8-14 May	Rotuman Language week MPP website
9-15 May	NZ Sign Language Week http://nzslweek.org.nz/
11 May	National School Nurses Day
12 May	World Nurses Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays/world/nurses-day
14 May	World Migratory Bird Day www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
16 May	Total lunar eclipse, 5:18-6:50 pm https://rasnz.org.nz/in-the-sky/eclipses
16-20May	Primary Science Week (T2 wk3) http://nzapse.nzase.org.nz/ Antarctic science
17 Apr	World Haemophilia day http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=492
18 May	Fascination of Plant Day www.plantday12.eu
20 May	World Bee Day https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day
20 May	Pink Shirt Day NZ (bullying) www.pinkshirtday.org.nz/
22 May	International Biodiversity Day www.doc.govt.nz
Moon	1Q May 9      FM May 16      3Q May 23      NM May 30

1. Matariki:
   • Stardome’s Matariki resources that are no longer online. [Thanks to Ian McHale]
2. Primary Science week information
   • Zoom call into Scott Base, Tues 17 May is now full. Apologies.
   • Webinar with Antarctic Scientists, Wednesday 18 May 11.30am & 2pm Register here
   • Find out about NZAPSE’s competition ‘Speaking for Antarctica’ here
   • This NZASE article on a practical approach to teaching about Antarctica
   • Experiments and Demonstrations you can do with your students at this link
   • Keep an eye out here for chance to vote for the colours of the new base at Scott Base!

Info

1. Mātauranga Māori
   • Di Christenson and Carol Brieseman share practical ideas about incorporating mātauranga pūtaiao into the primary classroom in this Science Learning Hub webinar
   • Education Perfect’s Science Alive has new lessons on rimurapu (bull kelp), mauri & kūmara, maramataka, geothermal science, rongoā and the physics of flight. Sign up here for access to these free resources
2. Student opportunities:
   • Students can learn about robots and then undertake a Robot Olympics. Info here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACIwKbS1XlI. Full & free resources available here.
   • Young Reporters for the Environment: students 11yrs+ take a stand on environment-al issues they are passionate about, through a platform of media writing, photography or video. Register your school here. [House of Science newsletter]. Due 4 Aug.
3. Digital support:
   • Minecraft Education Edition is free for teachers in Aotearoa. If you’re curious about Minecraft & game based learning, already into it, but want that step up, check out this free course. https://twitter.com/ImpactedNZ/status/1512182784806203396
4. Science Careers:
   • A free webinar of 4 NZ women sharing their journey to a science career in engineering and robotics. Tu 17 May, 6-7pm. Info here.

Resources

1. Biology:
   • For BEANZ members, resources for Bee Day 20 May : https://beanz.org.nz/ go to Members then Member resources. Join up on home page.
   • An evolution game https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/201_Evolution_game.pdf
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • A history of feijoas in NZ https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-peoples-fruit/
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • In this IOP activity students use a lamp and a transparent dome attached to a globe to show how the path of the Sun across the sky varies over the year
   • A series of ABC resources on the East Australia Current. Includes one on upwellings
   • An animation of the Oruanui eruption that formed Lake Taupo 25,500 years ago, as created by ECLIPSE and seen at Te Papa. https://www.youtu.be./BRWnBtoshc0
4.  Chemistry:
   • An interesting activity on water condensation (you’ll need to join Explorify, it’s free) https://explorify.uk/en/activities/odd-one-out/where-is-the-water?
   • The chemistry of electric cars https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/not-just-batteries-the-chemistry-of-electric-cars/4015513.article
5.  Physics:
   • A activity comparing 3 different pulleys (you’ll need to join Explorify, but it’s free) https://explorify.uk/en/activities/odd-one-out/making-work-easier
   • L2 Nuclear physics workshops from UoC https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/outreach/learning-resources/physics-workshops/
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • A resource for learning about penguin adaptations:
   • Resources on bees for world bee day (20 May).
7. Science of COVID:
   • Siouxsie Wiles and Jin Russell article on COVID and schools (Spinoff, May 2).

Can you help?

1. Catherine Hunter is looking for yr 7-10 teachers to complete a survey on scientific literacy for her masters. If you have 15 mins please help: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Science-Literacy-Teacher-PIS.pdf
2. Tania Potts, a year 0-3 teacher, is working on changes to how her school reports on Science in the school report. Anyone able to share some ideas please contact her tania@hereworth.school.nz

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. MoE is hosting free interactive webinars, facilitated by CORE to support teachers with the new content and model of the history curriculum refresh. It is for teachers of yrs 1-10, leaders, PLD facilitators & museum educators.
2. Education Hub has a free webinar on teaching writing at primary school 7:30pm Tues 10 May. Register here https://theeducationhub.org.nz/teaching-writing-at-primary-school
3. Steve Spangler’s STEM Teacher Workshop​ May 11, 7pm ET (12 May 11am NZST)
4. Primary Science Teaching Trust is running a series of 30min PLD sessions on Light, Animals, Rocks, Evolution & Inheritance 16-19 May at 4-4:30 pm BST (2-2:30 NZT!!).
5. Regionally allocated PLD application deadline May 20. Schools know by wk 8 so they can contact PLD facilitator & plan to start delivery next term. https://pld.education.govt.nz/ .
6. Teacher webinar dealing with L2/3 student misconceptions about the Sun and its relationship to heating the Earth. Tues 17 May 7pm. Zoom link to join is here
7. Info about the May Accord Days for secondary schools: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Accord-Days.docx
8. NZASE is running PLD – a workshop last term and clusters this term, for both primary and secondary. Focus on local curriculum and mātauranga Māori so far. Details here https://nzase.org.nz/nzase-network-expertise/

Technicians

1. ConSTANZ conference is 11-13 Oct at Rangiruru Girls School, Christchurch. Registration opens 9 May – early bird registration $380 available til 30 Jun. Full registration $400.
2. The technician’s term 1 newsletter is available to all. Lots of fascinating bits and pieces. [Further editions are only available via subscription to registered STANZ members.]

Cheers, Mike

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