MADERA COUNTY – Madera County’s middle school students will be putting their minds to the test at this year’s 2013 Math Tournament. Students will take three tests: Individual Endurance, Circuit Training and Relay Race on Friday, Mar. 8, at the Madera Center.
During the Circuit Training teams will be given 20 questions and 2 ½ minutes per question moving through a circuit. For the Relay Race, each student will run to a designated test area and answer one question then run back and tag the next team member. The Individual Endurance is an individual test comprised of 30 questions.Teams also participated in a take-home problem last week. Seventh grade teams were given the task of researching mathematician Sophie Germain and found out what “happy” numbers are. Eighth grade teams researched Ada Lovelace and had some calculator fun.
Twenty-five teams from throughout Madera County will participate. Each school is allowed one seventh grade and one eighth grade team. Nearly 150 students will participate.
“It is fun to watch the excitement and camaraderie of middle school students as they compete for academic recognition,” said Cyndy Dolph, Associate Superintendent, Madera County Office of Education. “The Madera County Office of Education in partnership with the Madera County Schools Foundation is very pleased to sponsor this academic event for so many students in Madera County.”
Teams will receive trophies for first, second and third place in each event, in addition to the overall math tournament winning team.
Students will take all three tests before lunch where they will be served pizza. Teams will be awarded trophies after lunch.
The Math Tournament is part of the Academic Pentathlon where students will participate in a series of five events. Events include the math tournament, essay competition, speech event, literature test and super quiz.
The essay test will be held in conjunction with the math tournament on Friday. Students will participate in speech, literature and the super quiz on Saturday, Mar, 16, at Ranchos Middle School. This year’s super quiz topic is “Physical Principals, Structure and Function”. The event will begin at 11:15 a.m.
When students have free time during the math tournament, they will be encouraged to paint banners in support of their school. Participants will wave those banners at the Academic Pentathlon super quiz and awards ceremony. The public is invited to attend.
Participating schools include: Coarsegold Elementary, Dairyland Elementary, Jack G. Desmond Middle, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, North Fork Digital Middle, Oak Creek Intermediate, Ranchos Middle, Rivergold Elementary, Sherman Thomas Charter, Spring Valley, St. Joachim, Thomas Jefferson Middle, and Wasuma Elementary Schools.
