1. Dates to Note

14 Dec     Peak of Geminid meteor shower peak visible fr NZ (starts 7 Dec) 21 Dec     Summer Solstice NZ                          www.archaeoastronomy.com/2016.html Moon      1Q Dec. 16     FM Dec. 23      3Q Dec. 29 Info

• Pedagogy:
  • Evidence-based strategies for effective learning from tki’s Assessment Online http://www.learningscientists.org/downloadable-materials/
  • Formats for structuring a class discussion to make it more engaging, more organized, more equitable, and more academically challenging. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/
  • What does the research tell us about student voice? https://soundout.org/why-student-voice-a-research-summary/

• Reading:
  • The NZ Herald article on primary science underachievement. Have you thought about what you would like students to know and be able to do when they arrive to year 9 science? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12170468

• If you need some funding to trial something different, applications for the Teacher- Led Innovation Fund are now open. TLIF supports teachers from early learning services, ngā kōhanga reo, schools and kura to collaboratively develop innovative practices that improve learning outcomes. Applications for Round 5 are open now and close on 27 February.

• Wellington ICT Graduate School is offering two full-tuition scholarships for Māori and Pasifika students for 2019

• Attached are responses from some Auckland teachers inreviewing the 2018 NCEA exams. Ifyou want to give your own feedback to NZQA you can email them at  https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/audience-pages/secondary-schools-and-teachers/exam-surveys/
  • Exam-Feedback-ASTA-181128-1.pdf

Resources

• Biology:
  • Some countries are removing evolution from the curriculum https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/03/darwin-theory-evolution-schools-earth?CMP=share_btn_tw
  • NASA’s ECOSTRESS mission is studying how plants sweat, providing detailed measurements of plant temperatures from space. Watch the ScienceCast Video
  • A cool free activity from Teachers Pay Teachers where students calculate the amount of O₂ absorbed by trees ( 2^nd set of pages is metric). https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Calculating-the-Oxygen-Production-and-Carbon-Dioxide-Absorption-of-Trees-2514530

• Astronomy:
  • The colour of a meteor depends on its chemical composition. https://twitter.com/ZonePhysics
  • Insight spacecraft lands on Mars. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mars-landing-nasas-insight-spacecraft-takes-selfie-after-surviving-supersonic-plunge/

• Chemistry:
  • A balancing equations activity, TeachersPay Teachers freebie.
  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Balancing-Equations-Find-Someone-Who-1851177
  • Chemistry Advent Calendar  https://www.compoundchem.com/2018/11/30/2018chemadvent/

• Physics:
  • Definitions for the kilogram, ampere, kelvin & mole have been changed to be based on natural constants, bringing an end to the use of physical objects to define measurement units. “The change to quantum physics will open up a whole new world of innovation opportunities. To explore space we need to be able to measure to greater accuracy using standards that are more universal than a single piece of metal in Paris.” Says Dr Fleur Francois, Director of NZ’s Measurements Standards lab. These new measurement standards will be officially implemented on 20 May 2019. https://www.bipm.org/en/measurement-units/rev-si/
• • Transparent solar cells mean any window could be used to generate electricity
  https://www.physics-astronomy.org/2018/05/transparent-solar-cells-make-any-window.html

• Science:
  • An article about a scientist working with Powelliphanta native snails https://blog.doc.govt.nz/2018/11/21/sound-of-science-saving-our-snails/
  • Have you seen Horrible Science magazines that come out fortnightly from the UK? Subscribe from subs@ndc.co.nz
  • Science-based cross-curricular activity Who do you think you are, based on the investigations of Lisa Matisoo Smith http://www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz/massey/fms/AWC/documents/Human%20Evolution%20and%20DNA.pdf

• Science Careers:
  • Samoan Scientist- a 5-minute video of a young Samoan woman who talks about how she became a scientist

• NoS
  • Freebie from Teachers Pay Teachers on how to spot bad science – criteria + examples to analyse. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/How-To-Spot-Bad-Science-Online-and-on-Social-Media-2970433
  • Science Learning Hub has a planning pathways interactive to help you navigate all their Climate change resources – articles, activities, multimedia, stories of NZ science research. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2639-climate-change-resources-planning-pathways

MoE/NZQA

• NZQA guidelines for length of responses in exams.

Cheers, Mike