Teachers enjoy models and making and they take that enthusiasm and activity back to their students.  Hosted by Professor Jennifer Austin of University of Texas at Austin, this was a particularly fun meeting.  We discussed how we make these models – see MAA Horizon Do the Math Article , tried using paper templates and slicing into playdoh.  See Take and Make blog entry on conic sections for links to paper templates, stl files for 3d printer versions and more.  

Everyone took home one or several of our conic section model to share with colleagues and display at school.