The Grade 4-5 Challenge Program:
- Fosters the potential of highly able learners by supporting their cognitive, social and emotional development.
- Validates, recognizes, and develops the students’ varied strengths and talents.
- Provides students with opportunities to establish social interactions with like-minded peers.
- Develops teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills in a safe environment.
- Supports greater self-awareness and self-understanding.
- Supplements existing classroom and school supports.
Program Elements:
- Theme-based learning across disciplines (e.g. systems, change)
- Creative problem based learning
- Hands-on learning
- Inquiry based learning
- Extracurricular disciplines (e.g. philosophy, engineering, etc.)
- Exploring the lives of experts
- Learning in greater depth and complexity
Universal Theme: CHANGE
Universal themes and understandings help students see and make connections within and across disciplines. They help students make meaning out of what may seem disconnected information. These are the “big ideas” that connect and make sense of their learning. The following understandings help increase the depth and complexity of the work students will be exploring throughout the year.
The BIG IDEAS (or understandings) about CHANGE
1. Change may be positive or negative
2. Change requires us to adapt to a new situation
3. Change is necessary for growth