3 May | Deadline to feed back on histories draft curriculum |
7 May | World Asthma day http://asthmafoundation.org.nz/ |
8 May | World Migratory Bird Day www.worldmigratorybirdday.org |
9-15 May | Rotuman Language week www.mpia.govt.nz |
10-16 May | NZ Sign Language Week http://nzslweek.org.nz/ |
12 May | World Nurses Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays/world/nurses-day |
14 May | Deadline for next round centrally funded PLD https://pld.education.govt.nz/ |
17-21 May | Primary Science Week Term 2 week 3 http://nzapse.nzase.org.nz/ |
17-21 May | Bullying free week https://www.bullyingfree.nz/bullying-free-new-zealand-week/ |
Moon | 3Q 4 May NM 12 May 1Q 20 May FM 26 May |
- The Whau River Community Trust programs run year-round: Biodiversity survey and Stream Monitoring; Predator control; Propagating plants – all in West Auckland. Any schools want to be involved? More info: justine@whauriver.org.nz or 021 627864
- World Maths Day 5 May https://www.mathletics.com/blog/news/world-maths-day-is-back/
Info
- Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
- Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching looks useful http://raymondwlodkowski.com/Materials/ProfessionalLearning.pdf
- Mātauranga Māori
- LEARNZ virtual fieldtrips have strong mātauranga Māori links, e.g. Kaitiakitanga from estuary to catchment, about river restoration – background resources available now, the trip live online from 12 May.
- An interview with Dan Hikuroa https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/restoring-mauri-is-what-drives-me/
- Pedagogy:
- Allison Campbell suggests online tools to support & develop critical thinking skills: here, here (including a link to a page on applying critical thinking to fake news) & here,
- Spinoff article on how we can make it easier for our autistic students
- Student opportunities:
- In term 2 Papa Taiao will be running short courses on predator control (14 cr) and fencing (20 cr) for 10+ L2 & L3 students – outside, hands-on, real skills, available all across the country https://www.papataiaoearthcare.nz/short-courses
- Digital support:
- Pocket lab allows students to use their Android (connect with Blue-tooth) or IOS phones (app) to connect with sensors to collect data. https://app.thepocketlab.com/resources
- Teacher Opportunities:
- Nominations are open for the Kudos awards (close 2 Jul) for those in Waikato & BoP. https://www.thekudos.org.nz/the-kudos-awards/science-teacher-educator-award/
Resources
- Biology:
- Natural selection in rock pocket mice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjeSEngKGrg
- Download a pdf of Bill Bryson’s The Body – a Guide for Occupants.
- Brine Shrimp Ecology from British Ecological Society explains how students can set up their own shrimp ecosystem in a bottle & 13 practical activities they can do based on it.
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- An activity based on a reading about biogas – using methane from cows as a fuel
- Earth & Space Science:
- Why is Pluto not deemed a planet? https://science.howstuffworks.com/pluto-planet.htm
- An online resource exploring UV light in the atmosphere
- An activity to work out the size of the earth using Erathostene’s information
- Chemistry:
- Chemistry concept cartoons & a Science Learning Hub article on how to use them
- Video of the chemistry of pickling food (role of brine, fermentation, lactic acid & pH) https://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=70827&from=
- Physics:
- Info on earth’s magnetic field https://geohubliverpool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/10things.pdf
- Some resources on the science of flight
- Primary & intermediate:
- Brain Pop’s Guts and Bolts free online game is a great wrap-up for Human Body systems https://www.brainpop.com/games/gutsandbolts/
- Nature of Science:
- In this video John Cooks talks about the FLICC acronym for techniques of science denial in the context of climate change https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEt-alKy_fQ
- Science of COVID:
- Respiratory droplets are the main way Coronavirus spreads. In this practical students use PocketLab’s humidity sensor to measure the moisture in their breath with different masks. https://app.thepocketlab.com/lab-report/8a8Tq0Q_0001vD8I
- EfS:
- In this activity students analyse & interpret some data on sea level changes
- Citizen science: make environmental observations that complement NASA satellite observations to help scientists studying the global environment
- Science
- This activity estimates the mass of a dinosaur using a plastic model. The result can be compared with values based on the depth of animal footprints or info in text books
- Science research written for kids https://kids.frontiersin.org [House of Science]
- STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths)
- Another source of stem activities http://www.sciencefriday.com/educate/
- Starters for STEM resources https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/468235/starters-stem
MoE/NZQA
- MoE is proposing to introduce legislation to enable ERO to review PLD for schools, kura & early learning services. Find out more and have your say in this survey, by 16 Jun.
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- Science Technician’s Conference is in Christchurch this year 5-7 Oct. $380. NZASE grants will be available. ConSTANZ 2021 website
- CONASTA, the conference for Australian science teachers is in Canberra 26-29 Sep. https://asta.edu.au/conasta
Cheers, Mike
Mike’s News is brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers