11-year-old designs a better sandbag

[The Brain]

No matter how smart a kid is its pretty unusual for them to be allowed to do material far above their age level, even if they are capable.

Allowed?

[Zanza]

As for hearing about polymer, that's a common thing for elementary school kids to play with to learn about science.

What elementary school teaches about polymers? That's chemistry and not the first year stuff.

[merithyn]

As for hearing about polymer, that's a common thing for elementary school kids to play with to learn about science.

What elementary school teaches about polymers? That's chemistry and not the first year stuff.

Schools around here give kids all kinds of materials to play with from preschool on. Things like silica, polymers, clays, etc. to teach them about different textures and that. They don't get into the chemistry of them until later, but the materials aren't unknown to them.

As for who teaches an 11 year old advanced math, I'd say their school. Jeremy was doing Geometry at 12. It doesn't seem such a stretch to find a kid doing pre-calc at 11.

[Zanza]

Schools around here give kids all kinds of materials to play with from preschool on. Things like silica, polymers, clays, etc. to teach them about different textures and that.

I am sure they play with polymers like plastic, wood or paper, but I very much doubt that they have any clue that these are polymers. Unlike silica or clay, "polymer" does not designate a specific material.

[OttoVonBismarck]

The school he's going to is a private school, they generally are much more able to easily accommodate taking courses far outside the normal grade, so there is that.

But even still, most public schools try to be very accommodating if you have a student that excels in certain areas, to the limit of their abilities.

Like the last time I looked into it the typical math progression for "standard" kids was:

7th Grade Pre-Algebra --> 8th Grade Algebra I --> 9th Grade Geometry --> 10th Grade Algebra II, and that finishes the requirements. But if your kid wants to keep doing math they can also do Pre-Calc, Trig, and Calc I and sometimes Calc II if the school offers it.

But if your kid is really good at math there are ways you can skip even having to take Pre-Algebra and get right into Algebra I. The big limitation is what your school offers. If you have a kid whose really good at math and your middle school offers say, Algebra I/Geometry/Algebra II (Algebra II would be for the more advanced track to hit around 9th grade) and your kid is able to demonstrate he already knows Algebra I/Geometry materials they'd let him take Algebra II (he'd be the youngest kid in the class) in 7th grade. But most public middle schools won't offer stuff like Pre-Calc/Trig/Calc at all, because almost none of the students would be able to complete those courses, so it'd literally only be the rare exceptions that would be able to successfully take those courses. If the course isn't offered, it becomes difficult for the public school to offer it. But there are programs where you could get them to take those courses but it might require more work on the parents end.

[dps]

As for hearing about polymer, that's a common thing for elementary school kids to play with to learn about science.

What elementary school teaches about polymers? That's chemistry and not the first year stuff.

Schools around here give kids all kinds of materials to play with from preschool on. Things like silica, polymers, clays, etc. to teach them about different textures and that. They don't get into the chemistry of them until later, but the materials aren't unknown to them.

As for who teaches an 11 year old advanced math, I'd say their school. Jeremy was doing Geometry at 12. It doesn't seem such a stretch to find a kid doing pre-calc at 11.

You're wasting your time.  Tyr just doesn't understand the concept of someone being SMART.

[merithyn]

I am sure they play with polymers like plastic, wood or paper, but I very much doubt that they have any clue that these are polymers. Unlike silica or clay, "polymer" does not designate a specific material.

This is a link to the Fun with Polymer stuff going on at one of our local elementary schools: http://carriebuseylibrary.weebly.com/polymer-fun.html

My kids have had introductions to this stuff since preschool.

I'm amazed that you and Tyr are arguing so vigorously about what kids do NOT learn in schools HERE. Neither of you have any idea of what's available and what's taught.