Music is an essential part of students’ lives
Music enriches our lives, whether we are singing in the community choir, playing an instrument or listening to our favourite performers. (Music Play for Life)
Sibelius Groovy Music is a series of three programs which make teaching music to primary students easy and fun. The supporting teacher resources provide plenty of clear and well-written materials – you don’t even need to be a musician to use it!
Children love Groovy Music. It allows them create their own music as well as carry out directed activities, so there’s plenty of room for them to experiment. In fact, Groovy Music is so compelling that once children start making music, they just won’t want to stop!
Visit: Teachers' Toolkit Education Links or go directly to Sibelius Music
Kelloggs leads the way
Australia’s leading cereal maker will label the front of their packets with the calorie count and the recommended daily calorie intake each serve represents. This must be a positive step to help students and parents make healthier choices. Kelloggs
Trees Not Guilty
With National Schools Tree Day (www.planetark.com/treeday/schools) approaching it is good to read that a recent study confirmed that trees are not so guilty on methane! Trees still help humans in the war against global warming. While plants emit between 15 million and 60 million tonnes of methane a year, for every molecule of methane emitted, plants soak up 30,000 molecules of carbon dioxide. Go and hug a tree or better still plant one! Download
this fact sheet along with some activities:
Bad Gas Fact Sheet
Battery Recycling
Did you know that the humble battery is not recyclable? Did you now that Australia imports
all its batteries? Why? Why won’t Australian battery makers/suppliers recycle old batteries? Will the battery disposal problem worsen as we rely more and more on batteries to power our lives? Take a look at how some (and only some) mobile phone batteries are being recycled. Take a look at different types of batteries and their different purposes and uses. Investigate the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative (CSIRO)
Reduce your Ecological Footprint
Our Dry Continent is the theme for National Science Week 2006. Quite apt when global surface temperatures are on the rise. The 1990’s was the warmest decade on record. 2005 was Australia’s hottest year on record. With the ice caps melting, sea levels will rise. Low lying islands and coastal suburbs may get swamped. St Kilda and Bondi Beaches could disappear, with the Dandenongs and Parramatta becoming the new coastal suburbs. Will the Gold Coast disappear and only those up the top of the high-rise apartments be ‘on the water’ or those living in the Hinterland? Possible? There are actions you can do with your students to help them reduce their ecological footprint. Visit the Australian Greenhouse Office: Australian Greenhouse Office to find: A home guide to reducing energy costs and greenhouse gases.
Raise Your Glasses To Good Science Teaching
Water Recycling for a Dry Continent. Teachers are in a unique position to dispel some of the myths about drinking water and water recycling. Recycling is the obvious answer, but teachers can help dispel people’s irrational opposition through teaching good science. Check out this information and some great websites for further resources. Teachers' Toolkit Download Lesson Plans
Celebrate 50 Years of Television 1956-2006
If you are in Sydney or Melbourne (or else log onto their websites), get along to the Powerhouse Museum or The Australian Centre for the Moving Image to celebrate 50 years
of television in Australia. Some great things to see and incorporate into your classroom
media activities.
Values Education
Have you taken a look at the National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools that has been sent to all schools? Funding is now available for school forums that engage the whole school community. The program is designed to foster and support improved values education practice in Australian schools.
The Values for Australian Schooling Kit will be delivered to schools during Term 2 2006
Log onto http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/values/
Also take a look at: http://vision.cg.catholic.edu.au/values/ve_program.htm#dest
Talking Books to Help Students Learn to Read – be aware!
Recent research in the UK has shown that interactive computers used to teach children to read might well be harming their actual learning. While integrating computers into classroom and home learning has value, it has been found that students cannot remember stories they have read. Is this a case where education becomes more entertainment? ‘Talking books’ need to be carefully considered as a tool for learning. There needs to be a mix of simple story-telling and reading books to young students along with appropriate computer-based learning.
Now relax with The Weather Makers (Tim Flannery)
Put your feet up and read a very relevant book for today’s world.
The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change by Tim Flannery
(Text Publishing)
What does climate change mean? How will global warming affect our lives? Is it the cause of wilder storms and more frequent droughts? Are these events inevitable? Tim Flannery tells the fascinating story of climate change over millions of years to help us understand the predicament we face. By burning fossil fuels we are increasing the levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, causing our planet to become warmer. Tim Flannery shows how. Flannery is passionate about educating us about global warming and suggest ways we can all help to combat these problems.
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