31 Jul | Deadline to register for the NZ Engineering Science Competition |
1-7 Aug | Cook Islands Maori Language week www.mpia.govt.nz |
6Aug1945 | Hiroshima Day http://www.hiroshima-remembered.com/ |
6 Aug | Deadline for next round of centrally funded PLD https://pld.education.govt.nz/ |
8 Aug | Deadline to apply for the Ngārimu VC & 28th Māori Battalion Memorial Scholarships |
8-14 Aug | Maths Week www.mathsweek.org.nz/ |
Moon | 3Q 1 Aug NM 9 Aug 1Q 16 Aug FM 23 Aug |
- Café Scientifique: Environmental scientist Dr Rosemary Barraclough talks about the effect of malaria on our bird species. 28 July, 6:30 pm Horse & Trap, 3 Enfield St, Mt Eden, Ak
- Cook Islands Language week – some phrases for the classroom: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Cook-Island-Maori-phrases-2p.docx
- Women of Influence Speaker Breakfast 6:30-9 am Wed 28 Jul, 51 Dive Cr, Tauranga. $50. https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2021/women-of-infuence-speaker-series/tauranga
- Our Ocean: Bringing Climate Data to Life is an interactive workshop that explores some of the latest ocean climate data collected in NZ. 31 Jul, 1:30-3:30pm, Dunedin Public Library.
Info
- Mātauranga Māori
- Harakeke activities L1-4 https://eng.keitemohiokoe.tki.org.nz/Overview-of-Biology
- Senior physics resources, some in te reo Māori. https://www.otago.ac.nz/rauemi-putaiao/study/index.html
- Pedagogy:
- A PowerPoint of resources to use for Assessment for Learning (you’ll need to sign up)
- Effective use of science videos in the classroom involves careful selection of video and use of processing strategies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou6yJ2iqItw
- Student opportunities:
- Rocket Lab Space Ambassadors will be available to visit schools around NZ and teach students about rockets, satellites, space & how to land a career in aerospace. Schools eager for a visit from a Rocket Lab Space Ambassador should register interest at rocketlabusa.com/education by 31 Jul to secure a date before the end of the year.
- Teacher Opportunities:
- NZIC provides grants for schools to buy chemistry gear – e.g. pipettes, glassware, molecular models, balances & $ towards larger items such as spectrophotometers & pH meters. Apply by 1 Aug to https://nzic.org.nz/chemical-education-trust/ [Ian Torrie]
- SCENZ offers members parallel papers for NCEA externals as well as teaching resources. Pay your subscription at https://nzic.org.nz/register/school. [Ian Torrie]
- Digital support:
- Designing effective teaching videos https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2021/7/1-1
Resources
- Biology:
- Very readable Scientific American article on how human evolution lead to an extreme thirst for water
- Animation addressing misconceptions around respiration, photosynthesis and plants
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- Lincoln uni videos on animal anatomy and growth & development https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuBheaLvaiqNnfIZK3ntNkg
- Earth & Space Science:
- NASA provides free public access to photos taken from the International Space Station
- Free app called “Polar Explorer: Sea Level” lets users explore ocean maps from the deepest trenches to polar ice. See how ice, oceans, precipitation, & temps have changed over time and listen as scientists explain what you’re seeing and why.
- Taupo super volcano LEARNZ field trip https://www.learnz.org.nz/naturalhazards193
- Chemistry:
- The chemistry of climate change https://vc3chem.ca/lessons.html
- Atom animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIiNRZDFqB8
- Physics:
- An ELI activity that measures the force required to set off a party popper https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/90_Party_time_for_volcanoes.pdf
- A WWII submarine-hunting device, the fluxgate magnetometer, helped prove the theory of plate tectonics
- Years 1-8:
- Inventionator is a free event for Y6-9 gifted students to design innovative solutions to real-life problems. It involves 6 online learning resources that lead up to an event on the 6-9 Sep. https://core-ed.org/events/inventionator-gifted-and-talented/
- Nature of Science:
- McGill’s Office for Science and Society has the byline separating sense from nonsense. An article from them on the scaremongering about formaldehyde in baby shampoo.
- Science of COVID:
- How chemistry is helping with understanding and combatting virus transmission https://www.compoundchem.com/2021/07/06/covid-transmission/
- EfS:
- NZ animal foot prints from Pest Detective & Zealandia & Rotokare & Landcare
- SET 3 2020 is devoted to articles about teachers, students and climate change
- Science:
- Science Learning Hub has a number of marine science infographics. Explore Marine diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand as well as New Zealand marine habitats and Threats to marine habitats. Also Areas of marine ecological importance and Mussel reefs and biodiversity. Reflect on literacy with the activity Using infographics.
MoE/NZQA
- NZQA is looking for Science/ESS, Biology, Chemistry and Physics moderators. Close 9 Aug. https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/working-at-nzqa/contract-vacancies/contract-for-service-moderators-secondary-subjects
- MoE has prepared an early release of the new assessment materials for 6 L1 subjects as we get ready for the next accord day. See Chem & Bio at https://ncea.education.govt.nz/.
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- SciC6 is 2 days of free virtual STEM unconference for teachers. Jul 29 features ways to use educational games, and gamification in the classroom. Aug 5 is dedicated to helping our students graduate more prepared for the modern world by improving STEM education. https://www.thepocketlab.com/scic6
- ChemEd/BioLive registrations and call for abstracts are now live on the website. https://chemedbiolive.org/
Cheers, Mike
Brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers