| Maritime Math Callback – Pick a perfect fall day, invite a group
of middle and high school math teachers to come
together again, and head out to Fall River.
That’s what happened when the teachers of
the Maritime Math Content Institute convened on
September 30th for their first call
back to further their studies of applied math and
science aboard Schooner Ernestina.
Nine teachers from Attleboro,
Falmouth, Worcester, Silver Lake, Brockton and
the Cape Cod Collaborative gathered for the first
of three callback sessions to continue the work
they began this summer. The teachers along with
Ron Norsworthy and Frank Giuliano of Bridgewater
State College received a full orientation of the
ship and divided into watches to run the ship for
the 11-hour transit. Paul Anthony, a physics
teacher, led the group in an interesting lesson
on the physics of sail theory. Fred Sterner,
chief mate, brought the group further along in
their education of chart navigation and
mechanical advantage.
The teachers were very
ambitious and explored all areas of the ship.
Tracy Lavengood from Wachusett Regional High
School was the first to climb up the ratlines to
the spreaders. A spirited group gathered to form
the Bowsprit Furlers and included Michael
Tierney, Joe Basile, and Dan Dobbins. They were
quite content spend a good deal of time out on
the bowsprit theorizing about the force, speed,
and rate of water moving under them.
The ship arrived in Fall River
at sunset and was greeted but a crowd of
enthusiastic Boy Scouts aboard the JFK
battleship. With the sails furled and the
docklines secured, the teachers left the ship
looking forward to completing their course units
and gathering again in the spring to present
them.
Captain: Sophie
Morse
Program Coordinators: Crista Mellican, Polly
Zajac
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