Monday July 11 & Tuesday 12
9:00AM - 3:30 PM, Location TBA
Number Sense: Fractions
The Western Region of the New York State Master Teacher Program is pleased to offer our sequence of minicourses that focus on the big ideas, strategies, and models as described in the mathematical landscapes of learning framework.1 The framework is built on the premise that a student's mathematical thinking develops in a multitude of ways beginning with contexts or concrete tasks followed by pictorial representations and culminating in abstract perspectives. Exploration of NYS Next Generation Standard strands across the grade levels will provide opportunities for participants to share their grade level expertise and to enhance their understanding of the coherent development of fractional reasoning along the 1 – 8 spectrum. Each participant will receive a CTLE certificate for 12 hours of professional learning. Participants will also receive a set of six dry-erase boards (24x32) for small group work presentations.
New participants are welcome! Those that have participated in Landscapes I & II will see the work as building on previous ideas as we explore the changes to traditional instruction on fractions that are central to in the NYS Next Generation standards. Specifically, we will explore the concept of fractions as measures, unit fractions as building blocks for fractions and whole numbers through the processes of partitioning and iterating, and the conceptual underpinnings of fraction arithmetic. We will also examine how models such as number bonds, ratio tables, bar models, area models, and number lines naturally extend from whole numbers to fractions.
Click here to access flyer.
Click here to register for the minicourse.
Monday Aug. 8- Tuesday Aug. 9 Wednesday, Aug. 10- Thursday, Aug. 11,
9:00am – 12:00pm 9:00am – 12:00pm
SUNY Buffalo State, SAMC SUNY Buffalo State, SAMC
The Master Teacher Program and the Buffalo State Physics department are partnering together to offer Advanced Physics Lab workshops for physics teachers. Physics teachers will do an advanced lab using some of the new equipment that Buffalo State has in their new science building. Instruction will include a prelab review of some physics, conducting the experiment, and post lab analysis of data. There will be two different sessions, and each lab will be completed over two mornings. Teachers can participate in both or just one of the lab sessions.
Dr. Ram Rai and Dr. Michael DeMarco, SUNY Buffalo State, will be the lab facilitators.
Click here to access flyer.
Click here to register for the workshop.
"Our new online course is designed to help anyone teach – and learn – with a 21st century approach to knowledge and teaching. Lesson 1 of the course shares important evidence we now have about the working of the brain, that is meaningful for all subjects and ages – and lives. We then move to thinking together about the data filled world in which we live, to prepare students for their future in a world of data.
The aim of a data science approach is not to add new standards or content to your teaching, it is about interacting with your content in a data science way – that is fun, interesting and creative. In the course you will experience lessons that you can take and use with your students, and you will see lots of classroom and lesson examples. Whether you are a kindergarten teacher, a high school history or maths teacher, an administrator or parent, or someone just curious about data science, there will be ideas for you.
The course is completely online and self-paced, so you can take it on your own time. It is being released in two versions, with the same content: one version is free, and one version provides 2 Continuing Education Units, verified by a certificate, at a special introductory price. We recommend the certificate for those who would like credit from their school district or school for the time it takes to complete the course and learn the new ideas. The course is taught by Jo Boaler and others on the youcubed team, and is taught through a pedagogy of active engagement. We encourage you to take it with friends and colleagues!" -Youcubed PD Webpage
Click here to view the website and register.
NYSSLS Science Content Minicourses for P-8 Teachers and Administrators
Energy & Ecosystems
Grades K, 2, 5, and MS: LS2
SUNY Buffalo State
*CANCELLED*
Energy absorption and conversion are at the heart of most interactions within an ecosystem. Most people know that energy comes from food, but where does the food/energy come from? How does food get converted to energy so that living things can stay alive? We will explore these questions and see what happens to the actual food molecules during this conversion process and learn how energy and matter move through an ecosystem. [Note: Not intended for Life Science certified teachers]
NYSSLS Science Content Minicourses for P-8 Teachers and Administrators
Light & Vision
Grades 1, 4, and MS: LS4
SUNY Buffalo State
*CANCELLED*
How do we “see” things? We will learn about the nature of light and how our eyes work with our brain so we can see. Teachers will complete activities that lead to understanding of fundamental ideas in light, shadows, images, color and vision. [Note: Not intended for Physics certified teachers]
Science Content Minicourses: NYSSLS Implementation for P-8 Teachers and Administrators
NYSSLS Storyline: Heredity (NYSSLS LS4 Grades 2, 3, MS)
SUNY Buffalo State- Lisa Brosnick
New York State Master Teacher Program in partnership with the Western Section of the Science Teachers Association of NYS are offering NYSSLS minicourses. Please join us in this professional development in preparation for the Next Generation of NYS Science Learning Standards. In this course you will explore the science ideas of heredity and variation using a storyline that is aligned with the NYSSLS Standards. Participants will learn about patterns of inheritance and the molecular basis of inheritance; make observations to provide evidence to explain why offspring look similar to but not identical to their parents; and develop a scientific argument to defend their claim. After completion of the storyline, participants will make connections to their own classroom by identifying key pedagogical strategies and methods of making student thinking [Note: Not intended for Life Science certified teachers]
Science Content Minicourses: NYSSLS Implementation for P-8 Teachers and Administrators
NYSSLS Storyline: Energy & Electricity (NYSSLS PS2 Grades k, 3, 4, MS)
SUNY Buffalo State- Brad Gearhart
The New York State Master Teacher Program in partnership with the Western Section of the Science Teachers Association of NYS are offering NYSSLS minicourses. Please join us in this professional development in preparation for the Next Generation of NYS Science Learning Standards. In this course you will explore the science ideas of electricity and energy using a storyline that is aligned with the NYSSLS Standards. You will learn about electric circuits and how energy is transformed. You will make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. The science practice of arguing from evidence will be foremost as you defend your ideas about electric current based on evidence. [Note: Not intended for Physics certified teachers]
Landscapes of Learning Mathematics: Landscapes II
SUNY Buffalo State- Nirmala Nutakki, Darlene Rombola, David Wilson
Number Sense: Multiplication & Division
Extending the discussion from Landscapes I, this minicourse will look at the big ideas relating to number sense development with a focus on multiplication and division and the associated big ideas, strategies, and models. Discussions will include use of open array and area models for developing pictorial representations across the grade levels, as well as number talks, number strings, and other contexts for thinking about multiplication and division. Partitive and measurement models for division will be developed and extended from whole numbers to fractions. We will share classroom practices that foster students’ growth across the Number Landscape and take advantage of the range of grade level perspectives that will be represented. The content in Landscapes II will be the basis for development of ideas central to the focus of Landscapes III & IV coming in May and July of 2022.
