Homeschool Math Blog Link!

A free math course for talented middle school students

The Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (IMACS) is offering a a series of online math courses for gifted/talented students titled Elements of Mathematics: Foundations.

The first of these, Operational Systems, will be FREE if you enroll before January 1, 2013!

What is it about?

Operational Systems course covers modular arithmetic using secret codes and online games. Learn about operational systems and their properties (commutativity, associativity, neutral elements, invertibility) by building interactive machines and evaluating non-numeric operations. Get a solid introduction to the concepts of least common multiple and greatest common divisor, as well as to the geometric notions of midpoint and reflection. 

It is a self-study online course, where suitably talented students are able to work independently and at their own pace while still developing a deep understanding of the material.

Elements of Mathematics: Foundations (EMF) is a series of courses designed for gifted, mathy middle school students, and it enables them to cover all of middle and high school math except calculus and much, much more by the time they finish middle school.

Here's some more information from the provider of these courses, The Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (IMACS):

• The EMF curriculum was designed from scratch specifically for talented children to leverage their advanced capacity for learning and to engage their unique ways of thinking.
   
• EMF provides a deep, intuitive, and lasting understanding of mathematics as a cohesive body of knowledge that opens the door to scientific discovery and technological advancement.
   
• EMF focuses on the powerful and elegant ideas of mathematics, the kind that talented children find deeply satisfying and inspiring.
   
• Motivated students can learn all of middle and high school math except calculus and much, much more by the time they finish middle school.
   
• EMF courses are modestly priced, and the first one is free for a limited time. 

And here is their flyer. Please read more about all this at www.elementsofmathematics.com

Even though my kids are much too young for this, its still something to think about and put on the back-burner, but if you're the parent of a middle school aged homeschooler then check this out!

Also check this blog! Homeschool Math Blog I really enjoy her posts and she does es a great job of making math fun and not so intimidating.

Jenna