Summer 2024: Weeks 3 & 4 Class Highlights

Welcome to our Summer 2024: Weeks 3 & 4 Highlights!

Throughout the summer, we want to keep parents and students up-to-date on what’s happening in our summer courses. Read on to learn a few MEK fast facts, highlights, and the topics covered in your child’s MEK Summer courses the first two weeks of class!

Fast Facts

SSAT

• 2006 – The national average SSAT score for 8th graders out of a possible 2400
• 2052 – Average of MEK students’ SSAT scores in week 3 of Exam 8
• 2134 – Exam 8’s average SSAT score by the end of the class

SAT

• 1050 – National average SAT score for U.S. test-takers out of 1600
• 1440 – MEK’s average SAT 1500 student score by the end of week 4

Week 1 & 2 Highlights

#1. Most test prep students completed anywhere from 2-6 tests.

#2. Students settled down into in-person classes, virtual classes, and homework procedures

#3. Teachers started tracking students’ progress and discussing milestones, overall goals, and study techniques with students.

Test Prep: Milestones & Achievements

SAT 1500 Advanced

Perfecting Conceptual Understanding & Honing Strategy:

• Information & Ideas
• Central Idea & Details
• Command of Evidence
• Inference
• Standard English Convention

SAT 1500

Addressing Specific Difficulties & Developing Strategic Test-Taking Habits:

ENGLISH

• Command of Evidence: Graphs
• Expression of Ideas: Identifying Different Types of Transition Words

MATH

• Strategies for Solving Advanced Algebra Questions
• Effective Algebraic Methods
• Graph Visualization
• Identifying Question Types

SAT 1400

Covering Key Concepts & Tackling Difficult Questions & Concepts:

ENGLISH

• Command of Evidence
• Central Ideas & Details
• Inference
• Standard English Convention
• Reinforcing Strategy for Word in Context

MATH

• Quadratics & Quadratic Equations
• How & When to Use Desmos vs. Algebraic Solving

Students have taken 9 practice tests and have started to hit the 700 score in the math section more consistently. The focus has shifted from identifying problem types to applying methods to quickly and accurately solve problems. 

SAT Foundation 

Applying Learned Skills & Strategies:

ENGLISH

• Command of Evidence
• Standard English Conventions

MATH

• Quadratics: Building Knowledge & Confidence
• Using Desmos
• Exponents & Radicals
• Statistics

Core Reading & Writing

First Full College Admissions Simulation Test: ACT!

• Rhetorical Analysis Essays

Exam Prep 8

First Full High School Admissions Simulation Test: SSAT!

ENGLISH

• Applying Critical Reading Strategies
• Identifying Analogy Relationships
• Applying Root Word & Prefix Knowledge to Decode Unfamiliar Vocabulary
• Introduction to Time Management & Facing Challenges Under Pressure
• Literary Analysis Writing Elements

MATH

• Applications of Proportional Relationships & Geometry

SSAT/ISEE 8

Second Full-Length ISEE Simulation Test!

ENGLISH

• Vocabulary Acquisition & Retention via Drills & Exercises
• Effective Comprehension of Different Reading Passage Types

MATH

• Test Struecture & Types of Questions
• Geometry
• Number Theory
• Relationships Between & Classification of Integers 

High School Honors | Topics Covered

Honors Algebra I:

• Modeling Systems of Equations
• Inequalities & Systems of Inequalities
• Exponential Functions
• Factoring Polynomial Functions

Honors Algebra II:

• Polynomial Equations & Inequalities
• Absolute Values
• Laws of Exponents
• Factoring Polynomials
• Rational Equations & Fractions
• Exponential & Logarithmic Functions/Equations

Honors Analysis I:

• Theory of Polynomial Functions
• Theorems on How to Find Properties
• Characteristics of Polynomial Functions

Honors Biology 

• Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration
• Reactants & Products of Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration
• Cellular Locations of Pathways
• Functional Modeling
• Creating Models through Diagramming & Graphic Organizers

Honors Chemistry:

• Atomic Structure
• Periodicity: Groups, Periods, & Categories on Periodic Table
• Periodic Trends & Compound Naming
• Molecular, Ionic, & Complex Polyatomic Compounds

Honors Geometry: 

• Congruency of Triangles
• Proofs
• Congruency of Parallelograms

Honors Pre-Calculus:

• Graphing Trignometric Functions & Their Inverses
• Horizontal Shifts of Trigonometric Graphs
• Trigonometric Properties & Identities
• Trigonometric Equations

Honors Physics:

• Kinematics
• Dynamics
• Interactions of Forces

MEK Learning Circles: Milestones & Achievements

Writing Circles

MLC Writing 4

• Effective introductions and conclusions
• Verb tenses (basic and progressive) 
• Simple, compound, complex sentence structures

