The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success
Math and Science 2016
Welcome Parents and Students to The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success 2016 Summer Session! My name is Ranthony Edmonds and I will be the Math/Science Instructor. This page will provide you with basic information about the course and the work we will be engaging in over the next six weeks.
Click Below for the Student Home Page
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Introduction to the Course
This summer we will be learning a variety of important fundamental concepts in math and science. The most important of these are listed below in our course objectives. Mastering any of these objectives will enhance your critical thinking skills and prepare you for the upcoming high school year.
Course Objectives
- Understand how to solve one-step algebraic equations
- Understand how to solve multi-step algebraic equations
- Understand basic geometric terminology: ray, line, line segment, angle measure, bisector
- Given an angle, students will be able to determine the compliment and supplement of that angle
- Students will be able to simplify algebraic expressions
- Students will be able to evaluate expressions with both numeric and variable inputs
- Students will be able to factor expressions with four terms using Factoring by Grouping
- Students will be able to factor trinomials using the AC Method
- Students will be able to use three special factorial formulas to factor polynomials in a given form: Difference of Squares, Sum of Cubes, and Difference of Cubes
- Understand the Scientific Method and be able to use it to both perform and design experiments
- Students will be able to state Newton's Three Law's and give examples of each
- Students will be able to perform standard computations using Newton's 2nd Law
- Students will be able to distinguish between contact and distance forces
- Students will be able to define and give an example of frictional force, tension force, normal force, spring force, air resistance force, applied force, gravitational force, electrical force, and magnetic force
- Identify select historical figures of color in STEM fields
Prerequisites
- Math: Students will take a placement exam to determine which math class they will take between Algebra/Geometry and Pre-Calculus. An example placement exam can be found here.
- Science: There are no prerequisites for the science portion of the course.
Materials and Technologies Needed
- Scientific Calculator: It does not need to be a graphing calculator though those devices are also acceptable. Examples include the TI-30 series.
- Internet Access for viewing the course site. Students in particular will need to access the For Students page of this site for homework assignments and labs.
About the Instructor
This is my second summer teaching Math and Science for the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success. Previous experiences with high school students include working with the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Upward Bound program for two years as the math tutor counselor and also as the math instructor.
I have a Masters in Mathematical Sciences from Eastern Kentucky University and I am currently a fourth year PhD student in Mathematics at the University of Iowa. As a graduate student I have six semesters of teaching experience in higher education. I have also worked as an adjunct instructor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College.
For a more detailed look at my credentials you can view my CV here. I encourage you to view the rest of my personal website to learn more about me. You can start by going to my home page.
I have a Masters in Mathematical Sciences from Eastern Kentucky University and I am currently a fourth year PhD student in Mathematics at the University of Iowa. As a graduate student I have six semesters of teaching experience in higher education. I have also worked as an adjunct instructor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College.
For a more detailed look at my credentials you can view my CV here. I encourage you to view the rest of my personal website to learn more about me. You can start by going to my home page.
Contact the Instructor
I am here as a resource. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any general comments, questions, or concerns. The quickest way to reach me is via email at [email protected].
What to Expect
The six weeks will be split to accommodate two separate mini-courses. The first three week session will be dedicated to math and the second three weeks for science. Students will be sorted in math classes on the first day via an assessment to determine if they will take Algebra/Geometry or Pre-Calculus. The class they are sorted into will remain the same for the science portion of the program.
I believe the best learning comes from doing. Often times students develop apprehension about math and science courses. With mathematics in particular, a lot of time students fail to make the link between what they are learning and what they experience in the real world, leading to the ever popular question, "when will I ever use this?" Every Wednesday there will be a lab to help illustrate how mathematical concepts seen in school play a behind the scenes role in our everyday lives. The Wednesday labs for the science course will always help us bring theory to practice.
Below are examples of what you can expect from the Person of the Day and the Wednesday Math and Science labs throughout this summer session.
I believe the best learning comes from doing. Often times students develop apprehension about math and science courses. With mathematics in particular, a lot of time students fail to make the link between what they are learning and what they experience in the real world, leading to the ever popular question, "when will I ever use this?" Every Wednesday there will be a lab to help illustrate how mathematical concepts seen in school play a behind the scenes role in our everyday lives. The Wednesday labs for the science course will always help us bring theory to practice.
Below are examples of what you can expect from the Person of the Day and the Wednesday Math and Science labs throughout this summer session.
Sample Person of the Day
Elbert Frank Cox was the first black person in the world to earn a PhD in Mathematics. It is due in part to his pioneering that I am able to have the opportunity to pursue the same degree today. He was born in Evansville, Indiana to parents Johnson D. Cox and Eugenia Talbot Cox.
In 1917 he graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor's in Mathematics. After this he taught high school in Henderson, Kentucky. in 1918 he signed up to fight in World War I and served for a little over a year. After this he accepted a teaching position at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In May of 1922 Cox's graduate scholarship application was accepted and he left his teaching position to enroll in the PhD program in Mathematics at Cornell University. He graduated in 1926, becoming the first black man in the world to obtain this degree. He went on to teach at West Virginia State College and then the prestigious Howard University, where he helped establish the department there.
Every year the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) hold a Cox-Talbot Address which is a distinguished lecture given by an African-American mathematician who has made noteworthy contributions to the field.
In 1917 he graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor's in Mathematics. After this he taught high school in Henderson, Kentucky. in 1918 he signed up to fight in World War I and served for a little over a year. After this he accepted a teaching position at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In May of 1922 Cox's graduate scholarship application was accepted and he left his teaching position to enroll in the PhD program in Mathematics at Cornell University. He graduated in 1926, becoming the first black man in the world to obtain this degree. He went on to teach at West Virginia State College and then the prestigious Howard University, where he helped establish the department there.
Every year the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) hold a Cox-Talbot Address which is a distinguished lecture given by an African-American mathematician who has made noteworthy contributions to the field.
Sample Science Lab
This egg drop experiment serves as a great introduction to Newton's Three Laws and the scientific method. A question to reflect on: Why doesn't the egg fly away with the toilet paper tube and tray? Which of Newton's Three Laws explains why it drops into the glass of water? Is this an experiment?
Sample Math Lab
This math lab on check digits and how they are used in real life for UPC codes, bar codes, and credit card numbers gives students a glimpse of how math can be used in our everyday lives outside of the classroom. Have you ever gotten a message that you have entered an invalid credit card number online? How does the system know that? This lesson will explain how.