SCIOS June 2022 Volume 66

SCIOS JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

simple activities with fundamental concepts paves the way for better understanding

VOLUME 66 JUNE 2022

SCIOS: To Know This journal aims to promote the teaching of science with a focus on classroom practice.

It provides a means of communication between teachers, consultants and other science educators. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the various authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Science Teachers’ Association of Western Australia (STAWA), the editorial committee or the publisher.

STAWA Office Unit 6, 10 Mallard Way, Cannington WA 6107 Contact Tel +61 (0) 8 9244 1987 Fax +61 (0) 8 9244 2601 Email info@stawa.net.au Web www.stawa.net.au

CONTENTS Editorial

3

From the President

5

Chief Executive’s Report

6

Chemistry Behind COVID 19 and mRNA Vaccines

9

Curtin STEM Outreach

10

Editorial Correspondence info@stawa.net.au

STAWA Congratulates Larissa Waghorn on START

12

Graphic Designer Kattie Muir - Digital Crayon

A Journey of Enabling, Enjoying and Excellence in Science

15

Emerging Engineers Competition

18

Model Experiments and Analogies for Teaching Einsteinian Energy - Year 8 Science

19

Book Reviews

26

Suggested Teaching Activities for ‘One Potoroo’

27

STAWA Membership

29

How to Contribute

30

Editorial Committee Susan Doncon Christine Howitt John Clarke - STAWA Siew Fong Yap Lyndon Smith

Advertising Enquiries Tel +61 (0) 8 9244 1987 Fax +61 (0) 8 9244 2601 Email info@stawa.net © 2022 The Science Teachers’ Association of Western Australia (STAWA). All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of STAWA. Unsolicited material is welcomed by the Editor but no responsibility is taken for the return of copy or photographs unless special arrangements are made.

ISSN 0157-6488 Cover Image by Pixabay

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EDITORIAL Dr. Siew Fong Yap As the Australian Curriculum is currently being reviewed to be adapted and adopted for our schools here in Western Australia, it is timely to remind ourselves that the role of science teachers is to bring this curriculum alive in our classrooms. An essential trait I would like us to focus on is `curiosity’. Curiosity makes one’s mind active instead of passive, observant of new ideas, opens up new worlds and possibilities and breaks the monotony of pedestrian answers so often repeated by students straight from the text! A way forward with this idea of curiosity is to introduce the idea of `phenomenon’ in our science teaching.

This year on 12th May, astronomers had identified at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy a supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A*), a trapdoor in space-time through which the equivalent of four million suns have been despatched to eternity, leaving behind only their gravity and violently bent-space time. The image shown in Figure 1 was released around the world, showing a lumpy doughnut of radio emission framing empty space. This is the splendid outcome of a collaboration of more than 300 scientists from 13 institutions that operates an ever-growing global network of telescopes that compose one large telescope as big as Earth – incredible as it sounds.

Discovering such a phenomenon should spark off many new ideas and possibilities, leading us to a better understanding of gravity, galaxy evolution and how even

placid-seeming clouds of stars like our own majestic pinwheel of stars, the Milky Way, can generate quasars, enormous geysers of energy that can be seen pulsating across the universe. The use of a phenomenon can be a springboard for curiosity, a wonder-full question, and a place for awe and amazement. Phenomena can be a foundation for inspiring science teaching and can serve as an effective anchor for our teaching.

If a phenomenon relates directly to our students’ lives, then student’s curiosity and engagement go hand in hand If a phenomenon relates directly to our students’ lives, then student’s curiosity and engagement go hand in hand. From the Big Bang to the Milky way galaxy blackhole “Sagittarius A” in recent days, from quantum cryptography to gravitational wave astronomy, Einsteinian concepts define the way we look at the universe. While the Newtonian conception of the world is still very much implicitly learnt in schools as it is deeply embedded in our way of thinking, curiosity and necessity beckon us to consider how quantum mechanics and Einstein’s general theory of relativity underpin many central aspects of modern life.

The phenomenon which appears distant, almost remote, can be brought near when we look at our

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“We have to think about the world as it can be and envision opportunities and possibilities in science classrooms to actively move towards our vision of what is better.” (Blair & Kersting, 2022).

Dr Siew Fong Yap

Figure 1 - The first direct image of Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. Image credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration / National Science Foundation, 13 May 2022 hand-held device such as the smart phone which is the embodiment of Einsteinian physics. The GPS navigator depends on the knowledge of time warp around the Earth, and the chip’s operations are based on quantum physics.

For this issue, we have the benefit of reading a phenomena--based teaching article on “Model experiments and Analogies for teaching Einsteinian Energy” by Shachar Boublil and David Blair. We also have a delightful reflection piece by Janene Sproul on her journey of igniting that spark of curiosity and engagement with her students in her practice of inclusive pedagogy. Janene received the 2021 de Laeter Medal for her outstanding contribution to science teaching from STAWA, and we are honoured by her sharing her deeply inspirational story with us.

About the editor Dr Siew Fong Yap is the Head of Science at Perth’s Kingsway Christian College, a sessional teaching academic at Curtin University and Honorary Teaching Fellow of University of Western Australia. She is also part of the Oxford Science Curriculum Publishing team.

She is on the Advisory Board of LASAR, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom.

Reference Kersting, M. & Blair, D. (2022). Teaching Einsteinian Physics in Schools – An Essential Guide for Teachers in Training and in Practice. London & New York: Routledge, xxxiii.

Let us continue to inspire our generation of young people to be curious, encourage creative thought and foster problem solving. We want to spur our students towards critical thinking using phenomena-based questions. It is time to move from an answer-based science class and move forward to a paradigm-changing and propulsive question-based one.

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from the president Annabel Kanakis Welcome to the June Issue of SCIOS. Term 1 this year threw up many challenges for all of us, with teacher shortages due, not only to COVID, but many teachers deciding that the education industry simply isn’t right for them. I know that we were all very ready for the holidays, possibly more than ever before, so I hope you all had a restful holiday and have returned to the term recharged! Without dwelling on this issue, it is obvious to me that the entire education system across Australia is facing an uncertain future.

The stories from various schools across all sectors are worrying as the students seem to have been forgotten.

Science teachers are very passionate about their subject, and this is reflected in the number of students that participate in extra-curricular activities such as Science Talent Search, Solar Car Challenge and the Engineering Challenge, to name a few. I hope that we can ride the waves and that something can be done to provide more incentives for teachers to stay in their schools and do what they were trained to do – teach science!

professional learning for graduates who are unfamiliar with content that they are asked to teach. It will also provide resources that will save time for everyone.

