Winter-Spring 2024

For students in Grades K-5*:

Kids are introduced to topics from number theory, geometry, combinatorics, probability, and more. 

We employ games, hands-on activities, and magic tricks to demonstrate and explore math concepts. Kids are encouraged to ask questions, present arguments, and reason. Students acquire problem-solving and logical thinking skills while building a solid foundation and understanding of mathematics.

At our math classes we show your child that math can be incredibly creative, exciting, and fun.

We offer small class sizes (no more than 10!), experienced and enthusiastic teachers, and an individual approach according to each student’s needs. 

For elementary division, click HERE to register.

For intermediate division, click HERE to register.

*  Kindergarten students need to meet prerequisites. Please call (510) 488-4556 or email info@FirecrackerMath.org to request more information. 

For students in Grades 6-11:

Students are introduced to topics from number theory, geometry, combinatorics, probability, and more.

We focus on an in-depth understanding of math concepts and mathematical proofs. Kids learn problem solving techniques and logical reasoning skills.

Theoretical instruction is combined with practical exercises that employ chess, games, and logical puzzles to demonstrate mathematical concepts. Kids are encouraged to explore, discuss ideas, and work together as a team.

At our math classes, we are show your child that math can be incredibly creative, exciting, and fun.

We offer small class sizes (no more than 12), experienced and enthusiastic teachers, and an individual approach according to each student’s needs.

Click HERE to register

These weekly workshops will offer preparation and coaching for students participating in Math Kangaroo, a fun, introductory math competition in the United States and worldwide, on the third Thursday in March. The workshop will include preparation, coaching, and sampling real test problems.

• The class is for 1-7th grade students divided into different level groups.
• In-person Dates: Mondays, January 8 – March 11, Oakland/Piedmont 
  3:45pm-4:40pm,   Grades 1-2
  4:45pm-5:45pm, Grades 3-4
  5:50pm-6:50pm, Grades 5-7
• Online Dates: Fridays, January 5 – March 15.
  3:15pm-4:10pm,  Grades 1-2
  4:20pm-5:20pm, Grades 3-4
  5:30pm-6:30pm, Grades 5-7

• Students who want to participate in the actual competition need to register for the Math Kangaroo 2024 competition on March 21, 2024. Registration for the competition is from September 15 till December 15, 2023 at www.mathkangaroo.org (late registration is through December 31 – subject to availability).  
• Students CAN participate in the class but opt out from taking the exam.

Click HERE to register

The class covers the first term of a full-year Algebra 1 course in depth. The course will use the customized Firecracker Math Algebra curriculum, with a workshop component to allow students to work on problems at their own pace, under instructor guidance.

• The class meets at the Piedmont site once a week for 1.5h on Wednesdays, and once a week for 1h online on Mondays;
• Spring term dates: March 20 – May 29
• Approximately 1 hour per week of homework is expected.

Click HERE to register

Can an arrow reach its destination if it must first pass through an infinite number of points in between? How fast is a ball you throw going at the peak of its path? Is it possible to add up infinitely many numbers? What does it mean for a car to have a certain speed at a certain instant if it doesn’t really travel any distance in that instant? These and other questions and paradoxes are the focus of calculus, and we will investigate them in this course. Students will explore and understand the concept of slope, limit, and derivative, and how they are connected. Even though it is called calculus, there won’t be much calculation, but a lot of mental experiments, concept discussions, and fun working together as a group.

The teacher is Dr. Eli Lebow who did his undergraduate work at Harvard University in mathematics and physics, and his Ph.D. at Cal in mathematics. Among other places, he taught middle school students at the Academic Talent Development Program in Berkeley.

• The class is for 6-10th grade students. 6th and 7th graders must have already Pre-Algebra course or equivalent at school:

• This 12 week-long class meets in-person in Berkeley once a week on Thursdays, from 4:00pm to 5:15pm;

• Dates: March 21 – May 30.

Click HERE to register

The students will explore fun and interesting math problems and write computer code to solve them. Students with no prior knowledge of computer programming are welcome as they will learn the coding skills they need as they go. Topics include Sierpinski’s triangle (a fractal), ciphers to send secret messages, logic, sorting algorithms, and more.