MLC Writing 5

• Narrative writing
• Stronger intros, attention-grabbing hooks
• Implementing the plot diagram

MLC Writing 6

• Two exciting narrative essays (fun topics)
• Two descriptive essays

MLC Writing 7

• Personal Narrative & Expository Essays
• Subject/verb & pronoun antecedent agreement

MLC Writing 8

• Personal Narrative
• Adjectives and adverbs
• Dependent versus independent clauses

MLC Enriched Writing 8

• 8 essays (expository, persuasive & narrative)
• Figurative language, descriptions & narration
• Parts of speech, subject/verb agreement, subject/pronoun agreement, adjectives and adverbs, and independent vs. dependent clauses

Critical Reading Circles

Critical Reading 5 & 6

• Crafting strong intros and thesis statements

• Diction, tone, & mood (nonfiction)
• Characterization and conflict (fiction)
• Incorporating transitions, quotes & strengthening body

Critical Reading 7 & 8

• Annotating fictional and nonfictional texts
• Integrating quotes and evidence
• Transitions between & within paragraphs
• Literary analysis
• Diction, tone, & mood

Verbal Reasoning Circles 

MLC Advanced 7, Verbal Reasoning

• Examining reading passages
• Developing test-taking strategies
• Determining key analogous relationships

Non-Fiction Reading 6

• Analyzing articles & creating presentations 
• Topics: Immigration, teen mental health, social media
• Incorporating images & media 
• Original final presentation topics

Non-Fiction Reading 7

• Examining current events
• Preparing awesome slides & presenting work
• Week 4 Topic: Book Banning across the US!

Math Circles 

Math 5 ONS

• Operations involving decimals
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication & division
• Efficiently & quickly solving problems

Math 5 PSM

• Decimal operations: Division with a decimal divisor
• Fractions and their operations (comparing, +/-)

Math 6 PSM

• Ratios, proportions, & percentages
• Practical ways to apply percentages (e.g., sales tax)

MAPC, Junior

• Took full-length AMC8 2020 Exam
• Scores, strategies, & time management skills
• Creative problem solving, abstract interpretation
• Geometry & Operations

 MAPC, Rookie

•  Sample competition problems
• Grouping factors, prime factorization, remainder properties
  

MLC Math, Pre-Algebra I ONS

•  Percent change, how to calculate (i.e., tax)
• Integer operations & how to +/- with negative numbers

MLC Math, Pre-Algebra I PSM

•  Consecutive percent changes
• Apply % changes to simple interest problems
• Operations w/ integers & signed rational numbers

MLC Math, Pre-Algebra II ONS

• Multi step equations & functions
• Examining linear functions

MLC Math, Pre-Algebra II PSM

• Linear functions
• Systems of linear equations w/ modeling

MLC Math, Algebra I

• Graphing linear equations & systems
• Graphing quadratics & higher power functions
• Systems of linear equations & inequalities (such as rate of speed of different objects & finding concentration of different mixtures)

MEET OUR STUDENTS OF THE WEEK FOR WEEKS 3 & 4…

Week 1, Erin Chung

Week 2, Ha-Eun Iris Kim

 

SEE THIS WEEK’S TEACHER SPOTLIGHT:

Weeks 3 & 4 Teacher Spotlight, Stephanie Kleid

 

What’s Next?

We’re excited and ready for the next two weeks! We look forward to sharing the highlights of Weeks 5 & 6 on Friday, August 16th!

 

SEMINARS

Sign up for our BCA/BT and/or our 40-Month Project Seminars today!

                  

 

AP CAPSTONE SUMMER WORKSHOP

MEK is hosting workshops this summer to kick off the mentorship program and introduce students to the AP Capstone program. During this two-hour workshop, students will be provided with an overview of the AP Capstone program that they will start in school, as well as 2 practice prompts to give them a taste of what their AP Research or Seminar course will look like. Our research mentors will review them and teach students the essential skills and tips to start the AP Capstone program on the right foot.

AP CAPSTONE WORKSHOP INFORMATION

 

Dates: August 12th (Monday), August 28th (Wednesday), September 5th (Thursday)

Times: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Eligibility: Students enrolled in AP Capstone classes (AP Research or Seminar) during the 2024-2025 school year

Sign up for AP Capstone Workshop here!

 

FULL-YEAR SPEARHEAD (FYSH) PROGRAM

MEK has developed a new program!

Through this program, launching in Fall 2024, students will always be weeks ahead of their school curriculum. This will allow them to build strong foundations of understanding and focus on doing well in school, as opposed to just keeping up. Read more about the Full-Year Spearhead Program here!