Project Challenge 4

Thinking is a mental activity that is used to resolve doubt about what to do, what to believe, or what to desire or seek. Thinking and understanding how and why we think creates life long problem solvers. During this unit of study, students will understand the importance of metacognition, as they develop their thinking skills. They will explore Gardner's Theory on Multiple Intelligences and use the information they learned to personalize their own learning. They will also examine and build upon their lateral, divergent, and convergent thinking as they explore real world problems, logic puzzles, and brain teasers. Using creativity and logical reasoning, students will be able to develop solutions to problems big and small. The thinking skills taught and reinforced in this unit will provide students the necessary thinking skills to grow as 21st century (and beyond) problem solvers.

The Mock Trial program provides gifted students in grade 4 with an opportunity to learn basic law principles, trial practices and procedures, leadership skills, and research skills. Students learn how to participate in small and large group discussions, conduct peer debates, and take on the role of jurors to discuss both civil and criminal cases. Students also have the opportunity to learn about what happens when citizens choose not to follow the law in their community and in the United States. The final project of this course is a competition entry of a mock trial, to be submitted to the New Jersey State Bar Foundation for the Law Fair Competition. Students also write scripts and perform their cases for an audience of peers and families.

The concept of design is introduced by presenting the engineering design process. Students learn that design is not necessarily restricted to engineering, but a general concept applicable to all aspects of learning and life. Through this unit students will explore the engineering design process while focusing on open-ended problem solving and learning through hands on experience. Students will research the problem, imagine and develop possible solutions, select a promising solution and plan, build a prototype through creation, test and evaluate the solution, and improve as needed. Through critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity students will create innovative solutions to challenges in all disciplines in and out of the classroom.