climate science mini-series

Science and Math Workshops

Introduction to Using and Creating Desmos Activities

  • DATES: Mondays – October 16th, 23rd and 30th
  • TIME: 5:30 – 7:30pm (Light dinner provided)
  • COST: $30 non-refundable
  • 6 PD Hours + $150 Stipend for attending ALL 3 days (Stipends will be received within 90 days of workshop)

Description

Are you interested in using Desmos activities more in your classroom but are not sure where to start? This workshop provides a broad overview of existing Desmos classroom activities and reviews the basics of how to create your own Desmos activity. Then you will have the opportunity to turn existing lessons you have into your own Desmos activities. This workshop is for beginner Desmos users.

Participants should bring their laptops to the workshop and also existing lessons you have that you would like to turn into a Desmos activity.

Targeted grades: Middle and High School Mathematics teachers

FacilitatorGeena Taite

Waitlist Registration for Introduction to Using and Creating Desmos Activities

Facilitator Biographies

Petra van’t Slot has been teaching science (mostly Chemistry) at the high school and college level for 15+ years. She currently teaches at the Dwight-Englewood school in Englewood, NJ. Petra is fascinated by how people learn science and she loves to improve her practice together with other educators.


Marisa Castronova has been teaching middle school science for over 15 years and is passionate about bringing high quality learning experiences to all. As a teacher, she is the creator of several grant funded initiatives including STEM PALS and STEM PALS2. As an educational consultant, Marisa works with school districts to support NGSS integration. She also supports STEM education at the university level where she works as a co-PI on two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants.

Marisa strongly believes that learning happens best when it is a community endeavor. To extend her own learning, Marisa is an active member of the New Jersey Science Teachers Association (NJSTA) and serves on the Executive board of the Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award Committee, a committee dedicated to providing professional training activities for science teachers.

Marisa holds a BS in Biology and MS in Secondary Science Education from Lehigh University. She also possesses a MS in Biology from Montclair State University and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Caldwell University.


Dr. Nicole Panorkou is currently the President of the New Jersey Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (NJAMTE) and also a member at-large at the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey (AMTNJ). She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education and is an Associate Professor in the department of mathematics at Montclair State University. She teaches graduate mathematics education content and pedagogy courses to inservice K-12 teachers and engages in extensive work in local schools by providing professional development and engaging teachers in collaborative research projects.


Christopher Hunninghake has been working in the field of education for over 35 years. After earning a BA in biology from the University of Virginia, Christopher taught a variety of science courses in both public and private schools in New Jersey. He then earned an MA in educational administration from Rider University and began serving as a high school building administrator and science/math supervisor. Christopher then obtained a Teacher of the Handicapped certificate and returned to the classroom teaching science to students with special needs.


Dr. Karen Woodruff is a STEM teacher educator with teaching and research interests in ambitious science teaching, climate change education, and equity-focused opportunities for sensemaking in science and math. She is particularly passionate about supporting teachers with the knowledge and practices needed to thrive in the profession. Dr. Woodruff serves as the Director of the Endeavor STEM Teaching Certificate Project, where she builds relationships across institutions of higher education, K-12 schools, and STEM research organizations to provide educators with data-rich STEM professional development. She is Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Kean University where she prepares elementary math and science teachers.


Geena Taite is a doctoral candidate at Montclair State University in the Mathematics Education doctoral program. She has earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Ramapo College and her Master of Arts for Teachers degree in Mathematics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has been teaching various levels of high school mathematics since 2013 and is currently teaching at the Diana C. Lobosco STEM Academy in Wayne, NJ. Geena is a 2023 New Jersey state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

For more information contact us at prism@montclair.edu or 973-655-7753