Enrichment, 3rd and 4th grade students. We’ll build on students’ basic understanding of place values to make students comfortable working with large numbers. Understanding of fractions will be reviewed, basic operations with simple fractions will be required in some word problems. Word problems will require clear understanding of meaning for every arithmetic operation performed in solution. Exposure to geometry will include hands-on experience with polygons, angles, nets of simple polyhedra. Certain classical math circle problems will be introduced from Martin Gardner collection. Singapore level 3 books will also be used in class (roughly corresponds to grade 4 US math). Some students choose to participate in the Math Kangaroo contest which is optional and not a part of the class, where the emphasis is on cooperative approach.
The cost of the class includes all books and workbooks used in the class.
Competitive, 4th to 6th grade students. Classical Pre-algebra topics will be covered, such as ratios and percents, integers, solving linear equations, work with exponents and radicals, counting and probability, elements of number theory, and statistics. Beast Academy 4 and 5 levels allow us accessible and fun approach to those challenging areas of math. Certain classical math circle problems will be introduced from Math Kangaroo and MOEMS competitions. Students will also be exposed to math topics not included in school curriculum, but promoting critical thinking skills, such as numerous logic problem series by Raymond Smullyan, solvable strategy games, and graphs. Students are expected to participate in Math Kangaroo in March of 2019, as well as five MOEMS sessions that happen monthly November through March.
Competition, 6th-7th grade. (75 min) This year we are excited to run a class for our more competitive middle school students. Class will include five Div M MOEMS competitions (grades 6th-8th), conducted on the following dates: Nov 22nd, Dec 20th, Jan 24th, Feb 21st, Mar 14th. Weekly meetings will be both enrichment and competition oriented. We will move fast through the material, and students will be expected to complete and hand in homework every week. Various competition problems from MathCounts, AMC 8, and MOEMS Div M will be reviewed in class. Some Algebra 1 topics will be introduced. New students need to show strong performance on evaluation test and interview to join the class.
The cost of the class includes all books and workbooks used in the class.
Competitive, 7th-8th grade. We will move fast through the material, and students will be expected to complete and hand in homework every week. Various competition problems from MathCounts, AMC 8, and MOEMS Div M will be reviewed in class. Course will be based on Art of Problem Solving textbooks.
New students need to show strong performance on evaluation test and interview to join the class.
Competitive, 9th grade and up. This year we are excited to run a class for our more competitive high school students. Class will be based on “Art and Craft of Problem Solving” book by Paul Zeitz. Students will be expected to complete and hand in homework every week. Various competition problems from AMC 10 and 12, Purple Comet, and Lehigh Math Contest will be reviewed in class.
New students need to show strong performance on evaluation test and interview to join the class.
Enrichment, 1st and 2nd grade students. The main concepts, such as place value, recognizing arithmetic operations in object manipulations, basic understanding of fractions, measurement units, spatial awareness, will be addressed through hands-on activities, word problems and games. We are inspired by works of Jane Katz, math education specialist from Moscow, as well as classical Russian math circle topics. We also will be working slowly and thoroughly through Beast Academy math books starting with 2A in this class.
The cost of the class includes all books and workbooks used in the class.
Enrichment, 3rd to 5th grade students. We’ll build on students’ basic understanding of mathematical operations to further explore perfect squares and distributive property. Understanding of fractions will be reviewed, basic operations with simple fractions will be required in some word problems. Students will work on estimations and measurements. Exposure to geometry will include hands-on experience with polygons, angles, nets of simple polyhedral, as well as calculations of area and perimeter. Certain classical math circle problems will be introduced from Math Kangaroo and MOEMS competitions. Beast Academy level 3 books will be used in class (roughly corresponds to grade 4 US math). Students are encouraged to participate in Math Kangaroo contest which will be available in March of 2019 at our center, but participation is optional and not a part of the class, where the emphasis is on cooperative approach.
The cost of the class includes all books and workbooks used in the class.
Our children are not getting the education they need to compete in the 21st century global economy. In our math classes, we teach students of all skill levels the kinds of math missing in school. Our students learn key concepts and techniques, and practice applying them in both abstract and applied situations. If your child is always asking questions in school that his teacher says are “beyond the scope of this class”, these classes are perfect. Our teachers are excited to answer exactly those sorts of questions. Unlike the dry math taught in schools, these classes are fun and energetic, with other students who are eager to learn.