Please make sure that you consider contributing to this wonderful initiative.

The organisation of CONSTAWA 2022 is in full swing and will occur on July 14th. The number of trade STAWA will be progressing to enable the filming and online access to conference keynotes and workshops will also enable more teachers to be able to take part in these very worthwhile events.

Graham Johnson continues to produce the Newsletter, Spotlight on STAWA, sent to our members to inform everyone of upcoming events and providing links to resources. I encourage everyone to keep informed of what is happening in our association so that members get the most out of their membership.

Annabel Kanakis

On that note, I would like to reiterate the importance for us to be mentors for pre-service science teachers.

I encourage anyone who is able, to support these teachers in any way possible as we need to retain quality teachers and enable them to cope with ever increasing workloads. The launch of the Open Learning online learning platform recently will assist with the

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT John Clarke I trust that you had a fruitful Term 1 and are looking forward to a pleasant conclusion to Term 2 2022.

COVID-19 has put stress on school staffing, and I don’t know anyone who has not been impacted in some way.

Our lives have changed as we change the way we do things now. Meetings and PL’s have moved online, and hybrid events are trending as technology makes them more viable although most teachers I speak with still yearn for the personal interactions of face-to-face events.

Cannington and Osborne Park – After considered discussion led by Executive, STAWA Council placed both the Cannington and Osborne Park properties on the market. This was in response to advice from the auditor contained in the past few years of auditor reports, and the desire to be debit free. We have been attempting to sell the remaining Osborne Park unit for many years now but without success. Canning has sold and the new owner has granted a lease to a portion of the warehouse section of the building. This will cover our storage needs for at least the next 6 months. The office and boardroom have been relocated back to 30 Hasler Road, Osborne Park. The loan on Cannington has been paid out with a profit of just over $429,000. We can now support both our operations and accommodate small projects using our own funds rather than borrowed money.

CONSTAWA - Our Primary and Secondary Science Teachers Conference convening on Wednesday 13 July is open for registration now. At the time of writing this report, we are at about ¼ of the way to reaching our target registration numbers. Please take the time to view the program and register your attendance. We have a great program, including the keynote address from Dr Kari Pitts titled “Forensic Glass Analysis: a pane in the glass?” Kari is Manager Forensic Chemistry at the Chem Centre. Following morning tea, you have more than 32 workshops to select from across the 4 sessions over the day. CONSTAWA is planned to be a face-to-face event hosted at Willetton SHS through the leadership of Head of Learning Area and STAWA Life member Lance Taylor and his team.

Visit https://www.stawa.net/conferences/constawa/ to download the latest program, and link to conference website for details and to registration.

The Psychology Teachers Convention 2022 will take place on Thursday 18 August. The 2022 Convention will be a hybrid event, though we are hoping that most teachers take the opportunity to attend in person. A suitable location has yet to be identified, but we will keep you informed. The Convention will again be led by the STAWA Psychology Committee. The committee are planning presentations and workshops with a focus on the new syllabi. The program, and registration details as

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Do encourage your peers, particularly early career teachers to take up STAWA membership, to take advantage of the events and learning opportunities that STAWA provides and to actively seek to contribute to the goals of the association. Share your thoughts and ideas to help STAWA grow into the future.

The strategic plan can be viewed at: https://www. stawa.net/about-us/constitution-and-strategic-plan/ Have a safe and enjoyable remainder of the term.

they become available, will be updated on the website: https://www.stawa.net/conferences/psychologyteachers-convention/.

Your Chief Executive Officer, John Clarke

From the Archives - With the busyness of packing and moving to Osborne Park (30 Hasler Road - pictured above), we apologise for delaying the publication of a feature page `From the Archives’ to our September issue.

STAWA Council are seeking your feedback on membership. Keep a look out for the survey. In the meantime, please reflect on the following questions.

What do you want STAWA to do for you? How has STAWA membership been of benefit to you? Why are you a member? What skills can you offer to help progress the STAWA goals? We hope that the transition to an annual calendar year membership has been smooth, and our apologies for any issues that you have had with the renewal process online. Because of the change, updates must be done manually. These problems will be eliminated once everyone has moved to the calendar year membership. Through ASTA, STAWA will have a licence to the Open Learning Portal. We aim to build a bank of teacher learning modules for science. If you are interested in creating online learning programs for teachers, please contact the office to express your interest in becoming involved.

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You are invited to the official launch of

The Dirk Hartog Island National Park Return to 1616 Education Resource Join us in launching this exciting new, digital, interactive teaching resource that celebrates Western Australia’s most important ecological restoration project.

Explore a real-world, science education tool and experience virtual reality exercises in a hands-on workshop.

Where

2022_230 0421 PDF

Date Time

CONSTAWA 2022 Willetton Senior High School, Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton Wednesday 13 July 2022 8.45am

Dirk Hartog Island Return to 1616

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This project is funded by the Gorgon Barrow Island Net Conservation Benefits Fund

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Chemistry behind Covid 19 and mRNA vaccines Dr. Siew Fong Yap UWA 50th Bayliss Youth Lecture On 7th April 2022 Thursday evening, Edith Cowan University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Arshad Omari hosted the 50th Bayliss Youth Lecture UWA 2022. It was a privilege to have a husband-and-wife team, Professor Charlie Bond and Associate Professor Archa Fox presenting the lecture on “The Chemistry behind Covid 19 and mRNA vaccines”.

doses per year from 2024 to combat future pandemics.

Certainly, our young people in the audience were treated to a fascinating study of some of the more recent updates on COVID vaccines and also developed a deeper appreciation of the full ramifications of chemical science for public health on a global scale.

Both academics from UWA enthralled a young audience of 86 participants as they explained how the astonishing speed of designing the new mRNA vaccines against Covid 19 was one of the most remarkable features of the pandemic, highlighting the strong elements of collaboration and innovation matching the ingenious use of new technology platforms as vital in contributing towards its success. No doubt, this paves the way for Victoria to become the first place in the southern hemisphere to make mRNA vaccines, with a manufacturing facility capable of producing 100 million

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Curtin STEM Outreach Connect with Curtin Science and Engineering The Faculty of Science and Engineering is committed to providing opportunities for future scientists, engineers and their educators, to learn new skills, meet likeminded people and spark their excitement for science and engineering.

With workshops, camps, excursions, holiday programs and competitions, our activities aim to inspire young people to be more STEMactive...in their free time, at school or in their careers.

