kids
ISSUE 3 — TERM 2, 2021
technology 4 learning SCIENCE EDITION
Explore
your world!
’S
EDITOR
kids
Note
technology 4 learning WRITERS Kelly Burke Darren Avery Yvette Poshoglian EDITORIAL TEAM
HEY THERE T4L KIDS!
cience is a passion of S mine and this issue is all about investigating science and the ideas behind scientific enquiry.
Mark Greentree Linda Lazenby Laurens Derks Sandy Phillips DESIGN & LAYOUT Aditi Verma For more information and teacher notes visit T4L.link/T4Lkids
I hope you’re inspired by some of the incredible scientists and the challenges they are finding solutions for. Can tech help you with your challenge?
How can you share the ideas and then quantify your data? It’s all in this Science issue! Good luck and have fun! Mark Greentree Editor-in-Chief
T4L Kids is a magazine that is published by the T4L team at ITD for NSW Education. All rights are reserved.
T S U J S E JOK Q: A:
Q:
LoL!
A:
y say to e turke h t id d What puter? the com le le, Goog g o o G , Google
Q: A:
ROFL!
Q: A: Q: A:
er the ts wett e g t a Wh dries? more it l A towe
CSL!
st an atom? Why can’t you tru e up Because they mak everything!
HaHa!
chidnas und do e What so iss? en they k h w e k a m Ouch
Q:
put a monkey e h t id d Why ad? n her he f ry pan o rilla was a go e h s t h g She thou
Pun!
A: Q: A:
Jokes!
What kind of jungle cat is no fun to play games with? A cheetah!
BOL!
What area of a room is the warmest? The corner — it’s always about 90 degrees!
WINNERS OF LAST EDITION CHALLENGE – 3D DESIGN AND PRINTING
Winning design: Alexander M from Euston Public School Teacher: Jessica Meddings Winning design: Rylan H from Goolgowi Public School Teacher: Beth Liddicoat The prize: Amazing Annoyatron
DESIGN A CHALLENGE! T4L Kids challenges you to create awareness of a conservation issue in your community! Think like a scientist Investigate an issue affecting wildlife or the enivronment – or any issue you are passionate about Think about how you can share this with others and take some positive action.
How to get started! Explore! Collect data, images and information about your cause.
1 There are more Annoyatrons up for grabs!
2 3
Think! What solutions can you see? How can you make it happen?
Take action and share what you have achieved with us!
MEET DR JODI ROWLEY
Eco-champion taking action for frogs
Take Action
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What are the biggest threats to frogs? The biggest threats to frogs globally are habitat modification, habitat loss and disease (the amphibian chytrid fungus). However, climate change, introduced species, pollution and a whole range of other factors are contributing to frog declines.
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What technologies do you use in your position? I use a lot of different technology - from my phone (especially the FrogID app) audio recording gear and bioacoustic analysis software to understand frog call ian Museu tral m variation, and GPS and us Fr A o , satellite messaging technology to keep me safe in the field. Fr og
– Dr Jodi
Why are frogs so important? Frogs are an incredibly important part of a healthy ecosystem - and occur everywhere from rainforests, to urban areas to deserts. We’ve already lost at least four species of frog in Australia, and many more are perched on the edge of extinction.
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Dr Jodi Rowley is a conservation biologist and is Curator of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum. She is also the Chief Scientist of the FrogID project, a national citizen science project based on a free smartphone app, helping us to understand and conserve Australia’s unique frog species.
How can students get involved in conservation issues locally? With supervision you can help protect and rehabilitate local frog habitats like creeks, ponds and wetlands, or create frog friendly habitats in your backyard. You can also play a very real and important role in our scientific understanding of frogs and other biodiversity by taking part in citizen science projects such as FrogID. https://www.frogid.net.au/
MEET ANDREW STEED
Eco-champion for turtle rescue
Take Action
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What technologies help you to help the turtles? Computers, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), mobile phones, turtle traps and cameras.