 – For students in 5-9 grades. No previous computer programming experience is required. 

– Class meets at the Berkeley site once a week on Wednesdays, in-person for 75 minutes from 4:00pm to 5:15pm;

– Dates: March 20 – May 29.

Click HERE to register

Algebra Games*:

In this class, students learn algebra concepts through puzzles, games, and activities. Playing a game called the Game of Nim leads to a new operation on numbers, which allows us to examine the commutative and associative properties. Figuring out who wins at interplanetary soccer is all about determinants. We will learn vector addition, talk about permutations and their properties, learn and explore binary numbers, and much more.

The class does not replace any school algebra class. The focus is on the conceptual foundation and building mental muscles.

• The class is for 5-8th grade students.
• Contact us at info@firecrackermath.org for upcoming class dates.

Click HERE to register

Math for Families:

Have you ever thought of going back to school? And not only that but being in the same classroom as your kid, working together on a teacher’s assignment? We have decided to open one of the Firecracker’s classrooms to parents!

Why:

1.  Parents like to be involved in their kids’ activities and studies. But often this involvement means supervising your kids, or mentoring them, or just asking them questions. We are giving you the opportunity to be involved by SHARING the classroom experience with your kids.

2.  In most activities that parents share with their kids, parents are the ones who are more experienced, more skillful, or more advanced. At our math program, math topics are extra-curricular, so most parents are as new to them as the kids. This would allow you to be on “equal” footing with your child. Sometimes, you will be the one to help your child to solve a problem, but sometimes it may be the case your child will give you an idea that you haven’t thought of before.

3.   In many families math is associated with a difficult, boring, and not-so-cool subject – something that you would never do at home just for fun. We want to show you and your child that it doesn’t have to be so! When you leave our lessons,  you won’t be able to stop talking about the problems you just worked on in class! You’ll be dying to uncover that mathematical explanation to the magic tricks you learnt at the lessons. Or you’ll simply want to look up some curious math facts online!

4.  How much will it cost to a parent to attend the lessons?

It’s free! You only pay the regular fee for your child.

Just make sure you put off your other chores and responsibilities and come to immerse yourself and your child in the wonderful world of mathematics.

• The class is for 4-6th grade students.
• Contact us at info@firecrackermath.org for upcoming class dates.

Click HERE to register. 

Mathematics of Symmetry*:

Symmetry is found everywhere in nature, as well as in art, architecture, and design.

We see it in the left-right symmetry of our bodies and the bodies of many animals, but there is also the five-fold symmetry of a starfish. Symmetry is found in buildings and in beautiful paintings, such as in this work of M.C. Escher.

Understanding symmetry has been key to uncovering the fundamental laws of nature, and describing them in a systematic way. For example, modern particle physics would not exist without group theory, which is the study of symmetries.

Symmetry is one of the most powerful and important concepts in modern mathematics.

In this course, we will investigate mathematical objects and explore different ways of finding and describing symmetries of these objects. We will show how two symmetries may be combined to produce a third, and we will explore the patterns that result.

Students will learn to think of good questions and how to tackle them. Conceptual and analytical approach will be combined with hands-on activities and group discussions.

The teacher is Dr. Eli Lebow who did his undergraduate work at Harvard University in mathematics and physics, and his Ph.D. at Cal in mathematics. Among other places, he taught middle school students at the Academic Talent Development Program in Berkeley, and undergraduate students at UC Berkeley.

• The class is for 8 – 11th grade students.

AMC 10/12 Preparation:

This 9 week-long course is designed to prepare students for AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) exam.
Students develop skills in problem solving, logical reasoning and creative approach to math challenges. They explore a variety of topics from number theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics, probability and more. Students learn to apply various problem-solving strategies while working on AMC-style problems.

The teacher is Ella Levine, Firecracker Math Program Director.  Ms. Levine was a winner of Ukrainian math and physics olympiads. 

• The class is for 8-12th grade students.
• For those students who will be taking the exam: you must register for the test via AMC site: https://amc-reg.maa.org/
• Students CAN participate in class but opt out from taking the exam.

• Click HERE to register