The skills students learn in our classes will prepare them for advanced math in college, and also develop the kind of scientific thinking needed for all kinds of science and engineering classes. Math and mathematical thinking are crucial for all STEM fields, and developing these skills early gives students a competitive edge in both their classes and the real world.
Developing Reasoning and Problem Solving Skills Through Math:
Topics below give an idea of general direction I would like to take your child in our exploration of Mathematics. It’s not a quick journey by any means. Our youngest students might just get a taste of some topics on their first year, sometimes in a form of a game or hands-on activity. Returning middle-schoolers, on the other hand, will be challenged to apply the familiar concepts in serious problem solving.
Numeral systems and deeper understanding of base ten notation
Cuneiform and Roman numerals (positional vs non-positional numeral systems)
addition, multiplication and long division puzzles with same digits replaced by same letters
exploding dots (introduction to positional systems other than decimal)
operations in other bases, conversion of numbers between bases
Introduction to number theory – Parity
even vs odd numbers, definition and easy recognition
keeping track of parity in arithmetic operations
keeping track of parity during a process with alterations (what side of the fence is a grasshopper after 315 jumps)
recognizing parity in longer arithmetic expressions
Introduction to number theory – Divisibility
review of divisibility rules by 2, 3, 5, with justification
skip counting on a circle predicting result
prime factorization, LCM and GCF
Arithmetics
order of operations, parenthesis
recognizing order of operations in word problems
regrouping of long sums for efficiency, introduction to finite series
Word problems
review of famous arithmetics problems (heads and legs, birds landing of trees, etc.)
organizing data into table for certain logic problems
working backwards problems
organizing data as a chart (I have twice as much as you:), converting into algebraic expressions
date, time, calendar and age in word problems (organizing what’s given)
word problems on fractions
Coordinate systems
number line: negative numbers (basement floors, piles and pits in a sandbox)
number line: what is there between 0 and 1?
geometry of graph paper
Geometry
counting polygons on a given picture
split a shape into identical parts in all possible ways, construct all possible shapes from parts given
length, perimeter, when does perimeter stay the same
direction and angles, properties of angles of polygons
area of certain polygons, area of a part as a fraction of a whole
Solid Geometry
review of nets of a cube, introducing nets of other polyhedra
building all possible Platonic solids
observations on numbers of vertices, edges, sides of polyhedra
connections of a 3d shape and its 2d images
volume
Various other topics
graphs: relationships of “phone lines”, “islands and bridges” as graphs, unicursal lines
elements of topology: labyrinths, verifying if a point belongs to closed shape, 3d topology tricks
elements of combinatorics: counting paths, permutations
logic: true and false statements, opposite statement, “knights and liars” problems
strategy games
puzzles
Math News
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MOEMS Olympiad 2019/19 – Feb 19th
Calling All Mathletes!
Our MOEMS competition continues! Div E (4th-6th grade) and Div M (6th-8th grade)
*SJIC Math students are automatically registered.*
WHEN: Tuesday, February 19th –...
MOEMS Olympiad 2019/19 – Jan 22nd
Calling All Mathletes!
Our MOEMS competition continues! Div E (4th-6th grade) and Div M (6th-8th grade)
*SJIC Math students are automatically registered.*
WHEN: Tuesday, January 22nd –...
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Our new hydroponic garden will soon be in bloom. Enter our contest to correctly guess which of our six amaryllis bulbs will be red...
MOEMS Olympiad 2019/19 – Dec 18th
Calling All Mathletes!
Our MOEMS competition continues! Div E (4th-6th grade) and Div M (6th-8th grade)
*SJIC Math students are automatically registered.*
WHEN: Tuesday, December 18th...
Notes from Camp: Math
We used math to complete puzzles, make calculations, solve problems, conduct science experiments and for competition. Why? Because we’re mathletes! And that’s what we...
Notes from Camp: Math
New friends+old friends+numbers =Innovative Math Camp. No matter how you add it up we’re having a great time!