GLOBE Carbon Cycle Workshop
Dr. Michael Jabot, SUNY Fredonia
The GLOBE Carbon Cycle Project is one of the four Earth System Science Projects (ESSPs) funded by NASA and the NSF to develop hands-on, science-based activities for intermediate and secondary school students in the GLOBE Program.
This full-day session will address ways that we can help students understand the Carbon Cycle as well as the ways that the Carbon Cycle is deeply integrated across Earth Systems. The morning portion of our day will focus on systems thinking as well as quantitative thinking around the Carbon Cycle using classroom activities as well as the use of remotely sensed data. The afternoon session will be in the field modeling how students can collect data around measures of carbon storage.
NYSSLS Workshop: Invigorating Science Instruction with the NYS Science Learning Standards
SUNY Buffalo State- Lisa Brosnick & Alayla Ende
New York is embarking on great change in science education! The SUNY Buffalo State Master Teacher Program is providing workshops for teachers and administrators to prepare for the new science standards.
Moving from awareness towards implementation of the NYS P-12 SLS requires a knowledge of 3D instruction as well as how the standards can be assessed both formatively and summatively. Teachers need to be able to unpack assessments in order to build cohesive 3-D lessons with fidelity to the science standards.
This workshop is designed to allow participants to explore best practices for 3D instruction, and increase familiarity with instructional and assessment resources.
Computational Thinking: Introductory Computer Science for P-8 Teachers and Administrators
SUNY Buffalo State- Christina O'Malley
This 12 hour mini course will eliminate any fears of not knowing where to start with coding! We will start with the basics of how to think like a computer and first solve puzzles that are fun and challenging without a computer in order to recognize how we, as humans, naturally go through the process of computational thinking; observing patterns, trends, and regularities in data (decomposition), identifying the general principles that generate these patterns (abstraction), develop step by step instructions (algorithm), and devise tests for finding and fixing errors (debug).
The learning experiences are designed to teach the teacher about coding and are appropriate to be easily modified for students of any grade K-8. We will address many of the new NYS Computer Science and Digital Literacy Standards’ concept areas. We will look at how to implement NYSSLS engineering standards through design challenges. Finally, we will learn and practice the basics of block based coding through code.org and pull it all together with a fun, hands-on, and creative make and take with Makey-Makey.
Landscapes of Learning Mathematics: Landscapes I
SUNY Buffalo State- Nirmala Nutakki, Darlene Rombola, David Wilson
Number Sense, Addition and Subtraction
From counting and cardinality through place value, this minicourse will look at the big ideas relating to number, addition & subtraction from whole numbers to fractions, the strategies students utilize in developing those big ideas, and models that promote concrete understanding. Our discussions will focus on sharing classroom practices that foster students’ growth across the landscape and take advantage of the range of grade level perspectives that will be represented. Number talks, number strings, tape diagrams, tools for thinking including the rekenrek and Digi-Blocks, all will be an integral part of the course as we consider how best to develop students conceptual understanding in concrete and pictorial representations and that lead to more abstract thinking. The content in Landscapes I will be the basis for development of ideas central to the focus of Landscapes II.
Science for P-8 Teachers: NYSSLS Grades 1, 3 and MS
SUNY Buffalo State- Lisa Brosnick **CANCELED**
In this minicourse, the new standards, specifically for grades 1, 3 and 6-8, will be explored using the content area of heredity. Ideas about the role DNA plays in transmitting traits from generation to generation will be developed using effective 3-dimensional science teaching practices. These teaching practices can be transferred to any subject and are necessary to teach to the new standards.
The new science standards are here and the new assessment are on their way! In this 12-hour minicourse, we will develop ideas about the role DNA plays in transmitting traits from generation to generation and discover why organisms are similar but not exactly the same as their parents. The ideas and pedagogy in this course will help prepare you for teaching to the new standards.
New York State Master Teacher Program
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