Welcome to the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators

The NZAPSE is a branch of the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE). Our role is to celebrate science in Primary Schools and to enhance the teaching and learning of science at primary level. The NZAPSE runs an annual Primary Science Week in Term 2 proving an opportunity for all New Zealand schools to engage in science learning.

 

Primary Science Week 2023

Our resources are suitable for any time of year!

 

Citizen Science
Exploring our World

Information coming in the new year.
Watch out for resources that you can use to carry out Citizen Science projects at your school.

NZAPSE Newsletters

Each newsletter will contain useful resources and teaching activities.
Term 4 2022 newsletter now available with two exciting resources that you can use in your class.
Topics and links to newsletters can be found here.

Professional Development for Primary Teachers 2022 

Network of Expertise PLD from NZASE

In term 1, NZASE is offering a free online workshop for combined primary and secondary teachers. The workshop focuses on mātauranga Māori and the local curriculum, and will include opportunities to share and create resources. All dates and times can be found on the NZASE Website.

Emails have been sent to all schools but if they did not reach the correct person in your school, please contact the PLD facilitator for your region: Judith Bennetts (sec, Physics – [email protected]), Greta Dromgool (primary – [email protected]), Ian McHale (sec, Chemistry – [email protected]) or Mike Stone (sec, Biology – [email protected]).

Regionally-allocated PLD

You can apply to MoE for PLD for your school. Deadlines to apply for Regionally-allocated PLD for 2022: 20 May, 12 Aug, 4 Nov. A panel meets by week 7 and lets  schools know week 8 so you can contact your PLD facilitator & plan to start delivery in the following term. https://pld.education.govt.nz/ . For help with this process we have some helpful information on this page of the website.

Improving Science Teaching: Ideas from the Education Review Office

Have a look at these three reports from information collected from schools around New Zealand. See what schools have done to improve their teaching.

These reports can be found here

• Science in the Early Years: Early Childhood and Years 1-4
• Shining a Light on Science: Good Practice in Early Childhood Services
• Growing Curiosity: Teaching Strategies to Engage Years 5-11 Students in Science

Helpful Resources Collected during Online Teaching

While it is fairly unlikely that there will be lockdowns again the following resources may be of use to you. If you click this link you will find a range of experiments, activities, resources and helpful hints that were useful when teaching online. They are still useful  now you are back in the class room. Resources will continue to be added, so come back soon to see what is new.

Don’t Forget

Questions and Answers

Here is a chance for you to ask those questions about Primary Science that you can’t find the answers to yourself. Click on this page for all details as well as questions asked by others.