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June 2026

We’re almost halfway through the year, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the SASTA community! In this edition, you’ll find new professional learning opportunities, classroom-ready resources, student competitions, and upcoming events from across the science education community.



We're now calling for workshop presenters for the upcoming Early Career Teachers Conference, a great chance to share your ideas and support fellow educators! Marking & Moderation workshops are confirmed and now open for booking.



Plus, the latest edition of the Journal heads to the printer next week, so subscribers can keep an eye on their letterbox later this month.

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June Events

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May Blog Posts

SASTA Events Calendar

ConASTA 73 - Registrations Open!

Join science educators from across Australia at ConASTA 73, hosted in Brisbane from 7–10 July 2026. Under the theme Science in an Era of Rapid Change: Supporting Sustainability, this national conference will explore how science education can respond to a changing world through practical, future-focused teaching and learning.


Designed for K–12 teachers, STEM leaders and laboratory technicians, ConASTA 73 features hands-on workshops, keynote presentations, networking events, excursions and classroom-ready ideas from across the science education community. Held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and hosted by the Science Teachers Association of Queensland, ConASTA 73 is a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues, discover new approaches, and bring fresh ideas back to your school or organisation.

Register now: https://bit.ly/ConASTA73

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Professional Learning

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Early Career Teachers Conference

Call for Workshops open - Share your expertise


We’re now seeking presenters for our 2026 Early Career Teachers Conference, taking place on Friday 9 October. This one-day event is designed to support graduate and early career teachers to build confidence, strengthen classroom practice and connect with the wider science education community. If you have practical strategies, ideas or experiences to share, we’d love to hear from you and have you contribute to this supportive and engaging professional learning opportunity.

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Design & Deconstruct Workshop

This workshop is aimed at people who want to further their skills in setting, assessment and providing feedback on the D&D + practical report task. It also will cover the writing and marking of practical questions for tests and exams as well. There will be time to examine your own student work and participate in some cross-moderation and marking of work/drafts.

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MEMBERS FREE Webinar Series

  • Digital Tools to Engage the Modern Learner

  • Preparing Students for Online Exams

  • Ediacara in the Classroom: Bringing Fossils to Life

Full details available here. 

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7-10 Australian Curriculum Science Workshop: How can we design and assess differentiated tasks?

This session will only focus on Australian Curriculum 7-10 Science courses – these are so critical for making sure we are retaining students in Science in the senior years. It is essential that we equip students in these year levels with confidence and the skills needed to explain, analyse and be critical.

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Marking & Moderation Workshops

These workshops will provide an opportunity for teachers to discuss assessment and the application of the performance standards to samples of work, as well having invaluable professional input with their own student samples. An opportunity to readjust marking standards prior to final moderation.

  • Physics & Psychology - Monday 24 August

  • Biology - Monday 31 August

  • Chemistry & Nutrition - Friday 4 September

Oliphant Science Awards

New Sponsor Prizes for 2026

We’re excited to introduce a range of new sponsor awards for this year’s Oliphant Science Awards, recognising student excellence across a variety of fields. Consider how your students’ projects might align with these opportunities:

  • Australian Entomological Society Award for the most outstanding entry that demonstrates understanding of the biodiversity, biology, behaviour or ecology of insects and/or their allies

  • CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award for the most outstanding student entry in each category where the project directly addresses reducing greenhouse gas emissions

  • Robinson Aerospace Prize for Student Projects in Space Science and Technology for the most outstanding student projects demonstrating creativity, innovation, and the application of engineering or design principles in space technology

  • Soil Science Australia – SA Branch Prize for the most outstanding entry that demonstrates understanding of soil science, land management, sustainable agriculture, or terrestrial ecosystem processes

  • Plus Ultra Maritime, sponsoring the Programming, Apps and Robotics category

It’s a great opportunity for students to be recognised by leading organisations while pursuing areas of genuine scientific interest. Find out more. 

Resources

For all resources available from SASTA visit the website.

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SASTA Study Guides

SASTA Study Guides are the complete resource for students preparing for Stage 2 SACE exams. These guides include questions with worked solutions covering each topic of the Subject Outline and address all sections of the exam. Order online now. 

Stage 1 & 2 Topic Tests & Exams

New editions of SASTA’s Stage 1 & 2 Trial Exams and Topic Tests are now available! Psychology now available. (Nutrition coming in July) Developed by experienced educators and aligned with the SACE curriculum, these editable resources cover science understanding, inquiry skills, and science as a human endeavour. Trial Exams provide authentic assessment preparation, while Topic Tests support learning and track progress throughout the year. Bundle both to save and have everything ready to go from day one.

Contributions from the science community

Teacher Scholarships Available – GeoSciEdX 2026

Adelaide will host GeoSciEdX, a three-day international conference for geoscience educators, from 14–16 August 2026. The conference will bring together educators, researchers and industry representatives through excursions, workshops and roundtable discussions focused on addressing declining student engagement and enrolments in geoscience.


