June 2021

As part of the National Volunteers Week, Educators SA celebrated its Volunteers’ Services Ceremony on Thursday 20th May. The event recognised volunteers for their continuous service on the management committees of their educator professional association in the categories outstanding 1st year volunteer and 5+, 10+, 20+, and 30+ years of service. Michelle Lensink, Minister for Human Services, joined the ceremony and presented certificates to volunteers.

Congratulations to SASTA volunteers Jane Wright and Peter Turnbull for 30+ years of service and Marianne Nicholas for 20+ years of service.

It has been a long wait for the finalists from December's virtual BHP Foundation Science and Engineering awards, but the student winners are listed below, including our 2020 Oliphant Trophy winner!

Engineering

• Hannah Jones, St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie (NSW)
• Rebecca Paratz, Labrats Science Club, Clayton (VIC)

Investigations

• Caitlin Marr and Emily Walter, St Mary’s College, Hobart (TAS)
• Hadia Bizhan, Lyneham High School, Canberra (ACT)
• Maja Dalby-Ball Olson, Barrenjoey High School, Avalon (NSW)
• Raihanah Pranggono, Glenunga International High School, Adelaide (SA)

These outstanding students represented Australia in the virtual Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Each year over 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for around $4 million in prizes. The full list of winners can be found here.

The Australian Curriculum is open for consultation. This latest review seeks to make more prominent the role of inquiry learning in science and other key learning areas. Take a look and complete the survey to have your say on the future national curriculum. The consultation period ends on Thursday 8 July.

The theme of the conference is 'Setting up for Success'

“The new teacher assumes full pedagogical and legal responsibility as soon as they enter the school. No other profession has such high expectations of its newest members.” (Tynjala & Heikkinen, 2014)

The aim of the conference is for our early career teachers to walk away equipped with the resources and best practice strategies for building their confidence and capabilities. Submit your workshop by Friday 2 July.

This is a FREE Teacher Professional Learning Workshop for teachers attending the STEM Day Out at Science Alive.

The goal of the workshop is to provide teachers with a simple, practical process for implementing meaningful STEM challenges in the Science classroom. Teachers will explore exemplar tasks that incorporate engineering practices and design processes. The tasks and resources aim to give teachers the experience and support they need to plan and deliver STEM focussed lessons that highlight the design thinking required in engineering.

This workshop emphasises three components: Questioning, investigations and assessment.

This workshop will guide teachers through an instructional model with questions at its core. Teachers will be engaged in a number of different types of investigations that explore a concept or phenomena. Through this hands-on learning teachers will develop questioning techniques and look at ways to assess student understanding.

These workshops provide an opportunity for teachers to discuss assessment and the application of the performance standards to samples of work, as well as to have invaluable professional input with their own student samples. An opportunity to readjust marking standards prior to final moderation.

• Chemistry - 20 August
• Psychology - 23 August
• Biology & Physics - 30 August
• Nutrition - 3 September

Junior Landcare – Learning Centre

Are you looking for some great activities to celebrate National Science Week (theme Food: Different by design. ) in your school?

Junior Landcare Learning Centre have made it easy and FUN for you to get students involved in environmental sustainability activities at school, at home or in your community.

• 30-minute activities with curriculum and framework links
• Step-by-step instructions with background information
• Videos that explain why the learning activity is important before students get started
• Educator notes and activity sheets
• Extension activities and reference lists for further information
• Did you know? section with useful tips
• Share your experiences with the online Junior Landcare community.

Nature Play SA Incursions & Excursions 

The nature-inspired education programs are tailored to suit your students and their stage of learning. All programs are aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework and Australian Curriculum and showcase approaches to learning in the outdoors. Through the programs students will;

• Develop specific skills and knowledge to be confident and capable operators in the outdoors.
• Explore human-nature relationships and steps to engage with nature and culture in a positive and meaningful way.
• Take action to live a more sustainable life and share messages of hope for the conservation of local flora and fauna.
• Identify ways they can influence their own health and wellbeing through nature connection and being active in the outdoors.

Also, check out the Educators resource hub here, where you will find a selection of lesson plans and curriculum resources curated from leading organisations around the world and developed by the Nature Play team to support learning in outdoor environments.

SASTA Stage 2 Topic Tests are now available! These may be used as formative or summative Skills and Applications Tasks (SATs) in Stage 2 Biology, Chemistry and Physics. These tests are of the highest quality and feature a comprehensive range of original questions including science understanding, science inquiry skills and science as a human endeavour.

There are 4 tests available for each subject. Prices start from $100 for individual tests and bundles are available with SASTA Stage 2 Trial Exams. 2021 Trial Exams have been completely re-written based on feedback received in 2020.

For the list of topics available, full price guide and purchase details click here.

Have you seen the latest blogs on the Oliphant Science Awards website? In May we covered:

• A Primary Years Student Perspective on the Oliphant Science Awards

• 2004 Oliphant Science Awards Trophy Winner - Alyssa Fitzpatrick

There will be more to come each month so keep an eye on the website and our Facebook page! 

If you have any stories or photos you would like to share from past competitions please contact Tegan (tegan@sasta.asn.au).

South Australian Science Teachers Association
249 Henley Beach Road Torrensville SA 5031
P 08 8354 0006  F 08 8354 0008  E office@sasta.asn.au
www.sasta.asn.au