S.T.E.M. EDUCATORS’ CAMP2013

(Please note this includes last year’s keynote speaker and course selections. The 2014 course selections will be posted on our website this April. )

KEYNOTE, COURSE SELECTIONS & PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES

Mission of MSSM Educators’ Camp

The mission of the MSSM Educators’ Camp is to provide opportunities for STEM educators and professionals to network and collaborate. The ultimate goal of this networking is to bring

interconnected STEM curriculum and contemporary and meaningful STEM teaching and learning opportunities to students across Maine.

MSSM Educators’ Camp: Keynote Speaker

Keynote Speaker: Freeman Hrabowski III

Keynote Topic: Innovative STEM Teaching and Learning In the 21st Century

Keynote Biography:Freeman Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), will be the keynote speaker Sunday, July 28th at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics’ (MSSM) second annual STEM Educators' Camp. 

As the keynote speaker, Hrabowski will be discussing his journey towards becoming a leader in STEM education in the United States and his insights on effective and innovative STEM teaching and learning. 

Hrabowski has served as President of UMBC since 1992.  In 2008, he was named one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked UMBC the nation’s #1 “Up and Coming” university for the past four years (2009-2012). 

Time Magazine also named Hrabowski one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents in 2009, and one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2012. .  In 2012, he also received the Heinz Award for his contributions to improving the “Human Condition” and was among the inaugural inductees into the U.S. News & World Report STEM Solutions Leadership Hall of Fame. 

Hrabowski was recently named by President Obama to chair the newly created President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. He and UMBC were recently

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featured on CBS’s   60 Minutes , attracting national attention for the campus’s achievements involving innovation and inclusive excellence.

STEM Educators’ Camp: Course Selections

Astronomical Adventure ToursPresenter: Larry BerzGrade Level: 6-9 & afterschool

Come into cosmic connection with the fundamental wonders, processes, and awesome scale of space and time! Enjoy close encounters with white dwarves, supernovae, pulsars, black holes, and quasars. Explore the solar system through hands-on, minds-on activities that can be used in the classroom. You will learn about the Sun—its characteristics and apparent motion. You will explore the properties and motions of planets. And, at night, you will observe the sky with the unaided eye and view a variety of celestial objects through telescopes, including MSSM’s “goliath” telescope. The inimitable Mr. Berz, director of the northernmost planetarium theatre in the continental United States, will also host a planetarium extravaganza at the Francis Malcolm Science Center in nearby Easton, ME.

Introduction to LEGO Robotics and MindStorms ProgrammingPresenter: Thomas BickfordGrade Level: 4-12 & afterschool

Interested in using LEGO MindStorms kits with a class or a team? In this course, participants will build several robots and modify them during the week to complete different tasks. Once built, participants will have the chance to program the robots and use the engineering process to work through the challenges faced. We will also discuss the engineering process, robotics, and computer history, and the use of robotics to encourage positive teamwork.

Advanced LEGO Robotics and MindStorms ProgrammingPresenter: Thomas BickfordGrade Level: 4-12 & afterschool

This course is designed for teachers who are already familiar with and have been using LEGO MindStorms kits but need help moving beyond the programming basics. Discussion and practical application on the programming side will include an introduction to loops, switches, nested structures, variables, open and collapsed structures, display features, data wires, NXT to NXT communication and remote control, and data-logging—as time and interest allow. Participants will have a better understanding of what the system is capable of doing in the classroom and in the afterschool setting.

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Maine Envirothon: Exploring Natural & Environmental Science In And Out of the ClassroomPresenter: Melissa BrandtGrade Level: 6-12 & afterschool

This course will expose participants to lessons and activities offered in the Maine Envirothon program. Envirothon is a state- and nation-wide environmental competition where high school students test their knowledge of natural resources and current environmental issues. Teams consisting of 3-5 students compete at five stations: Wildlife, Water/Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, and a Current Natural Resource Issue. As well as advising teams for competition, educators throughout Maine successfully incorporate Envirothon concepts and hands-on activities into their science curricula. Envirothon raises students’ awareness of local and national environmental issues.  

