The Science Teachers Association of Tasmania Inc
“Promoting Scientific Literacy Through Education”.
An amazing opportunity for Senior students.
STAT is excited to announce an opportunity for a Senior Student Fellowship to the value of $1,000. This was a new award in 2017.
Students from year 9 – 12 are contenders for this fellowship which will be awarded as a result of a quality entry in either the Engineering or Research Investigation section of the TSTS.
Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd has elected to support student efforts in science through the Tasmanian Science Talent Search and as a result has provided Tasmanian students with fantastic opportunities. Smaller but significant awards for students from years 7 to 12 will also be made available. For details on how to support your students to take part see the information for relevant sections and instructions on how to enter.
Tasmanian Science Talent Search - 2018
What do you need to know?
1. What is the Tasmanian Science Talent Search? Page 1
a. How do Students Enter? Page 1
b. Payment details Page 1
c. What are the entry fees? Page 1
d. Benefits for STAT members Page 1
e. How to become a STAT Member Page 1
f. Where to send entries Page 1
g. Judging of entries Page 2
h. Presentation of prizes Page 2
i. Recognition of student work Page 2
j. What will winners receive? Page 2
k. Standard of entries Page 2
l. Mentoring for students – they can have help Page 2
2. 2017 Theme Based Sections –
“Change Makers who are Game Changers”?
a. Posters Page 3
b. Creative Writing Page 4
c. Photographic Essays Page 5
d. Scientific Video Page 6
e. Information sessions to support teachers Page 7
3. Technology Challenge Page 7
a. Details of the Challenge Page 7-9
b. Registration of entry and judging details for
Technology & Engineering Page 9
b. Details of support for teachers (Tech & Engineering) Page 7
4. Engineering Challenge Page 10
a. Judging Criteria Page 10
5. Research Investigation Page 11
a. Choosing a topic Page 11
b. Judging Criteria Page 11
6. Entry form (for attaching to student work only) Page 12
7. Celebrating Success of schools & teachers Page 13
1. What is the Tasmanian Science Talent Search?
The Tasmanian Science Talent Search (TSTS) is an initiative of the Science Teachers Association of the Tasmania Inc (STAT). TSTS is supported by an enthusiastic and committed group of sponsors. STAT’s philosophy is to celebrate quality science teaching and learning in all Tasmanian Schools through the recognition of outstanding work in a variety of scientific areas.
Sections: There are seven sections in TSTS to allow for individual students’ preferred learning styles. These are made up of theme related sections and open sections
See information beginning on page 1 for details of the themed sections.
Divisions: Each section is divided into year group divisions.
§ In Primary, the divisions are Early Childhood (K-2), Lower Primary (3-4) and Upper Primary (5-6).
§ In Secondary, the division are Junior Secondary (7-8) Intermediate Secondary (9-10) and Senior Secondary (11-12).
How do students register their entry?
NOTE: This is new in 2018
STAT is moving to an online registration of entry. Development for this process is still under development. Details will be made available by the end of Term 1 2018 – watch the STAT website on the TSTS page for details http://stat.org.au/tsts
§ Every entry will still require an entry form for each student or group of students to be attached to their submitted entry – See page 8 for entry form. There is a small entry fee.
§ Schools with more than 5 entries are asked to provide a typed cover list of the student names for entries including details of division, section & teacher details.
Payment: STAT will invoice the school for all entries submitted following the closing date for entries. Please check that the School Business manager’s details are recorded on the entry form in the appropriate place and share the process with your school business manager.
DO NOT SEND CASH WITH ENTRIES – YOUR SCHOOL WILL BE INVOICED. NB STAT uses PayPal to generate invoices to protect potential credit card payments. Schools/students may also pay by bank transfer – details will be on the invoice.
What are the entry fees?
§ The entry fee is $5.00 per project
§ Individual, group and class entries are $5.00 per entry. Students may enter as individuals or small groups (up to 3) Class entries are only acceptable from Early Childhood and Lower Primary Divisions.
Are there benefits if you are a STAT member?
§ STAT members receive a 60% discount when submitting 10 or more entries, providing invoices are paid by the due date.
§ To receive the membership rate individuals and schools need to be financial members by May 1st 2018.
How to become a member:
§ Go to the STAT web site and download a 2017 membership form – http://stat.org.au/membership and submit to STAT
Where to send the entries:
Entries in the themed sections and Research Investigations may be either dropped off at a collection point or delivered by courier or Australia Post. Check individual Sections for the due date. Please note that late entries cannot be accepted. NOTE: See different procedures for Technology & Engineering.
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Hobart Collection Point:
Director – TSTS
C/- Heather Omant
St Mary’s College
164 Harrington Street,
Hobart TAS 700
Launceston Collection Point:
Director – TSTS
C/- John Bardenhagen
East Launceston Primary School
Cnr. Mary and Abbott Street
Launceston TAS 7250
By Post or Courier to
Director – TSTS (Doug Grubert)
C/- Launceston Church Grammar School
10 Lyttleton Street, Launceston TAS 7250
Judging of Entries: Entries will be judged by members of STAT. Teachers and Schools will be notified of student winners throughout the year and results will also be posted on the STAT website – see TSTS page at http://stat.org.au/tsts/
Presentation of prizes: Winning students, their teachers and families will be invited to the Presentation Ceremony, which will take place at the Southern Campus of the University of Tasmania, Hobart on Sunday November 25th, 2018.
Dr Robert Rezaie & Mark Livermore from TasAlkaloids with Lauren Wild from Hellyer College. Lauren won the TasAlkaloids Award for the Best Research Project with an Agricultural theme.
