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National Science Week

 



School theme 2021 

Food:  Different By Design

In exciting news, Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), is pleased to confirm that in 2021, the National Science Week theme and title will be Food: Different by Design.

Each year, ASTA considers the United Nations “International Year Of…” when exploring potential themes, and 2021 provides us with both the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

In keeping with these UN topics, Food: Different by Design covers a broad range of areas in food production and sustainable agriculture, enabling students to explore topics such as biosecurity, food technology, laboratory-developed foods, etc…  Naturally, scientific development will be at the core of the theme, with other potential “hands-on” research and development projects for students to explore.  

ASTA CEO, Shenal Basnayake stated that “Food: Different By Design is a timely theme given Australia’s significant investment in scientific research, contributing internationally to the sustainability of food and agriculture systems”.  

ASTA welcomes interest from our diverse agricultural sectors as contributors to what will be an exciting and informative National Science Week in 2021.

The 2021 Resource Book of Ideas for National Science Week will offer teachers and students the opportunity to investigate a diverse range of topics about food and agriculture within a sustainability framework.  Keep an eye out on this page for further details.

 

 

What is National Science Week?

National Science Week is an annual festival of science that takes place in August each year. This celebration aims to raise the profile and increase the public understanding and public appreciation of science, innovation, engineering and technology, and their role in maintaining and improving our society, economy and environment.

In schools around the nation, thousands of teachers and students from early childhood to senior secondary levels contribute to National Science Week celebrations by organising and participating in a diverse range of activities and events.

It provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists’ to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to become fascinated by the world we live in.

 

How do SCHOOLS get involved?

Apply for a school grant.  The grants are designed to support teachers and schools deliver engaging STEM events and activities that align with the National Science Week vision. They are intended to be a contribution to the running of a National Science Week activity or event in a school not the sole means of support. Applications for next year will open in early 2021.

Go to a National Science Week event. Approximately 1000 events take place around Australia during National Science Week each year, including those delivered by universities, schools, museums and science centres.

These events attract a wide audience from children to adults, and science amateurs to professionals. Over one million people participate in science events across the nation, with another 160 000 taking part in school activities.

Use the ASTA teacher resource book. For National Science Week each year, ASTA produces a teacher resource book to help support and assist teachers in providing engaging science activities for their students. The book is based, each year, on the National Science Week school theme chosen for that year and is always packed with information, classroom activities, experiments, diagrams, photographs and websites.
Since 2011, ASTA has provided the teacher resource books as web-based digital books. Titles include: React to Chemistry, Energy Evolution, A Century of Australian Science and Food for our future: Science feeding the world. These are available free of charge from the National Science Week Books and Resources link below. Some past resource books are also provided electronically, but hard copies can be purchased from the ASTA office.

For the latest information visit the National Science week website and sign up to the newsletter for updates and follow on Twitter and Facebook

 

Further Information