Teacher scholarships are available to support attendance, providing an opportunity for educators to connect with international experts and explore contemporary approaches to geoscience education. Scholarship applications close 15 June 2026. More information is available here.

They did what? Student Video Competition 2026

The They did what? Student Video Competition is back, inviting students to uncover and celebrate the stories of Australia’s unsung STEM stars. Students are encouraged to create a short video highlighting an inspiring Australian making a difference in STEM, either locally or overseas. The competition promotes creativity, curiosity and storytelling, while helping students explore real-world STEM careers and contributions. Free classroom resources are available to support participation, making it an engaging activity for classrooms across Australia. Entries close: 16 October 2026. Find out more here.

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Premier's Reading Challenge - STEM Reading and Design Competition

The 2026 STEM Reading and Design Competition is now open to R–12 students and will run throughout Term 2. Delivered by the Premier’s Reading Challenge in partnership with key organisations, the competition invites students to explore STEM, Nature in South Australia, Space, and Renewable Energy through reading and creative design. Since its launch in 2016, the competition has grown significantly, with over 3,000 entries received last year alone. To enter, students read a themed book and create a response inspired by their learning. Entries close Friday 19 June 2026. Find out more here. 

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2026 International Chemistry Quiz

The Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ) is now open for registrations. Open to primary and secondary students worldwide, the ICQ is a fun and engaging way to challenge students’ chemistry knowledge and problem-solving skills through a supervised 60-minute online quiz. Questions are tailored to year levels and aligned with curriculum expectations, making the competition accessible for a wide range of learners. Participating students receive a certificate, with high-achieving students eligible for awards and prizes. The quiz will be held from 27 July to 7 August 2026, with registrations closing 24 July 2026. Find out more here.

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Applications Open – NYSF Year 12 Program

Applications are now open for the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) Year 12 Program. Teachers are encouraged to share this opportunity with current Year 11 students who are interested in STEM and exploring future study and career pathways.

Participants attend residential sessions in January, where they visit leading STEM facilities, meet researchers and industry professionals, and connect with like-minded peers from across Australia. Financial support options are available to help students participate.

For more information, including program dates and application details, visit the NYSF website: nysf.edu.au/year-12-program

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National Science Week Booklet

The 2026 National Science Week Schools Resource Book is now available, supporting this year’s theme, “Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all”. Aligned with the United Nations International Year of Women Farmers and Rangelands and Pastoralists, the resource explores how agricultural practices have evolved to support food security, while highlighting the importance of growing scientific understanding in every classroom. Packed with hands-on activities, experiments, and curriculum-aligned lesson ideas, it’s a valuable tool to inspire curiosity and engagement in STEM. Download your copy here. 

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Great Southern Reef Foundation – Marine Science Educational Resources

The Great Southern Reef Foundation has released a suite of free, curriculum-aligned marine science resources for Foundation to Year 12, developed around the documentary White Rock. Available through ClickView, the film explores the rapid expansion of longspined sea urchins and the decline of Australia’s kelp forests, while highlighting nature-positive responses from scientists, Traditional Owners, fishers and industry groups. The accompanying resources include lesson plans, interactive student courses, data analysis activities and cross-curriculum links, helping teachers bring contemporary marine science into the classroom in an engaging and practical way. Find out more here.

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2026 Australian Science
Olympiad Exams

Run the exams right from your school. Students can participate in one or more of the four disciplines.


In 2026, our Physics Exam will be delivered in a pen-and-paper format, while the Biology, Earth & Environmental Science, and Chemistry Exams will be conducted on the same trusted online platform used for the Big Science Competition - an integrated system we have utilised successfully for more than ten years.


Register your students today to give them an opportunity to be selected for the ASO Program, and potentially go on to represent Australia. Details here: https://asi.edu.au/program/australian-science-olympiads/

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First Nations’ Histories and Cultures in Mathematics & STEM

30 June | 8:45am–3:30pm


Join the South Australian Museum and CSER Maths in Schools for this full-day workshop exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in Mathematics and STEM. Designed for R–10 teachers, the day includes a guided gallery tour, hands-on Deadly Science Fish Traps activity, and connections to digital tools including VR and AR. Participants will receive lesson plans and resources to support curriculum planning. Find out more here. 

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Research Survey – Junior Secondary Science Assessment Practices

Science teachers working with Years 7–10 are invited to participate in a Queensland University of Technology research project exploring teacher perceptions of assessment practices in junior secondary science across Australian schools.


The anonymous online survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and aims to build a clearer understanding of current teaching, learning and assessment practices in science classrooms. Researchers are seeking broad participation from science teachers across a range of school contexts to help inform future research and practice in science education. Participation is voluntary, with responses reported only in aggregated form. Find out more here.

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