1-31 Mar	Melanoma March  www.melanoma.org.nz/news-events/recent-news
1-31 Mar	Hearing Awareness Month  https://www.nfd.org.nz/hearing-awareness-month2020
1-31 Mar	Whio Awareness month  https://www.doc.govt.nz/whioforever
17 Mar	Cafe Scientifique Kiwifruit science Tauranga Yacht Club, 7pm start, $10. RSVP
19 Mar	ASTA Literacy event 4-6pm, venue MAGS. Register
20 Mar	Autumnal Equinox NZ  https://www.rasnz.org.nz/in-the-sky/sun-rise-and-set-1
21 Mar	World Forestry Day  www.fitec.org.nz
21 Mar	World Down Syndrome Day  http://www.un.org/en/events/downsyndromeday/
22 Mar	Earth hour 8:30 – 9:30 pm  www.earthhour.org.nz
22Mar-22Apr	EcoFest, https://ecofest.org.nz/events/
22 Mar	World Water Day  www.emap.rsnz.org  http://www.worldwaterday.org/
23 Mar	World Meteorological Day  www.metservice.co.nz , go to Learning Centre
23 Mar	World Maths Day  https://www.3plearning.com/world-maths-day/
24 Mar	World Tuberculosis day  www.stoptb.org
29 Mar	Partial solar eclipse not visible from NZ
Moon	3Q Mar 23       NM Mar 29       1Q Apr 5       FM Apr 13

1. Talks that may be relevant for us
   • The science, technology and ethical issues of gene editing by Dr Barry Scott, 6-7pm Th 27 March, Lecture Theatre 1, EIT, Taradale, Napier
   • STELR webinar Fri 21 Mar 11:45-12:30 AEDT (1:45-2:30 same day NZDT) on careers in quantum science.  Register for free here.
   • Data Classroom webinar on using Science journalism and real data as resources for your classroom. March 20 from 4:15-5:15 pm EST (9:15-10:15 am March 21 NZT). Register here.
2. Auckland’s ecofest events include a geocaching treasure hunt, an art bike challenge, photo and moth plant competitions, guided cycle rides and walks, a silent disco at the botanic gardens ..

Info

1. Student opportunities:
   • Wonder Project provides support (kit, teachers’ guide & more) for 2 challenges for years 7-8: term 3 on power (te reo Māori resources available) & term 4 water. Register your interest here.
   • Inventionator provides an opportunity for gifted ākonga to work together online on a self-selected challenge. Register for 12-15 May (half-days) or 18-19 June (full days). + 1 evg.
2. Teacher Opportunities:
   • Blake Inspire Teacher Program is for primary and intermediate teachers who are passionate about developing their environmental knowledge. It runs 30 Jun – 4 Jul, 22-26 Sep and 29 Sep – 3 Oct 2025. Some info here. Teachers can register here.
3. Pedagogy:
   • An article about recent research on motivation https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/why-motivation-theories-in-education
4. Revision
   • Overlearning from Tui Boyes has some good ideas
   • NZASE article on the revision strategies which research shows work. https://nzase.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020-09-Effective-revision-techniques-NZASE-research-article.pdf

Resources

1. Biology:
   • A collection of resources about gene editing techniques and applications from The Scientist
   • Students can use play-doh to create different sized shapes, measure dimensions (sit it on graph paper?), calculate the SA/V ratios & fill in a table to compare for small & large cells. [Pru Casey]
   • BEANZ has a new QAAM’d task for AS 91607/B3.7 assessing the manipulation of selective breeding and gene editing (using CRISPR) in SLICK Cows. Found here for members.
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:    
   • Students can attend the South Island Ag Field Days for free, with chaperones. On Fri 28 Mar students can compete in the Ag Challenge (physical & theoretical) & the Sec Schools Fencing competition. Contact info@siafd.co.nz to enter the comps or get a school pass to attend.
   • Out The Gate 2025 in Rotorua on 26 Mar is a conference for sheep & beef farmers. Teachers & students can attend for free (both register as students) https://beeflambnz.com/outthegate
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • Student activity exploring the properties of dust and the astronomical research of dust in space https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/classroom/SeeingTheInvisible.html
   • Sink hole demo https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/185_Sink_hole.pdf
4. Chemistry:
   • A TEDEd video on the history of arsenic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH0tUg4Enn0
   • Weta Books is a new educational publisher with workbooks for L2 and L3 Chemistry.
5. Physics:
   • Transpower has animated resources about NZ’s electricity system https://www.transpower.co.nz/educationalresources
   • 30 min Veritasium video on rainbows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24GfgNtnjXc
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • Younger students learn about the Sun’s relative motion in the sky as they experiment with shadows. https://stardate.org/teaching-tool/shadow-play
   • UK’s Primary Science Teaching Trust Spring newsletter found here.
7. Middle School
   • Activities for Earth Day, whose theme this year is renewable energy (join NEEF for free)
   • Little Butterflies on the Prairie data activity is about growing food while still protecting wildlife.
8. A science book you or your students might like to read
   • Dig In!: 12 Easy Gardening Projects Using Kitchen Scraps by Kari Cornell features 12 simple projects growing fruit & veges “some of which may be better controlled versions of events already happening in your crisper drawer”.

MoE/NZQA

1. MoE has provided the names of people helping with the 1^st stage of writing the Science Curriculum (scroll down to NZC contributor groups) https://tahurangi.education.govt.nz/our-story

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. BEANZ has organised 2 NZQA Biology Making Assessor Judgement Workshops – Columba College Dunedin Fri 21 March 10-2, & New Plymouth 12 May (details tbc). Focus on 91604, 91607 
2. A recording of the fourth Science Learning Hub PLD on knowledge systems. Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here.

Cheers, Mike

Mike’s News is brought to you with the generous support of NZASE and Warp Computers