Mike’s News Feb 3

4 Feb World Cancer Day https://www.worldcancerday.org/
5 Feb Applications close for Science Teaching Leadership Programme. Info here.
7 Feb National Periodic Table day http://www.periodictableday.org/
11 Feb International Day of Women and Girls in Science http://bit.ly/UNESCO2Rp0zpr
11 Feb Women in STEM panel 11 Feb, 6:30-7:30 Te Pae Chch Convention Centre.
12 Feb International Charles Darwin Day www.darwinday.org/index.php
Moon 1Q Feb 5      FM Feb 13      3Q Feb 21      NM Feb 28

Info

  1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
    • Latest book from Ann Milne: Beyond Whiteness – Eight Steps Every Teacher can Take to Build an Antiracist Classroom.
  2. Pedagogy:
  3. Professional reading/watching/listening:
  4. Teacher Opportunities:
    • Runa provides teaching modules (history, science, EfS) along with a sailing experience for years 4-10. Info zoom for teachers 10 Feb 5pm. Register here.
  5.  Literacy
    • Daniel Tawhai suggests getting the class to ask AI to write a short report about something eg homeostasis. Then ask them to identify the ‘fact’ type statements & find reliable sources to back them up. They often find info that proves some of the facts wrong, an eye-opening exercise.
  6. Learn Coach provides video tutorials & practice questions for NCEA standards for students & a digital tutor and classroom tools with an ability to assign auto-marked homework for teachers. They have a 2025 special offer of free access to student & teacher resources. Sign up here.
  7. LEARNZ virtual field trips for this year include seaweed, pounamu, place names, landslides and Maungatautari Sanctuary mountain https://mailchi.mp/learnz/learnz-trips-2025
  8. Useful info about the subject associations for those new to teaching science in NZ. Science Subject Support 2025

Resources

  1. Biology:
  2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
  3. Earth & Space Science:
  4. Chemistry:
  5. Physics:
  6. Primary & intermediate:
  7.  Science:
  8.  STEM/STEAM:
  9. Nature of Science:

MoE/NZQA

  1. New resources coming from SCENZ – practice assessment for CB1.4 & how to support Schol Chem students (by end Jan); a complete rewrite of CB 1.2 assessments (drafts by end T1).

Can you help?

  1. To develop career resources Youth Engineering Solution’s survey is asking how you currently encourage STEM career exploration and how YES can help address gaps and challenges,

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

  1. The next online Science is Cool event is a webinar on citizen science, Th 13 Feb 5pm ET [Fri 14 Feb at 11am NZT]. https://www.thepocketlab.com/events/citizen-science-with-scistarter-feb-2025
  2. Recording of an OpenSciEd webinar: The Why and How of 3D Phenomenon-based Learning.
  3. HHMI free online PLD for bio teachers using their resources
    • Sickle Cell Disease: Wed 19 Feb 7-8:30pm ET (1-2:30pm Feb 20 NZT). Register here.
    • Science of climate change: Mon 24 Feb 6-7:30pm ET (12-1:30pm Feb 25 NZT). Register here.
  4. Core Ed PLD

Cheers, Mike

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