Get to know your board members!: Brent Banham
on 30/09/2024
What inspired you to become a science teacher? Science enriches lives. It is one of the best ways to appreciate all of creation and our place in it. Science is one pathway for a joyful life! On the flipside, scientific thinking is important in a society that is full of...
Celebrating Country Science Educators
on 23/09/2024
The SASTA community is shaped by the diverse and passionate educators who bring science to life for students across the state. Among them, our country teachers play a vital role, often facing unique challenges yet continuing to inspire curiosity and learning in their classrooms. We want to shine a spotlight...
Schools can help with Native Bee Conservation
on 16/09/2024
Dr Katja Hogendoorn, The University of Adelaide While climate change and declines in biodiversity are inevitable, and the lack of adequate action drives some of us to despair, we can all make small contributions to help mitigate some of the effects. Taken together, these small contributions have a positive impact...
From Ideas to Action: The Best Citizen Science Projects from the Oliphant Science Awards
on 09/09/2024
Citizen science involves public participation and collaboration in scientific research with the aim to increase and translate scientific knowledge. It’s a great way to harness community skills and passion to fuel our ability to understand how the world works and how to protect it. The Citizen Science category in the...
Nurturing Curiosity: What's New at the Nature Education Centre
on 02/09/2024
Staff News Belinda Sykes began with us at the beginning of Term 2, replacing Jenna Hoffman who is taking parenting leave. We have recently taken on 3 new staff on a casual basis who have experience in delivering talks and presentations which now gives us 5 staff who are able...
Nurturing Nature: Coromandel Valley's Science Week in Action
on 26/08/2024
National Science Week at Coromandel Valley Primary School looked like... Extra lunchtime activities – Minecraft Club: create a habitat, nature painting with watercolours, building minibeasts, planting local natives and an escape room in the library. We partnered with the Biological Society of South Australia (BSSA) and the Friends of Frank...
CSI – Curious science investigators discovering the wonders of science!
on 26/08/2024
St Francis of Assisi College (SFoAC) Year 8 students celebrated National Science Week 2024 on Wednesday 14 August with St Joseph’s School Renmark (SJSR) Year 3 students by igniting their curiosity and creativity. A morning of fun and hands-on science experiments was enjoyed by over 60 students who came together...
Bees, Hybrid Creatures, and Whale Snot: Science Week Fun at Redeemer
on 26/08/2024
Science Week is always a special celebration in our school. We run fun activities during lunchtimes throughout the week for the students to engage in, as well as during their Specialist STEM lessons. This year, our activities focused on the theme: Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability, including some...
From Garden to Classroom: Building a Pollinators’ Paradise at Renmark Primary School
on 22/08/2024
With this year’s theme being Species Survival - More Than Just Sustainability, we chose to hold a whole school event dubbed, Pollinators’ Paradise! This occurred during students’ regular science lessons but was a break on our scheduled learning, with a focus on rejuvenating our school gardens and encouraging pollinating birds...
Get to know your board members!: Jarrod Johnson
on 19/08/2024
Jarrod Johnson School / Organisation: Pulteney Grammar School Current role: Science and Technologies teacher, Learning Designer What inspired you to become a science teacher? I love Science, talking to people and passing on what I know and my passion for Science to others. It seemed the logical progression to become...
Get to know your board members!: Liz Gehling
on 12/08/2024
Liz Gehling School / Organisation: Ardtornish Primary School Current role: Science Specialist Teacher What inspired you to become a science teacher? I was always interested in the world around me, so when I became a teacher it seemed like the natural step. How many years have you been teaching? 10...
2024 National Science Week Activities
on 08/08/2024
What do you have planned for National Science Week this year? Check out some of the great activities we've come across. Let us know what you have planned to feature on our National Science Week round-up blog! Plus don't forget to check out the National Science Week website for all...
