Guidelines
The Bayer Primary School Science Fund is sponsored by Bayer and administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand.
This fund is to give primary schools the opportunity to apply for funding required to teach and enhance both environmental science and ‘nature of science’ activities.
A primary school can request a maximum sum of up to $2,000 to help fund activities. A school that has been successful in being funded may only apply for funding once every three years.
It is important to note that what you request must directly benefit your teaching of science ‘nature of science’ and environmental science teaching.
Examples of the sorts of activities that could be funded are listed below but schools can put forward other ideas that benefit their environmental or ‘nature of science’ teaching.
- Science equipment that can be used for teaching a programme of work that has a Nature of Science or environmental science focus e.g. solar energy or electrical energy, stream monitoring, weather and climate or any other unit of work involving the environment.
- Supporting an existing or new teaching and learning programme such as a sustainable vegetable garden; riparian planting, butterfly garden. (A one page outline of this programme must be submitted with the application form)
- Science equipment for activities that include identifying, exploring, testing, making things in the ‘Living World’ – Science Curriculum, specifically in the areas of life processes, ecology and evolution.
- Books that support an already existing or new teaching and learning programme.
Some examples of things that have been funded are:
- Small gardening equipment items; Stream Health Monitoring Kits; Native Trees and plants to enhance an existing learning and teaching programme; Microscopes; small science equipment items; planting kits; weather station kits; worm farm equipment; books to support an existing learning and teaching programme e.g. climate change.
This fund will not cover items for:
Property Development i.e.
- cement/concrete/gravel for paths or retaining walls; contractors or labour
- resource consent
- signage
Hire of Equipment i.e.
- skips; wheelie bins; earthmoving equipment etc
School Visits i.e.
- Entry fees; transport; education contractors
Garden equipment or (capital items) i.e.
- Lawnmowers, wood-chippers; science trolleys; wind turbines
Application Process
- There will be two funding rounds per year the first being in April and the second funding round taking place in November.
- A selection panel will consider applications.
- Requests for up to $2000 maximum will be considered and a school can apply only once every three years.
- A detailed budget must be submitted with the application for funding. This must include approximate costs of items that need to be purchased.
Evaluation and reporting
A requirement of funding is that the school sends a brief report on the activities that have been able to be undertaken in the classroom as a consequence of purchasing equipment.
- Progress report required by 15 August.
- Final report required by 5 November.
- A representative from your school may be asked to present at the 2013 Primary Science Week and Primary Science Conference about your Bayer Primary School Science Award.
The application form must be completed and received by 27 April 2012. Please send to Debbie.Woodhall@royalsociety.org.nz or post to Debbie Woodhall, Royal Society of New Zealand, PO Box 598, Wellington.
Bayer Primary School Science Award Application Form
(Word, 88 kB)
