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
23 Mar	World Meteorological Day www.metservice.co.nz, Learning Centre
24 Mar	World Tuberculosis day www.stoptb.org
24 Mar	Dairy NZ Careers Day for yr 13 Science students at Lye Research farm 9-3:30.
27 Mar	Deadline to apply for SouthSci STEM funding. www.cometauckland.org.nz/southsci
27 Mar	Deadline to apply for the 2 American Meteorological Society PLD workshops
28 Mar	Earth hour 8:30 – 9:30 pm www.wwf.org.nz and www.earthhour.org.nz
2 Apr	World Autism day www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/world-autism-awareness-day
4 April	Alison Campbell, Critical Thinking 4 Schol Bi. 9-12. Online contingency plan. Email Shane
6 April	Deadline for st to enter Scientist for a day competition. nzspaceagency@mbie.govt.nz
7 Apr	World Health day  www.who.int/  Go to Events calendar
Moon	NM 24 Mar       1Q 1 Apr.        FM 8 Apr        3Q 15 Apr

Info

1. E-Learning
   • We are seeing some schools having to close today, no doubt others will follow. There is some help available as a number of companies have made their software/resources available free for those students sent home from school due to COVID-19. A collation: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Help-for-learning-online-at-home.docx

2. Literacy
   • https://www.menti.com/b54bf116 makes Wordles based on submitted input
   • A literature review which looks into the most effective strategies for teaching inference at which ages. https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/edr01/edr01.pdf

3. Professional reading:
   • This NZCER research report presents findings on curriculum integration: teachers’ rationales; the approaches and practices used to integrate curriculum; and the learning opportunities these approaches provide for students. https://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/publications/curriculum-integration-what-happening-new-zealand-schools?mc_cid=bf304eb0c3&mc_eid=8f61c7dba4
   • NZASE’s March newsletter was emailed last week. To get a newsletter your school needs to be a member & you need a user profile. You can go on to the membership portal https://nzase.org.nz/membership/ & check if your school has joined – if not you can join here and/or create a user profile. If you are already a member with a profile but are not getting NZASE newsletters please email Donna at nzase@xtra.co.nz

Resources

1. Geology:
   • An activity that examines hydraulic fracking of methane-bearing shale https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/269_Fracking.pdf
   • An activity matching a set of specimens or photographs to their probable location on a map of an imaginary continent, drawn on the playground surface or on paper in the classroom https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/331_Playground_continents.pdf

2. Biology:
   • This predator trapping guide may be useful for schools’ environmental efforts. https://bit.ly/2U36Qa4
   • NZ Geographic article tracing the ancestor of the moa. https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/singing-the-same-tune/?t=28159_6ce38406db942e23d97137753bbacef0&campaign_id=
   • Some resources for teaching about the biology of SARS CoV-2 and COVID-19: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Resources-for-teaching-about-the-biology-of-COVID19.docx

3. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • In this activity students discuss places where no soil is found to consolidate learning about soil-forming processes http://earthlearningidea.blogspot.com/2020/01/new-eli-today-where-on-earth-is-no-soil.html

4. Astronomy:
   • What life aboard the International Space Station is like https://bit.ly/33kq1jJ  
   • Stardome has several one-page resources for primary and secondary teachers – sun, telescopes, constellations, solar system, Matariki, measuring distances in space https://bit.ly/2QjalrL

5. Chemistry:
   • Elements in the Human Body and what they do. https://bit.ly/3b4PDnE

6. Nature of Science:
   • Some Science Capability activities based on data/images related to COVID-19: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Some-NoS-resources-for-Covid19.docx

7. Primary
   • NZTA resources – road safety, bike ready, keeping safe around trucks, Kia Pai Tō Haere, Big events, rail safety, feet first. Flexible, context-driven lesson plans that support student inquiry and curriculum integration. Writers, including Pam Hook, use SOLO Taxonomy to create clear learning progressions. https://bit.ly/2QhQlG5  
   • Nanogirl explains coronavirus for littlies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPsY-jLqaXM

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. Learning Network NZ: Digital Curriculum (robotics, coding, rockets) with Eric Sheninger, 5 May, Auckland
2. Core-Ed: Learner Agency with Sarah Te One, 20 May, 9-12, Wellington
3. Kohia: Science for primary and intermediate classrooms (Primary) with Nick Bithell, 01 May, 12:30 – 3:30pm, Auckland
4. Sir Paul Callaghan Science Academy is offering one-day workshops, Auckland 6^th & 27th May, Palmerston North 7th May, Invercargill 13 May, Kerikeri 14 May, Whakatane 20 May https://www.scienceacademy.co.nz/
5. Zoom in Education webinar for those having to teach kids at home. Hosted by ConnectNZ & VLN Primary – Tuesday March 24th 3.30 pm – register here

Technicians

1. Plastic Easter eggs are very useful for the ESS crater experiment as their mass can be changed by filling with sand. Look out for them in the coming month as Easter looms.

Stay safe out there, Cheers, Mike