Math Kangaroo registration has been moved to late September

[mathnerd]

Today was to be the day that MK 2016 registration opened. But, on their website, it now says that the registration is planned for 25th of September. So, for those trying to register like me, you may have to wait for 10 more days :(

http://www.mathkangaroo.org/mk/default.html

 

[hellojwolford]

Thank you for the heads-up!

[arliemaria]

I have an begining first grader.  He is just reading CVC words but is doing very well with math and science.  How is the test administered?  Does he need to be able to read the questions himself or are they proctored/read aloud for first graders?

[Arcadia]

How is the test administered?  Does he need to be able to read the questions himself or are they proctored/read aloud for first graders?

 

At the center my kids were at last year, kids were group according to the levels they were at.  Everyone had to read their own questions.

 

From the math kangaroo website

http://www.mathkangaroo.org/mk/rules.html 

"Any student in grades 1 through 12 qualifies if he or she can work independently: read and answer a multiple choice test."

 

Also make sure kid knows how to color bubbles because the answer sheet is the scantron kind.  Link has a sample and instructions.

http://www.mathkangaroo.org/mk/answer_card_info.html

​

[mathnerd]

He is just reading CVC words but is doing very well with math and science. 

Here is a sample test from MK canada if you are interested in trying it out at home to see if your son is up to the test taking and enduring the 30-45 minutes of seat work that it might take: https://kangaroo.math.ca/samples/2015/2015gr0102e.pdf

[Dmmetler]

Be aware, too, that whether grades are split depends on how many kids they have testing. At our local center, it's one big room, with kids staggered so that they aren't sitting beside/behind someone taking the same test, so a 6 yr old could be next to a high school student if that's how the numbers pan out.

[daijobu]

I'm happy with the change this year that you can have private registration directly to their website.  This saves me having to collect everyone's personal information and money and register them individually myself.  Now I can just give everyone the password and they can register themselves.  

[sportsmom]

I live in the metropolitian area of my state capitol and there still isn't a center to me that is closer than 2 hours away - without traffic.  Argh!

[daijobu]

It isn't hard to run your own center.  I've hosted a Math Kangaroo at my library for the past few years. MK is very homeschool-friendly.  

[purpleowl]

Registration goes through December, right?  But I have to still be able to find a spot where she could participate?

 

I just told DD about it and showed her some example problems.  She is decidedly not interested in participating.  It didn't even matter that one of the sample problems had her name in it!  I think I will try her again closer to the deadline and see if I can talk her into it.  I am currently having to remind myself that she is not me, lol. :)  I would have been SO excited about this at her age.  

[Dmmetler]

You can always tell her that she'll get a T-Shirt and a toy :).

 

My DD has decided not to register, though-the test date is the same as cheer practice, and it's only about 2 weeks before regionals. Last year, she basically ended up showing up, doing as much Of the test as she could before she had to leave, and getting the t-shirt knowing she wouldn't place, and she doesn't feel it's worth it.

[purpleowl]

You can always tell her that she'll get a T-Shirt and a toy :).

 

My DD has decided not to register, though-the test date is the same as cheer practice, and it's only about 2 weeks before regionals. Last year, she basically ended up showing up, doing as much Of the test as she could before she had to leave, and getting the t-shirt knowing she wouldn't place, and she doesn't feel it's worth it.

 

I did!  She would not be swayed!  She did tell me that if I found something like this for Latin or language, she would want to do it.  ;)  

[Dmmetler]

Exploratory Latin Exam :). No t-shirt or toy, but a chance to get a medal or certificate.

 

Also, the National Language Arts League (same people as the CML)-again, no t-shirt, but a nice enough little contest.

 

ELE officially starts at 3rd, NLAL starts at 2nd. I suspect many 1st graders could easily do it. The ACL is fine with younger kids taking their tests until they age out of the test, the CML just wants them to move up at least one level a year. Both can be done as a group or independently, and are very homeschool friendly.

[purpleowl]

I knew about the ELE, I think because you've mentioned it previously. :)  I looked at their sample test and I think DD wouldn't be ready for it this year, but probably as a 2nd grader she would be, so it's good to know that they're okay with younger participants.

 

I didn't know about the NLAL - thank you!  I'll show her the sample tomorrow and see what she thinks.  :thumbup1:

[Dmmetler]

Be aware-the registration deadline for all CML contests is the same (October) even though the non-Math ones don't happen until the math contest rounds have ended in the Spring. So if she wants to do it, register soon! I will say that I'm glad they finally updated their registration so it can be done online. Until this year, you had to allow time for the snail mail to actually get to them.

[Miss Tick]

Exploratory Latin Exam :). No t-shirt or toy, but a chance to get a medal or certificate.

