FAQ Grade 4 Challenge Ms. Michell Carter micarter@atlanta.k12.ga.us www.teacherweb.com/GA/SarahSmith/MichellCarter Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) Q: Who is teaching the class? A: This year your child has a unique opportunity. I am team teaching the class with Mr. FIresheets in the auditorium here at the main campus and will be continuing at the upper grades campus in January. We work together on planning and facilitating the learning experiences for your child. Q: How is class set up? A: Mr. Firesheets and I see 2 homerooms at a time in the auditorium, working with both grades 4 and 5. This allows us to meet with each of the students for the required 45 minutes a day, still offering your child the small group instruction. We meet in the auditorium which allows us to work with whole group, small group, or to complete activities. Q: What is my child doing with you in challenge this year? A: We will continue to support the standards using the Junior Great Books. Students will participate in Shared Inquiry discussion with a high level of comprehension expected. They may need to read and study the stories at home just as in the past. This will take place during the 3rd week of each month throughout the year. The Future Problem Solving Program will be used to develop research skills, writing skills, informational reading comprehension, teamwork, future thinking, and of course, problem solving. The topic for this year is: Orphans. This will take place during the first semester. During the second semester, I will be working with Mr. Firesheets to extend the unit on the environment the students worked on last year, and will also be opening the doors to independent interest based learning for the students. It is my goal to teach them to become first hand inquirers and work to develop, research, and solve real world problems. Finally, we will continue to support the classroom teachers in all aspects of the curriculum. I will work to extend and enrich the learning going on across all subject areas, and will hopefully help your child learn and grow academically to become a well rounded investigator and problem solver. Q: Is challenge graded? A: No. This year challenge is not graded like it has been in the past. We support the teacher with the Jr. Great Books program, but are not giving reading grades on report cards. We will have the APS Challenge Program report card for each student (see example) and your child will work to meet goals set by the state of Georgia and APS.