Celebrating Our Science Leaders
on 29/07/2024
We wanted to highlight some of our science leaders and share their inspiring journeys. Read on to find out more! Jason Greenslade, Science Curriculum Leader, Westminster School What inspired you to become a science teacher? I love working with people, I also love seeing people grow and get better –...
Recognising some of our Science Educators
on 22/07/2024
We're sharing some of the achievements and journeys of our science educators. Read on to find out more, including their favourite science fact! Stefania Pulford, Thebarton Senior College What inspired you to become a science teacher? My love of learning, helping others and physical science is what inspired me to...
Celebrating Primary Years Science Teachers
on 15/07/2024
There are many teachers of science in Primary Schools, classroom teachers and science specialists. We asked a few primary teachers why they became teachers, what their day typically looks like and any advice they would give. Andrew Harris, Pilgrim School What inspired you to become a primary science teacher? Prior...
2024 SASTA Award Winners
08/07/2024
We heard from some our SASTA award winners about what inspires them as teachers. Miriam Doull, Mitcham Primary School - 2024 Credit Union SA / SASTA Outstanding Contribution to the Teaching of Science (Primary) What does it mean to you to win this award? I am very honoured, and I...
Reflections from Retired Science Educators
on 28/06/2024
Peter Walwyn Imagine walking into a classroom where the only AV equipment available was a blackboard and some white chalk, and the only method of producing printed notes for a class of 35 secondary school students was using a spirit duplicator. This was the scenario when I began my career...
Science Active School - St Peter's Girls' School
on 26/06/2024
St Peter's Girl's School became a Science Active School in 2024 for their commitment and dedication to Science Education, and their involvement with and support of SASTA. SASTA Members Participating in the Oliphant Science Awards Staff volunteering to judge in the Oliphant Science Awards Staff member attendance at the SASTA...
Australian students win Grand Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair
on 24/06/2024
In May, this year, eleven Australian Year 9-12 students, with three teacher chaperones, travelled to Los Angeles to represent Australia at the Olympics of Science Fairs – the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). The eleven students from NSW, WA, NT and QLD, came back sharing their life-changing...
Get to know your board members!: Peter Turnbull (Treasurer)
on 17/06/2024
Peter Turnbull School / Organisation: None- I am well retired! In my career I taught Science at Modbury HS, The Heights School, Valley View SS, Open Access College, and Urrbrae AHS. I was a Science Project and Curriculum officer with the education department for over 20 years, a role that...
Water Literacy
on 10/06/2024
We all know water is important and that’s reflected in the Australian Curriculum, with students learning about the water cycle, how waterways work and can be impacted by human intervention, and water scarcity and security. Something we talk about in the water industry though is water literacy. So, what is...
Get to know your board members!: Dina Matheson (President)
on 03/06/2024
Dina Matheson School / Organisation: Woodville High School Current role: Science & Digital Technologies teacher, International Students Program Manager What inspired you to become a science teacher? While teaching was not my first career choice, once I got into it, I knew I needed to be a Science teacher. I've...
Space Agriculture: From Crater to Plate
on 27/05/2024
With the Aurora Australis visible in the last couple of weeks you have probably spent some time staring up at the stars. Maybe wondering about the next Moon mission, or what life on Mars could look like? Space is an ever-fascinating topic, and a subject that truly brings science as...
Science Active School - Annesley Junior School
on 20/05/2024
Annesley Junior School became a Science Active School in 2024 for their commitment and dedication to Science Education, and their involvement with and support of SASTA. Science at Annesley Junior School Annesley Junior School has been thrilled to be recognised as a Science Active School in 2024. At Annesley science...
A Day in the Life of the Adelaide Planetarium
on 15/05/2024
Over 400 years ago Johannes Kepler gazed into the night sky and revolutionised our understanding by revealing that planets orbit in ellipses rather than perfect circles, with those nearer to the sun moving at a faster pace than their distant counterparts. Today, within the Planetarium’s immersive dome, participants embark on...