“Pick a massacre and research it!” (Common, Twitter, 5/31/21):

Retropolis: Tulsa isn’t the only race massacre you were never taught in school.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/06/01/tulsa-race-massacres-silence-schools/

Believe it or not, I actually studied with this guy for a few years - Maestro Bobby Sanabria. He's hasn't won a Grammy yet, but ... https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/bobby-sanabria/15321

I wasn't a bad student, but I left town and didn't really stick with it. Here he is in 2018 leading a "star-studded" jam session, sponsored by the Latin Percussion (LP) company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghCdL_hCBi4

... and just before the pandemic he became a professor at NYU: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/news/welcome-bobby-sanabria

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered - we know what happened, and who did it.

100 years ago today (May 31) there was a massacre in Tulsa, OK, and we are only recently finding out what happened. Hundreds were killed, many hundreds injured, and "Black Wall Street" was destroyed, leaving thousands of prosperous African Americans without their homes or businesses. Here are several short versions:

https://www.britannica.com/event/Tulsa-race-massacre-of-1921

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/31/black-wall-street-was-shattered-100-years-ago-how-tulsa-race-massacre-was-covered-up.html

... and a longer, more detailed version:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre

Jazz is the real American music, and it's mostly African-American: https://www.davebrubeck.com/the-real-ambassadors

Another Black Life to celebrate and mourn: Happy Birthday Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965)

... and study: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

"While we did not always see eye to eye on methods to solve the race problem, I always had a deep affection for Malcolm and felt that he had a great ability to put his finger on the existence and root of the problem. He was an eloquent spokesman for his point of view and no one can honestly doubt that Malcolm had a great concern for the problems that we face as a race. " Martin Luther King, Jr., 1965

You should read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Autobiography_of_Malcolm_X

... and see the movie too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X_(1992_film)

Here's one Black Life to Celebrate - Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Keyes! He was a substitute teacher at SRHS until just few years ago.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mZxIDmd3g5XUdTOa8oQueYF1B7yOBt2x/view?usp=sharing

... many, many years after serving our country as a soldier - in World War II:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NAzj0Fy5d0ob10mRB4Pst0Rwb9cSjtPj/view?usp=sharing

RIP Robert Slavin: https://hub.jhu.edu/2021/04/26/robert-slavin-obituary/

https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/11/05/robert-slavin-inaugural-education-distinguished-professor/

Some examples of what really works in math, from the Center for Research and Reform in Education, where he was Director:

https://www.evidenceforessa.org/programs/math?field_evidence_rating=%5B4%5D&field_grade=%5B13%5D

... and his/their latest initiative, what seems to make the biggest difference (over double the "effect size"), Tutoring:

https://beibindex.wordpress.com/2020/08/19/the-cost-benefit-case-for-tutoring/

https://www.the74million.org/article/slavin-an-open-letter-to-president-elect-biden-a-tutoring-marshall-plan-to-heal-our-students/

... and specific programs for grades 6-10 math: https://proventutoring.org/math-6-10/

Note: For you statisticians, Effect Size is essentially a z-score, (M2 - M1)/s = (difference of mean scores) / (standard deviation).

Black Lives still Matter, and although it's springtime, some would say it's still: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj7gvd6Whu0

When you "Google" something do you think you get impartial results?

Think again: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/search-engine-breakdown/

Facial Recognition is even worse: https://www.pbs.org/video/coded-bias-dysgui/


March is: https://womenshistorymonth.gov/

Yes, women can do math too (below), and all the sciences, but the Pipeline is Leaky:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/picture-a-scientist/

https://awm-math.org/

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/resources/womens-history-women-in-mathematics

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1abmx39AI3xds6OK9cqcpVIod5ZE-2PapgMoZYR_3434/edit?usp=sharing

... and here's a FREE summer opportunity for YOU at UM-College Park (virtual)! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekmdTxpiEHoOC87krltRiLQGAZgbKmtA-kCXS-dyNkwkKvbg/viewform


February is Black History Month, and I saw this fascinating documentary about Percy Julian, chemist and entrepreneur - developer of affordable steroids, among other things:

https://www.nsf.gov/news/now_showing/tv/forgotten_genius.jsp

Here are some important Black Mathematicians, courtesy of Old Mill HS:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vNp_hbL9-SbrEgct_C7uE82HgbO2X57X-hkASCjikik/edit?usp=sharing

Here is some Black History in Mathematics that I put together in 2019.

... and links to Black History in Art, including South River's own Mr. Keyes (99 years old!): drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ju0uOfXqcpiBjpfCB_xtorntUwUQyd3o

Yes, it's time for us all to be Anti-Racist!

https://nbpa.com/news

https://www.aacps.org/domain/1762

Wear your masks, keep your distance, and stay outdoors:

https://time.com/5883081/covid-19-transmitted-aerosols/

My DeltaMath.com Teacher Code WAS 837786 - last used in 2020

Please exercise your math brain every day - you can do it!

https://www.youcubed.org/resources/four-boosting-messages-jo-students/

And here's some math-brain-exercise for the summer:

http://www.southriverhi.org/instruction/math-2/

About Mr. Lipson: I'm originally from California, but I lived about ten years each in New York City and Ecuador (Quito and G'quil), then 4 years in Ankara, Turkey and now over 17 years in Maryland. I've taught from grade 6 through college math, and in 2014 I completed my 2nd master's degree, in Applied Math, at Johns Hopkins U. For 2020-21 I'm teaching Algebra 2, Transition Math and Financial Literacy at South River HS. I have worked with the International Baccalaureate(IB) and also taught several summer courses at JHU over the last 25 years. I enjoy walking my dog, fixing things around my house (DIY), and playing drums & percussion...

Rock and Soul 2017 part 3 - that's me playing congas on the intro to "Grapevine" starting at 6:15:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO2kTNzOVIA


Use a pencil every day. Here's a little pencil history: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48383050

I helped teach the Mathematics of Music for two summers (2017,18) at Johns Hopkins University:

https://hub.jhu.edu/2016/07/25/math-and-music-summer-course/

Rent a Calculator - Just complete the form and bring it in with $5 - for the whole year!

Calculator Loan Agreement 2019-2020.pdf