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December 2020
As we start to wrap things up for 2020, the SASTA Board and staff would like to wish you a very happy, relaxing and safe festive season and break! The SASTA office will be closed for the holiday break from midday 18 December and will reopen on Monday 11 January.
SASTA news
2021 SASTA Membership Renewal
Don't forget to renew your SASTA Membership before you go on holidays! You can renew your membership subscription on the SASTA website. To help you plan for 2021, we have put together a professional learning calendar for next year which is available here.
Don’t forget, your membership will expire on 31 December 2020, so if you want to register for any 2021 professional learning after this date, your 2021 membership will need to be paid before you register to be eligible for the member price.
Science ASSIST
Have you registered your interest in subscribing to ASTA's Science ASSIST program? In the absence of continued government funding, the program will progress to a subscription service from 2021. ASTA will charge an annual subscription of $150 per Australian school.
If you have used Science ASSIST in the past we encourage you to support the program by subscribing for 2021. If a minimum of 800 subscribers is not reached the program will not be able to continue. Find out more here and register by 11 December: https://bit.ly/3kfWQFx
SASTA & ASTA Journals now available online!
You can access the latest SASTA & ASTA Journals online in the SASTA Members Area.
Online Professional Learning Survey
The Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) is interested in knowing your views on online professional learning. Your responses will help us understand your needs as we move towards increasing our online professional learning offering, which will complement our existing face to face learning opportunities. Click here to complete the survey.
Professional Learning
*Please note COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines will be adhered to for all events
Register now!
Only a few places left!
The 2021 Psychology Summer Conference will be focussed on 'gearing up for the new curriculum'! The program features a keynote address from Geof Boylan-Marsland, Senior Psychologist at Mind Matters Psychology and includes workshop sessions on Indigenous Psychology and Demystifying SHE. View the full program and register here.
2021 Professional Learning for Stage 1 & 2 Teachers
New Course Nutrition Stage 1 and Stage 2 Workshop
14 January 2021
This session will provide an introduction to the new subject outline for Stage 1 and Stage 2 Nutrition covering content, resources, assessment and SACE requirements. Only a few places left!
Teachers New to Stage 1 and Stage 2 Science
Some of the key topics covered in these workshops include: an overview of the course, planning and assessment, sample tasks and discussion and moderation. Register here.
- Biology & Physics | 12 February
- Chemistry & Nutrition | 19 February
- Psychology & Scientific Studies | 1 March
Oliphant Science Awards
2021 Information Booklet is now available here! Find out all the details about the 2021 competition along with the category topics for Photography, Posters and Science Writing!
The Oliphant Science Awards competition will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2021! If you have any stories or photos you would like to share from past competitions please contact Tegan (tegan@sasta.asn.au)
Don't forget to check out the 2020 Virtual Open Day, showcasing all the winning projects from this year's competition!
Resources
For all resources available from SASTA, see www.sasta.asn.au/resources
Have you ordered the second edition Stage 1 or 2 Workbooks yet?* The Second Editions have been revised to include content from the current SACE subject outlines as well as hundreds of new practice problems in each book. They feature revised descriptions, explanations, and illustrations of the course content along with hundreds of fully worked examples and practice questions to take student understanding to a new level.
* Stage 2 Physics is currently available for pre-order.
Contributions from the science community
Meet a Tall Poppy
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science. Each month we will be giving you a chance to 'meet' a new Tall Poppy Scientist! This month, find out more about Dr Grace Vincent, who focuses her research on sleep health and how to improve sleep in the community, here.
2021 Brain Bee Challenge
Education Perfect in partnership with Australasian Neuroscience are excited to bring the Australian Brain Bee Challenge to Year 10 students in 2021.
The brain is our final great frontier for exploration and the Australian and New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge is an exciting and free competition for high school students in Years 10 (Australia) and 11 (New Zealand). The Brain Bee Challenge is an opportunity to learn about the brain and its functions, neuroscience research, careers in neuroscience, and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.
Find out more and register here.
Fake News Friday
Join the conversation! The best original answer will win a copy of Mind Blown by Dan Marshall - Amazing but true science facts, concepts and paradoxes.
Placements for secondary science pre-service teachers
The University of South Australia is seeking support for secondary placements in term 1 of 2021. These placements are delayed 2020 placements due to COVID 19 and the preservice teachers must complete their placement in term 1 so as not delay their graduation in 2021.
The placement block is 27 days comprising of 3 negotiated lead in days and a 24-day block commencing week 4 of term 1 (Monday 15 Feb).
If you are able to support any science placements, please send details via email: ATTENTION Emily Williams to unisaplacement@unisa.edu.au
Department for Education laboratory skills workshops
- Monday 22 February – Wednesday 24 February 2021
- Tuesday 15 June – Thursday 17 June 2021
These workshops are for Department for Education laboratory staff and science teachers who have responsibility for their own laboratory preparation. The training has been developed specifically for the school laboratory environment and includes topics on chemical safety, microbiological safety, radiation safety, use of high risk laboratory apparatus and dealing with laboratory emergencies.
Click here for more information. Registration is available here.
Contact SASTA
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
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