Sixth Grade Curriculum

English / Language Arts (ELA)
Literature:
Literature engages students through a variety of novels, short stories, and poetry to teach foundational skills. Students will learn how to identify key ideas and details, analyze craft and structure, and integrate cross-curricular knowledge. Students will read, respond to, listen to and discuss various genres of differing complexity and interest. In addition to using Elements of Learning: Introductory Course published by Holt, students will read the following, but not limited to, novels:
  • Long Way from Chicago
  • Freak the Mighty
  • Hatchet
  • Refuge
  • A Long Walk to Water
Our mission is to meet students where they are in reading and grow them by providing the necessary skills to stretch their reading, responding to literature through speaking and writing, and analyzing text.
Grammar:
Students will engage in a study of grade appropriate grammar skills through immersion in writing, in the context of reading, and in isolation through units of study in Elements of Language: Introductory Course published by Holt. Units of study include but are not limited to:
  • Parts of Speech: noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, interjection, clauses, direct and indirect objects, and subject complements
  • Agreement
  • Modifiers
  • Punctuation: end marks, commas, semicolons, colons, italics, quotation marks, apostrophes, and hyphens
  • Sentence structure
Writing: 
Students will learn to write the following though the writing process:
  • Functional writing: formal and informal letters, responses to literature, lists, thank you notes, directions, how-to, study guides, etc.
  • Personal narratives
  • Persuasive writing
  • Fictional writing
Math
Science

Sixth Grade Science will provide all students an overview of common strands in earth science including, but not limited to, meteorology, geology, astronomy, and oceanography.

Sixth grade students use records they keep and analyze the data they collect, plan and carry out investigations, describe observations, and show information in different forms. They are able to recognize relationships in simple charts and graphs and find more than one way to interpret their findings. They replicate investigations and compare results to find similarities and differences. Sixth graders study weather patterns and systems by observing and explaining how an aspect of weather can affect a weather system. They are able to construct explanations based on evidence of the role of water in Earth processes, and recognize how the presence of land and water in combination with the energy from the sun affect the climate and weather of a region. They use different models to represent systems such as the solar system and the sun/moon/Earth system. They study uses and conservation of Earth’s natural resources and use what they observe about the Earth’s materials to infer the processes and timelines that formed them.

Social Studies

The social studies curriculum is supported by Glencoe’s World History Journey Across Time. This is a middle school world history program organized chronologically from the first humans and ancient civilizations to the present. It is co-authored by National Geographic and Jackson Spielvogel. Journey Across Time engages narrative and outstanding visuals which transport students back in time. Students are ensured the understanding of the influence of geography on historical events. The result is a standards – based program with important geography skills embedded in every lesson.

Physical Education

The benchmarks in the Physical Education Curriculum are designed to promote each student’s optimum physical, mental, and social development. This curriculum represents a student-centered approach to physical education, consisting of appropriate grade level learning activities that support and encourage physical fitness (basic movement skills; team, dual, and individual sports; physical fitness; rhythm and dance) as well as lifelong physical activities are all addressed.

Exploratory

Exploratory classes initiate exploration in extracurricular areas that encourage well-rounded students and inquisitive learners.  These class may include, but are not limited to, Introduction to Spanish, Art, Bible, Typing to Learn, Introduction to Computers, Character Education, and G.R.E.A.T. programming.