AMSA Math Department

“I think therefore I am.”

Math Department Philosophy

• The most enjoyable human activity is to think. “ I THINK THEREFORE I AM”

• All students are capable of and benefit from studying high level Math courses

• Mathematics best learned as structured course of consecutive concepts

• Students should have the freedom to make mistakes• We believe in second chances and collaboration• Technology should open horizons and give students deeper

insight • Math is fun!

What AMSA Gives to Students

• Knowledge

• Skills

• Work habits

• Ability to think Independently

• Ability to work collaboratively

• Appreciation of beauty of mathematics

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How do we do it?4

•Strong curriculum 90 % of our students introduced to ideas of calculus during 10-12th grades

• Flexibility in lesson structure• Variety of advanced courses

AP Calculus, Linear Algebra with Diff. equations, Multivariable Calc, Vector calc, 3D geometry

•Financial Literacy and Statistics courses•School wide Math competitions

MATHCOUNTS, AMC8, AMC10, AMC12

•Math teamsLower school and Upper school

•Interdisciplinary projects•Internships

Math Department Courses: Lower school

• Grade 6: All sections taking Pre-algebra. We wrote our own book for this course.

• Grade 7: All sections taking Algebra 1 every day and Geometry every other day.

• Grade 8: Some sections continue with Algebra 1, other sections beginning Algebra II course. All sections taking Geometry every other day

Grade 9 Algebra Iand Geometry

Algebra IIand Geometry

Algebra IIand Geometry

Algebra II/ Trigonometryand Geometry

Grade 10 Algebra II and Geometry

Algebra IIIor Pre-Calculusand Geometry

Pre-Calculus andGeometry

Pre-Calculus/ Beginning Calculus

Elective :3D Geometry

Grade 11 Algebra III Pre-Calculusor Intro to Calculus

Calculusor

Finite MathElective :3D Geometry

AP Calculus AB/BC

Elective :3D Geometry

Grade 12 Pre-Calculus and/or

Accounting I and Business

Fundamentals

Intro to Calculus or

Calculus or Finite Math

and/orAccounting I &

Bus. Fundamentals

AP Calculus AB/BC or Statistics or

Finite MathElective :3D Geometry

Multivariable Calculus or Vector Calculus

and/or AP Statistics and/or Linear Algebra/Differential

Equations

Elective :3D Geometry

Math Department Courses

Math Department Courses: Geometry

• Grade 9: All levels taking Geometry every other day

• Grade 10: All levels (except Advanced) taking Geometry every other day. 3D Geometry Elective course is available to advanced students.

• Grade 11-12: Elective 3D Geometry course available to honors/advanced students (and those recommended by their teachers)

Basics of Our Curriculum

• Building strong algebraic skills by studying Algebra II for 2 years for those who need it

• Studying ideas of Geometry in parallel to Algebra

• Giving students Algebra and Trigonometry skills early on enabling them to study advanced topics in Physics and Chemistry

• Preparing students to take SAT II exams in 10th or 11th grade

• Preparing advanced students to take the AP Calculus Exam after 11th grade (in time for College Applications)

• Giving students knowledge of Calculus (including Multivariable Calculus) and Linear Algebra before or in parallel of studying advanced Physics, Chemistry and Statistics courses

Math and Technology at AMSA

Math carts with laptops

Math carts with chromebooks

Using Desmos, Geo sketchpad, Mathematica, IXL

AP PARTICIPATION

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2017/2018 2018/2019

AP CALC AB 35 students 35 students

AP CALC BC 33 students 17 students

AP STATISTICS 20 students 53 students

Math teams and clubs

Math team competitions and activities

MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATIONOF MATH LEAGUES

(NEAML)

Purple Comet! Math Meet

HMMT's November Tournament (HMNT)!

Where AMSA competes

Where AMSA Competes

AMSA is spreading ideas

• Pi- day

• Gauss day

What our Graduates Say….• “AMSA does more than teach subjects. AMSA taught me how

to think; how to take a problem and make it simple to solve.”

• “ …you guys are the reason I like math and why I am pursuing math as a major and maybe even a career“

• “I am doing very well in the course, and feel very confident. I just wanted to again say thanks for how well you prepared me for college workloads, as well as teaching us how to be more "grown up" students”

• “You taught us a lot about reading materials outside of class and managing my time, and that is invaluable for me right now. So thank you!”

What our Graduates Say…

• “I just wanted to let you know that I have accepted an offer, and I will be working as a Process Development Associate at Evelo Biosciences…. I'll be close to Harvard and MIT, and I plan to take some higher level math courses in the evenings.Thank you for the guidance in Calculus that really helped me propel down my engineering track and into my future career.”

• “All in all, achievements aside I just want to thank you for being an inspiration to me and all your students, for always believing in me, even when I didn´t. You have a huge impact on my life, and I am just grateful that God put someone as wonderful as you in my life to teach me about humility and hard work and believing in myself”.

Looking Ahead:Challenges and Ideas

• Adjusting curriculum to new standards: redesigning part of our curriculum, looking for new textbooks in support of it

• Addressing losing our best students to Mass Academy: should talk to students and analyze programs

• Seeking closer connections to the best universities, advertising our school more widely.

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We are Going to London!

Introducing students to math and science history around the globe!