It looks as though we will not be organizing a second AGMath Camp this year ... not because we didn't love running the camp, but because MathZoom (a major national summer program) is coming to Charlotte this year in July.
Dr. Blackburn and I have both been tapped for coaching positions at this summer's first east coast MathZoom.
Photos from 2009: Click on the text for a larger image. Sorry about the quality, my camera is not the best.
What is Math Camp? Math Camp is a week-long summer program geared towards students interested in going beyond what is learned in a traditional math classroom. This is not a program for students who struggle with math. Students who attend should be prepared to do a lot of problem solving.
It is a great way to prepare for national competitions like MATHCOUNTS and the American Math Competition (AMC).
When and where are this summer’s sessions? 2010 dates to be announced.
Cost? 2009 cost: $450 for the day camp, $650 for overnight campers.
Who should attend? Rising middle school students (students who will enter the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in the fall of 2009). We would consider admitting a very highly advanced student who is younger.
If you love math, particularly solving difficult problems, this will be the perfect place to improve your skills.
Students are expected to be comfortable working without a calculator, skilled in solving problems involving fractions, decimals, and percents, and familiar with basic probability. Algebra is not a prerequisite, but students should have some experience solving equations and working with square roots. Basic volume and area formulas should be understood, and students should know how to use the Pythagorean theorem.
As a general rule, students who have taken the AMC8 should be able to score at least their age, and we expect many students to score 1.5 times their age or even higher.
If you cannot solve at least 4 of the problems on the pre-assessment (in the application packet), Math Camp will likely be too difficult for you.
What topics will be covered? Students will be able to get a taste of all the major topics included on the major national competitions. Topics like Counting, Probability, Statistics (using mean, median, mode), Patterns, the Pythagorean Theorem, Area, Three-Dimensional Geometry, Proportions/Ratios/Percents, Algebraic Equations, and Number Theory will all be taught with a focus on problem-solving.
What will a day of Math Camp look like? Students will have 3 or 4 sessions of math instruction each day with breaks and activities in between, each focusing on one of the topics listed above (usually two sessions in the morning and two after lunch). There will also be some additional periods of time for individual practice (we will administer tests from previous years of MathCounts and the AMC). There will be lots of time to hang out with friends on the grounds of NCSSM (even with kids who love math, we can't do math all day!). We will include some group-building, puzzle-solving and strategy games for fun as well. Lunch and a snack will be provided on campus for day campers, and overnight campers will be provided with full meals and will room in the dorms of NCSSM. Evenings (after 5) will be primarily social time, with games, movies, computer time, and some planned activities (depending on how many students choose the overnight option).
Who are the instructors? Jason Batterson (founder of this site) and Boyd Blackburn (Smith Middle School teacher and MATHCOUNTS coach) will be instructing this year. Award-winning NCSSM math coaches Phillip Rash and John Goebel will also assist in the evenings.