Incorporating the History of Mathematics Into Your ClassroomPresenter: Melissa DonovanGrade Level: 8-12

What better way to gain attention and pique the interest of your math students than with true stories of the development of the subject. A historical approach to mathematics can improve perceptions of mathematics, and student attitudes towards it, by making it interesting, alive, and part of human history and culture. It can show by example the importance of persistence in problem solving and in mathematics. Students will realize that even the greatest mathematicians struggled, faced conflict, and overcame obstacles with determination. This course will examine some of the wildest dreams in mathematics. Participants will leave with ways to introduce students to mathematics at all levels through its history. Topics will primarily connect to number theory, algebra, geometry and calculus.

ecosySTEMs: Using Ecology as an Integrating Context for STEM EducationPresenter: Meg EdstromGrade Level: 4-8 & afterschool

The Ferry Beach Ecology School “ecosySTEMs” course will demonstrate how a hands-on immersion in field ecology provides the ultimate setting for an authentic application of real world STEM skills. This course will provide teachers with a comprehensive science unit to take back to their classrooms, combining ecological study, data collection and analysis, and career skills. The Ferry Beach Ecology School employs a systems-based approach that helps shed light on the interconnections between the scientific process, the use of technology, and the application of the Next Generation Science Standards.

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Hands-On Molecular Biology TechniquesPresenter: Debbie Eustis-GrandyGrade Level: 9-12

Genetics and biotechnology play a huge role in everyday life, and many students with STEM interests are big fans of TV shows such as CSI and Bones. So what’s behind all the fancy stuff they see on TV? During this busy week, participants will learn (by doing) the theory and practice behind basic molecular biology techniques such as culturing bacteria, bacterial transformation, restriction analysis, electrophoresis, how to use micropipettes, how to make and load agarose gels, gel staining, sterile technique, and good lab safety practices. We will also review some basic genetics, explore how you can use BLAST searches to reinforce evolutionary biology principles, and discuss what to look for when purchasing equipment and reagents.

Blooms Taxonomy Meets Technology in the 21st CenturyPresenter: Nicole KarodGrade Level: 4-12

Want to use more technology in the classroom? This class dives into web 2.0 tools using Blooms Taxonomy. We will create a blog and take a look at how Bloom’s applies to Google Docs, Social Networking, and other great web tools that will enhance what you’re already doing in your STEM classrooms. This class is a way to get your students to create online posters, evaluate work and rubrics, analyze graphs and polls, apply knowledge in Google Maps, understand information through slideshare, and remember facts through wallwisher.

Putting the E of STEM in the Middle Level Science ClassroomPresenter: Robin KennedyGrade Level: 6-9

New national standards are being developed today; will you be ready to implement them in your classroom in the future? The Engineering Design Process will be one of those standards; this workshop will review this process by engaging in several hands-on challenges that focus on the steps engineers use to solve problems. Educators will take part in a number of interactive challenges that can be used in the classroom with their own students. In addition, engineering resources including websites, magazines, and books will be shared. Many of the challenges employed in this course have been written and tested by the Office of Education at NASA Goodard Space Flight Center.

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SeaPerch & Othercutters: Using Available Maker Resources to Shape CurriculumPresenters: John Kraljic & Andrew NjaaGrade Level: 7-12 & afterschool

The SeaPerch is a compelling and accessible introduction to underwater remote operated vehicles (ROV’s), appropriate for high school and even middle school programs. Participants will build a SeaPerch and examine modifications that allow it to gather data underwater. MakerSpaces are places where students work hands-on, engaging in real world projects. Using small scale digital design and manufacturing tools, students create solutions to problems they identify. After building the SeaPerch, participants will work in teams to design and build a human scale object, such as a vehicle or chair, and then fabricate the design out of cardboard using an Othercutter. Along with the materials for a SeaPerch, participants will leave with resources to obtain additional kits and the opportunity to equip a makerspace of their own with an Othercutter.

Calculus Before Calculus! Activities & Projects to Deepen Students’ Understanding of MathematicsPresenter: Ron LancasterGrade Level: 9-12

Using physical models and technology, all high school students can explore and understand topics covered in a calculus course without actually knowing any calculus. This focus can lead to students having a more meaningful experience in their algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus courses. We will work through activities and problems related to topics such as the fundamental notion of change, max-min problems, related rate problems, and arc length. We will solve problems in different ways and will study how the solutions change when aspects of the original problem are changed. This course will be of interest to teachers looking for activities and projects that are engaging and designed to deepen students’ understanding of mathematics. Various technologies that support this work will be presented.

