Single Session Workshops

Viete’s Formulas: Quadratics, Cubics, and Beyond Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Priscilla Won and Malgorzata Zareba

MONDAY, FEB 27

ONLINE  MATHEMATICS

How can we extract information about a polynomial’s roots without knowing their numerical value? In this workshop, we will explore applications of Viete’s formulas, collaboratively tackle problems, and delve into the quadratic case, the cubic case, and beyond. We will also discuss Francois Viete, the French mathematician, and the history behind his famous formulas. Teachers will leave with a better understanding of Viete’s formulas and how to create problems inspiring curiosity in our students. This workshop is an introduction to Viete’s Formulas and is best for those with little to no experience.

Priscilla Won and Malgorzata Zareba are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at The Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx.

Where Does Gasoline Go?: Climate Change, Climate Anxiety, and Climate Action

Facilitator: Don Haas, Ph.D.

WEDNESDAY, APR 19

ONLINE  SCIENCE

Did you know a gallon of gasoline weighs about six pounds? A vehicle burning just ten gallons per week results in sixty pounds of gasoline seemingly disappearing from the tank. But where exactly does it all go? In 2021, Americans burned 369 million gallons of gasoline per day—more than a gallon per person. Such large numbers can be difficult to comprehend, but a deeper understanding of scale can help us better grapple with our use, our environmental impact, and ultimately how to meet our civic responsibilities. In this workshop, we will explore the story of a gallon of gasoline, a gripping tale that will inspire you to rethink gasoline use and deepen your understanding of climate change science. We’ll begin by reviewing the basic science behind climate change and discuss the causes behind climate anxiety. Then we’ll dive into scale, highlight the challenges of teaching this concept, and finally share concrete strategies for overcoming these difficulties. Teachers will leave ready to act and with a toolbox of ready-to-use resources for middle and high school STEM classrooms.

Dr. Don Haas is the Director of Teacher Programming at the Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth and Cayuga Nature Center in Ithaca, NY. He is a nationally regarded expert in climate and energy education, place-based and technology-rich Earth and environmental science education, and is a past president of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. He is co-author of the books, The Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change and The Science Beneath the Surface: A Very Short Guide to the Marcellus Shale. He is committed to helping others thrive in their teaching and learning, especially as related to climate and energy. And… he wants you to talk more about fire.

Wild About Worms!

Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Rebecca Haverstick TUESDAY, MAY 2 MƒA  SCIENCE

Did you know every bit of soil on the planet has passed through the body of an earthworm at least once? Worms are nature’s recyclers. As they eat their way through dirt, they transform decaying matter into fertile soil. Join us in this workshop to learn more about worms, how to acquire and care for them in the classroom, and the myriad ways to integrate a colony of red wiggler worms into your curriculum. First, we’ll discuss how worms can be a valuable tool to engage your students, then we’ll conduct a few simple investigations with live worms to guide us in planning student-driven investigations, and finally we’ll share how students can raise classroom worms with fruit and vegetable scraps from the school cafeteria. All teachers will leave with their own colony of worms and a habitat to house them. Science teachers of all grades are welcome.

Rebecca Haverstick is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Battery Park City School in Manhattan.

Writing in Math Class: How Writing Prompts Deepen Mathematical Thinking

Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Diane Thole TUESDAY, MAY 30 MƒA  MATHEMATICS

Join us as we develop and incorporate writing prompts for everyday use in our mathematics classrooms. By transforming an ordinary question into an openended writing prompt, teachers can spark student conversations while reinforcing mathematics vocabulary, foundational skills, and reasoning abilities. Writing prompts are also a great formative assessment tool that gives students a routine to self-assess their learning in a low-stakes fashion. Together, we will explore example writing prompts, modify existing curricular materials, and investigate student selfassessment and peer assessment. This workshop is open to middle and high school mathematics teachers.

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

Affinity Groups

Affinity Groups

Affinity Groups are a series of workshops in which teachers with shared identities grapple with how their particular identities intersect and inform their role as STEM educators, their classroom practice, and their engagement with the broader MƒA community.