Andrew Steed is the Species Project Coordinator for the endangered Manning River Helmeted Turtle under the NSW Saving our Species program. The turtle is a species unique to the Manning Valley in NSW’s mid-north region.
What are some of your key responsibilities? Riverbank restoration improvement and feral animal control. Establishing an insurance population and captive breeding program and educating the community about the importance of the Manning River Helmeted Turtle.
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What are some of the main challenges to the turtles? The females are vulnerable to foxes and pigs when laying their eggs on sandy riverbanks and illegal collection by poachers to keep as pets or to sell them. Climate change is also threatening their environment by causing longer droughts, hotter weather and bushfires.
Turtle Rescue - Earlier this year we had to relocate nearly 400 turtles from pools that were drying out to a deeper permanent pool nearby.
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How can we get involved in conservation issues locally? 1. Become active in a local conservation group, talk to your friends and family about conservation issues.
3. Don’t litter - recycle resources, be kind to animals, don’t light fires in the bush, be sensible.
2. Find out about threatened species in your area by using BioNet.
4. Become a scientist and study ecology!
CAN YOU CREATE A MOVEMENT LIKE MOLLY’S? Molly Steer is one kid who took action into her own hands when she was just 11. Using a simple media call-out and by creating a website, she called for us to stop using single-use plastic straws in school canteens. Her movement grew and grew! Check it out! T4L Kids magazine challenges YOU to see what you and your friends can do to start a movement.
1
Steps to creating your own movement:
2
Choose an issue • Is it local or global? • Are you passionate about it?
Research the issue and investigate possible solutions ? • What is the problem ion? • What is the best solut or • Can you research this interview an expert?
3 4
Choose and understand
your audience
e and how • Who is your audienc can you engage them? • How do they get their information?
passion – So you’ve shared your from your audience? do something • Do you want them to specific or general? event? • Could they attend an
Is your message: • Informative?
• Engaging?
• Humorous or attractive? • Persuasive?
ts? • What are their interes take notice? • What will make them they take? • What real action could
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what action do you wan
eir behaviour? • Could they change th volunteer • Do you want them to support?
TECH TOOLS TO CREATE YOUR CALL TO ACTION! Get your message out in one of these ways, or check out T4L Kids TV for lots of simple videos to get you started. Create a website to promote an animal that is endangered and how we can help it survive – try Google Sites
Investigate and share a local habitat of an animal near you – use a 360 camera or try CoSpaces
Investigate animals in your local environment and collect data about their ecosystems using a micro:bit
Design the perfect image of your animal or environment and highlight the challenges in a 3D diagram using 3D paint
Make a film with the Student Filmmaker! Why don’t you make a video for your call to action that is polished, presentable and catchy? Check out the Student Filmmaker course. Please note: the course materials are only accessible to students and teachers in NSW public schools.
Build a website with Google Sites You could build a quick and easy website and create content to support your message or action. You can publish the site and share with just your friends, your class or your school. You could also use Google Earth for a 3D tour of a natural habitat. Build a fast and easy website here – watch this video.
Create a podcast with the Student Podcaster! Get writing, broadcasting and producing with this awesome T4L course just for you! • Create a script • Record a persuasive audio message • Don’t forget sound effects • Share your call to action Please note: the course materials are only accessible to students and teachers in NSW public schools.
Create a 3D model of your idea using Paint 3D! If you’re working on a project to save wildlife, you could recreate an animal habitat in Paint 3D and then export it to CoSpaces to share with your class – in 2D or 3D. You can play from all angles, splash paint and edit objects – could you create a fantastic message to share out in this way?
Get your audience involved in a game to help them explore your issue Use Makecode Arcade or Apple Swift Playgrounds to create a game that both entertains and informs. Try this sample game in MakeCode Arcade that aims to educate the player about issues sea turtles face with eating discarded plastic that makes its way into the oceans. Learn more about creating a game in Issue 1 of T4L Kids.
Further ideas: You could also write a newsletter and share it using Sway. Why don’t you record your research findings on an iPad?