Connecting the Mathematics Curriculum to the World Around UsPresenter: Ron LancasterGrade Level: 8-12

We will put on a pair of mathematical glasses and view the world through a mathematical lens. We will examine the use of photos and videos to record the mathematics that we see. We will model what we would like our students to do—to see mathematics everywhere and to appreciate its beauty and importance. We will learn how to create rich mathematical questions for students related to daily life; design, public art; images from Google Earth; newspaper articles; novels and movies. We will also examine how we can provide students with connections to the world around us by taking them on a mathematical walk outside of the classroom where they can ask and

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answer their own mathematical questions related to what they encounter along this math path. Various technologies that support this work will be presented.

Do It Yourself Hydroponics: A Study of Plant Anatomy, Plant Physiology, and Student-Centered ExperimentationPresenter: Deborah McGannGrade Level: 4-12 & afterschool

In this hands-on course, participants will make their own deep-water hydroponics bin and study plant anatomy and physiology. Course topics will include: seed structure, pH, nutrients, photosynthesis and respiration. With just a few items readily available, participants will learn how to grow a small garden in their own classroom. Students love to watch plants grow from seedlings; hydroponics provides an excellent way to observe both shoot and root growth. Hydroponics facilitates experimentation, because it is so easy to control variables. Unlike soil plantings, hydroponics requires little care and can be left unattended on holidays. Thumbs of all color are invited; don’t worry if yours isn’t green.

Algebra on the Move: How to Move your Students, Figuratively and Literally!Presenter: Larry OttmanGrade Level: 9-12

Activities involving motion help develop a deep understanding of the fundamental concepts of algebra, such as slope, patterns, and graphing data. We will be involved directly in data-collection activities related to various types of motion that encourage algebraic thinking and skills development for all levels of students. With recent updates in handheld technology, data collection has never been easier, but we will also use some less technology-dependent motion applications. Participants will collect and analyze data using the Ti-Nspire CX and motion detectors for experiments involving linear, projectile, several interesting variations on harmonic, and parametric motion. We will also make use of the animation features of dynamic geometry software to model some interesting motion activities involving escalators and revolving doors. No previous experience with these tools is necessary.

Hands-On Activities for Pre-Algebra and Algebra IPresenter: Larry OttmanGrade Level: 7-10

There are certain lessons that you look forward to during the year because they engage you and your students in rich, meaningful mathematics, and they are fun to teach. In this course, we will explore some favorite mathematic lessons including Hula Hoops, the water baby bungee jump, toy car races, and calculator robot wars. In addition, we will also use a couple of great lab activities that are a little less technology dependent, including a fascinating connection between the digits of pi and a Toronto Subway station and an even more amazing solution to the Tower of Hanoi puzzle through paper folding. Spend the week working through these and other activities as we use

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graphing calculators and computer software to make middle school and Algebra I appropriate mathematics come to life for you and your students.

Vital Signs: Where Citizen Scientist Opportunities Meet Inquiry Based FieldworkPresenter: Patrick Parent & Christine VoyerGrade Level: 4-12 & afterschool

Make Vital Signs (VS), an engaging, authentic citizen science opportunity, become an important part of your classroom. It is an exemplary way for you to meet several of the Next Generation Science Standards. Students ask questions, investigate, collect data, support claims with evidence and submit their findings to the scientific community. The focus is invasive species; but, many possibilities can evolve from a focus on field work. If you are new to VS, learn about this outstanding supplement to any curriculum. If you have VS training, find ways to become more involved and explore ideas to create missions of your own. We will use the VS website, prepare for and carry out an investigation on campus, and submit findings. Lots of time will be spent exploring ways to make Vital Signs a possibility for your classroom. New participants who create an action plan will be provided cameras, GPS units and other resources for the upcoming school year!

