Dates to Note                                                                                       

1. Already mentioned:        

1-28 Feb     Bikewise month. Many cities will run a bike-to-work day       www.bikewise.co.nz   

1-28 Feb     Heart Awareness Month                     www.heartfoundation.org.nz/for-women  

12 Feb     International Charles Darwin Day      www.darwinday.org/index.php

18 Feb      Dr Philip Hume lectures on The invasion of non-native plants  in Wellington

20 Feb     Teacher Council’s Tapasā PLD workshop West Ak 6:30 – 8:45pm

26 Feb     Teacher Council’s Tapasā PLD workshop Palmerston North  3:30 – 5:45pm

28 Feb     The Science of Learning – online learning (3h weekly) starts & continues for 5 weeks

Moon      1Q Feb. 13           FM Feb. 20           3Q Feb. 27         NM Mar 7.      

Info

1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
   • National Library has created some curiosity cards that invite students to think critically about images. https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/teaching-and-learning-resources/teaching-tools-resource-guides/curiosity-cards-for-inquiry
   • Practical strategies for supporting Māori students https://www.inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/supporting-maori-students/
2. Pedagogy:
   • Step by step process for finding a project students are passionate about https://www.gettingsmart.com/2016/01/10-simple-lesson-plans-for-scaffolding-student-led-projects/
   • In January the NZ Herald ran stories on 5 consecutive days about teaching students in context & 4 of these had lovely science connections. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nzh-search/NZH/learning+local/1/
3. Reading: 
   • The following links are to SET articles made free in 2018.
     Researching game-based learning practices in Aotearoa New Zealand 
     Pedagogical scaffolding: Resourcing children’s amazing capacity to learn and uptake language 
     Cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy: A bicultural mana ōrite perspective
4. Student competitions:
   • 2019 International Science Opportunities for yr 12 & 13 students from Royal Society.
5. Info attached on dissection kits from Pete Smith from Science Resource Box. https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Dissection-products-1.pdf

Resources

1. Geology:
   • Link to a Connected article looking at what scientists have learned from the Christchurch earthquakes. Strong Nature of Science focus. http://instructionalseries.tki.org.nz/Instructional-Series/Connected/Connected-2014-level-4-What-s-the-Evidence/Learning-from-the-Christchurch-Earthquakes
2. Biology:
   • Article from New Scientist on why humans are hairy (seems to be publicly available) https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21428692.100-why-havent-bald-men-gone-extinct/
   • Ideas for CREST investigations in a gene editing context. Jessie McKenzie, Royal Society. https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/funds-and-opportunities/crest-awards/crest-connections/crest-and-gene-editing-in-aotearoa/
3. Astronomy:
   • NASA photos of Mars surface collated into a captioned photo montage giving some background info then below that a stunning video.          Jessie McKenzie, Royal Society https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4333056/What-s-like-fly-Mars.html#comments
4. Chemistry:
   • Plastic Challenge resource: A series of lessons to extend students’ knowledge & understanding of plastics & its waste on a global scale. Linking to materials & their properties, the environment, & recycling, these resources contain investigations & activities aimed at both primary & secondary.
   • Sarah Masters’ – The Curious History of The Periodic Table. Podcast of an interview on National Radio https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-weekend/audio/2018678902/sarah-masters-the-curious-history-of-the-periodic-table
5. Physics:
   • A reminder about online support material available from Ak Uni to support the teaching of physics content in 90940 & 91171. https://www.stemonline.auckland.ac.nz/  
   • NZ Transport Agency has physics units for juniors in the context of road safety and seniors in the context of crash avoidance.  https://education.nzta.govt.nz/teacher-resources/secondary-curriculum-resources/science/

Can You Help?

1. “Please ask teachers what topics they are using for B3.2 Socio-scientific issue? Want to see if we can move away from HGP?” Alison Baatjes. alison@asdah.onmicrosoft.com
2. “We are looking at making a L2 general science internally assessed course for kids who have not meet the Bi Ch Px pre-requisites but want to engage in science at L2. I am trying to create something wider than bio that is not overly literacy heavy and was hoping the email list might be able to help with ideas or resources. I have found little on TKI – I’m sure others have such a senior science course!” Janine Carr CR@birkenhead.school.nz

  Cheers, Mike