Fall Programs

Fall Math Contest Club (September 20-October 21, Online)

The Fall Contest Club is five  weeks long and will cover contest questions and problem solving strategies that students may come across when writing contests. Instruction will focus on the fundamentals of problem solving in fun and age-appropriate ways, as well as honing their skills in quickly assessing how to solve a problem by recognizing its type. This helps to start to build the habits of mind needed for problem solving in general and geometry and algebra problems, particularly, in later years. 

One class section per grade range below will be offered, subject to change based on enrollment:

  • Grades 1-2 (relevant contest: Math Kangaroo)
  • Grades 3-4 (relevant contests: Math Kangaroo, Caribou Contest)
  • Grades 5-6 (relevant contests: CJMC, Math Kangaroo, Caribou Contest)
  • Grades 7-8 (relevant contests: CJMC, Gauss 7/8, AMC 8, and Math Kangaroo)
  • Grades 9-12 (relevant contests: Pascal, Cayley, Fermat, Fryer, Galois, Hypatia, Euclid, AMC10/12, COMC, Math Kangaroo)

Schedule

September 20–October 21, 2022

Program Fees and Financial Support

Junior Programs: $225 per term.

High School Programs: $240 + tax per term.

Register


Math in Algorithm & Coding Courses (November 1-25, Online)

The strong and beautiful relationship between Algorithms, Coding and Math will be introduced to young coders in these courses. Building on math knowledge, like geometry, solving math puzzles, and learning key programming concepts, students code together to solve challenges and mini projects.

One class section per grade range below will be offered, subject to change based on enrollment:

  • Grades 3-4 (relevant coding language: Block Coding)
  • Grades 5-6 (relevant coding language: Javascript and Python)
  • Grades 7-8 (relevant coding language: Python)
  • Grades 9-10 (relevant coding language: Python)
  • Grades 11-12 (relevant coding language: Python)

Schedule

November 1–25, 2022

Program Fees and Financial Support

Junior Programs: $225 per term.

High School Programs: $240 + tax per term.

Register


What do elementary school children do in a Math Contest Club?

For students in grades 1–6, instruction will focus on questions typical of the Math Kangaroo Contest, which aims to teach elementary school children the fundaments of problem solving in fun and age-appropriate ways. Questions for younger children tend to have a visual component and build skills on logic and spatial reasoning. This helps to start to build the habits of mind needed for problem solving in general and geometry and algebra problems in particular, in later years. If you're not familiar with Math Kangaroo questions, we strongly recommend looking at the free samples of past Math Kangaroo contests for each grade level. These samples give a good indication of what type of problem solving will be covered in the Clubs for children in grades 1–6. If you think your child's mathematical ability may be better suited to the class one level up, these samples will help you assess that. Samples of past Caribou Contests are available for practice and review.

Whether or not students in grade 1–6 choose to write the Math Kangaroo Contest, the Winter Math Contest Club will provide additional exposure to mathematical problem solving and logical thinking in a fun atmosphere with kids and instructors who enjoy doing math.

What do intermediate students do in a Math Contest Club?

Many math contests are now available to intermediate and high school students. The math problems in these contests tend to be approached in a way that isn’t typical of the way math is approached in school. The Winter Contest Club will help students to hone their skills in quickly assessing how to solve a problem by recognizing its type. Areas of math to be covered will include geometry, algebra, probability, systems of equations, optimization problems, series and sequences, among others. Students will have the opportunity to work with instructors and other youth who share their passion for math and their interest in solving contest-style problems. Students will be working towards Waterloo contests, AMC 10, and COMC