Using Case Studies in the ClassroomPresenter: Emily ShermanGrade Level: 7-12

For many students, an intriguing story using a real-life example is a prerequisite for critical scientific thinking. The case study method of teaching allows students to work collaboratively to solve a problem. Due to its authenticity, case study learning makes science relevant to current events and provides an opportunity to enhance students’ interests and engagement in the classroom while deepening their content knowledge. This course will present biology-based case studies that will allow teachers to add case-based teaching to their repertoire. The cases presented in this course are part of a collection of cases that have been classroom tested across the country in a variety of settings.

Compressed Air Powered Rockets for Indoor & Outdoor MayhemPresenter: Dave SmallGrade Level: 7-12 & afterschool

It’s all so simple, or so it seems: wrap and tape a sheet of paper around a section of PVC pipe, add some fins and a nose cone, and then add a few pumps from a bicycle pump to <whoosh> launch your rocket high into the sky. In the process of designing our own paper rockets in this course, we will also discuss a variety of math and science concepts that can be taught in conjunction with this activity. This course is a great option if you want to get your students critically thinking about problem-solving, data collection, and design. There are many ways you can adapt this launcher to all sorts of other projects such as confetti launcher, soda bottle launcher, and CO2 car launcher. We’ll use the data we collect to also discuss concepts related to impulse-momentum, work-energy,

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Newton’s Laws, gas laws, conservation & transfer of energy, thermodynamics, and of course, everyone’s all-time favorite--graphing! For additional information or to contact the instructor, please visit: https://www.sites.google.com/site/mssmstemcamp/.

Flight: Scratch Built Gliders, Electric Powered Airplanes, to Full-Size Radio Control AirplanesPresenter: Dave SmallGrade Level: 7-12 & afterschool

This course is an exciting introduction to aerodynamics, aero-structures, and the balance between weight, materials, and structural integrity. You’ll start off by designing walkabout gliders from phonebook pages, then you will graduate to making gliders from super-thin sheets of foam that you slice using a hot-wire foam cutter. Finally, you’ll be turned loose to design your very own glider as you investigate the effects of design and materials. This is a terrific activity for getting your students interested and invested in the scientific method. For those of you interested in a special challenge, you’ll have the opportunity to build a Hobbyzone Champ, radio control airplane. You’ll also learn how to use computer based probeware to measure everything about your Champ such as the electricity needed to generate the forces involved in thrust, lift, and drag. For additional information or to contact the instructor, please visit: https://www.sites.google.com/site/mssmstemcamp/.

101 Physical Science DemonstrationsPresenter: David SturmGrade Level: 6-12+

This course will explore some of the commonly recommended physics and physical science demonstrations. In this workshop, you’ll see (and try) many effective physics and physical science demonstrations. You’ll learn how to build, buy, or borrow all the components needed to bring the demonstrations to your classroom; and, you’ll learn some of the physics and pedagogy behind each of them. A number of “make n’ take” demonstrations will be a part of the workshop. Participants will also have access to reference materials, a number of donated demonstrations, and an online community of physics demonstration specialists at universities, museums, and other secondary schools. Over the past 20 years the Physics Instructional Resource Association (PIRA) has developed and run annual summer workshops presenting these demonstrations at meetings of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). David was one of the PIRA workshop leaders and advisors, and a past president of PIRA. He is excited to bring the PIRA Physics Demonstration Workshop back to Maine.

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Modular Origami Presenter: Nancy WatsonGrade Level: 4-8, remedial & afterschool

Combine art and math in this modular origami course. Participants will learn how to create a cube, sonobe fold, and phizz fold as they delve deep into geometry. Nancy worked with Eva Szillery, the founder of the Maine Origami Society, in her 6th grade class, and has also taken a number of workshops on modular origami. She’s recently taught modular origami at Project Explore, a summer enrichment program in Presque Isle, Maine. This course is meant to be an introduction to the topic.

Solar Heating Engineering ProjectPresenter: Jonathan WhiteheadGrade Level: 8-12 & afterschool

With the forthcoming Next Generation Science Standards, how will you integrate the engineering design process into your physical science classroom? How can you manage to cover content and the engineering process together? In this course, participants will go through the entire process of researching, designing, prototyping, and building a working solar heating project. We will look at the logistics of managing and grading 20 students all working in groups on different projects at the same time as well as ways to teach the concepts of energy, heat transfer, emissivity, and the electromagnetic spectrum at the same time. Participants will take on the role of a student while getting to see what goes on behind the scenes to manage the project.

