| 1-31 Oct | Health Literacy month www.healthliteracymonth.org/ |
| 1-31 Oct | Save Kiwi month www.kiwisforkiwi.org/save-kiwi-week/schools |
| 1-31 Oct | Breast Cancer Awareness month www.nzbcf.org.nz (Pink Ribbon) |
| 11-17 Oct | Niue language week www.mpia.govt.nz |
| 11-17 Oct | Earth Sciences Week (USA) http://www.earthsciweek.org/about-esw |
| 13 Oct | Ada Lovelace day, women in STEM http://findingada.com/ |
| 14 Oct | NZASE online forum 3:30-4:30 pm for teachers of years 1-8. Register here |
| 15 Oct | 9:30 am NZ ShakeOut, (EQ drill & tsunami evacuation) |
| 16 Oct | World Food Day www.fao.org/wfd/ |
| 20 Oct | NZASE online forum 3:30-4:30 pm for teachers of years 7-10. Register here |
| 21 Oct | Peak of Orionids meteor shower http://www.rasnz.org.nz/in-the-sky/meteor-showers |
| 23 Oct | Mole day http://www.moleday.org/ |
| 24 Oct | World polio day http://wpd.typepad.com/worldpolioday/ |
| Moon | NM 17 Oct 1Q 24 Oct FM 1 Nov 3Q 9 Nov |
- Ada Lovelace info & activities https://www.science-sparks.com/ada-lovelace-fact-file/
- Café Scientifique on Materials: Fact Or Fiction Mon 19 Oct 7-9pm at Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Tauranga.
Info
- Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
- Click here for the 100 Kupu Quiz.
- Using rongoa to treat kauri dieback https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300115269/traditional-mori-medicine-helps-kauri-health-longterm-monitoring-suggests
- Pedagogy:
- A series of papers summarising the research by John Hattie et al [Ian Torrie] https://www.visiblelearningplus.com/content/gold-papers
- Professional reading/watching:
- The EEF report, Improving Secondary Science, can be accessed here: https://evidencebased.education/tag/john-holman/
- For interventions concerning disengagement, the resources Know Me, Believe in Me report and Book Of Insights may be useful. Stories of Rangatahi and Hoani’s Experience Map provide a rangatahi perspective of how we can support attendance, engagement & wellbeing in mainstream education. https://www.aucklandco-lab.nz/reports
Resources
- Biology:
- How do you read evolutionary trees? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd6Tc7tGOec
- Scientist’s views of why whales strand. https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2020/09/25/why-do-pilot-whales-sometimes-crash-land-ashore/
- How to extract DNA from fruit or veges – recipe and video or video with commentary
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- How much do you know about soil biology? Put your soil biology knowledge to the test in this free online quiz! https://bit.ly/35OBcEL
- Prac activity – Why do some farmers lose soil through erosion whilst others don’t? https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/Soil_erosion.pdf
- Earth & Space Science
- Diagnostic activities to expose misconceptions about rock melting (free to join STEM) https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/466987/making-rocks-heating
- Ocean acidification resources from the Otago Marine Centre https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/index.html#soak://
- Mission to Space boardgame https://www.nisenet.org/catalog/mission-to-space-board-game
- Chemistry:
- How chemists went about making hand sanitiser & scaling up https://edu.rsc.org/feature/lending-a-hand-with-sanitiser/4012239.article
- The chemistry of natural sweeteners and medicine from hemp
- Drawing in chemistry: to draw organic molecules & equations Lisa Janek recommends freeware ChemSketch; to draw equipment Kane Raukura recommends Chemix.
- Physics:
- The free science sample lesson pack on the WhizzPopBang homepage is about circuit components & circuit diagrams https://www.whizzpopbang.com/teaching-resources/
- Resource on collisions and kinetic energy https://learn.concord.org/resources/807/collisions-and-kinetic-energy
- Science of COVID-19:
- Scientific Eye 20 min video on Microbes & Disease includes the story of Edward Jenner & smallpox vaccination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCig5EetNlY
- EfS:
- Science Learning Hub has a lot of resources for those wanting to teach about freshwater systems, gathering data & taking action. See a recording of their latest webinar
- Test your knowledge on our native bird species wwf.org.nz/naturequiz
- Discussion on Sustainable Energy & Water, a free international panel discussion between 4 women (who work in hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, rivers & wetlands) for Ada Lovelace Day. 1pm NZT Oct 13. Register here.
- Primary & Intermediate
- Free online PLD from UK on teaching human spaceflight and/or space exploration
- A fun way to measure tree height https://www.science-sparks.com/how-tall-is-a-tree/
- Nature of Science
- Debunking pseudoscience about the harm of DNA in GMOs and vaccines https://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/dna-in-vaccines-and-gmos-theyre-not-going-to-turn-you-into-sasquatch
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- Otago uni offers PLD for secondary Science teachers 18-21 Jan 2021. While all can apply, this PLD is aimed at teachers at decile 1–6 rural/provincial schools &/or schools with < 300 students or a high roll of Māori or Pasifika students. $450 + travel. Apply by 13 Nov https://gazette.education.govt.nz/notices/1HACCj-science-academy-teacher-pld-in-dunedin
- Otago uni is running a one-day workshop for teachers about learning and exploring science in te reo Māori on Friday 22 January. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/rauemiputaiao/
- National (USA) online Literacy Summit 5 Nov 8:30 am – 5 pm ET (1:30 am – 10am 6 Nov NZT). $99 USD. https://literacysummit.com
-
Vacancies
- Kaikoura High School is looking for a full time Science teacher. Ability to teach phys/ chem a plus but not essential. Small classes in an innovative context-based middle school programme. HPTS allowance, with possibility of school housing & relocation costs. https://gazette.education.govt.nz/vacancies/1HABhy-science-teacher-permanent-full-time/
Cheers, Mike
Kia tūpato, kia haumaru te noho, ā, me tiaki tētahi i tētahi Take care, stay safe, and look after each other