CMIS Evaluation

The company’s aim is to increase public awareness about the amazing diversity of the largest group of creatures on land through their photographic resources. Other creatures, such as spiders and snakes are listed , however the main thrust of their work is with insects.

As well as producing colourful posters for classrooms, the group conducts information sessions in schools and is currently developing a school project image downloads section on their website.

This website is a useful addition to resources about minibeasts which is a wonderful study topic for primary classes. The CMIS Theme page on the subject is an excellent starting point for teachers to gather ideas for the classroom.

The Sea Week Educators’ Expo is on again this year.

The 2009 theme — ‘A Climate for Change – Education and Action‘ is aimed at  educating teachers and students to reduce the community collective carbon footprint.

The main venue for the expo is the Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre at Hillarys Boat Harbour. Participants will be able to choose from a variety of marine adventure workshops targetted for different age groups. These include Intertidal Discovery – involves snorkelling; Get Hooked on Fishing - learn correct fishing techniques; The Coast -where the ocean meets the land – Marine Touch Pool and Coastal Crusade.

Registrations close on March 3rd and cost $66 per person. [Registration Form]

Contact the Community Education Officer – Carina for further details.

Resources to support the topic of the Ocean can be found on the  CMIS Oceans theme page

Earthwatch engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.

The Woodside TeachLive Program is offering eight fully funded places for teachers from rural and remote regions of Western Australia to participate on the research project Whale Sharks of Ningaloo Reef in May 2009. TeachLive is an interactive program where teachers will report daily to their classes through the TeachLive website and participate in forums answering questions and detailing their activities.

The program is open to secondary school teachers in the following subjects (at any year level):
- Science / Senior Science / Biology
- Earth and Environmental Science
- Geography
- Information Technology

• All participants must be over 18 years of age
• Demonstrated interest or knowledge in environmental conservation
• All participants must meet the fitness requirements specified by Earthwatch for the Whale Sharks of Ningaloo Reef project
• Some experience in updating websites desirable

Please read the following information material to find out more about the TeachLive program.

• Woodside TeachLive information brochure 09
• Woodside TeachLive Application form 09

Applications must be received by Earthwatch by 31st March 2009.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact

Caroline Bayer
Manager, Partnerships & Supporter Relations
Earthwatch Australia
126 Bank Street
South Melbourne Vic 3205
T: +61 (0) 3 9682 6828
F: +61 (0) 3 9686 365
http://www.earthwatch.org.au

	The news of the distastrous bushfires in Victoria comes as a timely reminder for us of the threat of fire in our community. The CMIS Disasters Theme page has a section on Bushfires with many links to useful and relevant websites.
2006/344 – 12/10 at 03 :45 UTC Fires and smoke in southeast Australia Satellite: Terra © Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Prepare for bushfire -  is available from FESA in DVD or PDF formats and gives advice on how to deal with Bushfire.  FESA also has school resources available plus guest speakers for your school.

The Australian Government Emergency Management for schools website has excellent information available in the Get the Facts section and there is a simulation learning object called Dingo Creek where students can apply their knowledge.

For an interesting excursion K-2 students can attend King’s Park for the Tawny and the Great King’s Park Fire experience.

The CMIS Resource Bank has many Bushfire resources for use in the classroom

DARWIN200 Around the world groups will be celebrating the life and legacy of Charles Darwin - the ‘Father of Evolution’

Darwin200 celebrates Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday [February 12] and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his theory On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

To introduce students to Darwin’s life and work teachers can start by reading two recently published books,  both of which are on the Primary Focus List.

• One beetle too many and
• Charles Darwin

Teachers and students can explore the many intriguing facets of his life and works through the many websites which have evolved to cover the celebrations. From those listed below students will be able to engage in many different activities.

• About Darwin – dedicated to everything about Darwin – his life, books and travels. It has a special section of photos relating to different times in his life.
• Darwin Online – contains the largest collection in the world of electronic images relating to Darwin, many of which can be reproduced.
• Darwin Day Celebration – designed especially for February 12th but contains a great amount of information.
• Understanding Evolution – From Berkeley University
• At the Charles Darwin Trust, teachers can read about Darwin inspired teaching and learning and translate items there for use in their own classrooms. The Experiment Topics inspired by Darwin shows some easy to follow activities such as food chains and worm farms.
• Tree of life animation – a video presented by Sir David Attenborough which helps explain Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
• American Museum of Natural History - includes an online educator’s guide and Gene Scene – a user friendly page on explaining genetics and other classroom activities.
• In the British Natural History Museum students can follow the 5 year voyage of H.M.S Beagle on an interactive map. At each stop a graphic displays relates a significant event.
• The Galapagos – where the theory took shape and was explored.
• http://thebeagleproject.blogspot.com
• The Asia Pacific Portal of Darwin200 is hosted by Charles Darwin University and supported by the Northern Territory Government and Darwin City Council. Includes information about the HMS Beagle Ship Bell Chime artwork in Darwin – Northern Territory.

The Perth Mint is producing a special commemorative coin for the occasion. The Darwin City Council is presenting a ship’s bell to the Beagle Project in the UK.and a special set of bells will be installed in a Darwin park.

There are often queries re weeding the school library, especially at the end of the year, at which time many school libraries engage in this activity. Some library staff members operate on the principle of weeding a section at a time over the course of the whole year. You could establish your own schedule or use one ready-made such as the Heinemann Raintree (USA) Weed of the Month. Each month a section is designated for weeding, along with criteria to be considered to assist in the weeding. Replacement titles are suggested, and though these are biased towards Heinemann-Raintree Library titles, other publishers do get a small look-in. You can join the emailing list if you wish to be notified as each new weed comes around. It’s worth considering.

CMIS Cataloguing and CMIS Evaluation have a page about Weeding on their School Library Support website.