Fortnightly Planner 24/1/23

January 24, 2023 by C. Gillespie | 0 comments

Welcome to the fortnightly STEM planner. Keep reading to find out more about exciting STEM developments across Scotland. Please feel free to share this planner with colleagues and school partners.

National STEM professional learning calendar

Education Scotland STEM team, working with STEM National partners, have catalogued all professional learning for STEM being delivered across Scotland. This invaluable resource is live on the STEM Nation Online Resource Events page as a calendar, with useful links direct to the STEM Partners websites and booking information. Visit our Events page on the STEM Nation Online Resource to see the wide range of support available from Education Scotland and national partner organisations:

Events – STEM Nation (glowscotland.org.uk)

The contents of the calendar can be viewed in a monthly list view here.

STEM Nation Award Programme

The STEM Nation Award has been developed by Education Scotland to celebrate, promote and build on effective practice in STEM education within and across sectors. All early learning and childcare (ELC) settings, primary schools, secondary schools and providers of community learning and development (CLD) are eligible to apply for the STEM Nation Award. Settings may apply for an individual element or any combination of elements. Settings which achieve all five elements within a three year period will be eligible for the full STEM Nation Award.

Teachers, ELC practitioners and CLD providers from across Scotland worked with Education Scotland during the pilot phase and as part of a CLD working group to shape the award criteria and application process. The programme is designed to be flexible and supportive in response to the varying needs of different sectors and specific local contexts.

Find out more here.

Starting out in STEM

Session 1: 6 February 4-5pm

Session 2: 20 March 4-5pm

Don’t know where to start with STEM learning and teaching? Want to improve your confidence in this area and know where to find resources? Then this two part series is for you!

These events are aimed at early learning and childcare, ASN and primary practitioners who are starting out in STEM.
The sessions will explore three provocations designed to look at what STEM pedagogy and contexts for STEM learning look like, why we teach STEM, and how we teach STEM.
Both live sessions will give you a chance to connect with colleagues and engage in depth discussion around your STEM practice. There will be signposts to helpful resources to get you started plus opportunities to network.

Creativity and science IDL pilot

23 Feb 4-5pm

Are you a science or art teacher with an interest in IDL? What if a science teacher and an art and design teacher worked together to map out an experience that we could offer in BGE? Come along to find out more and be part of this exciting pilot to create a science based experience using the creative design process. This will be in partnership with Daydream believers so if you are already working with them, this could be a great opportunity for you to explore further.

Secondary Sciences Network – Fraserburgh Academy’s approach to STEM in BGE

21 Feb 16:45 – 17:45

For secondary science teachers, this is the second of three sessions looking at BGE in the sciences. This session will focus on Fraserburgh Academy’s approach to STEM in the BGE. Hear from them as they describe how they created their STEM strategy, how they timetable STEM in the BGE and the way they use challenge and context based learning in STEM. There will be a chance to ask questions and opportunity for discussion.

STEM Networks Early Years, ASN & Primary

Join us on 2 Feb to explore how learners & practitioners can lead STEM in their classroom or early years setting. Hear from practitioners who have implemented SSERC’s Young STEM Leader Programme & share experiences of leading STEM.

Race to Net Zero Learning Programme

The Race to Net Zero suite can be used as a blended or full eLearning programme to empower learners to take positive action inside and outside of school. Available as nine bitesize chapters, the suite can be used to deliver distinct subjects or as part of a whole programme, building on knowledge throughout.

The chapters are packed with resources and extra learning and are available with suggested lesson plans mapping experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

Practitioners will be provided with CPD sessions, exploring each topic, linking to a wide range of curriculum areas, and considering challenges and opportunities in embedding Net Zero learning throughout education.

The programme offers young people the opportunity to expand their knowledge through topics relating to Net Zero and explore small, manageable behaviour changes that they can make to positively impact on the climate crisis.

STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Week

Running 30 Jan – 03 Feb this is your opportunity to discover who STEM Ambassadors are and how they can bring STEM to life. The theme of the week is ‘Storytelling’ with a series of online events for primary schools called STEM Storytime. Ambassadors will read a book followed by a short talk about how the story relates to STEM or their job. For secondary schools learners can ask questions direct to a variety of ambassadors. Answers will be recorded and sent out to schools.

Practitioners’ guide and website with information, ideas for getting involved and resources all about STEM and storytelling: https://www.stemambassadors.scot/sais-week-2023

Upskill and Engage Programme

An exciting new project in 2023 will focus on giving STEM Ambassadors the training and tools needed to deliver engaging, interactive STEM sessions across Early and First Level in primary schools.

There is capacity for 50 schools to be matched to a STEM Ambassador who will deliver 3 face to face career linked STEM sessions between April – June 2023. Participating schools will also benefit from a training session from Dr Richard Holmes, Lecturer in Education at Dundee University on making the most of STEM Ambassadors in the classroom.

To apply for a place on the programme please register here

To find out more join our information session.

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here

Help school students see science outside of the classroom through I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here this British Science Week!

I’m a Scientist is a student-led activity engaging school students with people working in STEM. Students get direct access to world-leading researchers from top institutions through live, online chats and follow-up questions.

With activities about chemistry, plant science, health, and physics running in British Science Week, there’s something for everyone.

The Molecule Zone

In March 2023, show your students the exciting chemistry research that’s happening in their home nation with the Molecule Zone, funded by Royal Society of Chemistry and ScotChem.

Teachers across Scotland get priority access to the Molecule Zone. Find out more and take part.
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The activity is free to UK state schools and facilitated by DBS-checked moderators.

Rolls-Royce Schools Prize for Science & Technology

The Rolls-Royce Schools Prize is open to all schools in the UK and helps teachers increase STEM engagement in their schools and colleges. Our Schools Prize supports teacher CPD through our partnership with STEM Learning and Project ENTHUSE. The Rolls-Royce Schools Prize for Science & Technology is now open for entries. To enter you are invited to submit a Stage 1 application outlining an idea for a sustainable science, mathematics or technology project for development during the next academic year. The proposed project could be a new idea or the progression of something you are already working on but should demonstrate innovation, creativity and ambition in STEM education.

Jacob’s Butterfly Effect

The Jacobs’ Butterfly Effect is a free programme designed to create lasting behaviour change through habit formation, by providing pupils aged 5-12 with the knowledge and understanding they need to put sustainability at the heart of every decision they make. our online program covers all areas of the curriculum and is intended to be delivered throughout the summer term across the school and over the course of 8 weeks. The easy to follow, themed and fully digital activities encourage fun learning and teachers can tailor activities to suit different pupil needs. Activities are short and there is only one set activity per week, lasting between 15 minutes and 1 hour.