Mike’s News Aug 7

Posted on by Mike Stone
7 Aug Chemistry Careers Evening 5-7 pm in WG201 at AUT, 55 Wellesley St East, Ak
8-14 Aug Maths Week www.mathsweek.org.nz/
9 Aug Deadline to Register for 2024 NZ International Biology Olympiad
10 Aug ASTA dinner 6:45pm, Western Springs Garden Community Hall. RSVP & more info here.
10 Aug Hub webinar with Pauline Waiti & Rosemary Hipkins on knowledge systems. Register here.
22 Aug Biology MAJ workshop, 9:30 Rangitoto College. Note later start
23 Aug Biology MAJ workshop, 9:00 Alfriston College.
Moon 3Q Aug 8        NM Aug 16         1Q Aug 24         FM Aug 31
  1. Mātauranga and Science free event. Dan Hikuroa, scientist and Emily Park, philosopher at 6:30 pm, Kathleen Campbell, astrobiologist at 8 pm. 29 Aug @Wynyard Pavilion, 17 Jellicoe Street, Ak. https://www.rtbevent.com/emily-parke-dan-hikuroa
  2. Māori Made Easy lessons to accompany Scotty Morrison’s book https://www.maorilanguage.net/maori-made-easy/
  3. Scholarship online tutorials
  4. It’s Conservation week next week, find teaching ideas here or here and events for your region here.
  5. Ak Uni is holding a Māori Science Symposium 7-8 Sep to showcase Māori research in the Sciences, and to connect Pūtaiao and STEAM champions in kura, schools, iwi, institutions, govt agencies, community organisations, and whānau. Register your interest by 10 Aug.

Info

  1. Culturally Responsive & Relational Pedagogy:
    • A recorded webinar from Education Hub: Janelle Riki-Waaka explores what Māori achieving success as Māori means from a Māori worldview & asks teachers and schools to consider how well their environments and practices support ākonga Māori to succeed and thrive.
  2. Pedagogy:
  3. Science Careers:
  4. Australia is currently undertaking a review of its teacher training policies to try and ensure that new teachers are better prepared and using evidence based practices. https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/finally-a-game-changer-for-improving-teaching-in-australia-20230323-p5cura
  5. Putaiao is Mana Whenua Landcare Research’s free magazine showcasing their science https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications/putaiao/
  6. Educators are invited to the NZ Aerospace Summit, 11 & 12 Sep in Chch. There is a 50% discount for educators (use the promo code EDUCATION2023) & you can also apply for a CSTA PD grant to help costs. Summit Program and Exhibitors. Special rates are also available for students. 

Resources

  1. Biology:
  2. Agricultural and Horticultural Science:
    • AgDept Kiwi offers online video lessons, with teaching materials, games and quizzes as well as teacher PLD for a cost. [HATA]
    • Education Gazette article about a combined yr12 & 13 environmental sustainability course at Marlborough Girls’ College that includes conservation, farming, marine, school & viticulture.
  3. Earth & Space Science:
  4.  Chemistry:
  5. Physics:
  6. Primary & intermediate:
  7.  Science:
  8. Nature of Science:
  9. New standards
  10. Te reo science resources

MoE/NZQA

  1. If you have not already seen these you may find them useful – an explanation of the new NCEA materials and when the finalised stds will be ready.

Can you help?

  1. The next BioLive/ChemEd conference will be in Wellington in Nov 2024. Emma Stoddard is looking for teachers to get involved – any contribution of time, big or small, would be welcome, and you do not need to live in or near Wellington. Please get in touch with Emma on info@iym.org.nz
  2. “For B3.7, the selective breeding case study needs to utilise Marker Assisted Selection. Has anyone got a good animal case study they recommend for this? We used to do Belgian Blues and selective breeding but this is no longer an option as it is not at L3.” rachel.drysdale@wghs.school.nz
  3. The Te Hononga Akoranga COMET team is looking for teachers’ viewpoints on the recent NMSSA study regarding student achievement in maths and statistics. Please complete their survey, which you can access through this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MNRTBWR

Professional Learning & Development (PLD) Opportunities

  1. Next NCEA Implementation Facilitator workshops for Auckland 22-25 Aug: RESCHEDULED Te Tai Raro NIF workshops
  2. ESSENZ PLD in Term 3 in the Auckland region. Focus is on learning rather than resource provision.
    • Fri 8 Sep – at Ak uni on teaching the new level 1 PES standards. ESS workshop 230928
    • Thurs 21 Sep – at Rosmini College on how to incorporate mātauranga Māori into ESS. ESS workshop 230921

Technician

  1. Canterbury uni can send schools a kit of alginate balls with which to investigate photosynthesis https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/outreach/learning-resources/photosynthesis-kit/
  2. Recent technician discussion on finding plant cells & fungi to observe under a microscope
    • Agapanthus have clear stomata but students struggle with the leaf tear
    • Rhubarb leaves wilt very quickly so plants are rapidly decimated
    • Broad bean leaves tear easily, good stomata & epidermal cells like crazy paving. Not in winter.
    • Busy lizzie, or impatiens leaf tears work really well and grow easily. Good year round.
    • Elodea: From a fishpond, a pet shop, or Science Resource Box. Put it in pond water as tap water’s chlorine will kill it. Best fresh to see cytoplasmic streaming. Use central rosette leaves.
    • A red onion doesn’t need stain.
    • Yeast: Put a spoon of baker’s yeast in a warm sugar solution and wait for it to start foaming. Put a drop on a slide with a cover slip. Watch long enough to see budding –> discuss cell division.

Cheers, Mike

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