 

Also, the National Language Arts League (same people as the CML)-again, no t-shirt, but a nice enough little contest.

 

ELE officially starts at 3rd, NLAL starts at 2nd. I suspect many 1st graders could easily do it. The ACL is fine with younger kids taking their tests until they age out of the test, the CML just wants them to move up at least one level a year. Both can be done as a group or independently, and are very homeschool friendly.

We can't do Math Kangaroo this year because I think we will be travelling, so my dc were willing to do a Latin Exam, but the only one I knew of was the National Latin Exam, can you compare it to ELE? Which one is better, or more accommodating for homeschoolers? I'll have to do some googling layer, but it would be great to hear your thoughts.

[Dmmetler]

The Exploratory Latin Exam is almost all vocabulary, and it is focused on vocabulary which is the standard elementary school language vocabulary-colors, body parts, animals, common phrases. It's for grades 3-6, and the teacher packets are designed for use in a "specials" class-a once a week extra or a 6 week daily exploratory class.

 

The NLE, even the foundations exam (which is designed for middle school students taking Latin 1 over 2 years) is focused on high school Latin standards, and involves a lot of grammar, labeling, much more involved translation, etc.

 

Basically, the ELE is Song School Latin, and the NLE is Henle (substitute in any high school level part-whole you want).

 

Both are ACL exams and homeschool friendly. The NLE requires a proctor who isn't the teaching parent, the ELE does not. Both mail you the exam, your DC take it, and you mail it back. You can also do the National Classical Etymology Exam in the fall and the National Latin Vocabulary exam in the Spring, which are done on Quia-you register, they send you the log in. Both of these want a non-family proctor as well. We always either get together with someone else to do the exam, and trade kids, or, for online ones, the children's librarian lets DD do them in her office. It is honestly hard to find an organization more homeschool friendly and easy to work with than the ACL.

[sportsmom]

It isn't hard to run your own center.  I've hosted a Math Kangaroo at my library for the past few years. MK is very homeschool-friendly.  

 

If I could take on something else, I would consider it.  But I'm currently almost at the "you can find me crying in a corner hiding from everyone" stage.

 

Last night we had a board meeting of a nonprofit we run, and at the end of it, our VP said, "you need an adult beverage more than anyone I have seen in a very long time."

[kathkath]

Is math kangaroo an all day event or done at a specific time?

[mathnerd]

Is math kangaroo an all day event or done at a specific time?

It is at a specific time and a place. The centers will publish the time of the test.

[Black-eyed Suzan]

Is math kangaroo an all day event or done at a specific time?

 

 

It is at a specific time and a place. The centers will publish the time of the test.

 

At our center it was early evening on that Thursday. If I recall correctly, it took 1-2 hours.

[SeaConquest]

Be aware-the registration deadline for all CML contests is the same (October) even though the non-Math ones don't happen until the math contest rounds have ended in the Spring. So if she wants to do it, register soon! I will say that I'm glad they finally updated their registration so it can be done online. Until this year, you had to allow time for the snail mail to actually get to them.

 

I have the math, science, social studies, and language contests sitting in my cart at the moment. Is this overkill, or do most ALs find these contests fun?

[Dmmetler]

My DD enjoys them. Math is done before the others start. I'd stagger them within the test window. None is all that long, but doing three on one day would probably feel a lot like taking the SAT-10. We don't prep at all.

[eternallytired]

Wait--where are these tests for other subjects?  Is there anything specifically for geography?  ODS's current bedtime reading is The Geography Bee: Complete Preparation Handbook, from which he has me quiz him before tuck-in.  After inquiring as to the nature of a "bee," he's asked several times if there are any geography contests he can be in.  I asked if he wanted to try a math contest (since he LOVES math, too), but he didn't bite.  (Although with his ADD, I'm wondering how successful he'd be at anything timed and in an unusual location/distracting surroundings.)

[Dmmetler]

http://www.cmleague.com/

 

And yes, there is a Geography League as well.

 

Except for Math, these are one shot tests taken in April. If you are a top scorer  you get a medal. (Schools/sponsors are also sent local awards to use in-house. It's up to you, if you're a homeschooler and have only 1 kid participating, they still send one.) If you have more than 10 kids at a grade level, you can also compete for school awards, but even with my math club, I've never had that many.

 

 They are paper/pencil only. Math is free response, most of the others are multiple choice. The school contact submits scores online, but keep your child's original work, because they may ask for it to be scanned/e-mailed or mailed in if they're a high scorer (I've only had that requested in math.) I would call it "Grade level, plus"-similar to the Singapore IP or CWP problems, but not as hard as AOPS challenge problems. On math, some grade levels have two divisions. The math is about the same level on both, but Pythagorean is wordier.

