22 Aug	Biology MAJ workshop, 9:30 Rangitoto College.
23 Aug	Biology MAJ workshop, 9:00 Alfriston College.
24 Aug	Deadline to apply for TLRI funds http://www.tlri.org.nz.
25 Aug	Daffodil Day www.daffodilday.org.nz/
27 Aug	Deadline to apply for MacDiarmid summer schools, Discovery Camp and NanoCamp
28-30 Aug	Queenstown Molecular Biology meeting, focus on nanotechnology applications
29 Aug	International Day Against Nuclear tests www.un.org/en/events/againstnucleartestsday/
29 Aug	Deadline to enter animal testing essay to ANZCCART
30 Aug 1871	Ernest Rutherford was born http://www.rutherford.org.nz/
31 Aug	Deadline for yr 12 students to apply for UoC’s summer camp. Info here.
31 Aug	Deadline to nominate a Waikato or BoP science educator for a Kudos award
1 Sep	NZ Random Acts of Kindness Day https://rak.co.nz/
1-30 Sep	Save our Sight Month www.nzao.co.nz
2 Sep-8Oct	Tūhura Tuarangi interactive space showcase at Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North
4 Sep	Hochstetter lecture on the Kaikoura Earthquake, New Plymouth. Details here
5 Sep	Hochstetter lecture on the Kaikoura Earthquake, Hamilton. Details here
5 Sep	Deadline to apply for the PM’s Science Teacher Prize. Info here
Moon	1Q Aug 24         FM Aug 31         3Q Sep 7         NM Sep 15

1. In this Teaching Council webinar Michelle Johansson & Melanie Cottingham explore Pacific perspectives on leadership. Online on Thurs, 24 Aug, 4:00 – 5:30pm. Register here.
2. Fonterra Auckland is hosting a careers evening, Legendairy Career, with a focus on women in STEM. Th 24 Aug, 5:30-8:30 pm, Fonterra Centre, 109 Fanshaw St, CBD. $15. Register here.
3. Learning Leaders Roadshow features Greg O’Connor on the digital tools and strategies you can use to enhance diverse students’ learning outcomes. 8 cities, most 4-6pm, 22 – 31 Aug. More here

Info

1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
   • Supporting culturally sustaining practices for change, a blog by Melissa Denzler, NZCER: https://www.nzcer.org.nz/blogs/supporting-culturally-sustaining-practices-change-resources-and-ideas
2. Mātauranga Māori
   • A panel discussion exploring research principles mātauranga Māori and mainstream science. Dan Hikuroa, Ocean Mercier, Wayne Ngata, Arapata Hakiwai, & Charles Royal. https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/matauranga-maori-in-modern-day-research
   • Ngāi Tahu have short videos on the importance of tohu signs: Climate indicators, Weather indicators and Observations of Change. [Mere Manning]
3. Professional reading/watching/listening:
   • A blog about looking after your voice, important for new teachers especially.
   • An Australian review of the evidence for best practice science teaching provides evidence, recommendations and tools. [Jennie Merchant] https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/education-evidence/guidance-reports/improving-secondary-science
4. Student opportunities:
   • VuW is leading a Te Hauhunga Girls on Ice expedition to Mt Ruapehu in Jan 2024. Open to all identifying as female, 15 or 16yo on 1 Jan. The 11-day expedition will incorporate Earth Science, art, and outdoor exploration. All tuition, food, gear covered. Apply here by 5 Sep.
5. Science Careers:
   • Students choose areas of interest and priorities for job satisfaction and then look at profiles of people in different matching jobs https://engage.aps.org/stepup/curriculum/careers/matching

Resources

1. Biology:
   • An activity to show the random nature of evolution https://teaching.betterlesson.com/lesson/600247/using-student-doodles-to-introduce-the-concept-of-evolution-and-natural-selection
   • Who killed the kiwi – a Otago uni resource using DNA profiling to catch wildlife criminals. A year 10 unit. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go/files/2020/02/Who-Killed-the-Kiwi.pdf
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • Farmers Weekly and Grower2Grower are useful sources of information and free to subscribe
   • Primary matters is a podcast from MPI about our food and fibre sectors. https://shows.acast.com/primary-matters
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • Tektites indicate meteorite impact https://www.sciencenews.org/article/50-years-ago-mysterious-glass-earth-past
   • Hands-on activities to learn about the effect of carbon dioxide on ocean chemistry.
   • How to make a seismograph using Arduino https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-Simple-Seismograph
4.  Chemistry:
   • The Maillard reaction, the chemical process that gives browned food its flavour, may play a role in storing sedimentary organic carbon on the seafloor. Chemistry World article.
   • Infographics on the plastic anatomy of Barbie and the chemistry of the FIFA women’s world cup.
5. Physics:
   • Activity to design a top that spins the longest https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WWSjuYIYvLpnaNRD4C6JFLLFujTeh44LjziUtUvVGfw/edit#slide=id.p
   • OpenSciEd’s remote learning units on heat, sound and EMR (OSE is free to join)
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • An article about teaching Earth & Space using dance and other activities https://www.ase.org.uk/system/files/canovanv2.pdf
   • Resources on wetland flora and fauna https://ducks.org.nz/resources#23-24-flight-magazine-inserts
7. Middle School:
   • This activity exploring women in physics has a poster, teacher guide, student files and PPT for both high school and middle school. https://engage.aps.org/stepup/curriculum/women
8. Nature of Science:
   • Gaia Vari is a citizen science project to help classify variable stars by analysing data about stars’ brightness & colour changes.
9. Te reo science resources
   • Did you know Twinkl has some resources totally in te reo Māori? Check out if your kura will pay for one year’s subscription so you can mine what’s there. https://www.twinkl.co.nz

MoE/NZQA

1. CB1.2 / AS92021 is changing. While the competency being assessed will stay the same for 2024, the scope of the std will change. The final version will be available with the other L1 ach stds at the start of Term 4. NCEA Implementation Facilitators can help with follow-up questions.

Can you help?

1. The LEARNZ provides virtual field trips to NZ teachers. They are conducting a survey to better understand how teachers use their materials, and how they can improve the programme to make it more valuable for teachers and students. If you can help, please take the survey here.

Vacancies

1. MoE’s Auckland office is looking for a senior advisor, Apply by 28 Aug. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3688788361/

Cheers, Mike

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