Curriculum and Activities: Summer Residential And Day Camps for Math Zoom Programs 

Areteem Summer Camp Students have lots of fun both in and out of class! Camps are a great place to build long-term friendships with other high achieving STEM students! See our 2023 Campers in action with the video below and learn more about curriculum and after class activities on this page.

 Math Zoom Program (6th-12th Grades) 

• The renowned Math Zoom program focuses on nurturing the students’ genuine interest in mathematics and its STEM applications and developing the true passion for exploring mathematics and related fields.
• Although our students have very outstanding performance in math competitions, Areteem’s goal is far beyond a good score in those tests.
• Consisting of highly acclaimed mathematicians, professors, and math Olympiad winners and coaches, Areteem faculty truly believe in using a systematic approach to train students’ logical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills; this training will take students much farther than an outstanding performance in math competitions and will help them to improve their way of applying their math skills in any setting. 
• Areteem professors develop effective training materials and personally write and/or handpick the problems used in our training programs. The professors also personally teach and interact with the students. They are coaches on the side not just "sages on stage"; they spend the effort to understand the students’ knowledge base, guiding them through the thinking process and taking them down the path of finding the solutions on their own.
• Students start to take part in Areteem programs at various levels; some of them are total beginners, and some of them are very advanced. At the summer camps, students are grouped with peers at similar levels so that students are more effectively engaged in their classes and workshops. The conversations on topics discussed in their morning and afternoon sessions go beyond the classrooms and extend to lunch tables and dormitories, along with much laughter and enjoyment for the students.
• The powerful inner force of academic exploration and discovery is brought out that students automatically want to explore more, and voluntarily look for more materials to study and more problems to solve without being asked making them more self-sufficient and capable learners. The skills students acquire at camp will help them to succeed academically in their current school studies and beyond in a college setting which they will be more familiar with as the camps are hosted on college campuses.

*Camp Subjects and Group Levels*

The subjects that are covered in our Math Zoom Program involve Algebra, Geometry, Combinatorics and Number Theory. Students will be taught all four subjects during the camp according to the particular level a student is at academically in school and/or what after-school mathematics competition goals they want to achieve.  

Students are placed in groups of their peers with 15-20 students per camp group. Camp groups are based according to their level, determined by the information provided to us in their individual camp applications and so students may share the same grade level and/or competition goals within their groups. To get an idea of what kinds of levels we have at our camp, including details on the four subjects taught, please refer to the Math Challenge courses on our Course Descriptions page as we similarly model our camp groups based on these levels. 

 

Afternoon Sports and Recreation 

• After a day of classes and workshops, we recognize the need for students to have some time for relaxation and socializing with their peers, balancing their time in the classroom with that of outdoor recreation. 
• Students will feel more refreshed and have some time to process what they have learned during the day by giving them a chance to stretch their legs, throw a ball and otherwise take in the view of the surrounding campus. 
• At the start of the camp, Areteem staff and faculty take students on a tour of the campus in order for students to feel more at home in their "home away from home" as a precursor to what they will eventually experience when they leave for their first year in college. 
• Various activities usually take place during this time period from around 4:30 to 6 pm including going to on-campus facilities and green grassy knolls that are spread throughout the campus so students can enjoy being outdoors in nature and breathe in the fresh air around them.
• Students are usually found playing a variety of sports such as basketball, soccer, swimming, running, throwing Frisbees or just taking in the view sitting under the shade of a tree reading, drawing or playing cards. 
• Students will then be able to continue on to a hearty dinner before the evening activities commence. 

 Evening Exploratory (Residential Campers Only)

• After dinner is over, the fun still continues into the evening hours at camp which are open to all Residential and Day campers in the Math Zoom program. Apart from the rigorous and fun classes and workshops, we realize that students attending our camps need further engagement that will allow for them to improve their leadership and communication skills. Many of these activities still keep an academic focus but are more concentrated on rounding out individual skills and improving group communication. 
• Students will feel more confident when they are given the chance to interact and become familiar with their fellow campers through varied activities planned out by their enthusiastic counselors who certainly bring out the best qualities in their students!
• Counselors will engage students with ice-breaking activities during the first days of the camp when students will be able to learn each others' names, hobbies, and interests allowing everyone to feel like they are part of a small community during their stay at camp.  
• Students take on more leadership responsibilities during such student-led activities like discussions and debates on current events and topics of interest when everyone has a chance to openly communicate their own opinions and learn from each others' different perspectives on life.
• Guest speakers from Areteem's camp instructors provide students an opportunity to learn about various career professions, opening up their minds to new thoughts and endeavors they may want to pursue in high school and college.
• Other activities that further broaden students' minds and engage with each other include Pop Culture Trivia Nights, Game Nights (to bring out your playing cards and video game skills!) and Arts and Crafts (which are quite relaxing for both boys and girls alike!)

  Weekend Field-Trips

• On the weekend, students will have a chance to explore the local city and have fun with other campers from all over the world!  

STEM-Antics Program (4th-6th Grade)- (Local Day Camp programs)

 Students in 6th grade have the choice of either participating in the STEM-Antics program or the Math Zoom program. Contact our main office for more info at (949) 305-1705. 

Mathematics Problem Solving - Morning Session

• Students will be engaged in mathematics problem-solving workshops similar to the Math Zoom program (see above) according to their level of knowledge in elementary school. 

 

Science, Engineering, and Technology Hands-On Activities - Afternoon Session

First Half of Camp

• All students who are fascinated with STEM careers especially in engineering and technology will be able to test their skills and strengths when learning all about the design and development of features in STEM-related careers. 
• Students will become computer scientists, graphic designers, and robotics engineers, in applying their problem solving and communication skills to work individually and with others in groups to create their own projects.
• This camp incorporates Science and Math Applications in order to learn how professionals in STEM use these concepts in their research and technology 
• Projects that students will be involved in include: Video Game Design Website Design and Robotics! 
• Students will further improve their presentation skills when showing off their projects with their peers, further helping their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment with a job well done! 

Last Half of Camp

• Students that wish to be engaged in more project-oriented research will enjoy the various assignments that will challenge their way of thinking. 
• In this camp, the Scientific Research Method is explored and used as a guideline to conduct systematic research on an interesting field that can be narrowed down to a specific project under the guidance of an adviser.
• Students will then be able to develop problems to solve, survey the latest research status in the field, design his/her own experiments and determine the procedures and materials to use to carry out their experiments, collect relevant data and analyze the data to identify the pattern in order to reach the result.
• Instructors will divulge both the theoretical knowledge needed to conduct research in depth and facilitate active brainstorming for solving problems at the particular stage.
• In the end, students will then be able to present their ideas and findings in a mock science fair/competition with the rest of the class and their instructors acting as the competition judges! 

 CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION