Rules

Each week of the challenge, students will spend about 45 to 60 minutes on the Chasing Einstein Challenge as a part of their math class. Students will either work in groups or individually depending on what the classroom teacher decides. This is what Chasing Einstein will consist of during the 45-60 minutes:

• Video: Entire class will watch intro video from Dr. Smith on the challenges for the week (5 min)
• Students work: Students will work individually or in groups on the weekly math challenges (25-30 min)
• Teachers lead: Students will reflect on what they learned (5 min)

Students will earn Einstein Points (EPs) for their attitude and effort during Chasing Einstein time. The classroom teachers will observe the students and fill out a scoring form each week for their students. The goal is to earn as many EPs as possible.

Earning Points

The team with the highest average of EPs at the end of the eight week challenge will be crowned the champion.

This is how students earn EPs each week:

• Attitude​ & Effort - during Chasing Einstein the classroom teacher will be observing students for their attitude and effort. Students will earn more points for having a positive attitude and putting forth a lot of effort. The classroom teacher will fill out a scoring sheet at the end of each week based on students' attitude and effort.​

Here is a scoring guide to help teachers come up with the Attitude & Effort score:
​Attitude (1-5):
1: Displays a consistently negative attitude towards math puzzles.
2: Shows a neutral or mixed attitude, with occasional positive engagement.
3: Exhibits a generally positive attitude, actively approaching math puzzles with enthusiasm.
4: Maintains a very positive and optimistic attitude
5: Maintains an exceptionally positive and optimistic attitude, inspires others in the process.

Effort (1-5):
1: Gives up quickly when faced with challenges, shows little perseverance.
2: Demonstrates some persistence but tends to give up when faced with moderate challenges.
3: Shows consistent effort and perseverance in solving math puzzles, even when faced with difficulty.
4: Exhibits persistence, tackling challenges with determination and tenacity.
5: Exhibits exceptional persistence, tackling challenges with determination and tenacity.

Leaderboard

Each week the leaderboard will be updated with the team standings. The team at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the 8-week challenge will be crowned the champion. This is how the points are tabulated for each team.