SASTA eNews - October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

eNEWS - OCTOBER 2016

Hands up for all of you who "just made it" to the end of this term...?! Snap - me too!

Term 3 has been busier than busy, with the Oliphant Science Awards done and dusted for another year (congratulations to all the winners and a humongous thank you to the convenors, the committee, the volunteers, and most of all the coordinators!). Congratulations to Alexandra Stephenson from the Adelaide Hills Home School Group who took out the Oliphant Trophy this year.

Almost 150 of you and your colleagues attending the New Stage 1 workshops we held. Exam Prep seminars have also taken place, with a good number of keen Stage 2 students attending each subject's seminar.

The deadline for the Call for Presenters for the STEM (6 - 11) Conference has been extended. See below for details!

We look forward to seeing some of you at the Early Career Teachers Conference on 14th October!

Enjoy your holidays everyone!

Science dad joke for this month (just replacing the super cool science quote for the month...):
"Have you heard the one about the sick chemist?
If you can’t helium, and you can’t curium, you’ll probably have to barium..."

Forward

SASTA EVENTS

Early Careers Teachers Conference 2016

Date: Friday 14th October 2016

Time: 9.00am to 4.30pm
Venue: Immanuel College, Novar Gardens

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE ON 7th OCTOBER - DON'T MISS OUT!!
Are you new to teaching Science or in the first 5 years of your career?

If so, then this conference is a great opportunity for you to be involved in interactive and fun learning activities as well as gather resources that will enrich and inform your science teaching.

The program includes specialised workshops for both Primary and Secondary teachers.

This hands-on, interactive, professional learning day will cater specifically for each level of schooling.

Morning tea and lunch will be provided and there will also be a chance to network with other teachers and the presenters at the HAPPY HOUR!!!

CLICK HERE to read more and to register now!

STAGE 2 EXAM POST MORTEMS
FREE to attend; no booking required.

PHYSICS
When: Tuesday 8th November 2016 - 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start.
Where: Prince Alfred College (Piper Pavilion)
23 Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town

CHEMISTRY
When: Friday 11th November 2016 - 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start.
Where: Eynesbury College
19 Franklin Street, Adelaide

BIOLOGY
When: Monday 14th November 2016 - 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start.
Where: Nazareth Catholic College Secondary Campus (senior school building)
1 Hartley Road, Flinders Park

Term 4 Professional Development

New Date: Friday 18th November 2016

Venue: The Braggs, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide
Time: from 9.00am to 3.00pm
Price: $100 for non-members, $75 for personal members

SASTA in collaboration with the University of Adelaide is offering an exciting STEM professional development event for primary school teachers.

Click here for more information and to book!

NB: Those who had registered and paid for the original date (on 26th September) will have their registrations and payments carried over to the new workshop date unless we hear from you. Please email Rebecca at office@sasta.asn.au with any concerns.

Date: Friday 25th November 2016
Time: 8.30am to 5.00pm
Venue: Playford International College, Elizabeth

Currently seeking presenters for the second annual STEM Conference.

Deadline extended for abstract submission... CLICK HERE to submit an abstract now!

SACE Stage 1 Workbooks adapted for the Australian Curriculum will be available for Biology, Chemistry and Physics for 2017.

** Click on the image above to download the order form **

SASTA's workbooks are a brand new resource written for the launch of the new SACE Stage 1 curriculum. They contain all new original questions for students. The SASTA resource covers all topics outlined in the new SACE curriculum in an easy to read format and will be printed in colour and rich with illustrations and diagrams to enhance learning.

Fully illustrated;
Over 100 original questions in each book;
Over 250 problems with worked solutions;
Questions range from simple to challenging;
All questions are mapped to the new performance standards for Stage 1 & 2; and
Topic test for each chapter.

SPECIAL OFFER: Special introductory offer — available till 31st October 2016
Schools buying class sets of our SACE Stage 1 Workbooks will
receive the following additional resources:

One FREE teacher workbook with each class set of biology, chemistry or physics workbooks
One FREE trial exam with each class set of biology, chemistry or physics workbooks.

Order online by clicking here. Please note the initial print run will be limited and orders will be processed in order of receipt.

For schools preferring to use a purchase order, simply fax your purchase order, including postage of $11 flat fee plus $1 per book ordered) to 08 8354 0008 or email it directly to Rebecca at the following address: office@sasta.asn.au

2016 Study Guides for Chemistry, Biology and Physics are still available!
For schools wanting to place a bulk Study Guide order, simply fax your purchase order
(including freight) to 08) 8354 0008.
Please note, purchase orders emailed to office@sasta.asn.au will also be accepted.

2016 SACE Stage 2 Trial Exams are available.
Priced at $110 (incl. GST) each, purchase your digital copies now!

Head online to purchase your copy now!

