Algebra 1 in 5th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son took Algebra in 4th, online version at the local community college, and kept taking online classes at this institution up to calculus this coming fall.

Content wise, there are many places where one could take online classes, like some previous posters mentioned AOPS, RSM, and many others. Community college might work if he needs some kind of credit, but in our district it is recommended that the student take the AP version of the class even if they took it at the community college, which in our experience were lighter in content and easy on grading.

Taking accelerated classes at the middle school didn’t work for us. At some point the school determined he should be in 6 grade math, but it was too easy for him, next year he was placed in 8th grade math (not honors) but they started with a review of decimal arithmetic that was pointless for him, and had weird scheduling of missing 15 mind of his previous class, arriving late at the next one etc. in the end the math teacher recommended he takes the online classes.

It’s really important to make sure he understands the content in depth, whatever he does at school, I’d recommend he supplements with other programs like AOPS etc.

How did you enroll him in 4th grade? What was the name of the course he took, and how did you know he was ready to take it?

I used a high school enrollment form, and nobody objected that it said 4th grade on it. There are plenty of algebra readiness test if that’s what you’re looking for, in his case he completed AOPS Prealgebra which was more than enough preparation.

[Anonymous]

My son was taking honors algebra I at the 4th grade. Now, at the 5th grade he is taking honors geometry in local high school. It was the best decision!He is one of the top student and he is very has amazing contact with his classmates!

[Anonymous]

Most advanced students learn Algebra1 in 6th grade, Geometry in 7th, and Algebra2 in 8th grade

[Anonymous]

It depends on how the middle school and your elementary school collaborate to figure out the logistics including schedules.

In our case, the middle school gather all elementary kids who take Algebra in one class (and by the best teacher), so social interactions are mostly among those young kids. By the way, there is a fifth grader, and no concerns at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He was tested by the county at the beginning of 1st. That year he was in a 3rd grade AAP math class. During Kindergarten, he was pulled out twice a week and the AART was using material 3 and 4 years ahead.

It's great that he's gotten support to be adequately challenged! Unfortunately my kids aren't that far ahead, but it sounds like you can get some information here. Don't forget that FCPS does dual-enrollment with George Mason through at least Differential Equations and Complex Analysis after AP Calc BC, so he's got a while before he tops out in this county.

my child did algebra 1 in 6th, never took a summer course, and will be in ap calc bc next year in 11th. all placements were recommended by their math teachers. plans to take DE courses in senior year.

Interesting - did your child take Calc AB as a sophomore rather than skipping straight to Calc BC?

If OP's child took that same track, they would be able to finish up with Diff Eq senior year.

I had the same question. Maybe their school system requires a year of Calc AB before BC?

I have a question for those who "skipped straight to BC" - how many high school credits, and how many scheduled hours did your child spend when going "straight to BC?"
Is it 2 or 1? (BC usually gives 8 semester hours of AP credit, so it would make sense to equate to 2 HS credit, like AP Physics C or AP Chemistry.)

In other words, when people say their kid went "straight to BC" did they complete BC in one year using 1/8th of their HS load, or was it in fact 1/4? In other words, did they just compress it in one year instead of two?
For HS that limit the number of hours a child can take per year to n, did it count at 1/nth or 2/nth? (Our HS has n=9 and that includes summer classes.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He was tested by the county at the beginning of 1st. That year he was in a 3rd grade AAP math class. During Kindergarten, he was pulled out twice a week and the AART was using material 3 and 4 years ahead.

It's great that he's gotten support to be adequately challenged! Unfortunately my kids aren't that far ahead, but it sounds like you can get some information here. Don't forget that FCPS does dual-enrollment with George Mason through at least Differential Equations and Complex Analysis after AP Calc BC, so he's got a while before he tops out in this county.

my child did algebra 1 in 6th, never took a summer course, and will be in ap calc bc next year in 11th. all placements were recommended by their math teachers. plans to take DE courses in senior year.

Interesting - did your child take Calc AB as a sophomore rather than skipping straight to Calc BC?

If OP's child took that same track, they would be able to finish up with Diff Eq senior year.

I had the same question. Maybe their school system requires a year of Calc AB before BC?

I have a question for those who "skipped straight to BC" - how many high school credits, and how many scheduled hours did your child spend when going "straight to BC?"
Is it 2 or 1? (BC usually gives 8 semester hours of AP credit, so it would make sense to equate to 2 HS credit, like AP Physics C or AP Chemistry.)

