Welcome

What we're working on this quarter in Language Arts:  

We will spend a lot of time making sure students feel welcome, accepted, and comfortable with all of the new experiences in middle school and set them up for success for the rest of the year.

Once we have settled into our new middle school community,  we will begin by reading a whole class novel. Honors will read Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan while periods 7 and 8 will read A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat. Both of these books are highly engaging books that the students really love! While reading the novels, we will focus on thinking strategies, inferencing, fiction signposts, and how a character changes throughout a story. Throughout the novel we will be writing a CER and a full essay. 

In addition, students will be expected to read outside of school for at least 2 hours each week and fill out a short reading log which will be due before the beginning of class on Fridays. 

What we're working on this quarter in Social Studies:  

Studying the 4 strands of the Colorado Academic Standards: History, Geography, Civics & Economics/PFL

Units of Study are by Region using our new Textbook!

• Introduction to Physical & Human Geography

• North America Geography & History, North America Today

  • Possible topics: 

3.3 - Mexico’s Mountains and Plateaus 

3.5 - Three Worlds Meet in the Americas 

3.11 - The Maya and Aztec

3.12 - The Conquistadors

3.13 - Mexico at War

3.14 - The Mexican Revolution

•  South America Geography & History, South America Today

  • Possible topics: 

     8.1 - Diverse People, Diverse Languages 

     8.2 - Daily Life

     8.3 - How Cultures Change 

     8.4 - Comparing Governments

• Central America & The Caribbean Geography & History, Central America & The Caribbean Today

  • Possible topics: 

6.1 - Caribbean Culture and the World 

6.2 - Tourists Fly in 

6.4 - Challenges in Costa Rica and Haiti 

6.5 - Global Issues: Feeding the World 

6.6 - Migration and Remittances 

6.7 - Conserving the Rainforest

• Personal Financial Literacy

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Resources:  The National Geographic Learning | Cengage middle school social studies program is built around an inquiry-based approach that encourages students to explore the world through geographic, cultural, historical, and civic lenses. Drawing on National Geographic's commitment to science and exploration, the resource promotes an explorer mindset by developing the attitudes, skills, and knowledge needed to investigate the world.  This is only one of the many resources students will encounter, additionally we'll use current events resources & DBQ primary sources.

**Families may request optional assignments if the planned curriculum offends their religious or person values.  Please inform me in writing if you prefer that your students read an alternative selection to a particular literary work, and please offer a reason for your preference.   Please see the district’s website for more information:  Parents' Rights

We will be following standards based grading in class so we can best assess how each student is progressing toward 6th grade mastery. Please let me know if you have any questions.