Oliphant Science Awards 2016
Congratulations to Alexandra Stephenson from the Adelaide Hills Home School Group who took out the Oliphant Trophy 2016 with her Year 9-10 Scientific Inquiry entry:
Vibration Damping on the Cello by Cello Mutes.

(L-R: Associate Professor Claudine Bonder, Ms Monica Oliphant AO, Oliphant Trophy winner
Alexandra Stephenson and Dr Philip Gregory) Photo courtesy of Dr Sally Stephenson, 2016
We would like to wholeheartedly thank the convenors, the Oliphant Science Awards committee, the volunteers, all the students who put effort into their entries and a big, big thank you to the coordinators! Most importantly, congratulations to all the winners!
Register now to be a judge in 2017!
For more information about South Australia's largest student science competition,
head to www.oliphantscienceawards.com.au

EVENTS AND NEWS IN THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY

Australian Institute of Physics - Frame Your Physics Competition

The AIP's Frame Your Physics competition is open to students across Australia.

Are you involved in a cool research project? Or maybe you are always looking for interesting questions: Why is the sky blue? How do stars form? How do lasers work? Can you explain them to your friends? Then explain it to everyone!

Make a video of up to 3 minutes presenting any topic in physics in an entertaining and informative way and you could win awesome prizes for you and your school!

Entries are now open and must be submitted before October 31! So get filming, be creative and have some fun with it! You could score some amazing prizes for yourself and your school!

Read more here

Teaching about Climate Change

A series of 5 workshops and an associated field trip, designed for teachers interested in teaching about climate change, will be presented at Marden Senior College on 1^st and 2^nd December. Presenters will include Ian Tooley (the Climate Reality Project), Tony Hooker (EPA), Greg McNamara (TESEP), John Mignone (DSD, Len Altman and Kelly Sharrad (Geoscience Pathways Project).

These workshops will be of interest to all science teachers 8-12, but particularly those interested in teaching the new SACE Earth and Environmental Science (EES) course to be implemented from 2017.

For details and registration instructions visit the front page of the Geoscience Pathways website.

www.geosciencepathways.org.au

Fabulous Free Astrophiz Podcasts for Science & Physics teachers
(by ex-physics teacher)

Astrophiz is a fabulous podcast for science and physics teachers to listen to as we
travel to work, exercise, clean or cook.

Direct stream or download from Soundcloud or subscribe to ‘Astrophiz Podcasts’ on iTunes.

Find the latest podcast here.

SciCEd Studio Design Workshop #1

We're looking for young adults aged 15-18 years old who are futures thinkers or innovators. Young people with a diverse range of interests across science and art who would like to learn new skills in design thinking and make a difference.

The Science Creativity Education (SciCEd) Studio (pronounced 'psyched') at the University of South Australia is opening in 2018. This workshop is a chance to help design aspects of this interactive science and creativity space. Led by accredited LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator Bridgette Engeler from Swinburne University and Dr Kristin Alford, the Director of SciCEd, this workshop will engage participants in applying design and strategic thinking techniques to create multiple ideas for the exhibitions, programs and experiences.

         Start Date: Sunday, 23 October 2016
         Start Time: 2:00 PM
         Finish Time: 4:30 PM
         Venue: Bradley Forum, Lvl 5, Hawke Building, UniSA City West campus
         Other information: Afternoon tea will be provided

Please RSVP here

School teachers are eligible only by completing a 5 minute survey, being conducted by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis at the Australian National University. The Centre focuses on plant science and food security; particularly, their researchers work on improving photosynthesis, with the aim to increase crop yields in staple foods (wheat, rice, maize etc), to secure food supply for the world's population.

The Centre is currently working on providing resources to teachers online, based on the work of the being done there.

You've got to be in it to win it. Winners drawn 1st December.
Click here to do the survey

A seminar & workshop led by Dr Sivam Krish (creator of Innovation Space @ASMS), Graeme Oliver (former Deputy Principal @ASMS) and Ben Flink (Deputy Director at @NVI) to help schools design creative learning environments. The workshop is designed to help educators design learning spaces that can support the significant changes that we are now experiencing in learning and teaching practices.

Click here for more information.

SASTA EVENT CALENDAR

SASTA Dates 2016

Early Career Teachers Conference at Immanuel College, Novar Gardens
Friday 14th October 2016 - registrations close on 7th October!

Physics Exam Post Mortem at Prince Alfred College
Tuesday 8th November 2016

Chemistry Exam Post Mortem at Eynesbury College
Friday 11th November 2016

Biology Exam Post Mortem at Nazareth Catholic College Secondary Campus
Monday 14th November 2016

Willie Wonders Why: Teaching the Science of Light in the Primary School Classroom
at University of Adelaide, Adelaide
(NEW DATE!!) Friday 18th November 2016

STEM Yr (6 - 11) Conference and Expo 2016, Playford International College, Elizabeth
Friday 25th November 2016 - registrations will open shortly!