JUNE 27 June - 1 July BASF Kids’ Lab @Curtin Perth Interactive and fun chemistry education for Year 4 – 6 students. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/ JULY 4 – 8 Focus on Mining Camp Kalgoorlie Residential camps for Year 10 -12 students to explore careers and study pathways in WA’s resources sector. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/focus-on-mining/ 12 – 14 DISCOVER A holiday STEM program for Year 9 – 10 students to discover the world of research, innovation, science and engineering at Curtin. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/2022-discover/

10 – 16 Indigenous Australian Engineering School Residential camp for Year 9 -12 Indigenous students to explore university life, engineering, and interact with industry professionals. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / indigenous-australian-engineering-school/ AUGUST 27 – 28 WA Robotics Playoffs Two days of competition where teams of robot alliances play a tough and strategic game with strict rules but a free-flowing style. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersadvisors/education-outreach/stem-outreach/2022wa-robotics-playoffs/ SEPTEMBER 5 - 9 BASF Kids’ Lab @Curtin Kalgoorlie Interactive and fun chemistry education for Year 4 – 6 students. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/ 17 FIRST Robotics Competition A summer robot-building program for students interested in a mechatronics future. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/2020-21-first-roboticscompetition/

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27 September – 1 October Focus on Mining Camp Kalgoorlie Residential camps for Year 10 -12 students to explore careers and study pathways in WA’s resources sector. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/focus-on-mining/ OCTOBER 5 - 9 Mining and the Lands Residential camps for Year 9 -12 girls in the Future Footprints program to explore careers and study pathways in WA’s resources sector. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / indigenous-australian-engineering-school/ 3 – 7 Girls Focus on Mining Camp Pilbara Residential camps for Year 10 -12 students to explore careers and study pathways in WA’s resources sector. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/focus-on-mining/ 29 ASTROFEST Annual award-winning celebration of astronomy and Western Australian science. https://www.astronomywa.net.au/astrofest.html NOVEMBER Year 10 campus visits Arrange a visit to our Bentley campus for your Year 10 STEM classes. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/

DECEMBER 10 FIRST LEGO League WA National District Final An award-wining competition where teams of students undertake a research project, and design, build and code a LEGO robot. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/first-lego-league-wa/ ONGOING Binar-X High school students get involved in the WA space exploration industry by working with Curtin’s Space Science and Technology Centre. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/ Campus visits, incursions, and talks Arrange a bespoke visit to our Bentley campus for your STEM classes. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/ Coderdojo A fun, free volunteer-driven computer programming (coding) club for young people. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/coder-dojo-curtin/ Robo Academy Two-day holiday workshops for children interested in coding and robotics. https://engage.curtin.edu.au/schools-teachersa d v i s o r s / e d u c a t i o n - o u t re a c h / s t e m - o u t re a c h / programs-and-events/roboacademy/

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STAWA congratulates Larissa Waghorn on START Mady Colquhoun Congratulations to Larissa Waghorn as the recipient of the Professional Teaching Council of WA Outstanding Professional Service Award 2021. We acknowledge the splendid work of Larissa, a Primary Science Specialist who teamed up with a group of like-minded teachers in 2017 to develop a robust assessment tool known as START (Science Teaching Assessment and Recording Tracker). START was created to enable moderation between the teachers in this group and to track student progress in science throughout primary school. It rapidly morphed into a comprehensive tool with multiple uses to assist primary teachers of science.

START caught the attention of the Schools Development Group and STAWA, who supported its development as a digital program. This is where Larissa’s contribution really accelerated! Her collegial approach and strong ICT skills saw her liaise with the programmer over many months to ensure the detail of START was transformed accurately.

Once START was available to schools, Larissa continued her outstanding support by developing the protocols for use within schools and supporting those who purchased START with practical assistance. This has included visiting schools as well as online or phone support as required. Larissa has also presented, with the group, at the CONASTA conference in Sydney and the Principals’ Conference in Perth to explain how START could link into and benefit their School Science program. She has developed presentations to promote START for STAWA and attended Professional Learning sessions for STAWA to explain how START can assist teachers in assessment as well as the many other inbuilt features. Larissa, with other team members, has also set up a CONNECT group for START users.

STAWA congratulates and thanks Larissa for her amazing support!

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Lisa Waghorn’s personal statement to STAWA STAWA has been an invaluable part of my role as a primary Science Specialist, beginning with learning amazing ways to inspire students through CONSTAWA conferences.

immeasurably – resulting in improved science skills of the students at my school. STAWA has also provided me with a range of opportunities that I would never have dreamt of and connected me with lifelong friends.

A bonus of CONSTAWA is networking with other passionate teachers, leading me to become part of an amazing group of primary Science Specialists called SCATS. These ladies have helped me become a much better teacher. My contribution to the development of our digital science tracker, START, has been a small component of our group’s effort to improve Science assessment and STAWA offers a platform to share this resource with other primary school Science Specialists.

My association with STAWA has challenged me in so many ways and has improved my teaching

STAWA publications Year 11 and 12 ATAR Resources: The STAWA Exploring Chemistry, Physics and Human Biology series support the Western Australian Curriculum ATAR Courses.

The Year 12 publications Exploring Human Biology Stage 3 and Revising Physics: A Study Guide with Investigations are also available.

Human Biology General Course Resources: The STAWA Exploring Human Biology Stage 1 and Stage 2 resources are available and together cover both the Year 11 and the Year 12 General Course.

Answers and Worked Solutions: http://stawa.net/stawa-textbook-solutions/ Member Discount: Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases through STAWA.

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Bring your Science lessons to life with Scitech

See what we have on offer at scitech.org.au/educatorsguide VOLUME 66 | JUNE 2022 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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A journey of enabling, enjoying and excelling in Science Dr Janene Sproul Everyone in the Science lab has a story about how one became a science teacher or technician. The list goes on with influential mentors, aspirations from childhood, decisions and circumstances. Last year I was honoured to receive the de Laeter Medal for an outstanding contribution to science teaching from STAWA. This award has been granted in the past to teachers who extended their science teaching beyond the classroom and into the community through areas such as environment sustainability. As part of my story, I received it with thanks and recognition of the steps in our professional journey towards inclusivity.

This reflection piece is an acknowledgement of many mentors and supporters over 50 years.

Science teaching has been my goal since primary school. As a child, I had observed my father Doug

Burtenshaw, another science teacher who continues to model his enthusiasm and passion for science and teaching through into his retirement. I ‘helped’ my mum, Sue, cook on Biology camps in the 1970’s. This would be fraught with excursion challenges in the current Covid climate as we can all imagine. The granite outcrop camping and specimen tagging however supports the argument for early childhood immersive experiences in science exploration. I had found my vocation!

