Sixth Grade Syllabus

Mrs. Cecily Roberts & Mrs. Jessica Maker-Bilandzija

Odyssey Charter School

725 W. Altadena Dr., Altadena, CA 91001

CecilyR@ocsmail.org or JessicaMB@ocsmail.org

Class Overview:  The sixth grade year is the introduction to the middle school educational experience.  This year is focused on helping students become responsible, self-motivated learners inside the classroom and beyond.  Sixth grade students will be introduced to their four core subject areas: Language Arts, Earth Science, Math and Social Studies.  Students will engage in rigorous academic work through each of these core subjects and become active members in their school community. 

Class Objectives

Students will:

Language Arts

• Read and comprehend a variety of text including novels, short stories, poems, drama and non-fiction.
•  Become fluent writers in the following areas: narrative, creative, expository, research, response and persuasive.
•  Become fluent readers in a variety of settings: aloud, silently, small groups, teacher led, and independently.
•  Develop skills in listening and speaking and become more effective communicators through oral presentations.
• Study and practice proper grammar, spelling, vocabulary and sentence structure.
   

Earth Science

•  Practice the scientific method.
• View the Earth as a dynamic process.
• Identify Earth’s structural components and how the parts interact.
• Comprehend how energy transforms Earth.
• Understand the many different eco-systems supported by the Earth.
• Compare and contrast renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Conduct investigations and experimentations through lab work.

• Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions.
• Students will show rather than tell what they are capable of.
• Students are expected to come to class prepared and ready to work.
• Students are expected to respect their peers, teachers, and school environment.
• Students are expected to listen and speak appropriately.
• Students are expected to turn in all assignments on time.  Late work will only be accepted one day beyond the original due date and only half credit will be given.
• There will be no eating or drinking in the classroom. This includes gum chewing. This is a school wide middle school policy.
• Cell phones, ipods, etc. are to be turned off and put away until the end of the school day.  This is a school wide middle school policy.
• Appropriate school attire is required.
• Students will have a 3 minute transition period from class to class.  This means you have 3 minutes to go to and from computer lab, P.E., music, art, advisory, etc. Tardy students will be given a "ticket" which is put in their advisory file.  Only students with hall passes from Odyssey staff will be excused.  This is a school wide middle school policy.   
• Students are expected to improve themselves, their school and the WORLD!