8 minute read
MƒAdventures
MƒAdventures
MƒAdventures are offsite events organized by MƒA teachers that allow teachers to explore shared interests. They are a great way to meet MƒA community members outside the MƒA office.
MƒAdventures
Bird Migration in Prospect Park
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Sabrina Miller
SATURDAY, OCT 1 OFFSITE SCIENCE
When we return to school this fall, millions of birds will be flying overhead on their journey back south. During this time, it’s not unusual to observe a few dozen species in a single day, especially at hotspots such as Prospect Park. We can observe birds in trees snatching insects, on the ground plucking worms, and soaring high above in search of prey. Join us in finding the songbirds and raptors that pass through our urban backyard. We will record our observations on eBird, a citizen science app designed by Cornell University and used by birders worldwide. We hope you will be inspired to include bird watching in your classroom practice. All levels of birding experience are welcome, and there will be spare binoculars if you need them!
Brooklyn Math Teacher Meetup
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Renu Budhraja
THURSDAY, OCT 6 OFFSITE MATHEMATICS
Are you interested in meeting and connecting with other MƒA mathematics teachers in Brooklyn to share some of the best classroom practices you have learned recently? If yes, come and join us at Numero 28, where we will order some food, share our best practices, and get to know each other. Please bring an artifact or idea you would like to share, and some cash for dinner. We look forward to connecting in-person!
A Day in the Zoo - The Real Zoo
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers Laryssa O’Brien and Cristina Rade, Ph.D.
SATURDAY, OCT 22 OFFSITE COMMUNITY + PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS WILL NEED TO COVER THE COST OF ADMISSION FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Are you interested in a day at the zoo with your family and MƒA colleagues? Join us for a fun day at The Central Park Zoo! Teachers will enjoy a guided tour followed by a picnic in the park. Children and family members are welcome and encouraged to join. Come share your enthusiasm for animals and connect with other MƒA teachers at one of the oldest zoos in the country.
Disc Golf Hangout
SUNDAY, OCT 2 OFFSITE COMMUNITY + PLEASE NOTE: OAK RIDGE PARK IS ACCESSIBLE BY CAR OR BY TAKING NJ TRANSIT.
Are you interested in playing disc golf? Join MƒA teachers at the Oak Ridge Park Disc Golf Course in Clark, NJ for a fun round of 18 holes. This course will allow teachers to enjoy a hike through a mostly flat town park while playing. Teachers should bring their own discs to play.
Elementary Teacher Fall Meetup
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers Sarah Leaman and Laurie Matthews
THURSDAY, SEP 29 OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Are you interested in meeting fellow MƒA elementary teachers? Join MƒA elementary teachers as we gather at Greenwood Park, a restaurant/pub in Brooklyn. We’ll share summer adventures, discuss our fall course selections, and reconnect with old friends while making new ones. Colleagues from your school are welcome and encouraged to join.
Hydroponic Farm Tour and Tasting
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers Grace Hu and Deborah Reich
TBD OFFSITE SCIENCE
Are you interested in exploring a fully functioning hydroponic farm inside of a school? Do you want to learn more about the science of hydroponics, experience hands-on farming activities, and make a snack with vegetables grown on the farm? If yes, join us for this MƒAdventure and explore the Dewitt Clinton High School campus hydroponic farm that produces fresh locally grown vegetables for the cafeteria and Bronx community, and hear from our partner organization, Teens for Food Justice.
Kids Got You Climbing the Walls?!
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Lisa Cover
FRIDAY, NOV 11 OFFSITE COMMUNITY + PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS WILL NEED TO COVER THE COST OF ADMISSION FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Are you the parent of a high-energy kid? Are you climbing the walls thinking about a way to spend Veteran’s Day with your family? Think no more! Join us as we climb ACTUAL walls at the Brooklyn Bouldering Project. Let’s build community while spending time with our families and networking with other MƒA teachers. Brooklyn Bouldering Project’s indoor rock-climbing gym encompasses bouldering, lead climbing, auto-belay, and top-roping. Come find your climbing passion while working in tandem with your children (recommended ages are 5-17). We hope you can join us!
MƒAdventures
MƒA Soccer Club
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Andy Nissinboim and MƒA Early Career Teacher Jesse John, Ph.D.
TBD OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Are you interested in some light exercise and a fun time with other MƒA teachers? Join us for a friendly pick-up game of soccer. The pandemic has sidelined many of our social activities and this will be a great way to start or continue being active. All futboleros are welcomed from beginners to experienced players. We will also discuss how you can create a soccer club at your school and strategize how to grow the MƒA soccer community.
