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January 2018 Newsletter
Sportsmanship   |  Annie |   Coach/SCD   |  Highlights

Special   |  Donate   |  NMPAT   |    Strategy
sportsmanship
TOP TOURNAMENT PRIORITY: GOOD  SPORTSMANSHIP

In order to prepare your  PentathleteTM for a  National Mathematics Pentathlon® Academic Tournament Coaches and Parents need to make all participants knowledgeable of the Pentathlete  Code of Conduct and review the Participation Guidelines and Game Highlight Sheets .

Pentathlete
TM Code of Conduct
Good Sportsmanship and Character Development are top priorities of the Math Pentathlon Program.  For each Division Level the first Rule of our Common Rules in our Highlights is the Pentathlete Code of Conduct which is stated below:
 
A PentathleteTM is to treat adults and fellow Pentathletes with courtesy and respect and play by the rules that they know to be true. The Tournament Director will handle any infractions of this rule. Such infractions can result in loss of game (0 points) or being required to leave the tournament site.
 
We highly stress that you teach your students how to both win and lose with dignity.  With both club and classroom use we suggest that students shake hands both before and after each game as we do at the Math Pentathlon Tournaments.  While learning the games, highlight the importance of Teamwork.  This spirit is seen so many times throughout tournament season when Pentathletes who did not receive medals, still enthusiastically applaud the efforts of their school team members that did.  Once students can lose gracefully and win respectfully, they gain self-esteem as well as the virtues of patience, cooperation, and integrity.  Make positive use of our tournament challenge system with first, second, and third opinions to teach them how to be respectful with adults and ones peers, while at the same time learning how to stand up for oneself.

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES: Pentathlete Preparation Link 

AnnieANNIE PETRO

It is with very saddened hearts that we share with all of you the unexpected passing of our dear friend and long-time Office Manager, Annie Petro, on Saturday, November 25.  For over 18 years Annie was much more than a dedicated Math Pentathlon employee.  Annie was a true partner who dealt with so many Math Pentathlon responsibilities including sales/distribution of MP Materials, accounting, and the preparation for MP Tournaments in all National MP Tournament Centers.  And, what many Coaches and parents loved was to talk with her over the phone when she helped them in so many ways.  Everyone loved her laugh, positive attitude, and dedication to help in any way that she could.   We have been very blessed to have Annie in our lives and we will miss her so much.  She was truly dedicated to the Math Pentathlon Program and all of the Coaches, Parents and Pentathletes that she served.  We have established the Annie Petro Math Pentathlon Scholarship Fund for Pentathletes experiencing financial difficulty in her honor.

Donate to the Annie Petro Scholarship Fund  HERE  (tax deductible)

coach
ATTENTION COACHES/SCDs:  NMPAT REGISTRATION

When parents register their child online they MUST choose a game to monitor.   This way all parents are aware of the critical need for volunteers and the need to be present to help in some way.  After registering online parents will email their child's ticket to their Coach so the Coach can verify registration and make note of the game they signed up to Game Monitor. Once the Coach has all registrations, the Coach will verify Game Monitor assignments and send any corrections (game assignment changes or parents not monitoring) to the Center Director.  ONLY THE COACH can give a child's parent a pass on Game Monitoring. 

More Game Monitor info including requirements can be found  HERE .

Indiana, Michigan, Ohio Center Director: Dr Mary Gilfeather

Texas Center Director:  Rene LeBlanc 

Once a Coach has their parent Game Monitor Assignments, complete and submit the Official NMPAT Coach's List of Game Monitor List to the Center Director by February 15. As in the pa st , MAKE sure that your GMs are equally distributed across each of the 5 MP Games.

highlights
2017 TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The National Mathematics Pentathlon Academic Tournament Highlights are  one-page summaries of each game's most critical rules.  Each Highlight Sheet is divided into 3 sections:  Basics, e.g. Goal, Start, Game Time Limit; Game Specific Rules; and Challenges.  Each year any updates/changes in MP Rules are highlighted in red and are especially pertinent for National Tournament use.  For each Division there is also a Common Rules page that describes rules that apply to all of the 5 games.  Link to Highlights
 
special
SPECIAL OFFER
HOME PRACTICE OF GAMES
 
Just as with music recitals and other such competitive events, it is very helpful to practice the MP Games at home.   This provides BOTH Pentathletes and parents the opportunity to practice ALL 5 MP Games with their child and to develop critical game strategies for their respective division level.  We are running a Tournament Special to purchase an MP Family Game Set from January 12-17: LINK TO FAMILY GAME SETS
.

