introducing www.starters.co.nz

www.starters.co.nz is a new and innovative school only website for New Zealand educators developed by the team at starters&strategies and teachingonline. www.starters.co.nz will go live online during Term 4, 2011.

www.starters.co.nz features:

• 1000 lessons across all learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum
• Additional cross-curricula Environmental Education section
• Additional and extensive study skills and literacy section
• Lessons are for all levels – Years 1–8+ grouped by Years 1–4 and Years 4–8+
• An extensive 'Bright Ideas' section for early finishers, homework activities and providing teachers with topics to develop into lesson topics and/or for relieving teachers

Click here to download our Sample Lesson Pack

Click here for more detailed information

A MUST-SEE EDUCATIONAL FILM FOR NZ TEACHERS

Waiting for Superman is an engaging and inspiring look at the public education in the USA. This ground-breaking film has helped launch a movement to achieve real and lasting change through the moving and compelling stories of the struggles and challenges, students, families, educators and reformers have faced and overcome.

Waiting for Superman received the Audience Award for best documentary at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and also received the Best Documentary Feature at the Critics Choice Movie Awards.

Waiting for Superman – a thought provoking film for all teachers.

Available in DVD stores from 21st September 2011.

Term3 starters&strategies September 2011 Magazine web edition is now fully online. Click on the cover picture to visit the page and browse the magazine in Flip Book format.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE

Free Science and Innovation Resources from TVNZ7. TVNZ 7 brings you more educational resources to help share the wonderment and magic of science and innovation with your students.

TVNZ 7 and The Science Learning Hub through the University of Waikato have again collaborated to provide schools, teachers and students with resources for the current curriculum based on two local series on TVNZ 7, Ever Wondered? and Innovation Stories. The resources are targeted at Years 5 to 10, but can be used for younger or older students.

Free Swim for Life Passports from Water Safety New Zealand and Sealord. Don't miss out – passports are going fast!

BP Antarctic Explorers Sled Challenge

Major Financial Literacy Unit from the Retirement Commission

Financial literacy for students can be defined as a set of skills that allows them to make informed and effective decisions about money. It is also about understanding what money is and how to manage it. The important thing for educators to remember is that developing financial literacy skills is not difficult and every day situations will arise in our classrooms where these skills can be taught. Financial literacy is such an important part of life’s experience and can be taught across the curriculum. This major unit has‘starter’ ideas provided for teachers to develop financial literacy skills through English, Social Science, Mathematics and the Arts. The second part of this unit is Setting and Achieving Savings Goals and is a detailed teaching unit.

Safe Kids Mathematics

Mathematics Activities on Safe Passenger Themes for levels 1–4

Marine Pollution Unit. The Uses and Prevention

Indicative Learning Outcomes for this major unit include.

1. Understanding the need for and developing and taking positive
   strategies to contribute to a healthier environment.
2. Understanding how people interact with their environment
   and learning why we must improve the quality of this interaction.
3. Becoming aware of the consequences that litter and plastic has
   for our sea birds, mammals and fish, and how this problem can be greatly reduced by taking small steps to improve this situation.
4. Inspiring and promoting the local community to take
   environmental action that will improve this situation.

FoodSmart Health Unit: Preventing Foodborne Illness this Summer

In New Zealand there are more than 500 cases of food poisoning daily, and most of these illnesses are caused by not handling, storing and cooking food properly. In other words – most cases of food poisoning are preventable! The activities are provided for teachers to get out the important FoodSmart messages before summer or at anytime as part of the Health and PE classroom programme.

Precious Water – Our Taonga – Major Science and Social Sciences Unit.

In this unit, students will discover:

• just how precious and necessary water is for life on Earth
• explore and understand the Water Cycle
• find out where our tap water comes from
• discover what we do to our water to keep it safe to drink
• discover reasons why we should conserve our water
• steps we can take to cut back on the amount of water we use in our daily lives.

Special Feature: EOTC Opportunities throughout New Zealand.

National Providers; Auckland Providers; Central North Island Providers; and South Island providers.

INTRODUCING STARTERS.CO.NZ

Full details about the new and innovative New Zealand website for schools going live during Term Four.

starters.co.nz features over 1000 lessons at all levels of the curriculum and all Learning Areas of the curriculum.

… and lots more starters, strategies and resources!

The Bayer Primary School Fund allows NZ primary schools to apply for up to $2000 to help fund science activities at your school.

Suitable science-based activities could include:

• Setting up a school native garden
• Riparian plananting
• a recycling project
• Setting up and maintaining a worm farm
• Science equipment for work with an environmental focus
• Purchasing resources to support teaching of the 'Nature of Science' and the 'Living World' sections of the New Zdealand Curriculum.

Click the Royal Society Logo at left for full details about the Bayer Primary School Fund and to download an application form.

PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 25 OCTOBER 2011 – SO GET IN QUICKLY!

An exciting new educational website: Everything is online.

Recorded and live TV and videos streamed and downloaded from over 30 domestic and international TV channels, a growing library and an online shop. All subject areas are covered – including the arts, science, language, news, sports, and history.

Click the logo to visit: www.etv.org.nz

London 2012 is fast approaching. Get your students inspired and download a range of FREE resources and Olympic based initiatives including: Living the Olympic Values – cutting edge digital resource; Living the Olympic Values text writing competition. Click link below.

www.olympic.org.nz/education/home

The New Zealand Wind Energy association has FREE lesson plans, fact sheets and online resources – all about wind power in New Zealand and around the world. Visit their website today. Click on the link above.

THE GREAT NZ SCAVENGER HUNT

Our Scavenger Hunt continues to be a winner with students and teachers alike. Students can find out all about the geographical and physical features of New Zealand. Teachers enjoy the interactivity of the hunt as it develops student confidence in using the web as a research tool and provides as well as providing a vehicle for students to learn about their country.

SCAVENGER HUNT ANSWERS

LOGO DESIGN

Our most popular lesson ever. Designing logos. Logos are all around us - visual identifiers for people, products and services. These classroom ideas allow teachers to use the logo as a major Art/ Language/ Technology unit where students explore the fascinating and creative world of logo design.

PAINTING: LINE, COLOUR, TEXTURE

In this multi level unit we explore the essential elements of painting - line, colour and texture. For students of all ages to succeed in painting they need to be taught the skills of using these three essential elements. This unit, not only teaches these skills but also produces a stunning set of paintings allowing every student to succeed. Try it with your class - you won't be disappointed.