Primary Program Day One
Thursday 17 September, 4.30-6.30pm, online
Theme: Early Stage 1 and Stage 1
Time |
Speaker |
Topic |
| 4:30pm – 5:05pm | Zoe Stephens,
Ngarala PS |
Science in Action – Organising and Implementing Interactive Science Days
This session will report on a project carried out at Ngarala Public School, in Epping. The Specialist Science teacher was tasked with designing and implementing a program of learning where lessons would be delivered to students from K-6 in a combination of individual classroom-based inquiry lessons and a whole stage interactive science experience. Zoe will outline the planning and preparation process for each interactive science day she implemented for Early Stage 1 and Stage 1, share some insights into the days and samples of student learning experiences. |
| 5:05pm – 5:15pm | Tea Break | |
| 5:15pm – 5:45pm | Networking | |
| 5:55pm – 6:30pm | Assoc. Prof. Christine Preston, The University of Sydney, and Bachelor of Education Primary Science Specialisation students | Embodied learning – Stage 1 senses: eye and ear. Preservice teachers from the University of Sydney who are completing the NESA Science and Technology K-6 Specialisation will present strategies suited to helping Stage 1 children understand fundamental aspects of how the eye and ear function to enable humans to see and hear. Students will demonstrate and discuss how embodied learning, where students use their own bodies as a form of representation, can support science understanding of abstract concepts. Students will identify critical concepts, critique standard diagrammatical representations and provide examples of age-appropriate activities for Stage 1 students. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the affordances of embodied learning approaches. |
Primary Program Day Two
Thursday 8 October, 4.30pm – 6.30pm, online
Theme: Early Career Teachers Day
Time |
Speaker |
Topic |
| 4:30pm – 5:05pm | Sally Nugent Marie Bashir Public School |
Early Career Experiences in Primary Science
Beginning teachers are often expected to juggle a variety of curriculum demands while developing their professional confidence, engaging students and working with limited resources. This presentation reflects on the experience of becoming a specialist primary science teacher at a public school, exploring both the challenges and advantages of working across K–6 as an early-career educator. Drawing on personal experiences, the session will consider the realities of implementing hands-on learning and inquiry within busy primary school environments, as well as the unexpected lessons, tensions and opportunities that can emerge through science education as a beginning teacher. |
| 5:05pm – 5:15pm | Tea Break | |
| 5:15pm – 6:30pm | Chair: Assoc. Prof. Helen Georgiou University of Wollongong Lesley Gough, Lecturer in Primary Science and Technology, University of Western Sydney Zoe Stephens, Science Specialist, Ngarala PS Sally Nugent, classroom teacher, Marie Bashir Public School Colleen Quince, The Meadows Public School |
Panel Discussion |
Primary Program Day Three
Thursday 15 October, 4.30pm – 6.30pm, online
Theme: Stage 2
Time |
Speaker |
Topic |
| 4:30pm – 5:05pm | Robert Hollow, CSIRO | Hands-on Astronomy and Space for Stage 2 In this online presentation participants will be provided with a range of resources and simple activities that help underpin the key astronomy and space science concepts in the K-6 Primary Science syllabus. Common conceptual pitfalls will be addressed. Hands-on activities requiring no or minimal specialised equipment will be demonstrated focusing on the concepts of scale, distance and position on the Solar System. Opportunities for using astronomy as a cross-curriculum context incorporating literacy and numeracy will be discussed. |
| 5:05pm – 5:15pm | Tea Break | |
| 5:15pm – 5:45pm | Networking | |
| 5:45pm – 6:30pm | Josh Nicholls, First Nations Education Team Leader Sydney Zoo | Connecting with Country: Embedding First Nations Perspectives in Primary Science This virtual session will be delivered by Sydney Zoo’s First Nation Team leader Josh Nicholls; he will support primary school teachers to meaningfully and respectfully include First Nations culture in their classroom. The session explores how First Nations perspectives can strengthen science learning by connecting students with Country, seasonal knowledge, sustainable land management, and the relationships between people, plants, animals, and place. |
Primary Program Day Four
Thursday 29 October, 4.30pm – 6.30pm, online
Theme: Stage 3
Time |
Speaker |
Topic |
| 4:30pm – 5:05pm | Assoc. Prof. Peta White, Deakin University | Climate Action Education: Teaching and Learning in the Polycrisis The Polycrisis is represented by human-induced climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution and many more socio-ecological challenges that express themselves in various ways locally and globally. International policy has been developed that provides leverage in all education jurisdictions: the OECD PISA Science Framework 2025 with the support document ‘Agency in the Anthropocene’ and now the 2029 Climate Literacy Framework. Both policies will be unpacked in this presentation. Teaching and learning sequences co-designed for year 5 and 6 students by our research team, scientists, teachers, and students will exemplify how to offer climate action education. We know that young people have strong desires to understand what is happening and why as well as how to take action to transform our societies for regenerative futures. Teaching and learning for regenerative futures requires responsible decision making and agency from teachers and students in informed education systems. |
| 5:05pm – 5:15pm | Tea Break | |
| 5:15pm – 5:45pm | Networking | |
| 5:45pm – 6:30pm | Ben Newsome, Fizzics Education | On the AVA Challenge – STEM design spring for space Discover the AVA Challenge, a STEM design sprint designed in partnership with the NSW Dept. of Education STEM enrichment team. In this session, you will learn how your students will apply design thinking and the engineering design process to solve known NASA shortfalls for the Artemis missions and pitch these to the Australian Space Industry, all guided by a comprehensive and free unit of work. https://avachallenge.org/ |
Primary Pricing
| Single Day |
Full Series | |
| Primary Member | $65 | $125 |
| Pre-service Member | $30 | $55 |
| Non-Member | $120 | $180 |
To register, see our Learning & Events Calendar.
Professional Learning Hours
STANSW is a NESA recognised provider. This professional learning may be logged as accredited professional development hours toward proficient teacher accreditation. Standards addressed: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.