SA Science Teachers Association

🎉Congratulations to Sai Lakshmi Laguduvan Athmaraman from Whyalla Secondary on being the recipient of the 2026 Helen Castle Memorial Scholarship.

Presented at the SASTA Annual Conference by the 2025 SA Scientist of the Year, Professor Kishan Dholakia, this scholarship honours the legacy of Helen Castle by supporting country teachers to access high-quality professional learning.

We're proud to celebrate and support educators making a difference in country science classrooms.

Share your science story with SASTA in 2026!

We're looking for passionate educators, students, and science enthusiasts to contribute to the SASTA blog. Whether it's a classroom idea, a student project, or a story worth telling - we want to hear from you!

2026 Monthly Themes:
July – Science with Purpose
August – Creating Curiosity
September – Connected Thinking
October – Educators in Action
November – Showcasing Science

Have something to share? Get in touch at [email protected] and inspire others in your science community!

How can we design and assess differentiated tasks that actually work in today's classrooms?

Join Jason Greenslade for a practical session exploring rubrics, differentiated assessment, scientific reports, and moderation in AC 7–10 Science.

📅 Friday 28 August
📍 Education Development Centre

Bring your own tasks and student work to collaborate, refine, and build confidence in your assessment practice.

👉 Register now https://bit.ly/3U2WO7Q

📢 ASTA has released a new position paper exploring future directions for science education in Australia.

Strengthening Australia's Sovereign Science Capability Through Genuine Education Reform examines senior secondary science participation, STEM workforce challenges, assessment structures, and the role schools play in building Australia's future science capability.

🔗 Read the full paper: https://bit.ly/4fqFF4v

Last week, as part of National Volunteer Week, we were proud to celebrate several incredible members of our science community at the Educators SA Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.

A huge congratulations and thank you to:
• Miriam Doull – 3+ years of volunteer service
• Claire Hughes – 3+ years of volunteer service
• Jarrod Johnson – 5+ years of volunteer service
• Dina Matheson – 5+ years of volunteer service

SASTA simply could not do what we do without the generosity, expertise and time contributed by our volunteers. From supporting events and professional learning to contributing behind the scenes, our volunteers play an important role in strengthening our science education community.

We are so grateful for everything you do and love being able to recognise and celebrate the impact of our volunteers. Thank you for being part of SASTA – Your Science Community.

Bring some of Earth's earliest life into your classroom.

Join this free member webinar to explore the fascinating world of Ediacaran fossils from South Australia's Flinders Ranges. Discover classroom-ready resources, from hands-on fossil simulations to interactive timelines and place-based learning linked to Nilpena Ediacara National Park.

Created by SA educators, for SA classrooms — with practical ideas you can use straight away.

📅 Wednesday 17 June
⏰ 4.00–5.00pm
💻 Online

Register today! 🔗https://bit.ly/SASTAWebinarSeries

Students in the Phage Hunters elective didn't just learn about microbiology — they isolated novel bacteriophages, worked with university researchers, explored bioinformatics, and presented their findings at conference level. 🔬

A powerful example of authentic, inquiry-based science learning connected to real-world research.

Read more in our latest blog: https://bit.ly/4dDsj20

Need fresh opportunities to get your students excited about science? Check out the newest additions to the Student Competitions & Awards section of the Schools Hub.

🔗https://bit.ly/3HD1tve

🎨 Calling all young artists! Entries are now open for the 2026 Mary Anning Art Prize 🦴

Born this day, Mary Anning changed how we understand prehistoric life - now it's your students' turn to explore it through art.

Students from Reception to Year 8 are invited to create an original artwork showcasing prehistoric life in South Australia.

It's time to get creative and bring ancient worlds to life!

Find all the details and how to enter on the SASTA website 🔗https://bit.ly/MaryAnningArtPrize