Learning and Teaching 

National Science Week

Next week, the 15th to the 23rd August, is National Science Week. National Science Week aims to encourage an interest in science and STEM among the general public. This year, it aims to encourage younger people to become fascinated by our planet’s oceans, which cover two-thirds of its surface and help control its weather systems and the make-up of the atmosphere. 

‘Deep Blue: innovation for the future of our oceans’ is the school theme for National Science Week in 2020. It is important to focus on the oceans. They are always out there, creating climates, absorbing carbon dioxide, lapping away at the shoreline, and it is impossible to ignore, as the Earth’s oceans cover more than two-thirds of the Earth’s total surface area. The ocean theme also enables us to discover and investigate Australia’s world-renowned contributions to marine science, marine based industries, marine technologies, and marine innovations. 

What can you do at home?

As we are all at home, there are many websites you can visit to learn more about our oceans and their importance to our world. Some suggested sites to visit are:

• National Geographic kids ocean facts - https://www.natgeokids.com/au/discover/geography/general-geography/ocean-facts/
• National Geographic Oceans - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/oceans/
• CSIRO National Science Week Challenge -https://www.csiro.au/en/Showcase/Challenge This site gives links to resources for you to read further and learn more about the ocean

Although we can’t get out to the beach or our waterways at the moment, there are many science activities you can try at home. The National Science Week website has a page of suggested activities for science at home. They include:

• Backyard Science
  • Weather station
• Backyard Bioblitz
  • Animal detective
  • Flower dissection
  • Insects at night
• Backyard Astronomy
  • Satellites and shooting stars
  • Moon and Sun
  • Stars & Planets + plus August Star Charts
  • Astronomy When It's Cloudy

See the website for more information - https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science/

Deborah Courtney

Director of Teaching and Learning