During the cold winter months, my students frequently ask, “Ms. Virgin, are we going outside today?” This week they had heavy hearts when the answer was no. Next came, “If the animals can be outside, how come we can’t?” This was the start of a beautiful learning moment…. We stayed inside and watched a super… [Read More]
Looking for Patterns
One of the activities that was presented in our Numeracy in Nature course sparked an idea to make a connection to one of the books I enjoy sharing with my middle school students “Growing Patterns” by Sarah C. Campbell. We started class by using a Google Jamboard to sort photos of flowers into categories. Students… [Read More]
Shapes & Sticks
For the month of October our focus with our calendar was shapes. We worked on identifying circles, triangles, rectangles and squares. We also introduced 3D shapes. This week when we went into the woods, I thought about ways I could bring our learning about shapes outdoors with us. I started to think about the interest… [Read More]
Shapes in the Snow
“It’s snowing!” There are absolutely no more exciting words that you will ever hear coming from a child! This week when we were heading out into the woods we were gifted our first coat of fresh white snow. The beautiful sight caused a little snafu in our original woods day plan but provided us with… [Read More]
Patterns in Nature
Math in the woods? How can that happen? Nature can help us do math? What does being outside have to do with math? These questions were just a few out of the mouths of 1st graders at the beginning of the year. These questions have evolved into look at these leaves, they make a pattern!… [Read More]
Compost that Strategy
There is something about counting that feels good. It’s rhythmic, it’s fun, and it’s a well-practiced skill. When given a set of objects like a box of chocolates or silverware, even adults resort to counting one by one. It works…until it doesn’t. Second graders solve problems with 2 and 3-digit numbers, thus requiring them to… [Read More]
INCLUDES Planning Grant Wraps Up
MMSA’s NSF-funded INCLUDES Planning Grant: Broadening Participation of Rural K-12 Girls in Mathematics Intensive STEM Fields (Award #2040921) wrapped up this winter with a fourth and final meeting of the research to practice partnership. This planning grant brought together key stakeholders in a Research-to-Practice Partnership (RPP) to broaden the participation of rural K-12 girls in… [Read More]
MMSA Welcomes New Research Associates
The MMSA Research Team is pleased to announce two new Research Associates have joined our staff. The Research Team at MMSA plays an important role in advancing STEM education by implementing research and evaluation of programs that help to improve our offerings and share what we learn across the education field. Join us in welcoming… [Read More]
STEM Workforce Ready 2030
The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), a non-profit dedicated to inspiring and fostering critical thinking, problem solving, and civic engagement through STEM education, has received a $1 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to expand computer science (CS) education in Maine. The “STEM Workforce Ready Maine 2030” project will create a network of… [Read More]