Help me help my kids who loves math
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Anonymous
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DS is currently in third grade. He has always loved math and is doing advanced math topics on his own through Dreambox (no instructions so there are holes). He has been doing RSM (honor’s class) but he wants to do more. Should I give him Singapore math? Or beast academy? I’m not sure which is more complementary…he is very good but not Olympiad level or anything. He is learning python and has always been STEM minded, we expect to him stay on that trajectory.
What the best way to prepare him for the advanced math track in middle school? We are in the Whitman cluster FWIW. |
Anonymous
Why would you have to do anything but, nurture his love? I mean you didn't do anything to create it, right? But, if you push it than you could make him hate it. He's only in 3rd grade! Relax a bit and enjoy the journey |
Anonymous
| Yes I would do Singapore Math, particularly challenging word problems. Learning to do bar modeling is fantastic. Not every mathy kid likes AOPS/Beast Academy. It really just depends on the child. Singapore Math dot com is run by someone from Singapore that brings over and produces math content based on Singapore Ministry of Education teaching methods. Their concrete, pictorial abstract, method is great and can be really challenging. Much cheaper than paying for RSM. |
Anonymous
OP here. He asks to do more and I don’t know where to direct his interest. I don’t want him to spend more time on Dreambox. His brother started working on the Singapore math books and now he is asking for them too. |
Anonymous
there's your answer |
Anonymous
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My kid loved Math and we started Beast Academy in 3rd grade. He devoured the books and it led to him loving Math even more. Worth a try. Not that expensive and we never did classes, just the books at home and kept it very low-key. The books are great if you are not math-inclined because they explain everything well.
Kid is now a Math major in college, FWIW. |
Anonymous
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I had a mathy kid and was constantly looking for ways to accommodate her interest in math. Generally speaking, I would encourage you to think in terms of enrichment rather than acceleration. Getting too far ahead of the class will create more problems. Moreover, math builds on itself. Even if he is generally advanced, holes in his foundation can be a major problem in the future. You need to make sure he is rock solid on the fundamentals.
In terms of enrichment: Hoagies is a website that offers links for all subjects and ages to websites for enrichment. https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/links.htm The website for the National Math Festival also has links: https://www.nationalmathfestival.org/watch-play/more-math-resources Secret codes are great for math kids. The Third-Grade Detective series of books features kids using various secret codes to solve mysteries. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3rd+grade+detectives&crid=1NM2995C7YSAI&sprefix=3rd+grade+dete%2Caps%2C70&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_14 Cyberchase is a PBS show that is great about introducing kids to math concepts. While their focus has changed, you can find the earlier math seasons here: https://pbskids.org/cyberchase/videos/?selectedID=...5c-0ec9-4490-9f88-7890cfb1689a The Sir Cumference books by Cindy Neuschwander are great for introducing geometry concepts. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08937LBYC?binding=paperback&qid=1714874725&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_awt_sb_pc_tpbk Logic puzzles are great: Louis Sachar wrote a book of math puzzles called Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School which is a companion to his Wayside school series. The series is entertaining and I highly recommend it for reading enjoyment. Sideways Arithmetic, however, may not be for everyone. While I don't remember the actual math being that hard, the puzzles require you to look at them from unconventional perspectives. He might enjoy Sudoku or Magic Squares. Here is a very basic book introducing Magic Squares. The reading level will be below his, but it’s still nice background. https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Magic-Squares-Step-Into-Reading-Step/dp/0375806210/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7e5FquoKKEJsPSYvj1wnIyoTX2UC6Pn_TW48o_vtb98LSoc71hkrhsOjr1570Q04T52eMXuh5_a7T0LjUFykKDiiAdq4q0dwLwQQUIKzX7OTwMDQf91Tj7sYAo3tJ2LxfRFVj_uUwSck6TM9t-852EIlD-mvL44a7W5ZprZEKJrEd6Lxb1JLuZiKGiCX_GMGHVD6i2oahjAN8MyOE9h0Cg.RJdyRV8U5ZWkVkd38OL6XTGrXFfN5YzldSq9nYGkHAw&dib_tag=se&keywords=ben+franklin+magic+square&qid=1714874819&sr=8-1 Rush hour is another logic puzzle. This is a physical version, but I think there are a lot of online versions and apps available as well. https://www.thinkfun.com/?s=rush+hour Games of all kinds are great for math. While some use it explicitly (ex. Monopoly), they all basically use it in some form, whether in scorekeeping, probability, geometric/logical strategy, etc. Buzz is a verbal math game that you can adapt to any level. You establish a pattern and start counting, substituting the word Buzz for any numbers that fit the pattern. Ex. Even numbers and numbers with a three: 1, buzz, buzz, buzz, 5, buzz, 7, . . ., 11, buzz, buzz, buzz, 15, . . ., 29, buzz, buzz, buzz. . . (All 30s are buzzed), buzz, 41, . . . You can buzz odd/evens, specific numbers, multiples, primes, squares, fibonacci, etc. You