A significant study conducted in one of the largest school districts in the United States compared students who participated in a National Math Pentathlon® Academic Tournament with students who did not participate. 100% of students who participated in a National Math Pentathlon® Academic Tournament passed on the first round of testing including 5% who were special needs students. Even more compelling — 77% of students scored above 90% which ranked them as Commended in Mathematics by the State Board of Education. Click on this link to CHECK IT OUT!
The Two Sections Below describe the Alignment of the Math Pentathlon Program to National Standards & STEM.
SECTION 1
Mathematics Pentathlon Alignment to Standards
This highly motivational program aligns with National and State Standards, strengthens basic concepts and skills, and also develops higher-level problem-solving abilities.
This program aligns with numerous indicators of the National Standards that deal with Number Sense, Computation, Algebra and Functions, Geometry, Measurement, and Problem Solving. For a specific example, see the Math Content & Standards Chart, Alignment with the National Standards, and Gifted Education Correlation.
The linked use of the Mathematics Pentathlon® Games along with the standards-based instructional activities found in Adventures in Problem-Solving Activity Books I & II, Investigation Exercises Books I & II, and The Teaching Guides improves students’ abilities to: reason computationally, geometrically, and logically; communicate their ideas effectively; critically listen to others’ ideas; offer creative and varied alternatives to problem situations; and develop critical problem-solving characteristics of flexibility, persistence, and inventiveness.
Easily coordinated with ongoing classroom instruction, the Mathematics Pentathlon Games, activities, and assessments provide an exciting format for students to explore and understand important mathematics concepts while developing deductive and inductive thought: a critical characteristic of problem-solving.
Math Content & Standards Chart for the Math Pentathlon Program – Aligns games with the mathematics involved in Computational Reasoning, Logical/Scientific Reasoning, and Spatial/Geometric Reasoning.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards for School Mathematics: Correlations with Mathematics Pentathlon Games – Grades K – 7: Number Sense, Computation, Algebra and Functions, Geometry, Measurement, and Problem Solving
Gifted and Talented Correlations with the Mathematics Pentathlon Program – This document was authored by a Gifted and Talented professional who implements the program throughout her area.
SECTION 2
Math Pentathlon Awarded National Honor for STEM/STEAM
In the Summer of 2014, a National Competition, referred to as US2020, challenged US metropolitan cities to develop plans to dramatically increase the scale and quality of mentorship between professions working in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and students underrepresented in the sciences. Announced at the White House Science Fair, Indianapolis was one of 7 winning cities that was given grant money for STEM Mentoring Movements to inspire US students to follow an ever-increasing demand for STEM Careers.
The sponsors of US2020 in Indy are the City of Indianapolis with the Mayor’s backing along with TechPoint Foundation for Youth and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). TechPoint chose Mathematics Pentathlon® as one of it’s major programs to implement their STEM Mentoring Movement Plan. We were pleased to announce that the 2014-15 School Year, the first pilot year in this 6 Year Project, went exceptionally well for mentors that implemented the Mathematics Pentathlon® Program. One of the Mathematics Pentathlon® Mentor Groups, First Internet Bank, were National Finalists and officially recognized at the White House that summer.
Growth of the Mathematics Pentathlon® Program continued throughout the 2015-16 School Year and it was again considered one of Tech Point Foundation’s most popular mentoring programs. For the 2016-17 School Year and beyond, Tech Point Foundation is trying to better support the Mathematics Pentathlon® Program and it’s growth. They are pursuing this goal by helping to finance the Pentathlon Institute’s efforts in creating videos that assist in the teaching of the games for their US2020 mentors and other Mathematics Pentathlon® Program Coaches.