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Welcome
Welcome to a new school term, and a new year in education. As our programs return for 2021, CSIRO Education and Outreach is also pleased to offer additional resources and events to interest and assist you as you prepare for the term and year ahead.
Keep your eyes peeled! We will be relaunching the CSIRO Education & Outreach website in the first part of this year. As well as presenting a fresh new look and feel, we've made it easier than ever for users to navigate to the most relevant information for them.
At a glance
• Generation STEM virtual showcase
• Virtual laboratory CSIRO and LabsterTM
• PULSE@Parkes teacher training workshop
• Teacher developed resources
• Double Helix Extra newsletter
• 2021 Bebras challenge dates
• Improve Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student engagement in science
• CyberTaipan competition returns in 2021
• Incorporate GLOBE in your classroom in 2021
• CREST professional learning - upcoming events
Students showcase solutions for Western Sydney
Throughout 2020, year 9 and 10 students participated in the STEM Community Partnerships Program (STEM CPP) as part of Generation STEM - a 10-year investment into the development and retention of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills in New South Wales.
The students undertook inquiry-based projects to address challenges faced by their local communities in Western Sydney, contemplating issues such as population growth, biodiversity, water and energy challenges. As part of the program, students were given access to a variety of local businesses and role models, providing valuable insight into local STEM pathways.
You can see the students’ work through a Virtual Showcase with an impressive selection of student videos, posters and presentations.
The STEM CPP is running again in Western Sydney this year and Generation STEM are looking to expand to other locations in NSW. If you would like to find out more about Generation STEM or take part in the STEM CPP, please email generationSTEM@csiro.au
Virtual Laboratory CSIRO and LabsterTM
Based on CSIRO research, the Your Diet and Your DNA simulation uses the inquiry model in a virtual laboratory to investigate how healthy and unhealthy diets can affect DNA health and the potential impact for short and long-term health and well-being.
The simulation is ideal for teachers of 10-12 science, biology, food technology and health and physical education.
PULSE@Parkes teacher training workshop
Would you like to find out how your students can use the Parkes radio telescope?
CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science is holding an online professional development workshop for teachers interested in learning more about the PULSE@Parkes program. PULSE@Parkes is a free program for students in Years 10-12 with sessions held remotely or at our Marsfield headquarters in Sydney. Students use the Murriyang, the iconic 64m Parkes radio telescope, to observe pulsars, analyse their data and meet with professional astronomers.
During this workshop teachers will be introduced to the program, will see how we control the telescope and run an observing session with students. You’ll be able to select pulsars for observations and learn how the data is analysed. We have two hours of telescope time allocated, offering plenty of time to observe a range of pulsars. Our astronomers will be available to answer your questions about radio astronomy, pulsars and science careers. Opportunities for open-ended student investigations will also be discussed.
This workshop is free but registration is essential. To apply or for more information please email robert.hollow@csiro.au with details about your school and subjects taught.
Event date: 23 February 2021, 16:00-18:00 AEDT. Registrations close Monday 15 February 2021.
Teacher developed resources
Are you looking for teaching resources inspired by CSIRO research? Teacher participants from our Teacher Researcher in Partnership Program (TRiPP) and Educator on Board (EoB) programs have developed educational resources based on their experiences working with our researchers. The resources are freely available on the website.
EoB resources – View here.
TRiPP resources - View here.
Discovery Centre
The CSIRO Discovery Centre is now offering two virtual school programs in 2021:
Ecology Lab: In this open inquiry workshop, students are invited to design and conduct an environmental investigation in their local area.
Discover CSIRO: Hear about some of CSIRO’s remarkable innovations, enjoy a virtual tour of the Discovery Centre, and meet our resident stick insects.
Sessions are available on Mondays and Fridays of term 1. Both programs are suitable for year 4 - year 10. Duration is one hour. For more information or to book a session, email school.booking@csiro.au
Double Helix Extra newsletter
Double Helix Extra is a FREE email newsletter for students, teachers and anyone with an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths. Emails are released each fortnight and include a quiz, brainteaser, news and a hands-on activity. Subscribing is a great way to enjoy content between issues of our Double Helix Magazine, and includes creative ideas that could be used in the classroom.
Sign up now for Double Helix Extra and you’ll receive the newsletter from February when we resume for 2021. You can also visit our What’s New page any time for more news and activities.