In other words, when people say their kid went "straight to BC" did they complete BC in one year using 1/8th of their HS load, or was it in fact 1/4? In other words, did they just compress it in one year instead of two?
For HS that limit the number of hours a child can take per year to n, did it count at 1/nth or 2/nth? (Our HS has n=9 and that includes summer classes.)

Calc BC is the standard 2-semester college course taught in 1 year, single period, at school.

Calc AB is a slower paced course that covers about 1.5 college semesters, designed for students who have not completed a pre-STEM precalculus course, or who intended for AB to be terminal calculus course for a non STEM major like marketing, or who are overwhelmed with other priorities and need to pump the brakes on math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was taking honors algebra I at the 4th grade. Now, at the 5th grade he is taking honors geometry in local high school. It was the best decision!He is one of the top student and he is very has amazing contact with his classmates!

Why not at a middle school? Doesn't the middle school have honors geometry?
What school district is this?

[Anonymous]

Curious, is your child a well rounded student? How is he doing in other subjects? Just a question, no offense at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious, is your child a well rounded student? How is he doing in other subjects? Just a question, no offense at all.

My student similarly advanced in math is 75 percentile in reading. Definitely shows a preference for math.

[Anonymous]

My 8th grader is in precalc. Which I think would be your son’s pathway. You have to have a middle school that supports this though. Not all do. High school is easier because most have at least through calc BC then you can dual enroll in college classes if they don’t offer past BC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He was tested by the county at the beginning of 1st. That year he was in a 3rd grade AAP math class. During Kindergarten, he was pulled out twice a week and the AART was using material 3 and 4 years ahead.

It's great that he's gotten support to be adequately challenged! Unfortunately my kids aren't that far ahead, but it sounds like you can get some information here. Don't forget that FCPS does dual-enrollment with George Mason through at least Differential Equations and Complex Analysis after AP Calc BC, so he's got a while before he tops out in this county.

my child did algebra 1 in 6th, never took a summer course, and will be in ap calc bc next year in 11th. all placements were recommended by their math teachers. plans to take DE courses in senior year.

Interesting - did your child take Calc AB as a sophomore rather than skipping straight to Calc BC?

If OP's child took that same track, they would be able to finish up with Diff Eq senior year.

I had the same question. Maybe their school system requires a year of Calc AB before BC?

I have a question for those who "skipped straight to BC" - how many high school credits, and how many scheduled hours did your child spend when going "straight to BC?"
Is it 2 or 1? (BC usually gives 8 semester hours of AP credit, so it would make sense to equate to 2 HS credit, like AP Physics C or AP Chemistry.)

In other words, when people say their kid went "straight to BC" did they complete BC in one year using 1/8th of their HS load, or was it in fact 1/4? In other words, did they just compress it in one year instead of two?
For HS that limit the number of hours a child can take per year to n, did it count at 1/nth or 2/nth? (Our HS has n=9 and that includes summer classes.)

Calc BC is the standard 2-semester college course taught in 1 year, single period, at school.

Calc AB is a slower paced course that covers about 1.5 college semesters, designed for students who have not completed a pre-STEM precalculus course, or who intended for AB to be terminal calculus course for a non STEM major like marketing, or who are overwhelmed with other priorities and need to pump the brakes on math.

If Calc BC yields 1 HS credit, what about AP Chemistry and AP Physics C?
Do they also count as only 1 HS credit each taught during 1 period (out of 8, I assume?)

[Anonymous]

How awkward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He was tested by the county at the beginning of 1st. That year he was in a 3rd grade AAP math class. During Kindergarten, he was pulled out twice a week and the AART was using material 3 and 4 years ahead.

Can I ask what elementary your child go to ?

[Anonymous]

FCPS parent who’s DC took Algebra in 5th grade. No summer math classes. Took Calculus AB freshmen year and BC sophomore year despite the school recommending and pushed for DC to do BC. It was the best decision, DC agrees on retrospective. There is a lot of change entering HS and BC is a hard course. DC will take Multivariable DE/Linear at the HS junior year and AP Stats senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS parent who’s DC took Algebra in 5th grade. No summer math classes. Took Calculus AB freshmen year and BC sophomore year despite the school recommending and pushed for DC to do BC. It was the best decision, DC agrees on retrospective. There is a lot of change entering HS and BC is a hard course. DC will take Multivariable DE/Linear at the HS junior year and AP Stats senior year.

What did your DC take in 8th? If algebra in 5, assume geometry in 6, Alg 2 in 7th, so what in 8th? Was there a precalc class? Thanks