Prospect Park Bike Ride
SUNDAY, OCT 16 OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Join us for a bike ride in Prospect Park and connect with other MƒA teachers! We will set our own pace and take three laps around the 3.3 mile Prospect Park loop. The ride will take about one hour, but teachers are welcome to peel off early, or to keep riding. Interested teachers are welcome to grab a bite to eat together after, as well. Please bring your own bike (rentals and CitiBikes are great, too). Helmets are strongly encouraged!
Science 101 at Caveat
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers Lauren Anderson and Brittany Beck
TBD OFFSITE SCIENCE + PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOOKING THEIR OWN TICKETS AND PURCHASING THEIR OWN BEVERAGES.
Are you interested in building connections, learning new science, making art, and enjoying interactive comedy with MƒA teachers from all levels and subjects? Join us as we attended “Science 101” at Caveat! Every second Friday of the month, a fictional science class happens within Caveat, a speakeasy in the Lower East Side. In this “class,” a science expert is interviewed by three comedians, and there are games, trivia, audience participation, and drawing competitions. Grab a ticket and join us as we sit in class to learn together!
Stained Glass Creations
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Scott Wassmuth
TUESDAY, OCT 11 OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Are you interested in how stained glass crafts are made? Do you want to make stained glass items for yourself or as a gift for someone else? Join us at NYC Museum School to learn a little about the history of stained glass and then hone your stained glass making skills. At the end of the session, you will know the basics of stained glass creation. We will also discuss further opportunities to design and create additional masterpieces. No previous artistic ability needed to create stained glass.
MƒAdventures
Star Party on Staten Island
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers David Deutsch, Alia Jackson, and Jay Lang
WEDNESDAY, NOV 30 OFFSITE SCIENCE + PLEASE NOTE: IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE RAIN DATE FOR THIS EVENT IS DECEMBER 1, 2022.
Are you interested in stargazing? Then spend an evening with us as we observe the night sky using telescopes and cell phone apps and experience other fun astronomyrelated activities! You’ll learn how to safely observe the Sun and explore some basic astrophotography and spectral analysis methods, all while gazing at the Manhattan skyline. The urban evening sky offers more than you may realize; we hope to observe the Moon, available planets, bright stars, and possibly even nebulae or galaxies. Part of the adventure will be riding the Staten Island Ferry, as our stargazing will take place at Curtis High School, just a short walk from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
Teachers, Take a Hike!
TBD OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Are you interested in hiking as a means to rejuvenate and reflect as a teacher? Previous hikes have been in the Hudson Valley and Palisades, and new suggestions are appreciated! Once you register, the group will be polled about available dates, ability levels, car pool needs, and location preferences/ideas. See you on the trail!
Ultimate Frisbee Hangout
WEDNESDAY, SEP 21 OFFSITE COMMUNITY
Do you enjoy tossing discs? Would you like to get active and spend time outdoors with other MƒA teachers? Even if this is your first time throwing a disc, come out to Dewitt Clinton Park for a casual game of Ultimate Frisbee. Ultimate is a non-contact team game of tossing a disc. Comfortable clothing and water bottles are encouraged!
Unlocking Nature’s Potential: A Visit to a Chinese Pharmacy
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teacher Erin RatzGuiñals and Meng-Ping Tu, Ph.D.
SATURDAY, OCT 22 OFFSITE SCIENCE
Are you interested in Chinese herbal medicine? Join us as we visit a Chinese pharmacy, explore how Chinese prescriptions are made, and speak to the practitioners about their experiences. Teachers will have the opportunity to ask questions, observe herbalists fill prescriptions, and peruse the pharmacy’s herbal remedies. Afterward, we will celebrate with dim sum in a nearby restaurant. This adventure is connected to the mini-course, Unlocking Nature’s Potential: Chinese Herbalism and Modern Medicine, but anyone interested in learning more about Chinese herbal medicine is welcome.
Using the American Natural History Museum for a Final Exam
Coordinated By: MƒA Master Teachers Jerry Citron and Stephen McClellan
TBD OFFSITE SCIENCE
Are you interested in creating fun and engaging final exam experiences for students using the American Museum of Natural History? Join us as we explore the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, Ross Hall of Meteorites, and the new Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals! We will develop learning opportunities and questions for museum-based exams for Earth Science, Environmental Science, and biology courses with a focus on prebiotic evolution, Earth history, and climate change.
