In math, we tackle problem sets and do modeling projects. Modeling is a big focus of the course so we have many of those and spend lots of time on competitions like HiMCM and MTFC.
The MTFC is a long term actuarial math modeling project. Students work in groups to develop a risk analysis model and report on a topic of their choice. We named our group the Data Diddlers, and settled on the topic of school shootings. Our goal is to understand how mental health issues put students at risk of committing these acts, as the effects of school shootings are devastating to students and families. We are still in the early stages of the project, so for now we are focusing on gathering data and meeting with a mentor to determine what to do next.
Occasionally in math we have problems of the week, or POWs. The purpose of a POW is to focus on solving a problem in a group and then communicating that problem to people who may have never seen it before. A full POW includes a problem statement, process that your group went through, a full solution to the problem, and extension problems. This makes effectively communicating ideas very important. This was the second POW we have done so far. The first one did not go so well for me but thankfully I was able to improve in this one.