In 2021, the STAWA conference day synchronised with International Day of People with Disability on Dec 3rd. This was a fitting coincidence as a parallel to my educational development as a science teacher and eventually, as a researcher, I have managed my own invisible disability of migraine. To give some personal context here, working under fluorescent lighting

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Figure 1 - Published in 2014, this was one of my first attempts at data dissemination. The information was useful during switch to online learning, the 2nd edition with revised title to be published in Dec 2022 including the lessons learned through Covid.

requires daily medication adjustment and/or time off school/work. Rather than this challenge ending my education at high school, or later my teaching career, some educational institutions were open to flexibility in the working environment for my classes. In secondary school in the late 1980’s and university in the 1990s, I often worked from home and sat for examinations in separate rooms. From 2012, I altered my pedagogy and have noted that the application of extensive universal design and cognitive load theory (Sweller, 1988) through lighting choices and quality rather than quantity of power points with focus on design, seemed to support many classroom participants – including me as the teacher. However, I have found that keeping this balance of inclusive pedagogy to enable joy in the continuation of my teaching was not achieved quickly.

On one hand, as scientists, we have a unique perspective on adjustments for students with disabilities. Data collection and controlled trials to measure student engagement within a closed system are second nature, as are the acknowledgment of confounding variables such as an extensive assembly first period on a Monday in a hot and crowded gym. On the other, as scientists, we also have a general understanding of stimulus, perception and response, as well as laws of physics. These have served me well in application of medical guidelines to my classroom. For example, regarding a student with migraine, ‘The proportion of patients at risk from patterns increases linearly with the proportion of the visual cortex to which the pattern projects.’ (Wilkins et al, 2005) highlighted the benefit of having a student `sit up at the back in the classroom further away from power point screen’. Similarly, one study concluded ‘wavelengthdependent and quantity-of-light-dependent pathophysiologic mechanisms for eliciting PPRs by low-luminance IPS’ (Takahashi et al, 1999) and can be facilitated in the classroom by ‘reducing screen brightness and not using saturated red flashes on a screen’. These became the ‘evidence based’ groundwork for my inclusive pedagogy.

Figure 2 - Granite outcrops and Jarrah woodlands were the immersive playgrounds of my childhood.

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I was asked how I would encourage early career teachers in their own journey. Everyone has a unique story and experience to bring to the primary/secondary classroom or lab. I would encourage anyone to use that foundation to build and share knowledge, as the students we work with are unique, diverse, and searching for their own area of ongoing expertise.

My fascination with unique Australian flora and fauna such as the long sting stringy thing (Apolemia uvaria) allows enthusiasm for my subject matter to permeate through lesson at either secondary or tertiary level. I would also encourage networking as sharing of knowledge and supports can minimise the isolation felt when teaching a new subject for the first time. I am thankful for my own network from secondary school through university, into teaching and research.

Part of my early determination to teach high school science was informed through lived experience of adjustments to my learning environment enabling success in my field. As we all know, preparation and additional adjustments for students in a post-pandemic classroom leave little time for incidental research.

My choice to move from the secondary to tertiary sphere was in part to embed a crystalised summation and encouragement of these practices for our new cohort of science teachers. The past few years give more reason for advocacy for inclusive education in science and research into how we can continue to enable students and people with disabilities to engage with, enjoy and excel in Science.

Figure 3 - My second-generation captive bred female stick insect (Eurycnema goliath) who travelled to school many times along with other species of stick insects (Extatosoma tiaratum and Onchestus rentzi) under license from DPAW/DBCA. These helped demonstrate examples of Australian native animals, ethical treatment of animals, sexual dimorphism and parthenogenesis.

References 1.

Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning.

Cognitive science, 12(2), 257-285.

2.

Takahashi, T., Nakasato, N., Yokoyama, H., & Tsukahara, Y. (1999). Low-luminance visual stimuli compared with stroboscopic IPS in eliciting PPR in photosensitive patients.

Epilepsia, 40, 44-49.

3.

Wilkins, A., Emmett, J., & Harding, G. (2005).

Characterizing the patterned images that precipitate seizures and optimizing guidelines to prevent them. Epilepsia, 46(8), 1212-1218.

About the Author Dr Janene Sproul now lectures full time in the School of Education at Murdoch University. With a focus on science and inclusive education in the secondary school context, she networks with Community Gardens Australia, Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, WA Institute for Educational Research and STAWA. Dr Janene Sproul BSc, DipEd, MEd, PhD, AFHEA Lecturer in Education, Murdoch University, Australia janene.sproul@murdoch.edu.au

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Emerging Engineers Competition Registrations for the 2022 Emerging Engineers Competition are now open.

Hosted by UWA Girls in Engineering and OceanWorks, this year’s competition will take place over Term 2 and Term 3.

This is open to all schools, the competition is designed to introduce female primary and high school students to engineering research and design principles. Participants plan, design, and develop a solution to a current realworld problem.

This year’s theme is an open challenge in engineering that combines biology, marine science, environmental science, chemistry, and physics. As part of the program, students are invited to a site visit at UWA Crawley campus, before student submissions are shortlisted for a Final Prize Ceremony event.

The 2021 competition saw 70 female primary and high school take part in the program with a team of Year 7 students from Santa Maria taking out the top honour. The prize for 2021 included a unique, behind the scenes site visit to Woodside’s Automation and Robotics division organised by our industry judges.

To find out more and to register your team, visit: https://www.uwa.edu.au/Projects/OceanWorks-project-pages/ Emerging-Engineers-Competition-2022

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Model experiments and Analogies for teaching Einsteinian Energy - year 8 science Shachar Boublil & David Blair Introduction The view that light is made of waves and that mass is conserved in chemical reactions was overthrown more than a hundred years ago. In 1905, Albert Einstein published two papers that gave a new meaning to the physical concept of energy, mass, and light1. The first paper showed that light was made of quantised packets of energy, which we now call photons. Their energy is given by the simple formula E=hf, previously proposed

by Max Planck. Leading physicists like Max Planck, Robert Millikan and Niels Bohr opposed and even ridiculed Einstein’s discovery of the quantum nature of light2,3. Today, it is irrefutable that light combines wave-like and particle-like properties. Both aspects are indispensable for understanding the behaviour of light.

In the second article, Einstein used his theory of relativity to determine that energy has mass. Two years later, in 1907, he published a longer article proposing the formula E=mc2. This revolutionary equation changed our conception of both energy and inertia4.

