December 16, 2014
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Sciences, Technology and Mathematics e-bulletin

DECEMBER 2014

Sciences, Technology and Mathematics
e-bulletin

Welcome to our e-bulletin for sciences, technologies, engineering and maths (STEM). Please forward to those who may be interested.

Received this from someone else? Sign up to receive it directly.

Sciences

Explore our new Giant Panda website
Register for the second primary and early years Glow meet – Assessment in the sciences
Enhance your science lessons using the RM Unify tiles on Glow 365
Plan your citizen science activities for British Science Week 2015

Technologies

Napier University What we can do for your pupils brochure available now
National Museum of Scotland Games Masters event – teacher preview

Numeracy and Mathematics

The significant aspects of learning and supporting framework in numeracy & mathematics
Professional learning resources for numeracy

Did you know…….?

Programme for Scotland 2014-2015 – Scottish Government highlights STEM learning and teaching in primary schools as a priority (p52)

Video inspiration

Scientists create first Christmas tree powered by Brussels sprouts!

Professional learning

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Closing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Education

We’ve got loads more news to share! See our STEM blog for the latest updates.

Education Scotland Email Updates Available

We’ve recently reviewed the list of email updates and we’re delighted to offer you a range of publications with a focus on specific areas, sectors and topics. These all include the latest news and key information along with links to new resources and support materials all in one place and relevant to your area of work. You can sign up to as many email updates as you like, they are free and delivered straight to your inbox.

Visit the Education Scotland website today for the full list of publications available and sign up today.

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December 16, 2014
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Assessment in the Sciences Glow Meet and Professional Learning Twilight Sessions

Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.

Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring guidance on and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences.

To address this aspect the sciences team will be hosting the second of three Glow Meets, complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.

The Education Scotland assessment support documentation will be explored, using exemplifications from the NAR, addressing particular science Significant Aspects of Learning.

The second Glow meet Assessment in the Sciences will take place on Tuesday 13^th January 3.45-4.30pm

To register: https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/e7wzsiv2uvs/event/event_info.html

Dates, times and venues for the complimentary twilight sessions to date are:

Dundee, Education Scotland Endeavour House, Monday 26^th January 4-6pm

Dumfries, Lochside Education Centre, 27th January 4-6pm

Inverness, Mercure Hotel, Wednesday 28th January 4-6pm

Aberdeen, Satrosphere Science Centre, Thursday 29^th January 4-6pm

Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth, Monday 2^nd February 4-6pm

Glasgow , St Andrew’s Secondary, Thursday 5^th February 4-6pm

Please sign up through https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/twilightsessions

Revisit the first Glow meet Supporting Primary & Early Years Science

December 16, 2014
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Advanced Higher Biology resources

Advanced Higher Biology learning and teaching resources for Unit 1 and Unit 3 have been added to the Education Scotland website at http://bit.ly/1yY12Qz

These resources contain activities, tutorials and powerpoints to support the delivery of Revised and CfE Advanced Highers. Unit 2 to follow soon.

December 12, 2014
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K’Nex Cluster Challenge 2015

Glasgow Science Festival is pleased to announce the K’Nex Cluster Challenge for 2015. This annual competition is a chance for primary 5 and 6 pupils to apply their creativity and construction skills to various engineering based challenges, competing at three levels; classroom, cluster and area to become their area champion.

The Cluster Challenge involves primary schools working together with their cluster secondary school through each level of the competition. Pupils will work in teams of two to demonstrate their imagination, creativity and ingenuity by designing and making a model, using K’Nex, which solves a set engineering based challenge.

Each level has different fun challenges set by Glasgow Science Festival with judging criteria including the following categories: communication, design, problem solving and visual appeal. The overall winning team at each level will compete in the next level of the competition until a winning team for each area in the west of Scotland is found.

Full details of the competition and how your cluster can get involved can be found on the Glasgow Science Festival website.

Applications must be made by Friday 30th January 2015.

#primaryscience

December 12, 2014
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Twig on Glow: Animal Kingdom

Twig on Glow’s new Biology module, Animal Kingdom, has over 60 stunning films for you and your learners to explore.

Mapped to Biodiversity and Interdependence within Curriculum for Excellence, these captivating short films give learners an insight into the lives of some of the planet’s most unusual and exciting species.

Find out how reptiles evolved from early amphibians, and the adaptations that allowed them to thrive on dry land.
Watch an introduction to the duck-billed platypus – one of the world’s few egg-laying mammals. Find out what it looks like, where it lives, and what it eats.
Find out more about the poison arrow frog which lays its eggs on the ground and must climb high into the rainforest canopy to transport its young to a watery nursery.

Teachers why not try the Weird and Wonderful Animal Kingdom Quiz with your class? Submit your class’s answers via the online form and you could win £100 of Amazon vouchers for your school!

