30 May	Deadline for teachers/principals to apply for 2026 study awards. Info here.
30 May	5pm Deadline for students to apply for Farm2Future Camp. Apply here
31 May	World Smoke-free Day www.worldsmokefreeday.org.nz
I Jun	World milk day https://worldmilkday.org/
1-7 Jun	Samoan language week, Gagana Samoa www.mpia.govt.nz
2-6 Jun	National Schools Pride Week Inside Out, Register here (Term 2 week 6)
5 Jun	World Environment Day www.4million.org.nz www.mfe.govt.nz
5 Jun	Arbor Day https://www.tfsnz.org.nz/
6 Jun	6pm Clouston Hall, St Cuths, Ak, Dr Thaller talks about her work at NASA. Book here
8 Jun	World Oceans day www.theoceanproject.org/wod/wod_ideas.php ???
Moon	NM May 27      1Q Jun 3      FM Jun 11      3Q Jun 19

1. ASTA PLD for Auckland teachers on Numeracy 11 Jun 4-6pm, Tangaroa College. Flier
2. Resource for Samoan language week 1-7 Jun: Classroom phrases Samoan 2025 More resources https://www.mpp.govt.nz/programmes/pacific-language-weeks/samoa-language-week/
3. NZIP Conference (1-3 Jul at Ak uni) has extended the early bird deadline to 30 May. You may be eligible for a NEX-funded registration (excluding dinner), or PPTA conference funding.
4. Matariki events
   • Stardome Observatory Ak has new planetarium shows starting this week plus an open day on 20 Jun https://www.stardome.org.nz/matariki-at-stardome-2025

Info

1. Mātauranga Māori:
   • Whakapapa of Ngaruroro awa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocxCw_SgoRk
2. Student opportunities:
   • Yr 12 & 13 students can apply for the PM’s Space prize for a science, technology, or engineering project related to space or advanced aviation ($50,000). Info here.
   • Engineering & Design Info Evening Ak Uni 6pm 29 May in person or livestream. Book here.
   • Women in Engineering will run in-person or virtual workshops with your students in-school https://outlook.office365.com/book/WomeninEngineeringOutreachWorkshops@auckland.ac.nz/
   • ANZCCART essay competition for secondary students – useful for B2.2 or B3.2. Info here. Theme is the role of animals in research. Deadline 22 Aug
3.  Podcasts:
   • The Auckland Museum podcast https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/podcast
4. Science gifts
   • Fungi of Aotearoa tee shirt https://checksdowntown.com/collections/new/products/fungi-of-aotearoa-tee-black
5. Vote for NZ’s fungus of the year here. Enlarge the images to find Info on each of the candidate species. Fungi have benefits in their ecological function, cultural relevance, economic importance, but also negative impacts such as causing significant plant and animal diseases.
6. Congrats to 2 NZ students placed in their categories in the International Science & Engineering Fair, USA: Jesse Rumball-Smith WC (road safety app) & Isabella Aduna WGC (eco-friendly solar panels) for being

Resources

1. Biology:
   • Evolution tarsia to test L3 vocab https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/SBI3U-Evolution-Review-Activity-Tarsia-Puzzle-9653631
   • Article about MICO, an interactive map of more than 100 migratory species.
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • New Beef and Lamb NZ Education pages include posters of NZ sheep and beef breeds
   • Science Learning Hub article on dairy farming and the nitrogen cycle.
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • A guide to photographing the Milky Way and a calendar of the best days to view from NZ
   • UoC ozone resource https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/content/dam/uoc-main-site/documents/pdfs/d-other/gateway-antarctica/The-atmosphere-above-Antarctica.pdf
   • Activity modelling hotspots https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/208_Hotspots.pdf
4. Chemistry:
   • ways of teaching salt formation https://edu.rsc.org/ideas/ways-to-teach-formation-of-salts/4020951.article
   • bingo game to teach bonding and properties https://edu.rsc.org/lesson-plans/bonding-bingo-bonds-and-properties-of-substances-14-16-years/93.article
5. Physics:
   • A good waves simulation for year 9 https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/waves-intro/latest/waves-intro_all.html
   • The physics obstacles to Trump’s Golden Dome https://www.sciencenews.org/article/golden-dome-missile-defense-physics
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • Primary Science Teaching Trust magazine to download https://mailchi.mp/pstt.org.uk/summer-2025-magazine
   • Science Learning Hub’s interactive Build a satellite teaches students about what keeps observation satellites powered, on track, safe from danger and enabled to collect data.
7.  Assessments:
   • Nathaniel Burbery shared on FB a formative assessment for CB1.1 on tooth decay. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-L4S-mAG_7lDFr1v9GsVfmN2C5-0Jwjc36E6RIZlFDI/edit
   • BEANZ has new resources for members – 2 QAAM’d tasks for 91604 Homeostasis as well as exams for L1, 2 & 3 and Schol, all under https://beanz.org.nz/resources
   • HATA is looking for teachers to write NCEA benchmark exams for 2025 – especially for 2.2, 3.4, 3.5 and Scholarship – by 6 Jun. If interested please fill in this form.
8. A science book you or your students might like to read
   • The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch, by David Armitage, read aloud shows use of a flying fox. Could lead to activities/discussion on forces, light sources/reflectors of light; making a model LH

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. NZASE/Science Alive PLD for primary teachers is coming to Nelson, Greymouth, Chch, Timaru, Queenstown, Invercargill, Dunedin 21 Jul – 6 Aug. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Details & register here.

Technicians

1. Ideas for open evenings
2. Elephant Toothpaste discussion, including a suggestion of yeast instead of KI.

Cheers, Mike

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