What recognition will your students receive for their effort?
All students who enter via the online process will receive a participation certificate which can be downloaded and printed off.
There will be one certificate per entry. Group entries will be able to print multiple copies.
Schools are encouraged to celebrate student success by presenting these certificates at an appropriate assembly or home group gathering.
What will the winners and place getters receive?
Each Section in every division will be considered for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winner together with merit awards. These prizes will be presented at the Presentation Ceremony in November. Student who achieve at this level will be invited to the Presentation Ceremony.
Encouragement Awards enable you to give some recognition through your school:
Some students will receive encouragement awards (includes a certificate and badge). These will be posted to enable acknowledgement of effort and celebration of success at the school level.
Schools are encouraged to recognize student participation at the school level prior to judging.
What standard of student work is expected?
TSTS does have a quality standard and on the very rare occasion, where entries do not meet that standard, then the judging committee reserves the right to either award prizes at a lower level or to not award any prizes. No correspondence will be entered into post final judging.
Be proud of your students’ works:
Winning entries are on display for the public and sponsors to see and consequently, we need to be proud of our students’ efforts in both scientific thinking and presentation.
How much help can your students have?
STAT encourages conversation, communication and mentoring in all entries, with the proviso that any contribution from those other than the student be acknowledged appropriately.
Often Scientists will mentor older students while enthusiastic Grandparents might support younger students. Students will frequently have a great idea but need support to present it in a quality way – adult and peer support to enable this to happen is encouraged and indeed mirrors what would happen in the scientific community.
Tap into your school and local community – guidance, support and discussion around an idea will support learning in all curriculum areas and help to build a quality learning experience for your students.
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Tasmanian Science Talent Search 2018
“Game Changers who are Change Makers”
Theme Based Sections
Posters, Creative Writing, Photographic Essays and Scientific Video (replaces Digital Interactives) are all theme-based sections. This is an opportunity to run with “Game Changers as Change Makers” as a topic and then give students the freedom to choose a format to express their understanding OR the decision might be to choose one area and support all students to take part.
The four sections are open to ALL year groups. Read the guidelines carefully and encourage students to take these seriously.
Closing date for all themed sections is Thursday June 15th. See details on page 1 for delivery of entry options.
Please note: Entries which do not fit the criteria will not be marked. Once students’ works are marked non- winning entries will be returned either to the school or a central point for collection – teachers will be notified.
TSTS & the AC: Science: There are many opportunities to incorporate appropriate elements of the Australian Curriculum through TSTS, not just in Science, but in mathematics, history, English, art as well as taking into consideration the cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities.
POSTERS:
AC: Science: Inquiry skills include observation & communication.
Understanding Goal: Students will understand how the conventions for making a poster can be used to convey a scientific message
Definition of a Poster for TSTS: A poster is a graphic representation advertising a scientific concept or idea in a way which will advertise this to the target audience. Please note that a poster for TSTS is NOT a scientific chart, project, diagram or pictorial essay.
Judging Criteria:
Scientific Concept: relevance and significance
Clarity of scientific message: does the audience clearly understand what the poster is about?
Presentation:
a) Maximum size is A3
b) Must be suitable for wall display (recommended that poster is mounted on thicker card)
c) Two dimensional only (The poster needs to travel well – so although collage is acceptable keep the level low as protrusion suffer damage in transport. Make sure that any embellishment is well secured – Glitter in particular is NOT recommended)
d) Visual impact (the poster needs to be able to be read from a distance of 3 metres.
Shipment for Judging: Please pack and send poster flat – NOT Rolled.
Examples of successful entries from 2017 in Early Childhood and Lower Primary
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CREATIVE WRITING
AC Science: Inquiry skills include observation and communication
Understanding Goal: Students will understand how to use creative writing as a medium to convey a scientific message.
AC English: Communication processes where individuals express and create written and visual texts, including those made with the aid of augmentative and alternative forms of communication. These processes share a productive approach to the creation of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts in print form. Students plan and use applied topic knowledge, vocabulary, word and visual knowledge to make considered and deliberate choices about text structure and organization to coherently express and develop ideas and communicate information in a formal or informal way. (Adapted from the AC-English document)
Judging Criteria
Scientific concept: relevance to theme and significance of the concept
Maximum size: one side of A4 page
Creativity: Creative use of words to convey the message. Small illustrations can add extra impact.
Presentation: Check Grammar, spelling and punctuation and back the work with cover paper providing a 1cm boarder.
Genre: Entries can be either prose or verse. Encourage students to research the topic and use this information to inform their writing. All references and support must be acknowledged.
On the Edge
Amelia Reynolds, Year 6, East Launceston Primary
Winning entry in Upper Primary Creative Writing – Verse for 2017
I stand on the edge of the last sheet of ice
Humans gambled with climate change, like a roll of the dice.
Into the salty water crumbled the ancient ice caps
The Arctic tundra will soon be just a sea on the maps.
I stand on the edge, gone is the once vast biome
After 10,000 years animals have nowhere to roam.
First you brought mining and oil rigs onto the land
The consequences, you clearly didn’t understand.
I stand on the edge, now abandoned at the North Pole
The atmosphere filled with carbon dioxide from burning oil and coal.
Scientists predicted what would happen if you cut down the trees
But you thought you knew best and disregarded their pleas.
I stand on the edge, angry you ignored every warning
Of temperatures and sea levels rising from global warming.
You had time to act, it was far more than a theory
Prepare to be judged poorly in recordings of history.
I stand on the edge, nothing left to do but count the cost
Of 1,700 plant and 48 land mammal species lost.
in other parts of the world, whole nations have died