1-30 Apr	Auckland’s MOTAT is offering free entry for teachers during April. Info here.
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
22 Apr	Earth day www.earthday.net
24 Apr	Save the frogs day www.savethefrogs.com/day/ www.nzfrogs.org/
25 Apr	World malaria Day http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/malaria/en/index.html
26 Apr 1986	Chernobyl explosion Link here.
Moon	NM 12 Apr  1Q 20 Apr FM 27 Apr 3Q 4 May

1. A video of a planetary field trip & a quiz in celebration of Earth Day, 22 April.
2. Talanoa with Scientists – this free event about career & personal development from the Samoan Scientist will benefit high school students. Apr 22, 7pm at 6 Osterley Way, Manukau City Centre. Register here.
3. ASTA 2021 Dinner 27 May Mt Eden: https://www.mikesnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ASTA-2021-Dinner.pdf

Info

1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
   • Mere Berryman describes the Te Kotahitanga Program https://webcast.massey.ac.nz/Mediasite/Play/8972ec3b111a4b7f88d75d3c31313e2e1d
2. Mātauranga Māori
   • Resources from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa: Learning to make and use rongōa in Rotorua
   • Kauri dieback & Mātauranga Māori https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7H59Qj74kE
3. Pedagogy:
   • A program challenging more able students & the NoS-based activities that were used
   • Research about why students keep their cameras off during zoom & how to encourage change. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.7123
4. Professional reading/watching:
   • Infographic on data about boys in education and strategies that help boys learn https://www.topmastersineducation.com/boys/education.jpg
5. Science Careers:
   • The relevance of chem to different careers https://d2fc7ojl9ttfsq.cloudfront.net/Uploads/u/k/e/afutureinchemistryatschooloptions_pdf_371003.pdf
6. The latest NZASE newsletter has member-only articles on a yr 11 course focussing an mātauranga Māori and on Andrew Wakefield & the MMR-autism controversy and a publicly-available resource on Māori scientist. Join here https://nzase.org.nz/membership/
7. Last week I discovered magazines like New Scientist and Listener on my library e-book service, Libby. I found an article I liked (summarizing what we knew about Neanderthals p45, Listener 3-10 Apr), did a screen shot of my phone & emailed it to myself. Copyright ok.

Resources

1. Biology:
   • Using M&Ms to show genetic drift https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/52/4/373/238712
   • Learn how microbes affect the rise and flavour of sourdough bread. https://scistarter.org/education/sourdough-for-science-homeschool
2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
   • Could taonga species become a new aquaculture industry? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygmtMPU14DE
3. Earth & Space Science:
   • TEDEd talk describing what earth’s artificial satellites do.
   • Video of an experiment mixing fresh & salt water
   • Activity where students explore how long different geological events take. Good discussion starter. https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/150_Quick_slow.pdf
4. Chemistry:
   • Cooking chem: Explore how ingredients, timing & temp affect a cookie’s crumble https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/the-cookie-chemistry-challenge/
   • The chemistry of a fire extinguisher https://www.chemistryislife.com/the-chemistry-of-a-fire-extinguisher
5. Physics:
   • Otago Scholarship Physics is a FB page for senior students to practise schol problems.
   • The physics behind the car crashing into apple crates in Hastings last week.
6. Primary & intermediate:
   • A self-evaluation tool for science leaders in primary schools
   • PhET simulations appropriate for years 1-8
7. Nature of Science:
   • Educator webinars on citizen science for April. https://scistarter.org/events?tag=educator%20webinars
8.  EfS:
   • Research shows how to reduce your moggy’s tendency to hunt local wildlife https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/herding-cats/
9.  Science
   • The science behind C emissions and surface warming https://geohubliverpool.org.uk/resource/carbon-and-climate/
   • Check out Project-Based Learning at https://create4stem.msu.edu
10. STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths)
    • Design a theme-park attraction
    • STEM activities on the international space station https://www.issnationallab.org/stem/

MoE/NZQA

1. 2020 Assessment schedules are now online where you’d expect, under the std no eg L3 Bio. Assessment reports are online too, but all together on their own page. Likewise, 2021 assessment specifications for the externals are all in one place.

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

1. Kohia Teachers’ Centre, 78 Epsom Ave, Auckland. All cover both primary & secondary:
   • Managing behaviour in the classroom – Julie McDougall, 6 May, 9:30 – 12:30
2. The next  deadline to apply for Centrally-funded PLD is 14 May. Panel meets by wk 7, schools know wk 8 so they can contact a PLD facilitator & plan to start delivery term 3. https://pld.education.govt.nz/
3. If you would like one-on-one support for ESS teaching please contact Jenny and she will set up a Zoom meeting for you with the appropriate person. earthspacenz@gmail.com
4. Free mentor program to help integrate revised technology and history curricula across the other learning areas. Apply by 16 April. https://www.rarangamatihiko.com/resources/he-marau-pahekoheko-integrated-curriculum-programme
5. BLAKE offers free PLD for primary & intermediate teachers in active environmental education and leadership in Auckland on either Jul 12-16 or Oct 4-8. Team up with scientists, environmental leaders and experts to learn about climate change, freshwater quality, biodiversity and ocean health. Applications close on May 9.

Cheers, Mike

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