Almost all students have heard of E=mc2, few have heard of E=hf, and very few are aware of the enormous significance of these two powerful, yet simple, formulae of proportionality. They provide a framework for understanding everything from stars to our DNA. An interesting fact, that is not widely known even amongst physicists, is that 99% of the mass of protons and

neutrons is in the kinetic and potential energy of their rather lightweight quark components5. Energy content affects the mass of everything, from phone batteries to the Sun, while the direct conversion of mass to photon energy is used in a variety of applications, including medical PET scanners.

The Einstein-First project4,5 has designed a series of Year 8 lessons that start with the two fundamental energy formulas, and uses them to explore many important energy concepts. We use historical role plays, videos, hands-on experiments, and real-world examples to learn about our modern understanding of light, mass, and energy.

It is important that we connect our human experiences with science and the physical world. Results from our studies show that after instruction students can deal with questions such as “Why the sun loses mass?”, “How many visible photons do we have in a joule of energy?” and “how much mass can a photon impart to an atom?”

The equation E=mc2, tells us that energy has mass, while E=hf is the energy of particles such as photons (light) and phonons (heat) that are conventionally considered “massless”.

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Physicists prefer to use the word “zero rest mass” for photons but this is also confusing because photons can never be at rest. According to E=mc2, photons surely have mass. The mass of photons is just c2/hf. In 1911 Einstein used this idea to predict that light would be deflected by gravity. (His result was in error because at that stage, he had not realised that mass also causes spacetime to curve, which doubles the effect.)

Both E=mc2 or E=hf provide a framework for understanding all forms of energy and are especially useful for teaching about solar panels and renewable energy. For example, when a photon is absorbed, it gives an atom more mass.

While E=mc2 and E=hf are simple equations of proportionality (just like y=6x which can also be written y = x6) their constants are extreme numbers. The vastness of c2 is the reason we do not weigh our smartphones to see if the battery is charged. In E=mc2, the constant c2 is the speed of light times itself (~ 9 x 1016 m2 / s2).

E=hf says that the energy of a photon depends only on its frequency f. The tiny magnitude of the universal quantum constant (Planck’s constant) is 6.6 × 10-34 Joule per Hertz. This quantum constant is connected to our understanding of how UV photons can cause skin cancer, how colour is related to temperature, and which photons are most useful in making energy from a solar panel.

To understand the two fundamental energy equations, E=mc2 and E=hf, students need to know how to manipulate the powers of ten, which we consider to be an essential and useful skill in the modern world.

In our energy lessons, we describe a beautiful and astonishing experiment performed by physicists at the Max Planck Institute in Germany in 2020. The experiment demonstrates the direct link between the two fundamental equations.

What the Max Planck scientists did was to measure the increase in mass of an atom when it absorbs a single photon, and its mass reduction when a photon gets emitted. To do this, they needed to use an atom

that would remain in an excited state for some time before spontaneously returning to its ground state8.

They did this by measuring the change in vibration frequency of an atom when it was trapped in an electric and magnetic field. This astonishing experiment was a direct measurement of E=mc2 for a single photon and a single atom. It graphically shows energy being transformed from photon energy to the mass of an atom. Rima Schüssler, one physicist in the project, uses the analogy that “the degree of sensitivity of the experiment is like weighing the change in mass of a six-tonne elephant when an ant is crawling on it.” The elephant is the atom, and the ten-milligram ant is the photon.

In the next few sections, we give a brief description of the experiment highlighting the important physics concepts, then present three simple student activityexperiments that allow Year 8 students to understand the concepts of the real multimillion-dollar experiment.

Then, using the two fundamental Einsteinian equations, we provide simple practice maths problems using the powers of ten to deepen their understanding.

Measuring the small change in mass of an atom When an atom absorbs or releases a photon, the electron jumps to a higher or to a lower energy orbital. E=mc2 tells us that it must get heavier or lighter. However, this change in mass of a single atom is extremely small.

The experiment undertaken at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics involved three fundamental physics ideas.

The first idea is of excited states and metastable states. A marble on a nearly flat table is in a metastable state: eventually it will fall off. The experimenters used a metastable state because the experiment needed to measure the atom’s mass as it was decaying from an excited state. Most excited states decay much too rapidly. The atoms they chose were rhenium Re, element number 75, which happens to have a suitable metastable state for their experiment. They found a

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metastable state of the rhenium atom that corresponds to an energy of ∆ERe = 3.24 x 10-16 Joules and has a half-life of around 130 days. This means that it takes 130 days on average to decay into its ground state.

They used high-energy photons to strip off 29 of its 75 electrons, leaving the atom with a high positive charge of +29. This would make it responsive to a magnetic and electric field, as well as increase the accuracy of the experiment.

Analogy 1 - Atom absorbing and releasing a photon: In our model experiment, students shine a blue laser and a red laser on glow-in-the-dark paper (phosphorescence paper) to observe that photons need to have a high enough frequency to excite an atom and bring an electron to a higher energy orbital. The students then estimate the lifetime of the metastable state of the atoms in the glow-in-the-dark material.

Figure 1 - Figure 1 We present four experimental images of the electron densities of different energy nodal structures in a hydrogen atom, produced by the FOM Institute AMOLF in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 20139. They imaged four different energy levels of electron densities using photoionization microscopy techniques, which are like combining snapshots of electrons. The images are all to the same scale, magnified up from fractions of a nanometre to the millimetre scale. They show the electron density or probability of electrons being at any location for different energy states of the hydrogen atom. The electron density of the nodal structure is defined with the colour scale next to it; low density in blue to high density in red. We can use these images to visualise the change in the electron distribution when an atom absorbs a photon. The electron density pattern is a 3D standing wave around the nucleus. The standing wave patterns of probability waves are normally called orbitals. Each orbital has a different shape and 3-dimensional pattern. This experiment confirms the theoretical predictions that have been made on the probabilistic density pattern of electrons in a hydrogen atom.

The second idea is about trapping atoms in high vacuum empty space where the atoms can remain for a long time without collisions with stray gas atoms. It is like trapping a marble in a shallow bowl. The marble can roll around, but it remains trapped. The researchers initially trapped Rh atoms using a high-precision penning trap with an extremely strong magnetic field (7 Teslas) and a weak electric field of less than 100 Volts8.

Analogy 2 - Atom Trap: In our model experiment, we use magnets to suspend a pencil in one location. The repulsion between the magnets causes the pencil with the attached magnets to be suspended and trapped in one fixed location.

The third idea is about the oscillation frequency of a mass-spring oscillator, where the oscillation frequency depends inversely on mass (actually the square root of mass). The oscillation frequency is used to measure the atoms’ mass. In the trap, the atom oscillates in a circular path in this magnetic field at a frequency of about 16 million cycles per second (16 MHz). They observed a difference in frequency when the rhenium atom was in two different states.

