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CERTIFICATES

It is important to recognise the efforts of National Science Week event supporters.  Upload your certificates today!

Certificate of Appreciation

Cerificate of Participation

 SCHOOL EVALUATION

Win prizes for your school!

Tell us what you did for National Science Week!

ASTA would like to hear about National Science Week in your school.  This information will help us plan for National Science Week 2009!  In addition, you could also win for your school, some terrific prizes!

An online evaluation form is not available this year so please take a few minutes to download the 'Evaluation Form' , fill it in and either fax or post it to ASTA.  ALL evaluations will go into the draw for prizes.  Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Your school will be in the draw to win a selection of prizes including:

Stationery resource packs including ball point pens, permanent markers, highlighters, pacers, fineliners, whiteboard markers, Liquid Paper and much more from PaperMate and Expo valued at $200 per pack.  (2 winners per state and territory).

A pack of four copies of the DVD 'Oresome Froth-Become a Virtual Metallurgist' from the Minerals Council of Australia.  Oresome Froth provides secondary science students with an authentic industry context for self-directed learning in applied chemistry valued at $88 per pack.  (2 winners per state and territory)

One of eight, 6 month subscriptions to New Scientist magazine valued at $150.00 per subscription.  (One subscription per state and territory)

A bulk subscription (10 copies every two months) for 12 months to CSIRO's Double Helix Science Club magazines.  The Helix (aged 10+) and Scientriffic (aged 7+).  Valued at $170.00 per subscription.

One of 20 copies of 'It Ain't Necessarily So, Bro' by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki published in 2006, valued at $24.95 and provided by New Scientist.

Personal copy of Planet Earth-Planet of Change (2 winners per state and territory)

The following supporters of the 2008 National Science Week Schools' Kit and ASTA Resource Book have provided these prizes.                                              

 RESOURCE BOOK FEEDBACK

Complete the feedback form in Planet Earth-Planet of Change and WIN!

One of eight, 1 year subscriptions to the Australian Geographic journal (one per state and territory).  The Australian Geographic journal makes a perfect resource with each issue being filled with fantastic articles on nature, travel and Australian culture.  Courtesy of the Australian Geographic shops, this subscription is valued at $59.95 and entitles subscribers to an instant 10% discount on purchases all year round. 

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National Science Week 2008 in schools

2008 ASTA National Science Week Teacher Resource Book - Planet Earth-Planet of Change

 For National Science Week each year, ASTA produces a teacher resource book to encourage teachers to conduct science activities within their school during National Science Week.  The title of the 2008 teacher’s resource book is Planet Earth-Planet of Change.

This year, the resource book will have a new and improved layout making it easier for teachers to locate information and activities for their students.  The book is packed with facts, classroom activities, experiments, photographs, diagrams and websites that explore the ever-changing nature of Earth and with a focus on Australia.

The resource book has been designed to provide teachers with ideas about the activities that can assist with developing conceptual understanding about the dynamic nature of the Earth, its structures and processes. Whilst many activities are hands-on investigations, others have been chosen to expand student experiences in extracting, processing and presenting information through electronic, audio-visual and oral media.

The diagram above has been used as the underpinning concept of this booklet’s design. If students are to understand their home planet Earth, they need to focus on the interconnectivity of the parts that make up the planet:

• the atmosphere and its gases,
• the lithosphere with its various rock types
• the hydrosphere with all water supplies
• the biosphere which contains all living things
• and the anthrosphere, that part of the Earth influenced by humans.

Because Earth contains a number of interacting systems, a natural or human caused change in one element of any system may impact on other elements of the planet. These impacts are used to demonstrate change and are included throughout the resource, which refers back, wherever possible, to the Australian context.

Understanding the cycles that interconnect and recycle the essential elements of each the above parts is important if students are to understand the planet and the nature of the environments on this planet.  The water cycle, the rock cycle, the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle all recycle Earth’s finite resources.

There are four chapters –
1) Earth’s Turbulent Past
2) Earth’s Changing Face
3) Earth’s Blankets
4) Life and Its Impacts

Each chapter includes the following features:

• an introductory page which provides background information on the subject of the chapter,
• a series of double page spreads, each of which may be used independently of other pages.

Each double page spread consists of:

1. a single page of information about the header topic. This single page is subdivided into the background science knowledge and understandings relevant to the double page a case study based in the Australian context.
2. a page of teaching activities. This page generally provides activities across four groups:

• lower primary
• primary
• middle school
• senior secondary

Not all groups are catered for in every set of teaching activities. Teachers are encouraged to read across the activities for all groups for ideas that may be adjustable for their own students’ specific talents, interests and level of conceptual development.

A copy of Planet Earth-Planet of Change has been sent free to every Australian School-including all preschools, primary schools, secondary schools and certain TAFEs-as part of the National Science Week Schools Kit, and free to ASTA members.  Additional copies can be purchased from ASTA.  Contact ASTA for an order form. 

Need things to support your National Science Week event?

CSIRO’s Double Helix Science Club’s magazines, The Helix (age 10+) and Scientriffic (age 7+), are captivating bi-monthly science magazines packed with news, features, activities, competitions and more. Free online Teacher’s Guides make them versatile classroom resources. Schools receive huge discounts on Bulk Subscriptions (10+ copies) and many individual teachers become club members/subscribers. For information call 02 6276 6643 or visit www.csiro.au/helixschools.

For free science activities requiring simple, everyday items, try Science by Email www.csiro.au/sciencemail (convenient weekly subscription) and DIY Science www.csiro.au/diy (online activities).

CSIRO Education also offer traveling curriculum-linked hands-on school programs Australia-wide, many of which can complement activities happening in your school during National Science Week. For details and bookings visit www.csiro.au/csirosec.