The Briefing | Issue No. 11 - Bay Science Newsletter

Rātapu 3 o Haratua 2026

You can now vote in New Zealand's Fungus of the Year! Image credit: Adobe Stock.

Kia ora koutou

This week the theme looks to be curriculum and climate change. Bay of Plenty Regional Council has information on their website about tsunamis and climate change predictions for our region, and the Royal Society of Chemistry has published part three of a report showing that chemistry curricula and assessments are not yet reflecting climate change and sustainability contexts.

For those who are keen to get involved in the science curriculum, we're anticipating Phase 5 to be released in the middle of May with a consultation window of only about a month. Keep an eye on your inbox for our next working group hui.

Kia kaha,

Bay Science

info@bayscience.nz

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      GENERAL NEWS

• Vote for NZ’s Fungus of the Year 2026! (Bioeconomy Science Institute)
  

• Comet visible in NZ skies for the next week, then gone for 170,000 years (RNZ)
  

• PiPS (People and Plants in Schools) has announced that they are facing closure due to funding challenges (Facebook).
  

• A programme helping migrant families better understand New Zealand's education system is returning to Tauranga this May [Sunlive]
  

• The NZFrogs Ambhibian Award aims to support projects that contribute to amphibian conservation, research or science communication; grants of up to $300 are available per project. Applications due 15/07/2026.
  

• Two young boys from Te Awahou, Rotorua are preparing to represent their iwi, Ngāti Rangiwewehi and community, on the global stage at an international underwater robotics competition in the United States [Aukaha News]
  

• As part of Menstrual Health Awareness Month, Dr. Siouxsie Wiles is crowdfunding to support research into the safety of menstrual cups and discs. Check out the campaign here: https://support.auckland.ac.nz/mcr
  

• Tauranga Astronomical Society subscriptions are now due for 2026. 12 month individual adult memberships are $50, family memberships are $65, tertiary student memberships are $25. Source: Facebook.
  

• Looking for a context related to chemistry or matter cycling? Envirohub Bay of Plenty has a new battery recycling bin! You can also recycle batteries at Pāpāmoa, Greerton and Mount Maunganui libraries.
  

• Envirohub's Every Bite programme is a month-long programme where you’ll try simple experiments at home to better understand and prevent your food waste. This could be a great way to learn about every day actions related to food and energy contexts.
  

• Tūhoe Rising: The Original Story of a Remarkable Photographic Project tells the story of how Tatsiana Chypsanava has been documenting Tūhoe life in Te Urewera (NZ Geographic)
  

• Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū recently co-hosted the national climate change wānanga, Ngā Herenga o Papatūānuku; over 100 people attended (Facebook)
  

• Whakatāne Kiwi Trust have a range of sponsorship packages to help kiwi's have the best start in life.
  

• Can you help? A PhD student from the University of Canterbury, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, is looking for a few more participants for her research
  

      EVENT FORECAST

Our full calendar is available here. More than half of our readers are from beyond the Bay of Plenty. Let us know how we can help promote your event. All Month

• [Bay of Plenty] This May Predator Free BoP are focusing on possums, one of the biggest threats to our native birds and forests. Trap possums throughout the month of May and go in the draw to win some great prizes! (Facebook)

May 4

• [National] National Primary Science Week 2026! Catch that carbon!

May 5

• [Wester Bay of Plenty] Freshwater Conservation (Friends of the Blade)

• [Online] Level One AgHort Achievement Standards - Tips and tricks external moderation webinar.

May 6

• [Online] Ask a Scientist | Environmental Scientist and Professor Louis Schipper (Science Alive)
  

May 7

• [Port Levy] The business of rongoā: wananga with Donna Kerridge (Waitlist)

• [Taupō] Teacher PD Tour with Taupō museum!

May 10

• [Tāmaki Makaurau] A variety of free rongoā workshops on Sundays May 10, 17, 24 and 31st of May are available at the New Lynn Library.
  

May 12

• [Mount Maunganui] Waste-Ed with Kate
  

May 13

• [Online] Webinar 1: Understanding the Food and Fibre Industry Skills Board (ISB). This webinar is ideal for anyone new to standards‑based assessment, new staff, or those wanting a clearer picture of roles, responsibilities, and where to go for support.

• [Rotorua] Skip the Skip! with Darryl Church & Dr Marie Fleming. Come along to hear some practical examples of sustainable building in action, along with lessons learned and tips for anyone considering a new build or renovation.
  

May 15

• [Marlborough] Royal Astronomical Society of NZ Conference begins

• [Online] NZFrogs Amphibian Award applications close

• [International] Applications for ClimateLaunchpad 2026 – Green Business Ideas Competition closes; The world’s largest green business ideas competition for early-stage climate innovation. Youth and early-stage teams can access bootcamps, coaching, and global finals.
  

May 17

• [Bay of Plenty] Moth Pod Plant Competition begins.

