Archive
Online courses for the math-minded middle-schooler
Have a student with an insatiable appetite for math? The Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science is offering Elements of Mathematics: Foundations, a series of online math courses for highly talented students. Students who complete the 15-course program can learn all of the high-school math curriculum — except calculus — while still in middle school.
The program’s web site says:
Elements of Mathematics: Foundations is not an accelerated version of the standard US mathematics curriculum. Instead it establishes foundational concepts that allow the suitably talented child to progress quickly through material for which others would require significant drill and practice. It then proceeds to cover concepts in a mathematically consistent way, incidentally covering all of the standard curriculum — and much, much more.
Students who complete the high-school curriculum while in middle school can move on to college-level courses — also available online through eIMACS — when they reach high school.
IMACS is offering the first course in the Foundations series free of charge, if you sign up by Dec. 31, 2012.
Your child could represent the U.S. in the International Physics Olympiad
Registration is now open for the U.S. Physics Team competition.
Each year, the American Association of Physics Teachers assembles a team of pre-college students who excel in solving physics problems. The top five students represent the United States at the annual International Physics Olympiad, being held in July 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
To qualify, students first take a preliminary, multiple choice exam at their school. Those who score in the top 300 to 400 of all test takers will be invited to take a more intensive exam. Twenty top students are then chosen to attend an intensive, 10-day training camp at the University of Maryland, and five of those students will be selected to represent the nation in Copenhagen.
Students can’t register for the qualifying exam on their own. They must have a faculty member register on behalf of their school. Registration deadline is Dec. 10, 2012.
Tellus presents mineral collecting, lasers and digital astronomy
Tellus Museum in Cartersville offers three upcoming events:
Mineral Collecting and Identification – a primer on identifying minerals, starting a collection, and cleaning and cataloging samples. Includes a look behind the scenes at the mineral storage facility and the mineral preparation lab. Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Oddly, I couldn’t find this on the Tellus web site, but I got an e-mail about it, so I assume it’s happening.)
Family Science Night: LaserFest – Laser exhibits and a laser planetarium show. Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Free with admission to the museum.
Digital Astronomy Workshop – In partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, Tellus is training a few select people to operate the MicroObservatory robotic telescopes in Arizona and Massachusetts. Workshop participants will learn how to give the telescopes instructions to capture specific images and download them to a laptop. (Bring your own laptop if possible.) The best captured images will be displayed in the museum. Saturday, Nov. 9, 2012, 8-11 p.m. Participation is limited to 60 people.
The mineral and digital astronomy workshops both have associated fees, and are limited to ages 8 and up, no exceptions.
To reserve a space in either workshop, call (770) 606-5700. For Family Science Night, no reservations needed.
Magnet and charter schools hosting open houses for 2013-14
The metro area’s magnet and charter schools are beginning to host open houses for prospective students for 2013-14. Below is a round-up of the information I could find. If you know of other open houses taking place, please post them in comments.
You can find links to any of the schools listed here by visiting the appropriate county page under “Gifted Ed in Local Schools” on this site.
CLAYTON
Lovejoy High School – International Baccalaureate. Open houses will take place Nov. 13 and 14 at 6:30 p.m. for eligible 8th-grade students.
Fine Arts Magnet High School. Auditions in January. You must submit paperwork to the school by Dec. 16.
COBB
Campbell High School – International Baccalaureate. Open house Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Applications are due Dec. 7.
Kennesaw Mountain High School – Academy of Math, Science and Technology. Open house Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. Application deadline Dec. 7.
South Cobb High School – Academy of Research and Medical Sciences. Open house Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Application deadline Dec. 7.
Wheeler High School – Center for Advanced Studies in Science, Math and Technology. Open house Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.
Pebblebrook High School – Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts. Auditions will be held in spring semester; arrange at your convenience.
DEKALB
DeKalb School of the Arts. Audition / admissions information will be posted online in January.
FULTON
Riverwood International Charter School. Prospective parent tours Nov. 9, Dec. 7 and Jan. 18, all at 9 a.m. Applications will be available in November and due Jan. 31.
North Springs Charter High School. Open houses Nov. 4, 2-5 p.m., Nov. 8 at 1:15, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m., Dec. 13 at 1:15, Jan. 11 at 9 a.m., Jan 17 at 1:15 p.m.
Westlake High School – Math and Science Magnet. Open house Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
Tri-Cities High School – Visual and Performing Arts magnet. Auditions in February. Applications available now. Tours by appointment.
GWINNETT
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology. Open houses Nov. 13, Dec. 13 and Jan. 15, all at 7 p.m. Open houses are organized by your home high-school cluster, and ideally you go to the one for your cluster, but you can attend any session. Registration packet will be available Nov. 1.
START:CODE adds programming classes for elementary school kids
START:CODE just keeps growing. This fall, they’re adding a new class for 4th and 5th graders.
Students will create digital art projects, stories and games using Scratch, a simple programming language created at MIT, designed to be used by kids with no programming background.
Elementary labs are six-week sessions held on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday afternoons (you pick one or the other). Once a student completes the Elementary Lab, they can move into START:CODE’s Starter Lab, where they can learn additional programming languages.
Register now. Classes start Nov. 3, 2012.
Register 4th, 5th and 6th graders now for Duke TIP
The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) has opened registration for its 4th-6th grade talent search.
When you enroll in the talent search, your child will have access to online enrichment opportunities, and you will have access to resources to help you raise your high-achieving student. Your child also will be eligible to attend Academic Adventures, weekend enrichment classes held a few times each year at the University of Georgia.
Kids in the 4th-6th grade talent search also may choose to take the ACT Explore exam, a standardized test traditionally given to 8th graders. This above-grade-level testing offers a way to better measure the achievement of kids who typically peg the meter on their grade-level standardized tests.
Once your child is accepted into 4th-6th TIP, benefits continue through their sixth-grade year; you don’t have to reapply each year.
To qualify for TIP, students must have tested in the 95th percentile or above on an achievement test in the past two years. (TIP does accept a few other tests. See the talent search web site for details.)
Time to start thinking about Governor’s Honors summer program
The Governor’s Honors Program, held each summer in Valdosta, is one of the most competitive summer programs for academically elite students. If your child is a sophomore or junior hoping to attend the 2013 program, it’s time to get to work.
The first step is securing a nomination from a teacher at your child’s school. You’ve got until November to do that.
See the GHP web page for more information about the program and the application process, including details on how home schooled students can apply.
Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony presents free concert on Oct. 15
I’m always pleased to report on free youth concerts, and as I’m wont to say, it’s a great combination of exposure to classical music and the inspiration that comes from watching artistically gifted peers.
The Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony
Monday, Oct. 15, 2012 at 8 p.m.
Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts at Emory University
The Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony is the honor wind ensemble for high-school students from metro Atlanta. The musicians play college- and professional-level compositions.
Admission is free, but you should contact the box office ahead of time at (404) 727-5050 or by e-mail.
Gifted Atlanta 