donate
MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

When making your yearly donations please consider including the Pentathlon Institute, a Not-for-Profit Educational Organization.  Funds raised through donations assist Pentathletes.  Anything you can do to help is greatly appreciated.   Fed. I.D.# 38-1645063 501(c) 3-5071

Donate 
 
REGISTRATION FOR
NATIONAL MATHEMATICS PENTATHLON ACADEMIC TOURNAMENTS

Tournaments are limited by space.  We take registrations on a first come-first serve basis.  Several of the tournaments last year SOLD OUT before the Late Registration Deadline. 

Please check with your School Contact Designee for Registration Directions.   

Tournament fee is  
NON-REFUNDABLE & NO SUBSTITUTIONS
$42 Regular Registration ~ Sept 1 - Feb 15
$56 Late Registration ~ After Feb 15 
$80 ~ 10 Days Prior to Tournament
(Closed Thursday - Saturday week of Tournament)

nmpat
2018 NATIONAL MATHEMATICS PENTATHLON 
ACADEMIC TOURNAMENTS DATES

A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the 2018 Hosting Districts!


The dates for next year's National Mathematics Pentathlon Academic Tournaments are:

     Division I (K-1): April 28
     Division II (2-3): May 5
     Division III (4-5): April 14
     Division IV (6-7): April 14  

     Division I (K-1):  April 21
     Division II (2-3):  March 24
     Division III (4-5): May 12
     Division IV (6-7): May 12

     Division I (K-1): April 7
     Division II (2-3): April 21
     Division III (4-5): April 28
     Division IV (6-7): May 12 (tentative) 
 
     Division I (K-1): March 24
     Division II (2-3): March 24
     Division III (4-5): April 21
     Division IV (6-7): May 12 (tentative) (in Austin Center)

preparing
STRATEGY LESSONS TO HELP YOUR 
PENTATHLETES DO WELL AT TOURNAMENT
 
Adventures in Problem Solving Books 1 and 2 as well as Investigation Exercises Books 1 and 2 provide critical activities and exercises for students to be successful with the MP Games.  Some of these have been highlighted for each division level.
DIVISION 1:  KINGS & QUADRAPHAGES
Adventures in PS Bk 1:  Activity 1 (pp. 131-132) - FIVE BY FIVE Ks & Qs:   This simpler version of Kings & Quads allows student to experience end-of-game scenarios.
Investigation Exercises Bk 1:  IT'S YOUR MOVE I & II (pp. 3-4):   Provides mid-game situations to think more deductively about game strategies.
DIVISION 2:  RAMROD
Adventures in PS Bk 1:  Activity 7 (p. 134) - COMPLEMENTS OF VALUES IN THE PURPLE-PLAYING AREA OF GAMEBOARD:   After learning the numeric values of the rods (Act. 3) as well as the rectangular values in the purple-playing area (Act. 5), students explore and learn the various combinations of exactly 2 rods that form Captures and significantly enhance strategic thinking about Ramrod.
Investigation Exercises Bk 1:  RAMROD COMBOS (pp. 3-5):   Students experience algebraic thinking using the missing addend form of subtraction while reinforcing Ramrod Capture combinations.
DIVISION 3:  STARS & BARS
Adventures in PS Bk 2:  Activity XI-XIII (pp. 207-211) - PROGRESSIVE LEAD-INS TO STARS & BARS:   After learning how the cards differ from one another according to the 4 critical attributes (Activities 2, 4, and 5), students learn these essential games . These simpler versions of Stars and Bars teach how to both score and maximize the game's scoring system.
Investigation Exercises Bk 2:  MAX A SCORE 1 and 2 (pp. 19-20):   These exercises simulate mid-game scenarios of Stars & Bars and help students practice maximizing their scores.
DIVISION 4:  PRIME GOLD
Investigation Exercises Bk 2:  CONJECTURING FOR GOLD (pp. 19-22):   Pentathletes sometimes do not take advantage of an important Prime Gold Rule referred to as Goldbach's Conjecture.  While using this game rule, students can form a number sentence that results in an even value greater than 6.  Rather than just placing 1 chip on the board per turn, this rule allows players to place 2 chips to cover 2 prime number values.  These exercises provide many examples of game scenarios to help Pentathletes implement this critical game rule.

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