Since its inception in 1986, National Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month has been observed in April with the goal of increasing the public’s awareness of how math and statistics play a key role in solving some of the world’s critical issues. While it may sound cliche to say that “math is all around us,” students always benefit from seeing how mathematics is connected to art (PBS resource) and integrated in music (collection of videos and other resources from the American Mathematical Society), as well as how statistics and data analytics are reshaping sports (video). If you’re looking for something a little more lighthearted, add to your collection of math jokes or fold an origami Yoda! Share your activities, favorite math books, games, T-shirt designs, posters, news stories, videos, and research using the hashtag #MathStatMonth.
Image by Alexa from Pixabay
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Summer 2023 Engagement Opportunities
The final stretch of the school year is a great time to look ahead to summer engagement and learning opportunities. Teachers and administrators can engage in any number of activities, including High School Mathways workshops and conferences organized by NCTM affiliates. Contact Mark Freed, ODE Math Education Specialist, with any questions about any of these opportunities.
High School Mathways Workshops
Conferences
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Register Now for the Smarter Balanced State Network of Educators Workshop
Smarter Balanced is recruiting mathematics and English language arts educators from Oregon to participate in the State Network of Educators Workshop held July 18-20, 2023, in Denver, CO. The State Network of Educators (SNEs) is composed of educators from Smarter Balanced states and territories who are avid users of and advocates for the formative assessment process. SNEs attend workshops to develop resources for the Tools for Teachers platform that support students' and teachers' use of the formative assessment process. Educators from all grade bands are invited to apply and official selection will be announced in May. Selected educators will receive a stipend for resource development and Smarter Balanced will cover the costs associated with travel to and from the workshop. Contact Andrew Byerley, ODE Math Assessment Specialist, with any questions.
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Oregon Open Learning: Data Stories
In partnership with educators and data science professionals, the Urban Institute has created six Data Stories to explore topics such as measures of city health, food insecurity, housing evictions, life expectancy, national parks, and more. Each of these Data Stories is designed as a full-featured classroom activity that includes an Instructor’s Guide, data, a data dictionary, and teaching slides that balance students’ engagement and discussion. Each of these Data Stories is available in multiple grade bands, which make them an ideal way to explore an instructional resource aligned to the Data Reasoning progression of the 2021 Oregon Math Standards. Check them out!
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Funding Now Available for Educators to Enhance Equity and Subject Literacies in K-8 Classrooms
A new partnership between OSU and ODE will commit funding to support hundreds of teacher leaders and teachers in working groups, led by teacher leaders like you, to co-design practical solutions and support teaching and learning for all students. Funding may include substitutes, stipends for teachers’ time, expert consultants, travel, and costs associated with meetings in Oregon, starting summer 2023 and through Fall 2024. Working groups will develop solutions to reduce inequities and accelerate K-8 subject literacies with multilingual learners, learners experiencing disabilities, and all students served within Oregon’s public education system. Project supports are available to develop problems of practice, leadership capacities, connections, and networking. To learn more, submit an idea for a problem of practice working group, or indicate your interest to participate, please click here.
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LearningExpress Library and PrepSTEP Have AP Test Prep Materials
LearningExpress offers a skill-building and test-preparation product at no cost to the Oregon K-12 community, available within the Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS). PrepSTEP for High Schools consolidates the resources from LearningExpress Library that are most relevant for high schoolers, and it is now the default platform on OSLIS. Among other things, PrepSTEP/LEL offers materials to help students prepare for AP exams. From the secondary grades’ "Find Information" page on OSLIS, click the LearningExpress logo, then go to the “Prepare for College” center, then access “Get Ready for AP Tests.” Please let your students know about this helpful resource. Contact your library staff or Jen Maurer, School Library Consultant at the State Library of Oregon, with questions or for more information.
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The ‘M’ in STEAM
Portland-Area STEM/STEAM Hubs
The Portland Metro area has three STEM/STEAM Hubs that connect teachers and students with learning opportunities: Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP), East Metro STEAM Partnership (EMSP), and South Metro - Salem STEM Partnership (SMSP). All three of these Hubs work with math educators toward more equitable student outcomes. PMSP received an Oregon Math Pathways grant to develop a Core Two course that connects rigorous algebra content with ninth-grade physics. PMSP is also hosting a series of Joy and Justice in Math workshops to empower educators to grow their own and their students’ math identities. Participants will receive a stipend and gain the skills and knowledge to contribute to building students’ identities as math learners. Program and registration information is available for elementary educators as well as middle grades educators.
Oregon Parks Forever
Spring is upon us! Oregon Parks Forever, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the experiences provided by Oregon’s parks, wants to help get you and your students to parks in Oregon. Their Ticket2Ride program provides an opportunity for students in Grades 3-5 and teachers from Title I schools to visit parks free of charge - and this includes transportation! Applications for trips in September and October will open on May 1, 2023. They also provide free transportation to parks in the spring; applications for that open in November. Don’t miss your chance to apply for this exciting opportunity!
ODE’s STEM/STEAM Webpage
ODE has a new STEM/STEAM webpage! This page will be updated regularly with resources and ways to incorporate STEM into math classes.
Geocaching, Anyone?
For any current or budding geocachers out there, May 2 is Blue Switch Day which marks the anniversary of the date on which GPS technology was made public. Among other applications, this allowed for the advent of one of many people’s favorite pastime, geocaching. Be sure to get outdoors on May 2 and grab a cache. More to come about the intersections of math, STEAM, and geocaching in our next issue!
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Join the Oregon Math Leaders Network
The Oregon Math Leaders Network is a community of math practitioners who work together to implement and support math teaching and learning in Oregon. Participants include teacher leaders, TOSAs, program administrators, college faculty, and math community partners. If you identify as a math leader, you are invited!
During the 2022-23 school year, the network will meet virtually on the third Thursday of each month, with both morning (8:30-9:30am PT) and afternoon (3:30-4:30pm PT) options. To receive a calendar invitation and Zoom link, please join the Oregon Math Leaders Google Group. If you’re already a member, you don’t need to sign up again -- you’ll get the invite and link.
Announcements or Opportunities to Share?
If you have an opportunity or announcement to share statewide, please contact the ODE Math Team. Our goal is to publish the Math Educator Update around the middle of every month throughout the academic year. As always, we appreciate your participation as Oregon’s mathematics community!
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