Single Session Workshops

practices and model potential solutions with students. Throughout the workshop, there will be opportunities to share our thoughts on what we have read and observed, reflect on proposed ideas, and generate new strategies for addressing such an unresolved problem in STEM. This workshop is best suited for teachers who incorporate data collection into their classes, whether as part of a high school statistics course, a unit on statistics in a middle school mathematics curriculum, or a peerto-peer data-collection science activity.

Susie Kang is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Essex Street Academy in Manhattan.

Akil Wilson is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at School of the Future High School in Manhattan.

Glued Into Science: Sustainable Polymers

Facilitators: Brett Fors, Ph.D., Jesse Hsu, and Mark Walsh

TUESDAY, MAY 9 ONLINE  SCIENCE

With more plastic generated than ever before, and very little of it being recycled, there is a tremendous need for sustainable polymers—polymers that meet the demand for plastic but do so without long-term damage to our environment. Researchers at Cornell University are currently working to transform how plastics are made, unmade, and remade through innovative research. In this workshop, members of the Fors lab at Cornell University will share some of their work on developing sustainable polymers. Following the presentation, teachers will explore a hands-on activity to create their own non-toxic polymers and use them, along with other household plastics, to test for material properties. We will conclude by discussing how plastics are classified for recycling and the inherent problems of these classifications. This course is best suited for chemistry teachers but all middle and high school STEM teachers are welcome.

Dr. Brett Fors is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Montana State University and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the development of new synthetic methods and catalyst systems to control polymer architecture, composition, and function.

Jesse Hsu is a 4th-year graduate student in the Fors research group. He received dual bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and physics from Ithaca College. At Cornell University, Jesse is interested in finding ways to make and use polymers for sustainability—both by degrading and chemically repurposing existing plastics and by synthesizing new plastics that are important for clean energy devices. In this role, he is passionate about communicating with the public about polymers and sustainability.

Mark Walsh is the outreach programs coordinator for the Cornell Center for Materials Research. He coordinates outreach with graduate students and professors, developing hands-on kits and bringing STEM to the wider community. He received his bachelor’s in Biology from Hartwick College and taught middle and high school science for 20 years in New York City, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia.

Going Gradeless in Your STEM Classroom

Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Shannon Guglielmo and Melissa Rodriguez

MONDAY, JUN 5 ONLINE  INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP

What if we told you “going gradeless” could increase student agency, advocacy, and deep learning? Join us to make a plan around your grading practices for the 2023-2024 school year that will shift both your grading practices and your students’ learning! First, we’ll look at research from big names like Alfie Kohn as well as other STEM practitioners about why the practice of “ungrading” is both backed by research and empowering for students. Then, we’ll talk through the “going gradeless” approach in our own classrooms and common areas for troubleshooting. This course is ideal if you are ready to “go gradeless” but need some resources to do it in your own classroom.

Shannon Guglielmo is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Landmark High School in Manhattan.

Melissa Rodriguez is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Central Park East High School in Manhattan.

HackMƒA

Facilitators: MƒA Master Teacher Marieke Thomas and MƒA Early Career Teacher Elissa Levy

THURSDAY, MAY 25 MƒA  COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Are you looking for a chance to use your programming skills to build something useful, fun, or meaningful? In this hackathon workshop, teachers will work in groups to plan and execute an original coding project matching their skills and interests. Teachers will share expertise, learn from each other while making something meaningful to them, and showcase their projects at the session’s end. This workshop is best for computer science teachers or those who know the basics of any coding language. We will organize groups by coding language preference. Take the leap and join us—you may code a mess or a gem, but it’ll be a blast either way.

Marieke Thomas is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at The Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx.

Elissa Levy is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at Hunter College High School in Manhattan.

Health Inequities: Analysis and Ethics p

Facilitators: Jacob Appel, M.D., and MƒA Master Teacher Deame Hua

WEDNESDAY, MAR 15 ONLINE  SCIENCE

Why are infant mortality rates drastically different across NYC communities? What is the relationship between high school completion and long-term disability risk? Health inequities and differential healthcare access have risen to the forefront of public health. Join us in this workshop to explore the root causes of health inequity and discuss the ethical questions surrounding it. We will examine healthcare access and treatment, resource allocation, and priority setting. Teachers will collaborate to analyze a case study, consider current data, and explore all topics from a scientific and ethical lens. This workshop is best suited for any middle or high school science teacher interested in learning more about health