Sport & High Powered Rocketry Presenter: Stephen WhitneyGrade Level: 6-12 & afterschool

This course focuses on sport and high powered rocketry in comparison and contrast to model rocketry. Participants will learn how to calculate the center of gravity and center of pressure for their rockets to determine flight stability prior to launching. Participants will also be instructed in electronics used with high powered rocketry with specific emphasis on close proximity recovery systems and tracking data devices. Participants will also be informed of National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and NASA opportunities, programs, and contests available for sport and high powered rocketry. Finally, we will discuss the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forms that must be completed for launching high powered rockets. Those who wish to sign up for this course, need to join either NAR or Tripoli Rocketry Associations. Proof of membership is required prior to building and launching the high-powered rockets. Participants can be certified in high powered rocketry through this course.  

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Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership Between Science Educators and Their StudentsPresenter: Bonnie WoodGrade Level: 6-16

This is a hands-on course in which Dr. Wood will describe and model “Lecture-Free Teaching”—a term she coined to describe her methods of instructing all her courses at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Students and educators form a partnership as they work toward a mutual goal of significant learning that will remain meaningful beyond the final exam. During sessions, participants will assume the role of students during simulations of typical class meetings. Wood will demonstrate the interplay of student preparation before class, cooperative learning, and in-class formative assessments to achieve course content identical to that of a lecture-based course. Each participant will receive a copy of Wood’s book Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership Between Science Educators and Their Students.

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STEM Educators’ Camp: Presenter Biographies

Presenter: Larry BerzLarry is a founding instructor at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) Summer Camps, celebrating his 16th year of participation. Since 1998, Larry has served as instructor of astronomy at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. He also serves within the MSSM humanities department as instructor of Modern Jewish History. He marks his 25th year as director of the Francis Malcolm Institute Planetarium in Easton, ME. He graduated from Stanford University in 1979 with studies in European History: he continued his studies at Chicago’s John Marshall Law School in 1986-87. He also earned a Masters in Arts in Teaching at National Louis University in 1988-1991. Larry is a native of Chicago and now a current resident of Aroostook County, ME.  Presenter: Thomas BickfordTom is the current executive director and president of Maine Robotics, which operates educational programs within the State of Maine for the purpose of promoting and fostering excellence in STEM fields. Maine Robotics works with over 100 teachers and coaches and 1400 students across Maine each year. Before becoming the executive director of Maine Robotics in 2004, Tom served as the executive director of the Agent Institute at The University of Maine in Orono and the Assistant Director for the Center for Distance Learning and Telehealth. He has bachelors in biology from the University of Maine and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering and telemedicine from the University of North Carolina.

Presenter: Melissa BrandtMelissa Brandt has been working with kids in the classroom and as a coach for 15 years.  As Education Coordinator for York County Soil & Water Conservation District she has provided education on stormwater, wildlife, forestry, and gardening.  She has degrees in Applied Science and Environmental Science from Unity College. This past winter she conducted track surveys for New England Cottontail incorporating middle school science classes in the survey. She also volunteers for the ME Owl Monitoring program, the Master Gardener program, Nature's notebook phenology observations & is a founding member of the Waterboro Community Garden.  Her family has raced sled dogs since 1995, and her sons now compete in sprint races throughout New England as part of the Down East Sled Dog Club.

Presenter: Melissa DonovanMelissa is currently an adjunct faculty member at Southern New Hampshire University and the University of New Hampshire, Manchester.   She formerly taught mathematics at the secondary level at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington, Maine. Melissa has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and secondary education as well as a master’s degree in educational leadership.  She is currently

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completing her doctorate in mathematics and science education at the University of Massachusetts.  She has presented on math education at several national conferences.

Presenter: Meg EdstromMeg started her career at Ferry Beach Ecology School (FBES) as a naturalist in the spring of 2007 and soon joined the FBES administrative team in the role of Outreach Director.  Meg coordinates FBES’ multi-year programs, which include field trips and school visits, in conjunction with FBES’ residential education program.  In addition, she oversees the longitudinal impact study measuring the program efficacy of the multi-year model. Meg can also be found presenting professional development workshops at regional and national conferences, in addition to directing FBES’ summer field studies and camp programs.  She has her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine and her bachelor’s in Philosophy and Religion from Colgate University. Meg has taught in many settings; on mountains, along rivers, in the classroom, and at the beach.  She enjoys applying knowledge to a variety of settings, and sharing her passion for the adventure of learning.