Figure 2 - We show a simplified representation of an atom oscillating within a penning trap. The frequency of the trapped atom is lower when it absorbs a photon and higher when it loses a photon.

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Analogy 3 - Oscillation frequency depends on mass: In our model experiment, we have students observe the change in frequency of an oscillating plastic ruler when an attached ball bearing suddenly falls off. This is like the mass change of the atom due to the photon spontaneously being emitted. Because of the atom’s inertia, its frequency in a magnetic field becomes higher when it loses a photon.

the electrons in the higher energy metastable state transition slowly into a slightly lower excited state. From this second excited state, the electron transitions to a lower energy state, emitting a photon in the process.

Activities and model experiments We will look at three model experiments and activities that are used to understand the real experiment that measured the change in mass of an atom, when it releases a photon.

Being in a metastable state is synonymous with there being a low probability of transition, meaning it has a long half-life. Some phosphorescent paints can glow for up to 12 hours after exposure to sunlight… but this is an exponential decay process characteristic of all statistical quantum phenomena. The green photons that reach our eye are examples of quantum probabilities. The molecules in the glow-in-the-dark paper are metastable when they absorb photons, and they decay in the same way as radioactive decay.

Activity 1: Laser photons on glow-in-the-dark paper In this model experiment, students shine a red laser and blue laser on the glow-in-the-dark paper and observe its emitted glow. This paper (phosphorescent paper) contains molecules that absorb photons at blue wavelength, making it excited, and slowly reemits photons at a longer wavelength, which shows its metastability. Phosphorescent paper or glow-inthe-dark paper typically emits a pale green color. The material used is silver-activated zinc sulfide or doped strontium aluminate. Nikola Tesla was the first to use phosphorescent materials in his experiments in 189310.

In our activity, students come to realise while using the two lasers that only one wavelength or frequency of light photons allows them to see the phenomenon of phosphorescence on the paper. The molecules in the glow-in-the-dark paper require the impact of photons with enough energy to exhibit its luminescent characteristics.

Figure 3 - We see a student shining a blue laser on phosphorescence paper. The paper re-emits light at a different frequency. This experiment is used to show how an atom absorbs and then slowly releases a photon via the quantum leap of an electron. The lasers are inexpensive and can be bought from many distributors online.

The phosphorescent emission of photons of about 530nm (green color) persists long after it has been exposed to the light photons at around 400nm wavelength (blue color). Why does it continue to glow?

The blue photons from the laser have enough energy to make some of the electrons of the molecule transition into a higher energy metastable state. The glowing continues because of a two-step process: First,

We ask students to estimate how brightness decays with time, using an arbitrary 1–10 scale of brightness with their eyes only. We can take this activity a step further by using a scientific phone application to measure the brightness of a glowing spot over time and plot the decay (which should be exponential). Students can then compare graphs and estimate the half-life of the metastable molecules.

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Activity 2: Suspending a pencil with magnets In this model experiment, we use magnets to suspend a pencil in the air. By placing the four magnets in a symmetrical configuration, they repel the magnets attached to the pencil, allowing it to float in the air with a single constraint. The balance of forces creates a trap for the pencil-magnet component. Repulsive magnetic forces create a potential well, but this is longitudinally unstable, therefore needing an end constraint. The well can be felt by hand as you move the device in the magnetic field. Simple magnetic structures can never be stable in 3D, unlike the real experiment, where the atom is fully stable because of the additional electric field.

For this activity, we used ready-made levitators available cheaply online, but we have also taken this activity a step further by asking students to build the apparatus using ferrite magnets from hardware stores and rubber foam. To make the pencil/magnet component stable, we use a piece of plastic, such as a piece of a CD at the tip of the pencil. This provides the stabilising force with minimum friction.

It is an interesting and challenging for students to choose correct magnet polarities and adjust their positions, but it is very rewarding once completed.

It can spin for many minutes.

Figure 4 - We show a pencil fitted with two ferrite ring magnets and four ring magnets placed on a foam board. The magnets are aligned to achieve the right polarity in such a way as to make the pencil, and two magnets levitate. A piece of plastic is used to push the pencil-magnet component on to the magnetic field of the bottom ring magnets. We used this to achieve the so called “levitating” effect.

Activity 3: Oscillating ruler mass experiment In this model experiment, students use a flexible oscillating plastic ruler held or clamped firmly to the side of their desk so it can oscillate horizontally with its surface vertical, as shown in the photograph. Students then observe the difference in frequency when an attached mass spontaneously falls off. We use a 1cm diameter ball bearing, but any mass such as a stone or a steel nut works fine as long as it is heavy enough that there is a large frequency change.

The mass must be weakly attached with blu-tack so that it falls off in 30 seconds or so. The challenge of this experiment is to observe the sudden change in oscillation frequency when the mass falls off, thereby visually observing the inertia change of the ruler. By videoing in slow motion, students can measure the frequency changes, and use the device as an inertiameter or mass measurer. This is what the researchers at the Max Planck Institute measured for atoms in their Penning traps.

In the classroom experiment, the added mass represents the photon mass contribution, a photon that makes the atom heavier in the real experiment.

Figure 5 - We show a 2D animation of the top view of a ruler oscillating horizontally on the side of a desk, with and without added mass. The ruler oscillates at a faster frequency when it loses the added mass. We recommend that students use the force of their hand to hold the ruler on the side of the desk.

More information can be found on the making of this apparatus on this website https://steemit.com/steemiteducation/@sweetpea/the-levitatingpencil-experiment

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Figure 6 - We show multiple shots of the experiment in real time. We use an Irwin quick grip to attach it to a heavy block of wood.

We can extend this activity to measuring an unknown mass using the frequency of a ruler.

Working with the energy equations to deepen students’ understanding In our Year 8 curriculum, students deepen their understanding of concepts with the two fundamental equations. In the real experiment, they used an ion beam to excite the rhenium atom, making it highly charged. The energy gained by the atom is about 3 x 10-16 Joules. We can round this number to make it easy to work with. We ask students to calculate the frequency of the photon used to excite the atom, and the mass gained by the atom when it absorbs a photon. Here is a preview of how students solve these problems.

Figure 8 - Problem solving: Finding the mass imparted by the photon.

Figure 7 - Problem solving: Finding the frequency of a photon

Figure 9 - Extra Problem solving: Finding the photon electron mass ratio and mass energy change of green photons.

