TEAChER AWARDS AT CuRTIN uNIVERSITY

Pamela Getalado

The Curtin University Teacher Awards were held at The Bankwest Lecture Theatre at Curtin University on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and recognise the excellent achievement of teachers across a variety of subject areas.

STAWA would like to congratulate the pre-service Science teachers who have received the following awards:

• Susan Marsden – 2023 STAWA Pre-Service Teacher Award for Early Childhood Science

• Brooke Moro – 2023 STAWA Pre-Service Teacher Award for Primary Science

• Christina Lau and Jennifer Cvetkovski were recipients of the 2023 STAWA Pre-Service Teacher Award for Secondary Science.

Again, we extend our congratulations to the award recipients, and we wish them all the best in their science teaching journey.

bOOK REVIEW: ECLIpSE ChASERS

book Title: Eclipse Chasers

Authors: Nick Lomb and Toner Stevenson

Nick and Toner have produced a work which shares their passion for both science and science history. While the book provides an in-depth discussion of the science of total solar eclipses, and how best to observe and enjoy them safely, it is essentially a fascinating series of stories of the people who chased those fleeting “mad minutes” of totality on the Australian continent.

The stories begin with Australian Aboriginal astronomers, who have carefully observed the skies for thousands of years. I was intrigued and surprised to learn that early studies showed that they were able to predict the occurrences of eclipses with incredible accuracy.

Historical records, beginning with the Sydney eclipse of 1857 and through to 2012, tell the stories of the trials, disappointments and triumphs of the people chasing the dream of observing total solar eclipses and making new discoveries. Their stories are made more real with photographs (some very old) of the chasers and their equipment. The early challenges were immense and often involved travelling large distances with tonnes of equipment to remote areas, such as by camel into the middle of the Simpson desert. Many arduous journeys ended with the disappointment of clouds and even rain.

My favourite story was of the eclipse of 1922, observed in five locations across Australia, the most well-known being Wallal Downs in northern WA. In this remote, hot, fly-infested, and dusty location, photographs were taken and developed, using glass plates, each weighing 3 kilograms. The expedition included a party of experienced female eclipse observers, including Elizabeth Campbell who photographed the corona during totality. Alexander Ross from UWA recorded the path of the moon’s shadow during the partial phase. (How many readers have sat in the Ross Lecture Theatre?) The contributions of the Nyangumarta people were immense, providing local knowledge, physical help and care, and practical help such as providing the means for dust suppression. These were all vital to the success of the venture. The result was the confirmation of Einstein’s General theory of relativity.

The importance of science education was emphasised in the disappointing experience of the 1976 Melbourne eclipse. Due to the lack of authorities approving filters, scare messages regarding potential loss of sight were given rather than advice on how to safely observe the eclipse. As a result, two million Melbournians stayed indoors and missed the chance to see the event of a lifetime.

The chapter on how to prepare for and plan an eclipse adventure was very instructive and reminded me of a mistake I made in Ceduna at the 2002 eclipse: take time to enjoy the experience, don’t get stuck behind a camera!

Recently, many people experienced the Exmouth eclipse, and Australia is now looking forward to three more in 2028, 2030 and 2037, involving many populated regions. Take the best advice given in this book: if you can get into the path of totality, GO! MOVE! Don’t miss out like those who did in 1976.

Review by Lance Taylor Head of Science Willetton Senior High School

bOOK REVIEW: ROCKS, fOSSILS AND fORmATIONS

book Title: Rocks, Fossils and Formations –Discoveries through time

Author: Thomas Woolrych

publisher: CSIRO Publishing, 2023

This is a great book to provide primary teachers with strong and detailed background information predominantly for Years 4 and 6 Earth and Space Sciences. The beginning section about how planets are formed is also a really useful resource for the Year 5 curriculum.

The information is presented in timeline order from the creation of the solar system to present day. It uses a time travel narrative linking the chapters, so it reads like a journey through time if read from cover to cover. For classroom use, the subheadings and text boxes are clearly laid out, so it is very easy to find the information you need.

The book is colourful, and the information is generally easy to read. However, there is a lot of text on most pages so primary students would need clear and careful direction if using the book as a reference.

The online teaching notes are well developed with the science discussion questions section indicating which pages to read and the related questions to ask.

This is very useful, supporting teachers who do not have a strong background in this topic. There are some science activities in the teachers notes, looking at convection, fossils, and the rock cycle. There is also a popcorn maths activity which looks engaging.

Rocks, Fossils and Formations is a valuable resource for primary teachers looking to support their own understanding in the Earth and Space Sciences curriculum.

Reviewed by Taneal Thompson Primary Science Specialist

Brookman Primary School

Bateman Primary School