• [International] Applications for the UN SDG Heroes of Tomorrow closes.

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CONFERENCE WATCHLIST

• 2026 NZ Bird Conference (May 30 - Jun 1)

  
  

• Science Communicators of Aotearoa NZ Conference (Jun 24-26); early bird registrations extended until May 7th!
  

• ASERA 2026 (Australasian Science Education Research Association) takes place in Brisbane (30 June - 3 July).

  
  

• UpliftEd by Aotearoa Educators Collective (July 8-9)
  

• NZ International Science Festival (15-19 July)

  
  

• NZ Plant Conservation Network conference (Oct 12-15)

  
  

• New Zealand Association of Environmental Education Conference (5 - 7 October Tāmaki Makaurau).

  
  

• Chem-Ed Biolive by SCENZ and BEANZ (Nov 18-20)

      RESOURCES & EXPERIENCES

The following have been added to our Experiences page and Resources directory. Our Resources directory only saves items which are free and which do not require a login.

• DNAMyName is a free no-login classroom activity for teaching centra dogma / translation.

  • Site: https://www.dnamyname.com/

  • Worksheet: https://www.dnamyname.com/for-educators/worksheet
    

• Weedbusters has a short beginner (or expert) online quiz as well as an index of weeds.
  

• Could a Tsunami affect the Bay of Plenty? A video from Bay of Plenty civil defense which covers what a tsunami is, and how we could be affected.
  

• The rock eaters is an article from NZ Geographic about urchins taking over the top of the North Island, down to the Eastern BoP.
  

• The latest climate change projections for the Bay of Plenty draw on New Zealand’s most recent national data, released in June 2024 by the Ministry for the Environment in partnership with Earth Sciences New Zealand.
  

  • Video here (YouTube).

  • Bay of Plenty Regional Council information website
    

    
    

      RANGATAHI OPPORTUNITIES

• [Auckland and Christchurch] Scratchpad is offering free trials of their programme.
  

• [Waikato] Over the past five years, Enviroschools facilitators in Waikato have been exploring how sustainability education can genuinely flourish in secondary settings.
  

• [Waikato] Teachers are being encouraged to register their school group(s) for Fieldays 10–13 June, at Mystery Creek Events Centre, with discounted student tickets available for groups of 10 or more at NZ$10 each, a 45% discount off the child rate. Fieldays provides opportunities designed to connect classroom learning with real-world careers across New Zealand’s primary industries.
  

• [International] Your Green Action is a 12-week environmental education initiative developed under the Wang and Tangang Foundation to help young people understand climate change and develop practical sustainability habits, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

  
  

      KAIAKO OPPORTUNITIES

• [Kawhia] Some last minute places for Titoki Education's Rongoa 3 workshop on 9/10 May might be available.
  

• The Royal Society of Chemistry has a new self-led PLD course for teachers to strengthen their pedagogy when teaching Structure and Bonding.
  

• House of Science is looking for passionate science educators to help grow science capability in primary and intermediate schools across Aotearoa New Zealand. (Seek)
  

• Applications for the UNESCO ICT in Education prize is now open.
  

• Nominations are now open for the 2026 National Excellence in Teaching Awards, the longest running, community based awards program that recognises teaching excellence in Australia and New Zealand.
  

• [Northland / Otaki / Wellington / Matapihi / Mount Maunganui] Mātauranga Māori in Outdoor Education (EONZ) is a wānanga style PLD for teachers who wish to deepen their understanding of mātauranga Māori in the context of Outdoor Education and Education Outside the Classroom. All educators are warmly invited to participate. Details within.
  

• [Taranaki] Professor of Paleontology James Crampton (VUW) is visiting the Taranaki on Thursday 4 June to give a talk to Taranaki Geology Society entitled "“Let the dead speak! What can we learn from the fossil record of extinction?”. Please reach out to Shaun Eaves if interested; shaun.eaves@vuw.ac.nz
  

• [National] EOTC and Effective Safety Management Systems is a PLD opportunity from EONZ. The free two-day workshop, supported by the Ministry of Education, is designed for schools at various stages of implementing EOTC safety systems.

• [Online, International] Science is Cool Unconference is coming up on July 23rd; an all day teacher PD. YouTube highlight reel below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYTw6tgO1Es

Reminders

• Dates and locations for the Maurice Wilkins Centre Biology Teacher Professional Development Day 2026 have been announced. More details to come.
  

      EDUCATION ASSOCIATION UPDATES

This month's updates are available here. New changes for the week are below.

• AEC

  • Sunday read: What is 'mind', really? (Bevan Holloway)

  • Action Required: Budget 2026 Education Survey (AEC)

  • The Incoherence at the Heart of New Zealand's Curriculum Reform (AEC)

  • Eight months on in education - are our opposition parties finally finding their voices? (AEC)

  • NZ Science Curriculum Feedback (Years 0-10) | 700+ Educator Annotations (Bay Science)
    

• BEANZ

  • BioLive ChemEd event information is now live.

