Diary minus PLD (all PLD events in a separate document this term)
27Oct-2Nov | Tokelau language week, Te Gagana Tokelau www.mpia.govt.nz |
29 Oct | Guilford & Paringatai talk about finding the stomach cancer gene, Dunedin |
30 Oct | NZ teachers’ day |
30 Oct | 1pm deadline for Yr 12 or 13 student to apply for The PM’s Future Scientist Prize |
31 Oct | Guilford & Paringatai talk about finding the stomach cancer gene, Wellington |
31 Oct | Diwali https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/new-zealand/diwali |
31 Oct | New education.govt.nz website goes live. Science stuff will be here. |
31 Oct | Deadline to submit essay on how to succeed at school. Info here. |
31Oct-2 Nov | Diwali, Hindu Festival of Lights |
5 Nov | World Tsunami Awareness Day |
5-29 Nov | NZQA exams |
8 Nov | National STEM/STEAM day US website |
10 Nov | World science day https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-science-day |
10-16 Nov | Papua New Guinea Language week, Papua Niugini Tok Pisin www.mpia.govt.nz |
Moon | NM Nov 2 1Q Nov 9 FM Nov 16 3Q Nov 23 |
- Talks that may be relevant for us
- Prof Ben Kennedy won a PM’s award for Science Communication, & speaks about his work as a geologist and a communicator. 12 Nov, 6:30-8pm Building DL, Room DLEC, Ara, City Campus 130 Madras St, Chch
- Mike Joy speaks on The Fight for Freshwater in Auckland, Nelson, Palmerston N, Havelock N, Chch (will be recorded & available here) & Wgtn. Info here.
Info
- Mātauranga Māori:
- Article, Weaving mātauranga Māori and scientific research to strengthen our understanding of the Alpine Fault https://www.geonet.org.nz/news/7jQ9BUiWfkBi59jzpiCl6f
- An image of ngā whetū o Mahutonga the stars of the Southern Cross https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=933678062131870&set=a.559257359573944
- Professional reading/watching/listening:
- TES article on working memory and cognitive load https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/what-is-working-memory-educations-unfinished-revolution
- A recording of the AEC webinar from Guy Claxton about the Science of Learning plus Handout
- Student opportunities:
- Beamline for Schools is a physics competition for high-school students from all around the world to propose an experiment that they want to perform at a particle accelerator.
- Teacher opportunities
- Vic Uni Wellington is offering a Professional Development grant covering tuition & student service fees for Wgtn-based secondary teachers to complete a uni summer course at VuW.
- Revision:
- ESS scholarship tutorials 23, 24, 26 and 27 Nov. Register with Jenny Pollock.
- Matthew McGovern has a 10-lesson course for students studying independently for Schol Physics (also useful for teachers seeking guidance). About $45. Info here.
- NCEA revision classes for Auckland students https://rangitoto.arlo.co/w/schedule/cat-66-/page-2/
Resources
- Biology:
- Video Habitat and adaptations of a kereru [Roy Mathews]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5q7Hzt-6Y&t=81s
- A Lactose intolerance lab
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- Recent Country Calendar episodes feature a nursery that supplies baby vines to commercial vineyards and a community garden that uses mātauranga Māori and permaculture principles
- Horticulture scholarships https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/people/applications-open-for-horticulture-scholarships
- Earth & Space Science:
- Geotrips have interactive map and info on a wide range of geological sites across NZ – great for field trip prep.
- Out of the ocean, into the fire is a detailed book on the history of northern NZ by geologist, Bruce Hayward.
- Chemistry:
- Infographics on aurora colours, ink cap mushrooms, hair colour, cat and dog kibble.
- Reading about athletes taking sodium bicarbonate – its performance-enhancing effect seems to involve buffering
- Physics:
- Energy Bingo games https://www.need.org/resources/energy-bingo-games/
- Short video explaining how to teach waves – scroll down for PPT. (join UK’s STEM Learning for free)
- Primary & intermediate:
- Some teaching resources on bees and pollination from NEEF.
- York Uni has created groups of activities – with salt and ice, with ripples, with foam and making plastic from potato starch – student sheet, teacher guide.
- Science:
- Halloween activities
- From NEED – roast pumpkin seeds in a solar oven, make a pumpkin battery
- Teach Engineering: Glowing slime, trebuchet build.
- Halloween Chemistry 2008
- From Science Sparks – fake blood, lava lamp, density jar, device to make creaking sounds, glow in the dark oobleck
- Halloween activities
- New standards
- FaceBook suggestions for PES 1.2
- the effect of wind force (fan) or mass on speed of waka (wind yacht). Kirsten Jessup
- parachute drop altering the shape, how many holes and weight using paperclips. Janey Collins
- the Physics of falling, changing mass, surface area, or projected angle and measuring time (to calculate average falling speed). Lisa Janek
- NZIP has a list of possible investigations inside the secure resource bank for members
- Use car ramp, changing height, measuring time and distance of toy car to calculate speed. Author? (Let me know if you posted this and I can acknowledge.)
- V=IR and P=VI using the phenomenon of brightness. Bill McGeechan.
- FaceBook suggestions for PES 1.2
Vacancies
- Ak Uni’s Engineering faculty runs the Apollo programme for Māori and Pasifika students studying NCEA L3 calculus and has just expanded to include L3 physics. Runs during the school holidays, starting Dec/Jan then Apr/Jul/Oct 2025. Email expressions of interest for this paid position to steve.watkinson@auckland.ac.nz
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- Hive Mind, free online PLD from Science in a van with the Science Learning Hub on Zoom. Come along to hear what yr 1-10 teachers from all around Aotearoa are up to and share planning tips & tricks. Resources from the last one here. Next one is Thurs 7 Nov 4-4:45pm – Register Now
- Learning Network NZ, Cnr Universal/Soljan Drives, Henderson, Auckland
- Beginning teacher mentor program for 2025: monthly for Year 1 PCTs, Year 2 PCTs, mentors
- Emerging Leader program for middle leaders 2025: Mark Osborne, 2 mtgs per term.
- Term 4 Science PLD has been updated (starts this week) for both primary and secondary science. Plus flyers for HandsOn Genetics BEANZ and Genetics Aotearoa Wgtn
- Einstein Plus is a 1-week face-to-face (in Canada!) workshop for high school teachers with a focus on modern physics – quantum physics, special relativity, & cosmology. Jul 7-11, 2025. $300CAD.
- Massey uni is offering an online course this summer on Māori astronomy, led by Rangi Mātāmua. Wed & Th evenings from 20 Nov – 4 Feb with 2 weeks off for Christmas. Apply by 31 Oct.
- Resources available for this terms ToD:
Technician
- “Temu sells LED lights (which we use with conductive dough) and also some little magnets and other items for our junior classes.” Debz Walker, FB
- Signage some schools are using: No food or drink allowed = KAUA E KAI, E INU RĀNEI; No unauthorised entry = HE URUNGA WHAI HERE
Cheers, Mike
Mike’s News is brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers and NZASE.