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Conclusion The two equations, E = mc2 and E=hf, are the foundations of modern physics. The activities presented here allow students to assimilate these important equations and become familiar with the connection between mass and energy. The curriculum we developed allows students to investigate many other scenarios and experiments that use E = mc2 and E=hf. Using these two equations in numerical problem-solving is a first step that can easily progress to important real-world scenarios like solar panels and renewable energy, and astronomical scenarios such as the emission of gravitational waves by colliding black holes where a million Earth’s worth of mass may be converted to wave energy in one tenth of a second.

By introducing E = mc2 in middle school, students get to experience school science as modern and exciting, helping to counter increasing negative attitudes to science in the early teenage years. We believe that the combination of simple activities with fundamental concepts can pave the way for better understanding, improve student attitudes and create a more enjoyable teaching experience.

The experiments shed light on quantum physics: atoms absorbing photons, mass-energy equivalence, and experiments with single atoms in magnetic fields. This is all Einsteinian physics, the paradigm that gives us our best understanding of reality.

References 1.

A. Einstein, Planck’s theory of radiation and the theory of the specific heatAnn. Phys. 22, (1907).

2.

M. Kersting and D. Blair, Teaching Einsteinian Physics in Schools (2021).

3.

J. S. Rigden, Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness (Harvard University Press paperback, 2005).

4.

E. Hecht, How Einstein confirmed E0=mc2Am. J. Phys. 79, 591 (2011).

5.

F. B. Kneubil, E=mc2 and the weight of energyEur. J. Phys. 40, (2019).

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

T. Kaur, D. Blair, J. Moschilla, W. Stannard, and M. Zadnik, Teaching einsteinian physics at schools: Part 1, models and analogies for relativityPhys. Educ. 52, aa83e4 (2017).

T. Kaur, D. Blair, J. Moschilla, W. Stannard, and M. Zadnik, Teaching Einsteinian physics at schools: part 2, models and analogies for quantum physicsPhys. Educ. 52, (2017).

R. X. Schüssler, H. Bekker, M. Braß, H. Cakir, J. R. Crespo López-Urrutia, M. Door, P. Filianin, Z. Harman, M. W. Haverkort, W. J. Huang, P. Indelicato, C. H. Keitel, C. M. König, K. Kromer, M. Müller, Y. N. Novikov, A. Rischka, C. Schweiger, S. Sturm, S. Ulmer, S. Eliseev, and K. Blaum, Detection of metastable electronic states by Penning trap mass spectrometryNature 581, 42 (2020).

A. S. Stodolna, A. Rouzée, F. Lépine, S. Cohen, F. Robicheaux, A. Gijsbertsen, J. H. Jungmann, C. Bordas, and M. J. J. Vrakking, Hydrogen atoms under magnification: Direct observation of the nodal structure of stark states. Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, (2013).

N. Tesla, “The Inventions, Researches, and Writings of Nikola Tesla with special reference to his work in polyphase currents and high potential lighting” [internet](2017).

About the Authors Shon Boublil is an educational researcher, physicist and accomplished classical and jazz musician. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in physics and education at the University of Western Australia. www.shonboublil.com David G. Blair is an Australian physicist and professor at the University of Western Australia and Director of the Australian International Gravitational Research Centre. Blair works on methods for the detection of gravitational waves. He developed the Einstein-First program in 2013. www.einsteinianphysics.com

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BOOK REVIEWS BOOK TITLE: AmAZed! CSIRO’s A to Z of Biodiversity PUBLISHER: CSIRO Publishing AUTHOR: Andrea Wild

AmAZed! is a book written for primary aged students with wonderful facts inspired from various specimens and stories collected from CSIRO’s National Research Collections.

AmAZed! is alphabetically arranged with colourful eyecatching pictures and illustrations, which makes it an interesting and engaging read. The book is a wonderfully successful attempt at fostering cohesive learning and teaching in the key curriculum areas including Science, Maths and Literacy.

For students, I think AmAZed! helps our younger readers to understand the work scientists do in their field of expertise and on the other hand, informs them of the amazing facts and discoveries about plants, animals, and microbes. Thus, it can be truly inspiring for students to think of careers in STEM. For teachers, AmAZed! is accompanied by teacher notes which may be used to help plan and support in or out of class teaching on themes of biodiversity, conservation, and taxonomy. This book hits the mark in addressing the Australian curriculum links for Biological Science, right from Year 2 through to Year 6.

I would highly recommend AmAZed! as a reference or even as an end-of-year science award.

Charu Sharma Science Specialist HITS Teacher West Leeming Primary School

BOOK TITLE: Sparky and the Electrical Pillar PUBLISHER: Western Power, 2021

Sparky is an intelligent, curious and active red heeler dog. He is also very protective of his human family.

When Sparky decides to explore his neighbourhood one day, he learns about electricity in an unexpected and shocking way.

This delightful 32-page full-colour graphic novel (comic book) assists educators to teach lower primary children about electrical safety. Along with electricity, the book addresses the themes of doing a job, protection and safety, and streetscapes and maps. Sparky is presented as curious, creative and inventive which makes it a stimulating book to introduce young children to various STEM dispositions.

The story is presented in a playful, realistic, and humorous manner that makes it attractive and engaging to both adults and children. Each 2-page opening has a range of images that can be discussed. For example, at the start of the story each family member is shown using electricity in a different way. The final pages discuss electricity, power poles, green domes, substations, electrical cabinets, and electric shocks.

Sparky and the Electrical Pillar has been published by Western Power. A teacher’s guide with K-3 curriculum linked activities can be found at westernpower.com.au/ sparky. There is also a pdf version of the story available here. The website indicates that Western Power has plans to develop a Sparky augmented reality app.

I highly recommend this book to teachers of lower primary children. Everyone will fall in love with Sparky.

Find a red heeler puppet (or similar) and watch the children in your class develop their own stories about Sparky and electricity.

Associate Professor Christine Howitt Graduate School of Education, UWA

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Suggested Teaching Activities for ‘One Potoroo’ Charu Sharma & Cathie Donaldson After reading the book - One Potoroo (see Book Review, SCIOS March 2022 edition), two primary Science specialists suggested different ways this wonderful book could be used in upper primary school classes.

Year 5: Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)

Introduction to Potoroo After reading the book, watch the video and brainstorm some different adaptations of the body of a potoroo.

Potoroos - Australia’s Gardening Marsupials - Bing video Gilbert’s Potoroo Microchipping - YouTube

Learning Intentions How is a Potoroo adapted for survival in the Australian bush?

Students can do a Potoroo project where they make their own diorama of potoroos in their habitat or design an annotated poster

Learning Outcomes Students will: • Learn about the physical, physiological and behavioural adaptations of a Potoroo.

• Understand some of the threats facing Australian native animals.

