Firecracker MathSummer Camp 2015

Daily schedule:

8:30a.m. - 9:00 a.m. ------Drop off

9:00a.m. – 11:45 a.m. ------Math instructions with a 15-20 minute break

11:45a.m. – 12:45 p.m. ----Lunch time (campers have to bring their own lunches)

12:45p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ------Afternoon activity

3:00p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ------Pick up

Subjects to be covered at the math lessons over the course of the 1st two-week session (some changes may apply):

Elementary Division (K-3):

  1. Placing and counting objects. Brainteasers.
  2. Numbers. Parity. Domino games.
  3. Number Grid Puzzles. Magic squares.
  4. Exponential Growth and Measuring Volumes.
  5. The Pigeon Hole Principle.
  6. Tic-Tac-Toe. Game Strategy.
  7. The Tower of Hanoi. Logic Puzzles.
  8. Frogs and Toads. Combinatorial Game Theory.
  9. Pentominoes. B Geometric Shapes.
  10. Lines and Graph Theory.

Elementary Division (grades 3-6):

  1. Numbers and numeral systems. Parity.
  2. Prime and composite numbers. Prime factorization.

Divisibility and remainders. Divisibility tests. Problem solving strategies.

  1. The Tower of Hanoi. Mathematical induction. Problems and paradoxes.
  2. Pigeon Hole Principle. Proofs by contradiction.
  3. Combinatorics. Permutations and combinations. Fibonacci sequence and Pascal’s triangle.
  4. The mathematics of chance: Probability.
  5. Lines. Graph theory. Bridges of Konigsberg.
  6. Triangles. What makes a triangle unique? Special triangles and Pythagorean theorem.

Pi: The Most Fascinating Number in Mathematics. Experiments. Circumference and area of a circle.

  1. Mathematical games: No-strategy games. Figuring out game strategies.
  2. “Sitting and standing” game. Binary System and the origins of Computer Science.

Upper Division (grades 7-10). Euclid's Elements of Geometry.

Elements Book 1: Fundamentals of Plane Geometry Involving Straight-Lines

Why Euclid? What are The Elements?

Points, Lines, Angles, Circles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals. Definitions and Postulates.

Triangles. Congruent triangles. Three cases in which triangles are congruent.

Theorems involving parallel lines. The theorem regarding the sum of the angles in a triangle.

Pythagorean theorem.

Construction.

All theoretical instructions are accompanied with visual materials and game activities where applicable for better understanding of the concepts

Afternoon activities (some changes may apply):

Monday June 15: UC Campus tour: UC Library, Biology building (Dinosaurs!), Robotics museum, and other sites.

Tuesday June 16: Upper division: All about cheeses and breads - Cheeseboard Tour. Elementary division: Art project in the park.

Wednesday June 17: Science experiment: launching bottle-rockets.

Thursday June 18: UC Campus Campanile tour. Math Scavenger Hunt. Afternoon with math puzzles.

Friday June 19: Swimming party.

Monday June 22: Upper division: Solving the Rubik's cube! Afternoon with math puzzles. Elementary division: Art project.

Tuesday June 23: Upper division: Tour of the David Brower Center. Elementary division: Puppet theater or Art project.

Wednesday June 24:Science experiments: re-launching bottle-rockets after figuring out the math.

Thursday June 25: Swimming party.

Friday June 26: The craft of felting. Make your own masterpiece!

Healthy snacks will be provided between morning classes and at 3pm

Please note that we do not provide daycare. If you are running late to pick up your child, please call (215)356-9959 or (510)314-2892, or email to make special arrangements.