can combine rules as in the example above. It can be as simple or complex as you want. Good for those waiting times (long lines, restaurants, car trips, etc.) If he knows the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and the fundamental order of operations, he can play 24. I used to have a link to a website with an online solitaire version, but the link stopped working. You can probably find another or an app. Here's a basic description of it in it's original card game version: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_(puzzle) (for some reason, I’m having trouble with the link. If Wikipedia asks if you mean 24 (puzzle)?, just select that option.) Set is a game that focuses on patterns. While there is a card based version, the creators also have a daily puzzle online. https://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle Here’s an easy way to multiply any number by 11: https://math.hmc.edu/funfacts/multiplication-by-11/#:~:text=What%20you%20notice%20is%20that,of%20digits%20sequentially%20in%20between. You might explore numbering systems that aren’t base 10. Especially if he’s interested in computers, you could teach him counting in binary. You could also cover Roman numerals, metric prefixes, etc. Cooking is also a great way to enrich math. It’s great for fractions. If he’s multiplying and dividing, you can double or halve recipes. There are all sorts of conversions you can do too (cups to tablespoons to teaspoons, etc.) Crafts are another great way to enrich math. Depending on the craft, he may need to measure, calculate perimeter/area/volume, determine smount of materials he needs, talk to you about budgeting for supplies, etc. He may need to learn geometry, etc, for some of these. Origami (Japanese paper folding) is also great for geometry. You could even use string art to explore modular arithmetic. Problems of the Week: Saint Ann's School (Does provide answers) https://sites.google.com/a/saintannsny.org/problem-of-the-week/ Princeton Friends School (Does not come with answers) https://www.princetonfriendsschool.org/academics/problem-of-the-week.cfm National Math Festival Weekly Puzzle Newsletter (Does provide answers) https://globalmathproject.org/nmf-weekly/?_gl=1*1v6vjwx*_gcl_au*MzA2NjE1NjEwLjE3MTQ4NjkxOTM. He might like the book Math Curse by Jon Scieszka For exposure to some unusual math topics, Theoni Pappas books are good. She is especially known for the ones with Penrose the Cat. There are multiple picture books about doubling grains of rice. There are actually a lot of great books for kids about math. Here’s a link to a math reading list or you could sinoky recommend your son browse the math shelves in non-fiction. https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/mathematics.htm The Mathemagician Arthur Benjamin is amazing and has lots of videos on YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=arthur+benjamin+mathemagician He might like the Zoombinis game. While not strictly about arithmetic, it involves a lot of logic and patterns. My kids played the original desktop version, but I think there are apps now. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoombinis As you run across holes in his arithmetic, you might find the book Quick Arithmetic by Robert Carman helpful. It’s written for adults who are trying to self-study arithmetic (it doesn’t address geometry, stats, etc.). It is surprisingly readable and the explanations are very clear. https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Arithmetic-Self-Teaching-Guide-Guides/dp/0471384941 AVOID CALCULATORS - This hopefully won’t be an issue for you, but when my kids were in school they were being actively encouraged by their teachers (even in third grade) to use calculators. My rule was that the kids should follow instructions in class, but on their homework they had to get specific permission from me before using calculators (which wasn’t given in third grade). |
Anonymous
| I have a boy that loves advanced math. He is in 2nd grader going into 3rd grade in the fall. Do we have any math club that us run by parents or organizations outside of school for these kinds of kids that loves math in montgomery county? |
Anonymous
| My mathy kid loved Beast Academy in elementary school. He also enjoyed competing in math and chess. Based on what saw, AoPS is where kids who are truly obsessed with math find their people and are most challenged. |
Anonymous
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Just to chime in that my Math kid loved some of the games the PP mentions.
Set Rush Hour Sudoku Puzzles She would crush us all in Set though, lol. |
Anonymous
FWIW, I do think you can foster that love for Math without pushing it too hard. MCPS Math usually stinks - Curriculum 2.0 was terrible and Eureka Math was super boring for my Math-loving kids. I was SO grateful to have found alternatives that challenged them because otherwise that spark for Math would have simply fizzled out. MCPS certainly doesn’t do any meaningful enrichment or encouragement in school for kids who have any Math talent so parents are on their own to figure it out. |
Anonymous
| Fun fact, for all the Eureka math haters - it's based on Singapore math 😁 |
Anonymous
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I like to focus on games and thinking.
Set Sequence Mastermind |
Anonymous
I don’t know any math circles (fun math). MoCo is very focused on competitive academics 
If you can’t beat someone else, most people aren’t interested in the activity. |
Anonymous
They are both quality sets of materials, for average and below students. Smart, interested kids need a lot more. |