Presenter: Debbie Eustis-GrandyDebbie currently teaches and serves as the science department chair at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) and is one of the founding faculty of the MSSM. She has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of Maine, Fort Kent, and graduate degrees (MS/PhD) in Ecology from the University of Connecticut. Her scholarly interests include wetland biogeochemistry, landscape genetics, and the impact of disturbance (particularly fire and glaciation) on development of terrestrial ecosystems. Deb enjoys working and traveling in northern localities, spent a year in Finland on a Fulbright Fellowship, and has taken students on field research expeditions to the Bahamas, Newfoundland, Sweden, and Mexico. Her natural history interests have also brought her to the Russia, Mongolia, China, and northern Quebec.

Presenter: Nicole KarodNicole is an alumna of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics and a current Maine educator. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a master’s degree in elementary education from Gardner Webb University. She is currently working on a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in literacy from the University of New England. Nicole currently teaches at Dyer Elementary in South Portland, Maine.

Presenter: Robin KennedyRobin Kennedy currently teaches at Sebasticook Valley Middle School in Newport, ME as an 8th grade science teacher. She has a master’s degree in science education and environmental education as well as bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. She has over 17 years of experience as a teacher and has led several professional development opportunities for fellow educators.

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Presenter: Ron Lancaster Ron taught middle and high school mathematics for over 20 years and has worked as an independent mathematics consultant for schools, educational organizations and technology companies in North America, Asia, Israel and Abu Dhabi.  He is currently a Senior Lecturer in mathematics education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Ron has been a presenter at hundreds of conferences, including the highly-regarded Phillips Exeter Academy Mathematics and Technology Conference for the past 22 years and 46 NCTM Annual and Regional Conferences.  Ron has been a T^3 National Instructor since 1994.  He created and edited two popular on-going columns for the Mathematics Teacher (Media Clips and the Mathematical Lens).  Ron is well known for his expertise in designing Math Trails and has conducted numerous workshops for teachers on this topic. Ron was an on-air teacher and consultant for several television series, one of which won a Gold Medal at the 1990 International Film and TV Festival of New York.

Presenter: Deborah McGannDeb attended the University of Maine, receiving a bachelor’s in nutrition followed by a master’s in food science.  After graduate school, she was employed at the University of Maine, performing chemical analyses of plant tissues in support of research involving both natural and residual food toxins. Later, at the University of New Hampshire, she worked as a research technician, where she studied the efficacy of cancer-fighting agents and their effect on cellular biochemistry. Deb began her teaching career at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where, in addition to instructing science classes and labs, she designed both an assessment tool for science placement and a developmental science course. She currently teaches chemistry and biology at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics and facilitates the computational biology course offered to MSSM students by Gary Churchill at the Jackson Laboratory.

Presenter: Andrew Njaa Andrew has been teaching physics and chemistry at Falmouth High School since 1997. He has taught all levels of chemistry and physics classes using varied hands-on, investigative techniques, projects, and activities. He has taken on multiple leadership roles in his district serving as the district science curriculum facilitator, a content team leader, a coach for science Olympiad and the national science bowl teams. He has also co-taught “Nature of Inquiry,” a graduate course at USM/CBEA, and serves as an online and in-school mentor to middle and secondary school science and math teachers through the Northern New England Co-Mentoring Network.

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Presenter: Larry OttmanLarry currently teaches a variety of mathematics courses at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. He also provides technology integration and standards-based mathematics training to schools primarily on the East Coast, including training in the use of graphing calculators and data collection equipment. He is the lead editor in the Tech Tips Department for the magazine Mathematics Teacher published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He has led workshops and presented at numerous mathematics and technology conferences across the US. He is the author of the book The Farmer and the Mathematician: Using Geometry Expressions and Google Earth to Investigate Crop Circles and Achilles and the Tortoise: Using Geometry Expressions to Investigate the Infinite.