• Identify some of the requirements for the Gilbert’s Potoroo to thrive.

The lesson(s) may include: • Explaining how particular behavioural adaptations such as the nocturnal behaviour of a potoroo aid its survival.

• Comparing the body of the potoroo with that of other marsupials/animals in similar environments and looking for similar adaptations that assist survival or different adaptations to the same environment.

• Describing and listing physical and/or behavioural adaptations of living things (plant or animal) suited for particular Australian environments.

Charu Sharma – West Leeming Primary School ONE POTOROO - A Story of Survival

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•

Exploring general adaptations for particular environments such as adaptations that aid water conservation in deserts for both plants and animals.

Exploring the initial direct effects of fire on environments and the subsequent effects on animal survival – how adaptations may no longer be useful in the changed environment.

poster that would inform the public about the problems their chosen animal creates in the environment and how the community can help to reduce the impact. A good idea is to break it down specifically what they would want to know via a Think/Pair/Share.

Useful Websites • h t t p s : / / w w w. w a t o d a y. c o m . a u / n a t i o n a l / wester n-australia/new-lease-on-life-forpotoroo-the-fight-to-save-our-rarest-marsupial20180619-p4zmcg.html • https://animalia.bio/gilberts-potoroo • http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/ gilberts-potoroo/#overview • https://www.potoroo.org/

How the book “One Potoroo” can be used?

One Potoroo can be used to illustrate not only the devastating effect on our environment of the 2020 Bushfires in WA and Australia generally, but the potential devastation of introduced animals to the rebuilding of an endangered animals’ environment. It also highlighted the work of the dedicated scientists in helping to save these amazing little animals. Students can research on events as such happening in a place they knew and had visited. Students can be further encouraged to find out about the specific impacts of their feral pest animal on native animals.

•

This can be followed by research into their chosen feral animal followed.

The teacher can help students look at the response of many of our native plants to initiate growth, reproduction or seed release after fires and introduced the need for a healthy soil biome with emphasis on mycelium for a productive soil. Questions that can be posed include ‘Could these fires have destroyed the mycelium?’ or ‘What could happen if it did?’

Cathie Donaldson - Yale Primary School ONE POTOROO - A Story of Survival We can develop a sequence of lessons with a Year 5/6 class incorporating both of the Biology statements.

• Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043) • The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)

Students may be asked to consider the previous years of biology and the interconnectedness of ecosystems.

E.g., producer, consumer, decomposer etc.

Developing a question for each group of students can be one of the most difficult tasks. This may be overcome by encouraging students with “what if” questions concerning the impact of the feral animals.

This may be followed through with guided questioning, group discussion and referring to their KWL charts.

The overall focus is to select an animal that is identified as a feral pest in Australia (not the potoroo!).

The students would then design a pamphlet, flyer or

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STAWA MEMBERSHIP Become a STAWA Member or Renew Your Membership by visiting; http://stawa.net/teachers/membership/ or by calling the STAWA office on (08) 9244 1987.

STAWA SERVICES AND SUPPORT Catalist and Primary Science Chat STAWA’s lists server (All teachers) Catalist reaches over 800 Science Educators and together with Primary Science Chat and social media such as twitter (@SciTeachersWA) are used to share information, ask questions and discuss current issues.

To subscribe click here or follow the link from our website homepage.

Teachers’ Survival Kit (Members Only) Found on the web at www.stawa.net, For Teachers.

Members can upload and downloaded resources (exams, tests, course outlines, etc).

Australian Science Teachers’ Association, ASTA, Affiliation All full fee paying members enjoy the benefits of affiliated membership to the national body.

Members receive the following publications 1.

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STAWA provides an independent voice and with representation on many bodies and committees can express the needs and concerns of its members and help to shape the profession.

Call for Nominations for STAWA Life Membership STAWA Council calls for nominations for Life Membership. Each nomination for Life Membership is considered on its individual merits. Nomination must be forwarded to the President of the Association, in writing, by 11th August, accompanied by written evidence supporting the case for Life membership. (email: admin@stawa.net or mail: STAWA President, PO Box 7310, Karawara, WA, 6152).

Members receive discounts on STAWA Professional Development Workshops and Conferences, and STAWA resources and publications.

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HOW TO CONTRIBUTE CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE? YES, of course you can. So can lab technicians and students... your Year 7 or Year 8 class could write a half page article with a photo that we would love to publish.

We are keen to increase the number and variety of types of articles published in SCIOS. SO if the answer is YES to any of the following questions, we want to hear from you.

• Have you recently conducted a new experiment that worked really well?

• Is there a great demonstration that always gets your students’ attention?

• Have you tried a new teaching technique that was fun?

• Do you have some helpful hints for new teachers (and not-so-new ones)?

• Are there some safety hints and tips that you’d like to pass on?

• Have you used computers or some other technology really effectively?

• What successes have your students had in science?

• Are your students involved in science project outside of school?

• Anything else science-related you would like to share with others?

Email your contributions to info@stawa.net GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS These notes are a brief guide to contributors.

Contributors should also refer to recent issues of the Journal. Refereed articles are peer reviewed by the Editor and anonymously by at least two reviewers.

Feature Articles Feature articles should not normally exceed 3000 words plus figures, tables and references. Short, concisely written articles are very welcome. Please use headings and sub-headings to give your article structure. WE also welcome any other type if contribution. Reviewed articles are subject to peer review.

Send the following to the Editor If you cannot send your contribution in the following recommended form, please send it to the Editor in any reasonable form.

Please send your document as a word file.

1.

Photographs and other images (e.g. diagrams) 2. should be sent as separate files.

Photographs often increase the clarity 3. and interest level of your work. Send your photographs as .tiff or highest quality .jpeg files with a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (dpi). Note to teachers: Parent permission (signed permission slip) must be obtained for any photographs to be included in SCIOS 4.

Copyright clearance for any part of your contribution that is copyright of a third party needs to be obtained in writing (email acceptable).

Innovations in the classroom The editorial; board members are keen to increase the number of articles on this topic. We are always keen to review your ideas about experiments, demonstrations, teaching techniques, hints, safety notes, computer applications and anything else that could help classroom science teachers, especially beginning teachers.

Reference style SCIOS reference style is based on the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Copyright No other publisher should have already published our manuscript, nor should you submit it for publication elsewhere. If SCIOS publishes your manuscript then your text and graphics will become copyright of STAWA. STAWA will, however, allow you to use the contents of your paper for most reasonable non-commercial purposes.

Contact John Clarke, STAWA email john@stawa.net

VOLUME 66 | JUNE 2022 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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