7Nov-2Dec | NZQA exams – timetable |
7Nov-5Dec | Young Explorers 21 Day Challenge. sign up here |
8 Nov | CSTA science leaders PLD. Register here link. |
8-9 Nov | Total lunar eclipse (11:59pm – 2:56 pm) https://rasnz.org.nz/in-the-sky/eclipses |
10 Nov | World science day https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-science-day |
10 Nov | Protecting Our Planet Day – CC program http://protectingourplanet.org.uk/ |
10 Nov | Auckland ESS teachers’ day. Sign up here https://forms.gle/YogzEg2hzVzWSvdZ8 |
10-11 Nov | Science is Cool Conference, 7am +. Register here |
14 Nov | World Diabetes day https://worlddiabetesday.org/about/theme/ |
15 Nov | Discussion about new S1.3 Dvpt of a Science Idea 5pm https://youtu.be/zH1PK9Z-WCs |
16-18 Nov | ChemEd / BioLive at AUT. https://chemedbiolive.org/ |
17 Nov | Peak of Leonid meteor shower 4 a.m. http://www.rasnz.org.nz/in-the-sky/meteor-showers |
18 Nov | international day of LGBT people in STEM. https://prideinstem.org/lgbtstemday/ |
18-24 Nov | Antibiotic Resistance week www.who.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/en/ |
Moon | FM Nov 9 3Q Nov 17 NM Nov 24 1Q Dec 1 |
- Some science departments teach psychology. If you want to find out more about this subject, the NZ Association of Psychology Teachers is holding its conference Nov 24-25 at Massey Uni, Ak. The conference fee is covered via their NEX fund https://www.nzpsychteachers.org/
- The next webinar with teachers piloting new science standards is on Tues 15 Nov, 5pm, on the development of a scientific idea (1.3). Join in here https://youtu.be/zH1PK9Z-WCs Past ones: Socio Scientific Issue (1.1), Investigative approaches (1.2) and Sci Communication (1.4).
- VuW Physics Teacher Only Day Fri 11 Nov, 9-3pm, Kelburn. https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Physics-Teachers-Day-Programme-2022.pdf
- STEM Alliance Networking evening 10 Nov 6-8pm, The Good Home Mount Eden, 37 Normanby Rd, Auckland. Free. Find out what others are doing in STEAM, get new ideas & make connections.
Info
- Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
- An article on decolonizing an undergrad chem program https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00397
- Mātauranga Māori
- Kaitiakitanga cards explore mātauranga principles in a marine context https://www.sustainableseaschallenge.co.nz/tools-and-resources/htan-kaitiakitanga-cards/
- Science Learning Hub resource He aha hoki tērā rākau? ❘ What kind of tree is that? is about getting to know the trees in a local forest thru’ observation, discussion & sharing knowledge.
- Pedagogy:
- A lesson on interdependence https://sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/interdependence-lesson-400241?check_logged_in=1 (Share My Lesson is free to join)
- Webinar on Project-Based Learning from Gary Curts https://www.thepocketlab.com/video/scic5/activate-learning
- Teacher Opportunities:
- Applications are now open for the next intake of Homeward Bound (TeamHB8). This is open to 100 women with a STEMM background and offers a life-changing voyage to Antarctica. They have a new scholarship supported by BOC South Pacific Engineering open to women across the South Pacific including NZ. https://youtu.be/b3DCwr4D_ko
- Revision:
- Gimkit is a variation on Kahoot https://www.gimkit.com
- Science Scribe has some good revision videos for senior biology and chemistry https://www.youtube.com/c/sciencescribe/featured
- Science Careers:
- A champion talks about girls and science https://www.today.com/parents/jessica-wade-wikipedia-women-scientists-rcna51628
Resources
- Biology:
- Paper Human skeleton 1m long to construct https://eskeletons.org/sites/eskeletons.org/files/files/resources/000646791.pdf
- November is a good month to look at frogs and tadpoles
- Alpha 125 https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/assets/125-Alpha-Series-Frogs-At-Risk.pdf
- Citizen science project FrogID https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2764-frogid
- Connected article https://instructionalseries.tki.org.nz/Instructional-Series/Connected/Connected-2019-Level-2-Wild-Discoveries/Kimihia-Kermit
- Leaping frog activity (about kinetic and potential energy): https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Jumping-Frog-activity.doc
- Frog activities from the ARBs https://arbs.nzcer.org.nz/lookup/frog/bank/science-3
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- A wool quiz from PGG Wrightson https://form.typeform.com/to/HeEESv0T?
- Sustainable Seas research challenge has a bunch of useful infographics on C cycle within a seaweed farm, factors enabling our seaweed sector, global seaweed sector,
- Earth & Space Science:
- Lesson plan to help students understand core sampling with cupcakes https://serc.carleton.edu/ANGLE/educational_materials/activities/205659.html
- How to find te waka o tama rereti, a star cluster visible for a short period of time just after sunset, in November. These stars show Polynesian navigators the way to NZ, from NZ they line up 270o around the horizon https://milky-way.kiwi/navigation/how-to-find-te-waka-o-tama-rereti/
- Chemistry:
- The Christmas cookie mystery (identifying unknown substances): student worksheet, final report form, reindeer team labels, class notes, teacher notes.
- Science songs: Periodic Table and Science Wars and science song and Taylor Swift Parody from ASAP Science duo; Lab Rules from Dua Lipa.
- Physics:
- Activities to learn about solar energy https://woodshop4kids.com/solar-energy-with-kids-2/
- Method for calculating water velocity https://fieldbasedstem.com/measuring-velocity-head-h/ which can be used as the basis of a physics investigation for L2 and L3.
- Primary & intermediate:
- Resources from Tasmania Hydro about electricity generation (including solar and wind). Levelled for years 2-6. https://www.hydro.com.au/education/primary/lesson-plans
- New Science Learning Hub resources on floating and sinking https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/3181-building-science-concepts-floating-and-sinking
- Story with a science theme: Andrea Beatty’s picture books Rosie Revere Engineer and Iggy Peck Architect are great. [LH]
- Science:
- Science badges may be useful for the end of the year – research or prac activities designed to be completed by students on their own https://sciencebadges.co.nz/science-badges/
- Some helpful FB hints to explore energy drinks:
- Look at the nutritional info table, measure sugar into clear cups, take photos, make a poster
- Bar graph the caffeine content in different energy drinks and coffee
- Look at the energy content (Cal or Joules) & work out how much exercise they would need to do to use up that energy (use standardised tables of activity energy use online)
- Watch a sobering video https://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/energy-drinks/11014584
- Use this lesson plan https://healthpoweredkids.org/lessons/sports-drinks-and-energy-drinks/
- Education for Sustainability (EfS):
- WWF’s new Schools Sustainability Guide https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/sustainability-guide
- PSTT resource about climate change research and its Teacher Guide
- Nature of Science:
- A lesson on modelling https://ncse.ngo/science-inquiry-based-process-action
Can you help?
- Pūkorokoro Shorebird Centre is looking to expand the group of volunteers working as a guide at the hides or as a minder in the shop. Training Sun 27 or Tues 29 Nov. If interested register here.
- Please share ideas for good junior science lessons/activities for this time of year.
- Sue’s school is considering a shipping container as a replacement for their chemical store. “Has anyone tried this before and know what rules do we have to comply with? I am aware of the need to have ventilation, flooring and shelving to code but am struggling to access this information. I have heard of containers being used in schools where there has been flooding but I am guessing this is only a temporary fix.” Sue Scull susan.scull@ajhs.school.nz
Cheers, Mike
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