More than 30 middle school students from the Fox Valley are challenging themselves at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh this week with aspects of mathematics that are not typically part of their curriculum.
The four-day mathematics camp, Summer Oshkosh Mathematics Academy (SOMA), is led by UWO mathematics professors Eric Kuennen, Amy Parrott and Jen Szydlik. Kuennen is the SOMA director; Parrott and Szydlik are SOMA mini-course instructors. Sessions are taking place in Swart Hall on campus.
The summer academy is focused on student exploration and a creative problem-solving approach to mathematics.
Camp activities focus on investigating, experimenting, posting questions, modeling problems, conjecturing, justifying solutions and critiquing the reasoning of others.
Kuennen said the goal is to challenge students while exploring the beauty of mathematics. Opportunities are provided for students to experience math as a creative art and they are encouraged to further their mathematical studies.
The camp includes two mini-courses: Strange New Worlds ̶ exploring different types of geometry and weird consequences that result from this world; and Mathematics Creativity ̶ providing campers with experience in posing their own questions and conducting mathematical inquiries to try and answer the questions.
Special sessions include a demonstration of mathematical card tricks, outdoor logic mazes and treasure hunts. In addition, a math exploration center includes a variety of interactive mathematical demonstrations, puzzles and games to explore with undergraduate teaching assistants.
A Dolciani Mathematics Enrichment Grant through the Mathematical Association of American and a donation from the Oshkosh Community Fund helped subsidize campers’ registration fees.
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