Mike’s News Apr 5

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
  1. 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

  1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
  2. Mātauranga Māori
  3. 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)
  4. Science Careers:

Resources

  1. Biology:
  2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
  3. Earth & Space Science:
  4. Chemistry:
  5. 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].
  6. Science of COVID:
  7.  EfS:
  8.  Science
  9. 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

  1. STEM Learning (UK) has some free online PLD available on demand
  2. Date for your diary: U-Learn is 13-14 Oct.

Cheers, Mike

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