Grade 3-6 Math Materials (original) (raw)

Math Materials

By Ninghui Li ninghui@purdue.edu

Note: The grades and Math RIT here are only approximate.

Second Grade (Math RIT around 200)

• Basics: Khan Academy or Math Mammoth
• Fun and a bit beyond basics: Primary Grade Challenge Math

Supplementary for 2nd grade and above:

• Sunshine Math (two grades above grade level can be quite challenging)
• Math Kangaroo (problems are interesting and challenging, suggest to wait until later 2nd grade to attempt Grade 1-2 problems)

Third Grade (Math RIT around 220)

• Beast Academy (Grade 2 to 5)
• There are two options: Online or Paper-based. I like online for two reasons.
• Online gives access to materials from all 4 grades.
• Repetition of past topics is easy. One can easily return to topics the kid has done before, and the problems may change. My experience is that for challenging topics kids should repeat many times.
• Don’t start Beast Academy too early, since you want to avoid kids getting stuck and frustrated. Kids may need help with some of the materials. Repeat topics that kids find challenging, multiple times when needed.
• One possible plan is to first sign up for one year (at $96) and complete as much as one can. Then take a break, and do another year, or a few months as needed.
• Upper Elementary Challenge Math

Fourth Grade (Math RIT around 235)

• Another year of Beast Academy
• Math Olympiad Contest Problems for Elementary and Middle Schools, Vol. 1
• The same series has Volumes 2 and 3. However, the problems feel a bit repetitive after Volume 1.
• Challenge Math: For the Elementary and Middle School Student
• Essential Prealgebra Skills Practice Workbook

Supplementary starting 4th grade:

• Canada CEMC 7th Grade Math Competition
• Each contest has a fairly large number of problems accessible at this level, although the last few problems may be difficult.

Fifth Grade (Math RIT around 250)

• AOPS Pre-Algebra (using book, videos, and Alcumus)
• Don’t start an AOPS book too early. When doing a book, make sure that most of the Challenge Problems are accessible.
• Real World Algebra: Understanding the Power of Mathematics

Supplementary starting 5th grade:

• Mathcounts School Round problems
• AMC8 (Especially older problems)
• Other CEMC Competition Problems

Math Competitions

Here we list only the competitions that are suitable for students up to grade 6, and parents can sign up their children to attend online. They are listed roughly from easy to hard.

• BeeStar National Math Competition (Grade 2-8)
• Noetic Learning Math Contest (Grades 2-8)
• One Fall competition and one Spring competition, each costing $29 per individual student.
• Math Kangaroo (Grades 1-12)
• Pi Math Contest (Grades 1-12, in three contests)
• Perennial Math
• MathCon (Grades 4-12)
• RSM Internet Math Competition (Grades 3-8)
• Free if one does not want detailed reports on the scores. There are two online rounds. The first round is quite easy, and the second is quite challenging.
• AMC8
• ThinkCup by ThinkAcademy
• Mathleague.org (Grades 4-12, in three contests)
• AMC10