MathPath camp for highly gifted students age 11-14

The short answer is: We don't have a fixed curriculum. We provide enrichment, not acceleration, so there is no particular place we have to begin or need to end.

Of course, our program has many common elements from year to year, and we have developed a format that works well for this age group and the variety in the background of the students.

So the longer answer is: The academic program has 3 parts:

plenaries (interactive lectures that everyone attends),

breakouts (hands-on smaller classes), and

informal activities.

There are 3 plenaries each day: 50 minutes on math history, 50 minutes on some mathematical topic, often given by a distinguished visitor, and 20 minutes on solutions to the Qualifying Test, where we analyze and critique varieties of mathematical writing.

The breakout courses usually run for a week each. There are two breakout periods each day, one in the morning between plenaries and one in the afternoon. Four or more courses are offered in parallel during each breakout period and students usually get their first choice. Even if we gave the same breakouts every year, students regret missing the topics they weren't able to choose, which is one reason why many students return for a 2nd, or even a 3rd year. (Another is that they have so much fun and make so many new friends.)

The informal activities include a Problem of the Day that students are challenged to solve (with prizes), free time where students can work on problems they find particularly interesting or talk to staff about math, and math games on the weekends,

The mathematical plenary topics are up to the speakers, so we can't very well announce them far in advance.

Likewise, many of the breakout topics topics are not decided until shortly before each week. Some things are standard - things every budding mathematician should know even if they are not taught in school - so we offer them every summer. These include number theory, mathematical induction, combinatorics, and various sorts of geometry. We also provide competition practice breakouts each year at various levels. Other topics are up to the instructors.

For a list of plenaries in 2010, click here. This list will be updated as the 2010 camp takes place.

For a list of breakouts in 2010, click here. This list will also be updated as the 2010 camp takes place.

Mathpath^® – "BRIGHT AND EARLY"^TM