Slice of the Pi
March Edition
Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens.
The sleeper must awaken.
Frank Herbert
And We March On...
There is a 63 degree day in the forecast for next week!! With the spring comes thoughts of next year. I have had many conversations with teachers about what new "pandemic" materials from Bridges will be available to us again next year. Great news-we will have access to all of these materials beyond the 2020-21 school year.
- Assessment Screeners
- Digital Work Places
- Technology-Enhanced Activities (TEAs)
- Digital Scavenger Hunts
- Math at Home
- Bridges Writeable PDFs (You can post right to Google Classroom now- and after students write on the virtual paper you can give feedback!)
Math Learning Center also intends to release the revised Guidance Documents for 2021-22 by May so we have time to plan for next year. Students should have access to grade-level content and engagement with the major work of that grade. The updated documents will help you assess and address areas of need as they arise within the grade-level scope and sequence, rather than devoting instructional time to teaching previous grades’ content at the beginning of the year. Their guidance is based on recommendations from The New Teacher Project’s Learning Acceleration Guide, which is a message consistent with that of the beliefs in Region 15.
March is also Woman in History month! Consider highlighting some women in STEM in your read alouds or use the link above to highlight famous women in math.
As if you needed a reason to eat sweets- Pi Day is March 14th! Here are some activities you might like to use to celebrate the day- and some more from NCTM!
What's Going On in This Graph?
Carefully study the graph below.
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What impact does this have on you and your community?
What’s going on in this graph? Write a catchy headline that captures the graph’s main idea.
Has this sparked your interest? Watch this webinar on How to Teach Graphs with the New York Times and/or reach out to collaborate!
“Always be thinking about humanity as that fundamental foundation
that allows us to connect heart-to-heart.”
Jill Harrison Berg
Dismantle Racism in the Math Classroom
How can we dismantle racism in our classrooms? Join the conversation on March 10th. Although the event description sounds geared towards middle school, I think there could still be some great takeaways for all of us! Bonus- if you can't attend that night (I too have a conflict) they will send you the recording.
Rachel Ruffalo and Dr. Kristopher Childs will lead a conversation around what it looks like to dismantle racism in Mathematics education at a systemic level. The event will highlight A Pathway for Equitable Math Instruction which provides resources and guidance for supporting Black, LatinX, and Multilingual students to thrive in grades 6-8. Together they’ll discuss the Math Equity Toolkits’ strides for individual and collective movement towards anti-racist education. Wherever you are in your journey, we welcome you to join us for thoughtful dialogue that challenges norms that have led to inequitable experiences for students across the country. There will be time towards the end for questions and answers, so come ready!
Click here to sign up for the STEM Panel below.
"We have such a long way to go," sighed the boy.
"Yes, but look how far we've come," said the horse.
Charlie Mackesy
Dear Family,
Miss a previous issue?
February 20-21: Slice of the Pi
January 20-21: Slice of the Pi
December 20-21: Slice of the Pi
November 20-21: Slice of the Pi
October 20-21: Slice of the Pi
September 20-21: Slice of the Pi
Questions? Comments? Curiosities?
Email: asmith@region15.org
Phone: 203-947-3446
Twitter: @anniesmith821