4KookieKids Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 I'd really like to teach some math classes at the local homeschool co-op - the kind of classes that get kids excited about math and show them that math is so much more than arithmetic and manipulating algebraic equations. I have the background to teach just about anything math related, but have NO idea what an appropriate level for elementary kids is, which makes it hard for me to even narrow down the topics I'd cover. I'd also like to have a few different themes/topics so that kids could take the class more than once, should they so desire. I've thought about basic codes/crypto stuff (might use the code book as a spine of sorts), basic number theory, artistic stuff like tessellations, tilings, etc., possibly graph theory, possibly some game theory or even fair division, because I think these are all things that (when presented right) kids might have fun getting in to. But I've never adapted any of this down to the elementary level - the lowest I've gone is early high school. I'd love to include some fun math history trivia / tidbits as well. What topics and/or resources would you all recommend? Is it even possible? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 If you can find a copy of Anno's Math Games or I Hate Mathematics, I'd probably build around that. Or even use the Sir Cumference books to build quests: make the materials, copy/rewrite the book onto smaller cards, and tell it as they go along trying to figure out the same thing Lady Di and the rest of them.I'd probably pick only 2-3 math topics a semester and just gather as many resources as you can for each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4KookieKids Posted August 15, 2015 Author Share Posted August 15, 2015 I'd probably pick only 2-3 math topics a semester and just gather as many resources as you can for each one. I'm sorry - I wasn't very clear on this point. I meant that I would like to have as broad of a list of topics/themes as possible, so that I can do a different one each semester and the kids wouldn't have to repeat topics. So one term, I might do codes and cryptography (and possibly error correction if I needed more content). And the next term I'd talk about voting methods and give them problematic scenarios for each different kind of voting method, etc. I definitely don't want to do lots of different topics at once! :) Thanks for your suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsplaymath Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Yes, what you describe is definitely do-able, and it sounds like a lot of fun. You might look for some inspiration at Moebius Noodles. They have several articles about doing math circles with kids---just scroll down and browse. Oh, and check out Rodi Steinig's work, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 You don't happen to live near me, do you? Because I'd LOVE to have my kids take classes like you want to teach! :001_tt1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4KookieKids Posted August 16, 2015 Author Share Posted August 16, 2015 Yes, what you describe is definitely do-able, and it sounds like a lot of fun. You might look for some inspiration at Moebius Noodles. They have several articles about doing math circles with kids---just scroll down and browse. Oh, and check out Rodi Steinig's work, too. Those look great and exactly like what I want to do! Thanks! You don't happen to live near me, do you? Because I'd LOVE to have my kids take classes like you want to teach! :001_tt1: Thanks :) I'm in NE and just really want kids to understand how awesome math really is. It's sad to me that - most of the time - you have to be a 2nd or 3rd year math major before you actually get exposed to awesome and fun math topics, so most people never see them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I'm planning a class similar to this for co-op too! Listening for more great ideas... Here are topics I have so far: Logic Puzzles & Games -magic squares -logic links -sudoku -red herring -grid with x & o -tower of Hanoi -riddles -Red Herring (categories) & Scattergories -mazes -IQ solitaire (peg jumping) -mancala -tangrams -deductive reasoning puzzles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 livingmath.net has great booklists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 For a more involved, multi-week study, you might see if there are GEMS units to suit your ages. This one might work http://lhsgems.org/GEM407.html Also, I have this right now to try with ds MathART Projects and Activities (Grades 3-5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Graph coloring, chromatic numbers, Eulerian circuits. There's a link to a PDF for the sample pages lower down on the page. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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