Atlas of Living Australia

 Atlas of Living Australia is a useful website which allows you to explore the flora and fauna around your neighbourhood.

The site provides information pages for each species reported in your local area and contains photos, descriptions, maps and observations.

To explore your local area simply:-

1. Click on ‘Species by location’ icon.

2. Click on ‘Explore your area’

3. In the ‘search box’ enter your postcode or street name plus state and postcode.

Tips: I found it useful to increase ‘the display your records in a 5 km radius to a 10 km radius.

I also fine-tuned  the location of the area by dragging the red marker icon on the Google satellite map to where I thought the school was located.

Within a 5km radius of the Longford Primary School a total of 299 different species of flora and fauna were listed. Within a 10 km radius a total of 831 different species of flora and fauna were listed.

I think looking at the number of species in the local area that  if the children continue to bring in the fauna they have discovered either at home or in the playground that I will need a bigger room to hold and look after their precious new found pets.

The Castiarina rectifasciata or the Jewel Beetle is a species of arthropod found near Longford Primary School.

Up, down and all around

Our Grades 1 and 2 recently visited Lakes Entrance, which fitted in beautifully with their Earth Science topic of “Up, down and all around.”

We were able to make first hand observations of the sun moving in the sky throughout the day, the tide going out, the wind blowing sand and plants and we could also predict changes which will take a lot longer than a day, such as rusting on boats and bridges.

We also saw some amazing sights at the Shell Museum and had a lot of fun down the beach after lunch.

Staff Engagement at Rosedale

Part of our role as science specialists is to up skill our colleagues on scientific teaching practices and they are as enthusiastic about learning new things through scientific exploration as the children are.

Currently working on developing an understanding of engagement as part of the 5Es philosophy, the staff at Rosedale Primary had a lovely time investigating while having the 'engagement' phase modeled to them.

Rosedale Engaged

We have been having a lovely time at Rosedale Primary this week, working on activities which are super fun and creating excited, engaged children.  We looked at introducing the children to the scientific concepts of variables and fair testing and had a great time in the process making messy, colourful vortexes.  

Spangler Science at Guthridge

Here is a couple of pretty cool and easy experiments we have been running with the kids at Guthridge.  Easy to do at home too.

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/spinning-penny

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/do-not-open-bottle

A bit sheepish - Araluen

Here's one not for the squeamish!   Our grade 5 and 6's have been studying the brain, how it works and which part is which.  We decided to run some clinics on the science of anatomy and have been dissecting sheep's brains every Monday afternoon.  Most of the students have been participating with great enthusiasm.


You need:

Sheep's brains (a bit hard to get these days, but our butcher got them straight from the abattoir.)

Some simple scalpels made from Stanley knife blades taped in between 2 icy pole sticks. (These worked really well.)

A copy of some instructions on what to look for and how to explain all parts.  Try this one:
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/brain-dissection-project/a/1316

Safety glasses and protective shirts

Good luck!

Sunsmart at Longford

This week the children at Longford Primary School have been investigating the harmful effects of UV on the skin.  Below is a link to the Sunsmart website which provides a fun experiment children can do with sausages to understand the need to slip, slop, slap, sleek and slide when the UV index is above 3


http://www.sunsmart.com.au/downloads/communities/early-childhood-primary-school/resources/vels/sunsmart-sausage-science.pdf

Balloon Science

We have been having a lot of fun with balloons at our lunch time science club and also at our Show and Share night.

They are really cheap and easy to get and you can learn about science while having a lot of fun.

Here are some ideas:

1.     Try rubbing it on your hair and then hold it just above your hair. Look in the mirror!

2.     Have an empty aluminium can on a table. Rub the balloon on your hair or else on a woollen jumper. Hold the balloon close to the can but don't touch it. Can you make your can race towards your balloon as you move it away?

3.     Rub the balloon on your hair. Stick it to the wall!

4.     Have a look at this website, which has loads of balloon activities and a good explanation of the science behind it.

5.     http://spoonful.com/family-fun/awesome-science-experiments-you-can-do-balloons#carousel-id=photo-carousel&carousel-item=2

6.     Have fun!