1-30 Apr | Auckland’s MOTAT is offering free entry for teachers during April. Info here. |
7 Apr | World Health day www.who.int/ Events calendar |
12 Apr | International Day of Human Space Flight www.un.org/en/events/humanspaceflightday/ |
12Apr-12May | Ramadan http://islam.about.com/od/ramadan/tp/ramadan-hub.htm |
13 Apr | National Biomechanics Day |
14-17 Apr | Ak ASB Polyfest www.asbpolyfest.co.nz |
16 Apr | Deadline to nominate an EfS teacher for the PM’s awards in education excellence. |
17 Apr | World Haemophilia day http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=492 |
19 Apr | Deadline to feedback on draft L1 stds at https://ncea.education.govt.nz/ Subj tab |
Moon | NM 12 Apr 1Q 20 Apr FM 27 Apr 3Q 4 May |
- A webinar on measuring light in the night with Citizen Science is on at 7am on 6 April. https://scistarter.org/measure-light-in-the-night-with-citizen-science
Info
- Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
- My whakapapa saved my life – Karyn Paringatai tells another story of the cdh1 mutation that causes stomach cancer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4DkH_O9uME
- Decolonising the hunt for fossils https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/22/science/dinosaurs-fossils-colonialism.html?
- Learning to speak te reo Māori http://www.teataarangi.org.nz/?q=contact-us
- Mātauranga Māori
- The book Conversations on Mātauranga Māori is available for download https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Maori/ConversationsMMv6AW-web.pdf
- Māori uses of rimurapa (bull kelp) as part of LEARNZ seaweed field trip. https://www.learnz.org.nz/seaweedaquaculture211/videos
- Student opportunities:
- Science Roadshow travels to schools with 70 hands on exhibits & 2 demos (these change every year). Their resource book and other info is online (great for NoS)
- Science Careers:
- Careers in chem https://edu.rsc.org/future-in-chemistry
Resources
- Biology:
- Research article on building argumentation skills in biology https://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article/83/2/104/116173/Building-Argumentation-Skills-in-the-Biology
- A resource bank of cell biology misconceptions and an article about how to use them
- DoC has collated resources for seagrass, eels, cockles and oyster catcher
- Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
- LEARN field trip which explores seaweed as a crop and includes AgriSea as a business. Plenty of info for several lessons. https://www.learnz.org.nz/seaweedaquaculture211
- Earth & Space Science:
- April Night Sky: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/April-Night-Sky.docx
- Ocean acidification resource for teachers downloadable from the NZ Marine Studies centre https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago636544.pdf
- This website creates a customizable ppt of info for recent seismic events generated by seismologists & teachers within hours of the event. https://www.iris.edu/hq/retm
- Chemistry:
- Reaction rate lab from Data Classroom. Use the dataset in this activity to determine if the rate of decomposition of N₂O₅ varies over time https://about.dataclassroom.com/ready-to-teach/reaction-rate-lab
- Water’s journey from its source (groundwater, river, dam) to your home http://www.compoundchem.com/2016/04/21/water-treatment/
- Physics:
- Students make & test speakers from yogurt cups exploring magnetism & electromagnets. https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/usc_speakers_activity1
- For L3 rotational motion Sean Cleary suggests getting students to experimentally find the rotational inertia of 2 different types of Easter egg, with prizes for accuracy. He uses energy conservation approach [loss of Ep = gain of Ek(lin) + Ek(rot), assume w=v/r].
- Science of COVID:
- How past vaccine research helps us fight COVID https://www.compoundchem.com/2021/03/16/past-vaccine-research/
- A rap about staying at home – may be useful if we have another lockdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvMrNfK9fF4
- EfS:
- Science
- Reliable info on forensic science https://www.mark-forensics.com/
- This video considers how much CO2 has been added to the atmosphere during your lifetime.https://geohubliverpool.org.uk/resource/carbon-dioxide-added-to-the-atmosphere/
- STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths)
- For those of you into STEAM, there is a NZ FaceBook page. Also the 2020 STEAM conference is available on demand and looks like they are planning another for this year.
- Yachting New Zealand’s new schools programme, Kōkōkaha Powered by the Wind, is an integrated unit of work that focuses on STEM associated with harnessing the win
- STEM fair at MOTAT Sun 11 April.
Can you help?
Sue Scull is at a school with labs on 2 levels & no lift in the same building. All equipment & chemicals are carried up & down internal & external stairs by the lab technician & teachers, with obvious safety concerns. Has anyone else dealt with a similar set up? Has anyone installed a lift/ dumbwaiter type arrangement? Please contact her. suescull60@gmail.com
Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities
- STEM Learning (UK) has some free online PLD available on demand
- Feedback https://www.stem.org.uk/cpd/ondemand/473352/feedback-learning-formative-assessment
- Linking to careers https://www.stem.org.uk/cpd/ondemand/443955/linking-stem-curriculum-learning-careers different to last week
- Date for your diary: U-Learn is 13-14 Oct.
Cheers, Mike
Brought to you with the generous support of Warp Computers