More Edutopia Weblinks

Check out the weblinks below - they are from the Edutopia website (which is American based - but may have something you could use). 

Not being a teacher, I am just guessing as to what may be helpful - so I'm hoping that this may be of some use - otherwise check out the Edutopia site for yourself. 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/framework-boosting-high-school-students-math-confidence

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-math-games-you-can-use-class-today

https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-simple-outdoor-science-lessons-inspire-students

https://www.edutopia.org/article/engaging-students-community-based-projects

More Edutopia Weblinks

See below for some more weblinks from Edutopia - that hopefully may be of some interest to you. These cover areas such as: Science, Math, reading and writing - and also STEM. Who knows, these may just give you some crazy ideas to run in the classroom that will TOTALLY get the students on board!! Miracles happen ... 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/fun-survivor-themed-classroom-activity-promotes-science-learning

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-can-we-survive-mars

https://www.edutopia.org/article/quick-and-inexpensive-design-challenges

https://www.edutopia.org/article/connecting-math-and-science-reading-and-writing

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-origami-improves-students-skills-ainissa-ramirez

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/making-is-essential-to-learning-youki-terada

Library Displays Term 3

Well, after a lengthy run of no posts for various reasons, let's try to get this back up and running. 

We are into Week 4, Term 3, and with grateful thanks to a couple of teachers, we have some displays up in the Library. 

Octopus

Ms Squires Science class has put up one on Biomes, with 3D Dioramas attached to the wall!  Pretty impressive - the octopus makes me feel like he could reach out and grab me if I'm not careful.   

Solar System Poster

There is also a display on the Solar System - again by Ms Squires and her Science Class.  This includes a couple of posters by Felisha and Meshack about the planets they were researching.  Well done guys - they look great!

 

Ms Juliet has taken over a window for a regular display about her Special Education class and their Library activities.  So far, they have learnt about books and how to handle them and made personalised corner bookmarks.  They have also had a session on the Olympics, and then made an Olympic Torch and had a Torch Run around the Library.  

See below for a few more photos .... 

Poster about Mercury by Felisha

Poster about Mars by Meshack

Middle Years Science

Middle Years Science classes have been working with Miss Squires on Biomes and Ecosystems, with a focus on Human Impact and Environmental Issues.  

For this, they have chosen a creature and made a Diorama of it along with its habitat.  To go with this display, there is also a booklet about their creature and the lifestyle, and where it fits into the food web.  

Below are photos of a few of the gorgeous creations that the classes have done - and these will all be on view in the Art Display that opens tomorrow night.  

Kingsley - Wedge-Tailed Eagle

Nathan - Orca

Jet - Saltwater Crocodile

Estella - Black Flying Fox

Shaun - Black Panther

8 Opal Science – Visiting Seismologists

 8 Opal Science – Visiting Seismologists (that’s Earthquake scientists)

 Three scientists visited the 8 Opal Science class on Thursday 17 as part of our Term 3 study of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Dr Michelle Salmon from the Australian National University, Joel Tatpudi and Rajesh Erigela who are based at the Warramunga Seismic Array situated in the Barkly region.  They set up an active seismograph machine in the classroom on the floor and had an old one that the students could look at and touch.

 

Dr Salmon explained about the array and what it was designed to do. We saw a photo of one of the shafts that the equipment is placed in.

Dr Salmon explained about where earthquakes occur and tectonic plates.  She showed us where they occur, and the frequency that they occur. The pattern of the quakes shows where the boundaries of the plates are, and students were able to explain the different types when quizzed.

Dr Salmon also explained how the Richter scale works and how the magnitudes of the earthquakes is measured.

With questions from students, she also talked about the scientific data that came from the 1988 earthquake that rocked Tennant Creek as well as the recent one this year. The students found it all fascinating. They asked many questions and were impressed with the answers.

Dr Salmon showed the class the seismic wave charts from both earthquakes as well, and the students could see the patterns that were registered. She explained and showed us examples of P, S, Love and Raleigh waves, and how they move through the earth.  At this point the class were asked to stand, and on the count of three, we were all asked to jump. We set off the seismograph, and could see on the screen how the machine showed our impact, our own mini quake. We did this a couple times more to see if we could beat our previous one.

Finally we talked about movies and how they aren’t always scientifically accurate, but some do have good science information in them. We also talked about types of buildings that are safer to build, and structural tricks to keep buildings safer as well as safety procedures should we find ourselves in a severe earthquake. 

Dr Salmon showed us what happened in some famous earthquakes from around the world and even some in Australia and New Zealand.

Guest Blogger:    KSQ

Genre's and Weblinks

The latest genre display is up - and it is DIARY this time.  
There's a range of titles from historical to humour, and hopefully will appeal to a range of tastes.  

Below are also some links taken from the 'Conversation' blog, about educational thoughts and ideas.  I have just grabbed a few that could be topical, so maybe log on and have a look for yourselves. 

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-is-it-ok-to-listen-to-music-while-studying-125222

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-was-maths-discovered-who-made-up-the-numbers-and-rules-121509

https://theconversation.com/keep-your-job-options-open-and-dont-ditch-science-when-choosing-next-years-school-subjects-123012

https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-difference-between-stem-and-steam-95713

Fundraising for Maths & Science Camps

https://www.schoolsplus.org.au/stem-adventures/

Please visit the website above to give a tax deductable donation and support local students who are keen to stretch their mental skills and understanding in challenging ways.

Since 2016, Tennant Creek High School has been providing opportunities every year for teams to engage and compete in the Science and Engineering Challenge as well as the Maths Enrichment Camp.

These two events offer students alternative non-sporting opportunities to extend themselves and explore the areas of Maths and Science in fun and competitive environments. 

The students carry out fundraising each year to help support travel costs and competition fees.  Those who have attended these events have shown an increased interest in Maths and Science as well as improvement in their attitudes to learning.  

The camp theme is FUN, THINKING & FRIENDSHIP. 

National Science Week 2018

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

 Next week 11^th-19^th August is National Science Week 2018.

The school theme is: ‘Game Changers & Changemakers”

And it is also the:

·        International Year of the Reef    (Coral reefs and the scientists who study them)

·        200^th Anniversary of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’

·        40^th Anniversary of the first IVF Baby

Plus you have the opportunity to become a Virtual Reef Diver.  You are invited to become a citizen scientist and help to analyse thousands of underwater images of the Great Barrier Reef

Check out the link above and see what else is happening.  

Science, QR Codes and Chess.

I have had Mrs. Anderson's 7O class in today for a QR Code Hunt around the Library.  She was working on Classification so it seemed an interesting way to both demonstrate classification and have a small Library orientation at the same time.

The class started in the Lab with a QR code directing them to the Library, which brought them to a QR Code on my office window, so that I knew they were there and could assist with the rest of the hunt.
They then checked out the Dewey Decimal charts and moved round a range of areas, taking photos to prove they had been able to follow the instructions.

The students had a ball and got right into QR Codes.  I believe that this could be used with almost any class, whether for revision or just as a novel way of teaching something.  It could even be used as a craft activity - maybe printed t-shirts or keytags?  Thank you, Mrs Anderson, for letting me show your class another fun side to learning.

Another activity that has become popular again is Chess and we have a few students taking the opportunity during recess and lunch to challenge each other. Plenty more chess sets available, so certainly room for more games to be happening.

In fact, we also have Monopoly, Battleships, Uno and various other games to use during break times, so it is not just chess. Maybe we should set up a regular board game session every week?

* EDIT:  Whoops, sorry it was actually a Yr 7 class.  My apologies to everyone.  Sorry Mrs Anderson. I have fixed it now.