This workshop will dive into the world of flawed experiments, misleading statistics, and pseudoscience.
Through engaging examples like anti-vaccine movements, fad diets, and pseudoscientific wellness trends, participants will learn to critically evaluate claims and understand the hallmarks of credible research.
You’ll leave equipped to navigate the modern information landscape.
In today’s fast-paced learning environment, efficiency is key. This workshop is designed to help educators work smarter, not harder, by streamlining STEM teaching strategies without compromising quality or engagement. SAS Solutions focuses on high-impact, time-efficient approaches that maximise student learning while reducing unnecessary workload. Participants will explore innovative lesson structures, quick-win activities, and adaptable teaching techniques that deliver powerful results in less time. We will discuss ways to simplify complex STEM concepts, integrate cross-disciplinary learning, and utilise technology to enhance both teaching and student understanding. Through hands-on demonstrations and real-world examples, educators will gain practical insights into optimising lesson planning, assessment, and classroom management to create a more effective and engaging STEM learning experience. Whether you’re looking to increase efficiency in your teaching practice, improve student outcomes, or free up time for deeper learning experiences, this workshop will provide you with the tools to do more with less.
Mara kai is usually defined as vegetable gardening but it can extend out into wild foods. We will visit sites of traditional gardens and look at the reasons these places were chosen. It may be of interest that several of these sites are on or near schools. We will go to remnant forest to learn about edible berries, drupes and other parts of plants. And look at how Maori use whakapapa relationships between all life for nutrition and sustainability.
In this practical workshop, Julian will share all sorts of ideas, do-able practical activities, resources and information for teaching a topic on earthquakes in New Zealand. We will look at why and where they occur, what it feels like to be in an earthquake, what scientists are learning about potential threats, how NZ landscapes change because of earthquakes, how scientists monitor and research them and what that teaches us about the earthquake hazard. Finally we will think about how best to prepare for a quake and what sort of things to expect if one happens.
Indoors for the first part, with some activities outside. Running through the ethical considerations in conservation (activities), the representation of data for projects such as 1080 application, investigating claims and creating a science communication piece.
Enhance their ability to collaborate and work with others Notice, recognize, and respond to the diverse needs and learning styles of ākonga Foster whanaungatanga—the building and maintaining of meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging, shared responsibility, and support within the learning community. By the end of this experience, you’ll walk away with practical skills and valuable insights you can immediately apply to your teaching practice, helping your students not only survive, but thrive, both in school and in life.
When did the first Polynesians arrive and what inspired them to search for Aotearoa? What cues did the Polynesians use before they set off to find Aotearoa? How did they prepare for such a voyage, navigate and survive during the trip? What did they find when they got here. The answers to most of these questions are hidden, but clues have been left along the way, some coming from unlikely sources. One can only marvel at these remarkable navigators.
An exciting, hands-on workshop that brings the art of a bioblitz to life. Participants will learn how to organize and conduct a bioblitz, with a special focus on catching and observing the incredible variety of critters that take to the skies. From delicate insects to dazzling winged wonders, you’ll uncover the secrets of the flying world. Perfect for educators, students, and nature enthusiasts, this workshop promises to inspire curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the creatures that share our skies.
Discover how to engage and inspire your students through virtual field trips.
See how you can create your own virtual field trip experiences without the need for specialised equipment.
In this workshop you will take part in an interactive virtual field trip and see how to plan, create, share and evaluate your own virtual field trip. See how online tools and multimedia can engage your students and take them to places they may not otherwise experience.
Explore strategies to deepen learning and inspire ākonga to take action within the context of a relevant and authentic virtual field trip.
In survival scenarios, you’re rarely alone, and this creates both unique challenges and valuable opportunities for growth. Join us for an immersive team-building experience where you’ll collaborate to create a shelter using only the natural resources provided (a perfect way to bring your local curriculum to life!). This challenge will spark your creativity, deepen your collaboration, and add a fun, slightly competitive edge!
Protection is a top priority in wilderness survival, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. While people are naturally inclined to work together, identifying your role within a team dynamic can be tricky. In this experience, you’ll discover how to leverage everyone’s strengths, navigate differences, and find common ground to achieve your goals—skills that are just as valuable in the classroom. The key competencies of Managing Self, Relating to Others, and Participating and Contributing will be at the forefront of this experiential learning activity.
This experience will not only help you build practical survival skills, but will also strengthen your resilience, communication, and problem-solving abilities as kaiako — skills that are essential for supporting your ākonga in developing their own teamwork and resilience, both in and out of the classroom.
As you reflect on how to work together effectively, you’ll gain strategies to help your students:
Enhance their ability to collaborate and work with others Notice, recognize, and respond to the diverse needs and learning styles of ākonga Foster whanaungatanga—the building and maintaining of meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging, shared responsibility, and support within the learning community. By the end of this experience, you’ll walk away with practical skills and valuable insights you can immediately apply to your teaching practice, helping your students not only survive, but thrive, both in school and in life.
This workshop will introduce participants to the only unique form of identification in the world. The history and science behind fingerprints and how this differs from DNA profiling. The many types of powders and chemicals that can be used to develop fingerprints from a multitude of substrates. We will then introduce our very own Automated Fingerprint Identification System AFIS (The only one in private hands in the world) for you to search your develop crime prints from the mock crime scene.
We get to space with rockets and we can explore science concepts to do with rockets through water rockets.
In this workshop we will take you through a few experiments you can do with your students to explore physics and how rockets work.
Many schools have water rocket launches available so these are a fun and accessible way of getting closer to space. Water rockets are suitable for all ages from year 1 through to year 13, with many of the concepts applicable to ESS and Physics.