All you require is your glow log in : https://www.twigonglow.com/

December 10, 2014
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Junior Saltire Competition 2015- Marine Energy Challenge

Young Engineers and Science Clubs Scotland encourage you to enter the Junior Saltire Competition 2015 Marine Energy Challenge.

Finalists will be invited to test their devices at FloWave’s Ocean Energy Research Facility, which is the world’s most sophisticated ocean simulator.

Prizes of up to £750 and unique Saltire medals are up for grabs!

Read more in our newsletter http://eepurl.com/-Iaif

#primaryscience

December 10, 2014
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Hermitage Primary School – Technology Challenge 2014

Primary 7 pupils at Hermitage Primary School, Helensburgh took part in their Technology Challenge presentation evening on Thursday 4^th December, which brought their interdisciplinary topic to a close.

The project incorporated all STEM subjects enabling learners to develop their knowledge and understanding of the concepts and skills in Technologies, Maths, Language and Science. This also included aspects of PSD.

The Technology Challenge required pupils to work in cooperative groups, to plan and design a working electrical vehicle which was supported by a good business plan. Their progress was recorded in the form of a booklet and i-pad presentation.

Vehicles had to move forwards, backwards and have working lights and were to be created within a given budget. In addition, pupils were granted an additional £10 by the Head Teacher in order to add extra technology such as LED lights, pulley operated doors, a working lift and even a moving dragon’s head!

Following weeks of hard work the 10 teams of 6 pupils spoke to a panel of 3 judges and an audience of invited guests.

Each team gave a presentation about their vehicle detailing their experiences of working as a team, planning and designing, working to a budget and what they felt they had achieved.

The judging panel were very impressed with the standard of work and the efforts of every team member and eventually selected U-PoP as the winning team.

U-Pop created a mobile recording studio which included a working recording and playback sound module.

The delighted team members were Max Kemp, Hamish Paterson, Annika Seitz, Shannon Beaton, Esther Lopez and Rory Frew.

#primaryscience

December 9, 2014
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Scottish Education STEM Award 2015

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.

This year a new award category for STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, has been introduced.

This category recognises establishments who are helping children and young people develop STEM skills and apply these across the four contexts for learning – curriculum, inter-disciplinary learning, ethos and life of the school and opportunities for personal achievement.

Nominations should be able to evidence the following questions and describe the impact on learners, the school and wider community:

In what ways do learners in your establishment demonstrate successful application of STEM skills?
In what ways are learners using STEM to develop skills for learning, life and work?
In what ways do you work with partners/parents/wider community to support STEM?

Nominations for this year’s awards are now open.

Nominations close 12pm on Monday 16 February 2015.

#primaryscience

November 27, 2014
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Instellar – CfE Higher Physics Resources

An Education pack has been created by the makers of Interstellar that helps teachers with some of the topics covered in the film. In discussion with Professor Martin Hendry from Glasgow University it became clear that this deals directly with some core topics of the new revised Physics Higher.

This guide to be available on the Glasgow Science Centre website at: http://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/online/astronomy-activities.html. Or from the Sciences Glow site in the Higher Our Dynamic Universe folder.
Additionally Martin has written a great blog post about the film here: http://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/science/the-science-of-interstellar.html

November 27, 2014
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Engaging with Scottish schools to promote STEM

Engaging with Scottish schools to promote STEM
10am to 3:30pm, 2nd February 2015
Venue: Deans Community High School, Livingston

The Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce states in its report that ‘a focus on sciences, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM) should sit at the heart of the development of Scotland’s young workforce’ and calls for long-term partnerships to be established between schools, colleges and employers to bring about significant change.
Similarly, higher education institutions and research groups are looking for ways to engage effectively with school communities to encourage learners to develop STEM skills and pursue further study in these areas.
There are many activities taking place nationally and schools are already engaging with a variety of partner organisations and institutions to enhance the learning and teaching of STEM within Curriculum for Excellence and to develop the employability skills of learners. However, more needs to be done to coordinate efforts and scale up successful approaches to bring about the transformative change that is required.
The purpose of this event is to:
• Share interesting and thought-provoking models of school partnerships with industry, higher education and colleges
• Create a forum for discussion regarding effective partnership working with schools to support learning and teaching in STEM areas
• Outline the national actions that are being developed by national bodies to address the recommendations from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.
Audience: This event is aimed at key decision makers or a nominated substitute (persons with interest in STEM School engagement) in local authorities, professional bodies, colleges, higher education, research and industry.
Programme: The event will include a stimulating mix of keynote presentations, workshops and discussion. Further details regarding speakers and workshops will be provided in due course.
To register: This is a free event. Please email STS@SSERC.org.uk to book a place. It is advisable to book early as places are limited. When booking, please remember to send details of any special dietary or access requirements.
For further information please contact Scott Bryce at scott.bryce@sserc.org.uk.