6 weeks. Apply with a CV and cover letter to s.newman@stpauls.school.nz by Fri 27 Oct. Details: GFH Flyer
- Teacher Opportunity:
- Awards for teachers of gifted students, apply by 5 Nov https://gifted.tki.org.nz/further-support/awards-for-teachers/
- Participatory Science Platforms are now open for applications for funding of up to $20,000. This will be the last round. Work with scientists and the community to tackle a local problem.
- The NZASE newsletter, due out on Mon 23 Oct, has articles on The Chemistry of Fireworks and Kaitiakitanga of Taonga species for anyone and Observing Meteors and Disciplinary Literacy: Writing for members only as well as a profile of Māori scientist Mohonri Owen. Sign up for the newsletter or find resources here https://nzase.org.nz/. Join NZASE here https://nzase.org.nz/membership/ .
Resources
- Biology:
- Cosmos article about Climate change disrupting photosynthesis
- Article about Mitochondrial Eve
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- Harvesting wildflower seeds https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Gather-Wildflower-Seeds
- Urban agriculture scavenger hunt
- Earth & Space Science:
- Chemistry:
- Activities on mixtures & solutions
- Learn about the history and significance of the mole with TED-Ed and some Mole Day activities.
- Physics:
- Interactive Physics games https://www.universeandmore.com
- Sheets to help struggling/absentee students solve problems in projectiles and forces
- Primary & intermediate:
- Activity designing a Mars colony and deciding how to power it. (L5-8) https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_space8_lesson02_activity1
- Germinate some microgreen seeds from Kings & investigate what affects their growth, e.g. additives in water, light (cover with a box with windows cut into it), warmth/cold (HW bottles).
- Science:
- Octopus School has more FREE resources – STEAM experiments & te reo Māori posters about plants, water, river animals and renewable energy
- Education for Sustainability (EfS)
- Water footprint calculator https://www.watercalculator.org/
- STEM/STEAM:
- Activities to try https://twitter.com/dailystem/status/1543910249928720386
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- The Term 4 Sow the Seed Agricultural and Horticultural Science Hubs focus on course planning and assessment for Level 1 2024. Info & registration here. Any questions contact Agricultural and Horticultural Advisor Suzy Newman on 027 275 6620
- John Smith will run a series of PLD on CAD/CAM & Arduino for the current L1 Physics or the new L1 PES. 2h on Tues & Th afternoons at Rosmini College from 31 Oct. No cost. Register here.
- NZIP is looking to pilot PLD for physics teachers by zoom. Starting with kinematics and dynamics – content and pedagogy. This will be run tutorial style, in small groups over 4 sessions in Week 7 and 8 of this term. There will be 3 time slots to pick from, (during school hours, straight after school and evening). Numbers will be limited. Please register interest here by Wed 25 Oct.
Cheers, Mike
Mike’s News is brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers
MN