2021 Bebras challenge dates
The Bebras Australia Computational Thinking Challenge returns in 2021 with two new challenge rounds. Engage your students from Years 3-12 in collaborative, creative, and critical thinking. Visit our website to prepare with Bebras Unplugged, Computational Thinking in Action extension activities, and updated Bebras 365 Challenges.
Bebras Round 1
Monday, 15 March – Sunday, 28 March 2021
Bebras Round 2
Monday, 23 August 2021 – Sunday, 5 September 2021
Improve Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student engagement in science
Recently awarded the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion, the Inquiry for Indigenous Science Students program provides teachers with professional learning to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ knowledges through hands-on investigations. The program also includes access to carefully researched and reviewed teaching resources.
If you would like more information please visit the website. Enrolment for Term 1 online is now open!
CyberTaipan competition returns in 2021
Are your students interested in cyber security, puzzles or code-breaking? CyberTaipan, the Australian Youth Cyber Defence Competition, returns in Term 3.
Students aged 12-18 years compete in teams to manage a network; finding vulnerabilities, hardening the system and maintaining critical services over a six-hour period.
Coach and mentor registrations will open from Monday, 1 February 2021. For more information visit cybertaipan.csiro.au.
Incorporate GLOBE in your classroom in 2021
Activities such as timing your run to improve your personal best time, retrieving the distance and elevation from your latest epic mountain ride, or viewing the energy being produced by your solar panels, each require access to the relevant data.
Using the GLOBE program, students can collect environmental data for use in the classroom as well as providing valuable information for scientists, research organisations and other citizen scientists. Whether your preference involves microcontrollers, wet chemistry, digital, analogue, or good old fashioned manual reading and recording, GLOBE has an activity for almost all classroom projects. In fact the GLOBE program, or GLOBE Observer app, featured in the Top 20 Citizen Science Projects for 2020 in five areas, as reported by internationally acclaimed online citizen science hub SciStarter.
In 2021, through the generosity of the Australian Space Agency, CSIRO Education and Outreach can provide you and your students with the tools to collect, upload and analyse local, relevant environmental data. To obtain several ideas for using GLOBE with your students, and for an expressions of interest form for data logging equipment, please email William.flynn@csiro.au with the subject heading ‘GLOBE’ to receive both via return email.
CREST professional learning - upcoming events
Build capacity for facilitating open inquiry and establish and maintain a culture of inquiry in your classroom or school with CREST professional learning (Creativity in Research, Engineering, Science and Technology). Find out how CREST can support students in all levels to develop STEM skills through inquiry in one of our online workshops. We will be introducing new CREST activities throughout the year. In term one, teachers who register and attend the Introductory workshop - Investigating Sunscreen, will receive a free inquiry pack* to implement the activity in the classroom. Suitable for primary and secondary.
*Spaces and giveaways are limited for all workshops and are only available to STEM teachers who are currently employed by an Australian education institution.
Introduction to CREST Award levels
This workshop will provide an overview of the CREST program and the different award levels. Participating teachers will receive a copy of CSIRO’s Hands on Science book.
• Wednesday 3rd February 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
Introductory CREST - Investigating Sunscreen
Explore the Introductory levels of CREST – Green and Orange. Focus will be on our new Green CREST activity – Investigating Sunscreen. Participating teachers will be posted a free pack, post session to assist with implementing the activity in the classroom.
• Tuesday 9th February 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
• Wednesday 17th February 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
• Thursday 25th February 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
• Thursday 11th March 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
• Monday 15th March 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
Intermediate CREST
This workshop will explore the Intermediate levels of CREST – Blue and Bronze. Participating teachers will receive a copy of CSIRO’s Imagining the Future book.
• Thursday 11th February 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
Advanced CREST
This workshop will explore the Advanced levels of CREST – Silver and Gold. Participating teachers will receive a copy of CSIRO’s Imagining the Future book.
• Tuesday 2nd March 2021, 3:30-4:30pm AEST. Register here.
Thank you
Do get in touch if you have any questions about our CSIRO Education and Outreach programs by emailing education@csiro.au.
If you enjoy our programs, and know others who may be interested in our programs, news, events and resources, please forward our mailer on, or encourage others to join our mailing list here.
CSIRO Education and Outreach Team.
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