 

Kids can bump up to a higher level, but may not repeat levels and are expected to move up, so be aware that if you put in your 1st grader as a 2nd grader, they need to be a 3rd grade next year and so on.

 

 

[SeaConquest]

If you did the Exploratory Latin and National Mythology exams at a younger age, did you bump up the grade level each year as well? I am trying to decide whether to wait on Sacha's actual grade level for these exams (meaning, should I wait until he is actually in 3rd vs. working at a 3rd grade level). 

[Dmmetler]

You can list grades down to 1st on the answer sheet, and it will score them as though they are a 3rd grader, since that's the lowest category. Kindergartners should be listed as 1st, per the ACL last year, when I had two siblings take the test since I had extra tests, and supposedly a note was made so they won't be flagged as repeating a grade level when they take the test this year.

 

I will say that DD adds a subtest for the NME each year, which effectively bumps her grade level, even though the card still lists her as X grade, and I've also suggested this for kids who start early and medal on the core before 5th grade. If a kid gets gold (or even silver) in 2nd or 3rd, there's no reason to have them just do the core in 3rd or 4th, so we add the specialty test (which changes each year) since it's on D'Aulaires as well, and then the Norse or Native American or African subtests. I do suggest waiting on the Iliad and Odyssey tests until older because the translations used are more explicit than some parents want their young kids reading, and caution parents that some of the other stories in the Native American and African books may be a bit much for younger DC.

[debi21]

So here's a question about Math Kangaroo registration. Are all the centers listed immediately? I was hoping to sign up my 1st grader to give it a try. The last few years, I've seen that there are 1-3 testing sites in my state, but as of this morning, there aren't any. In fact, there are only sites in about half the states. Is there any chance more will be added in the next few weeks?

[daijobu]

So here's a question about Math Kangaroo registration. Are all the centers listed immediately? I was hoping to sign up my 1st grader to give it a try. The last few years, I've seen that there are 1-3 testing sites in my state, but as of this morning, there aren't any. In fact, there are only sites in about half the states. Is there any chance more will be added in the next few weeks?

 

I run a MK test site at the local library for homeschoolers.  I can choose to have my center open to the public so folks like you can sign up.  Or I can keep my center private so just people I know have access and can sign up.  The option to keep your center private is new this year.  (Last year if you wanted your center to be private you needed to register and collect the money yourself, then sign up everyone on the MK site.  It was tedious, and the new feature is an improvement to me.)  

 

I haven't opened registration yet for my site, just because I've been distracted, but I think I'll get on that today.  

 

If a site doesn't open up, I would encourage you to host your own exam.  You don't need to have very many students, theoretically it could just be your own student, though it's more fun with a small group.  Also I like having the exam early in the afternoon rather than late in the evening or during dinner hour, like other test sites.  

 

MK is very friendly to homeschoolers, and it really isn't that much work.  I'm happy to go over the issues in hosting the exam in detail.  

[mathnerd]

Are all the centers listed immediately? 

No. More sites keep popping up whenever those site managers are ready to put the information online. The center I was hoping to register for is not available yet - I called the manager of that center and he said that he is going to work on putting up his site this weekend.

[mathnerd]

 

If a site doesn't open up, I would encourage you to host your own exam.  

:iagree:   Yes. They (MK) make it very easy to host the exams.

[daijobu]

I forgot to mention that if you host an exam, they waive your child's registration fee.  

[SeaConquest]

There is nothing in San Diego yet, which seemed odd. Thanks for letting us know that more centers should open. Hopefully, something will pop up.

[Arcadia]

There is nothing in San Diego yet, which seemed odd.

 

The owner of one of the local day care chains decided to open all her centers as testing centers close to end of registration deadline.  We won't have been able to find a center with vacancies otherwise last year.

[crazyforlatin]

Oops, I forgot and there is nothing from SF to Silicon Valley as of today.

[Arcadia]

Oops, I forgot and there is nothing from SF to Silicon Valley as of today.

Saw some Sunnyvale and San Jose sites left.

[crazyforlatin]

Saw some Sunnyvale and San Jose sites left.

Maybe for other grades, but looks like 5th grade level is out of seats. Last year we seemed to have more centers like the one in Palo Alto/Mountain View and San Mateo.

[Arcadia]

Maybe for other grades, but looks like 5th grade level is out of seats. Last year we seemed to have more centers like the one in Palo Alto/Mountain View and San Mateo.

There was lots of no show for the Palo Alto/MV site and the parents never let the organiser know. In fact there were many parents who didn't RSVP for the awards either after two reminders.

[daijobu]

I won't be able to book the library for another week or so.  If you want to come to my center in RWC, PM me with your email address, but I won't be set up for registration for another couple of weeks yet.  In the meantime, if you find another center, take it because I can't guarantee I'll get the library when I want it.  But usually I do.