  • If you have moved kura and are wondering why you are not receiving BEANZ updates, please let us know so that we can update your contact details:

    • vickia@mmc.school.nz

    • alishag@mmc.school.nz

• ESSENZ

  • Reminder: following from Term 1, ESSENZ also has a range of webinars scheduled for Term 2.

    
    

• NZAPSE

  • Primary Science Week returns this year from May 4th-May 10th. This year's theme "Catch that carbon!" will feature a live Q&A with a scientist (hosted by Science Alive and Science Learning Hub), resources, competetitions and prizes. Ask a Scientist takes place May 6th, 11:45am - 12:30pm (register here). The Science Learning Hub has also organised a webinar on the 23rd of April which explores carbon activities in primary classrooms.
    

• SCENZ

  • BioLive ChemEd details are now live.
    

I mōhio rānei koe? | Wider sentiments from the sector

• NZ Māori Council Challenges Curriculum Tiriti Scrub (Press Release: New Zealand Māori Council)

  
  

      SCIENCE CURRICULUM

• The Science Learning Kit has been updated to include Year 9 chemistry lesson and unit plans. Tāhurangi announcement here.
  

• I Am Brie Elliott (Facebook) has been covering Official Information Act releases related to the development of science kits as well as the science curriculum development process.

Reminders:

• Phase 5 of the science curriculum will be released in May-June. Bay Science will be organising a working group hui to collate Phase 5 feedback. Our Phase 1-4 feedback remains public here.

  
  

• Science Learning Kits from MoE are also available with the opportunity for feedback.
  

• Additional annual plans are now available (i.e not just Science).
  

• Curriculum and Assessment Roadshow for Leaders (register here)
  

      NCEA & ASSESSMENT

• Reminder: A new exemplar for Science Level 1 AS91920 (S1.1 Science Informed Response) has been published on the NZQA website.
  

  
  

      PIVOTAL PERSPECTIVES

Readings and talks which may be relevant to us; commentaries and research relevant to science education and curriculum reform.

• Māori shut out of curriculum decisions against ministry’s advice, tribunal hears (Hannah McCallum, Newsroom)
  

• A Reminder Of What Has Been Stolen From Teachers by Rebecca Thomas argues that recent education changes have stripped teachers of professional trust, autonomy, and voice, reducing their role to compliance with top-down policies.
  

• Beyond cultural responsiveness: The role of teachers in reimagining schools for Muslim learners by Leanne Chartrand, explains that culturally responsive teaching must move beyond token gestures and towards cultural competence, active advocacy and a critically conscious effort to decolonise systems.
  

• Integrating sustainability and climate change into chemistry education presents the findings of Royal Society of Chemistry research conducted in 2024–2025 with undergraduates, teachers and sector experts. It shows that while young people strongly value sustainability and climate change education and see chemistry as central to addressing these challenges, current chemistry curricula and assessments do not sufficiently emphasise or contextualise them.
  

From the wider science system:

• The OECD Critical Minerals Forum took place earlier this year on 28-29 April. The livestream is now available for view. The Conversation also has an article The race to mine critical minerals for AI and clean energy is creating ‘sacrifice zones’ that harm water and health of world’s poor.
  

• A catastrophic climate event is upon us. Here is why you’ve heard so little about it | George Monbiot

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What should be the primary purpose of Years 12–13 science education?

• 0%Prepare students for university study in science
• 0%Preparing scientifically literate citizens
• 0%Both pathways should be supported
• 0%Not sure

Findings from previous informal polls

• 56% of readers are not trialling or implementing the draft science curriculum, in Term 1 2026
  

• 88% of readers would like General Science to be a subject in Year 12 and 13
  

• 84% of readers have major concerns about the draft science learning area
  

• 69% of readers think that the pace of the science curriculum changes feels too fast 
  

• 94% of readers think that the Nature of Science should be explicitly taught in the science curriculum 
  

• 83% of readers do not think that draft science curriculum adequately prepares students for a world shaped by AI, climate change and global uncertainty.
  

• 67% of readers believe the science curriculum refresh process is not working well.
  

• 77% of readers believe the draft science curriculum provides very little opportunity for student agency and action.
  

• 80% of readers feel there is far too much content in the draft science curriculum. 13% say there is slightly too much.
  

• 85% of readers think that the science curriculum should teach students how science works, including how scientists and the wider science system operate
  

• 86% of readers would like Education for Sustainability to be a subject at Year 12 and Year 13.
  

• 91% of readers would like the Nature of Science remain a core component of Phase 5 (Years 11-13) of the science curriculum.

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Bay Science is a noticeboard for science education news and events across Aotearoa New Zealand, helping educators and community members across the country. If your organisation has a kaupapa, event, or opportunity to share with the science education community, we’d love to share it.