Presenter: Patrick ParentPat teaches science at Massabesic Middle School and with support from GMRI’s Vital Signs. His students have been collecting meaningful data for several years, like monitoring Purple loosestrife, Galerucella and Japanese beetles on their school campus. New missions include collaboration with York County Soil and Water Conservation District on projects including raising the biocontrol Galerucella beetle on campus for release in a monitored site and assisting in a survey of the Maine endangered New England Cottontail. Pat hopes to encourage and help fellow teachers find ways to engage students in authentic science fieldwork by using Vital Signs.

Presenter: Emily ShermanEmily has experience teaching environmental science, biology, physical science, anatomy and physiology, natural history, geography, and AP science courses. She started her career as a water conservation specialist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she was involved in curriculum design and teacher training. She taught in New Mexico and Maine before taking a position at Longview School, an alternative school in Deerfield, NH. Emily has a master’s degree in biology and a bachelor’s degree in environmental education. She has been working on editing and field-testing case studies for the past five years with a team of three other teachers from around the country. They were originally brought together as National Science Foundation fellows in the Life Sciences for a Global Community program.

Presenter: David SmallDavid majored in Zoology at the University of Maine in Orono and subsequently worked 25 years as an engineer in the biomedical industry. He currently teaches physics and chemistry at Windham High School where he makes his students build strange contraptions from all the useful junk he scrounges from dead printers and PCs. He is an ardent fan of Arvind Gupta’s work.

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Presenter: David SturmDavid has served as the Instructional Laboratory and Lecture Demonstration Specialist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maine (UMO) for sixteen years. He is instrumental in making sure all the introductory physics courses run smoothly. He is also in charge of training and supervising the physics teaching assistants at UMO. David provides outreach programs to schools across Maine through the Mainely Physics Road Show. He also coordinates demonstration booths at many university and community venues throughout the year. He concurrently serves as an instructor for Beal College, teaching mathematics, computer science, and physical science. David is active on the national and regional physics instructional technology and outreach scenes. He was one of the Physics Instructional Resource Association (PIRA) workshop leaders and advisors, and a past president of PIRA.

Presenter: Christine VoyerChristine currently serves as a Vital Signs Community Specialist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI). As part of the Vital Signs team Christine supports educators through professional development and curriculum development, and works with students and citizens on the ground and through the Vital Signs website. Before joining GMRI, Christine taught high school science. She is driven by a commitment to providing relevant and authentic experiences that inspire and empower learners to make a difference in the world. Christine has a background in science research having studied amphibian ecology and conservation at Cornell University and the University of Missouri. Through Vital Signs, she is excited to help participants experience the fun, creativity, and critical importance of science.

Presenter: Nancy WatsonNancy has 20 plus years of teaching middle school math. She currently teaches pre-kindergarten in Aroostook County. She has also served as a student council advisor, sign language club advisor, cheerleading coach, lifeguard, swim instructor, and skate guard. This is Nancy’s second year presenting at the MSSM Educators’ Camp.

Presenter: Jonathan WhiteheadJonathan has a bachelor’s degree in physics from Ithaca College and is currently working on a master’s degree in science education through Montana State University. He started his career as a science educator for Americorps. He has 15 years of math and science teaching experience at the high school level. He is currently a science, engineering and mathematics teacher for Westbook High School where he’s also been the math team coach for the last 8 years.

Presenter: Stephen WhitneyStephen has 37 plus years of teaching experience, several of them at Asa C Adams School in Orono, ME. He was the director and organizer of the Aeronautical Career Education Flight Camp. He has published “Rocketing with the Navy,” “Icicles and Ammonium per Chlorine,” and “NASA 2000 Rocketry and the Standards 2000” in High Power Rocketry Magazine. He has led numerous

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presentations on NASA opportunities for educators. He is currently retired and available for aviation/space flight training workshops around the state.

Presenter: Bonnie WoodBonnie Wood has 39 years of teaching experience. Bonnie served as a biology professor at the University of Maine in Presque Isle. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Wellesley College, along with a Ph.D. in neurobiology and behavior from Cornell University Medical College. She also was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California in Behavioral Biology. She has presented on the topic of “Lecture-Free Teaching” and active learning at numerous conferences and given workshops across the United States as well as in Canada and Australia. She is also the author of the book Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership Between Science Educators and Their Students published by the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) Press (2009).

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