The sixth grade language arts program offers a variety of standards-based learning experiences.  The program is based on sixth grade Language Arts Common Core State Standards.  These standards offer a focus for instruction to ensure an adequate exposure to a range of texts and tasks.  Rigor is infused through reading and studying the components of literature with increasingly complex text, both fiction and non-fiction.  Students will improve their skills in English grammar, writing, vocabulary development and reading strategies, along with speaking and listening skills.  Writing a correct sentence, organizing and expressing ideas clearly in all genres of writing are emphasized.  This course is intended to help    acclimate all sixth graders to the high academic expectations of the language arts programs at Desert Ridge. 

This three-year curriculum addresses grammatical mechanics and usage through specific exercises as well as writing tasks involving narrative, creative and expository forms.  Students work with intensive vocabulary lessons and readings in a variety of literary genres.  

 Speaking, writing and listening activities will emphasize critical thinking and creative expression. Leadership skills will be addressed through participation in individual and group projects.  Major emphasis is placed on the novel, short story, poetry, and drama using a series of thematic units which  emphasize literary analysis and terms necessary for deeper understanding of the literature.  Research skills and writing across all genres will also be emphasized.

Students can only be enrolled in gifted ELA if designated by the service hours listed in their annual IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  

This course is designed to provide a strong mathematical foundation as students transition from the concrete world of elementary mathematics to the more abstract understandings needed for algebra.  There is a strong focus on developing problem-solving skills and strategies, as well as the ability to effectively communicate their mathematical thinking.  A primary focus is in developing a strong foundational understanding of variable and proportional relationships, preparing students for future algebraic concepts.  Students will learn arithmetic concepts and computational skills in ratios, fractions and decimals.  Additionally, students will use estimation, mental computation and applications of geometry and measurement.  The course also incorporates an introduction to arithmetic operations with integers and an introduction to solving simple linear equations and inequalities.

This course is an alternative to regular sixth grade mathematics.  It is designed for students capable  of investigating mathematics in a challenging, in-depth  fashion.  The material addressed in this course  is fast-paced, covering both 6th and 7th grade standards in a single year-long course.  It is designed to  prepare students for the pre-algebra curriculum in the 7th grade accelerated math class.    

Selection Process:    Students will be placed in Accelerated Math 6 based on a variety of data points.   This data will include student performance in the top 25% tier of fall/winter Winter i-Ready scores, classroom performance, and teacher recommendation.  

 Special requirements DURING the course:    Any student who has below an 80% average at the end of the 1st 9 weeks will be placed on probation.  If a probationary student has below an 80% at the semester, they will be transferred to regular math. 

Gifted math requires a passion for math, both as a rigorous daily challenge and in its  far-reaching forms of exploration. This course will offer students the opportunity to think,  communicate, and work with an enriched curriculum in a varied environment. Students will  become autonomous learners capable of learning with less direct instruction, progressing in these areas: 

•  Problem solving with confidence and tenacity  

• Developing an appreciation of the breadth and depth of mathematics  

• Developing a desire to discover  

• Using prior knowledge  

• Communicating reasoning using the language of mathematics informally and formally  

• Encouraging multiple views  

• Encouraging self-discovery 

 6th Grade Gifted Math replaces regular and accelerated 6th grade math.  The material in this course is fast-paced, covering both 6th and 7th grade standards in a single year-long course.   It is  designed to prepare students for the pre-algebra curriculum in the 7th grade gifted math course. 

Gifted Math Placement Criteria: This course is designed for students who have met the criteria for gifted education after completing a district-approved screening and evaluation process.   Students can only be enrolled in gifted math if designated by the service hours listed in their annual IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  Students must meet the giftedness  requirements in either mathematics or critical thinking as determined in their diagnostic evaluation results during their initial screening.    

Students will be using an integrated curriculum during middle school.   This lab-based 6th grade science course will be covering the following disciplinary core ideas in science this year: 

•  States of Matter  

•  Particles and Waves  

•  Temperature and Thermal Energy Transfer  

•  Water Cycling, Weather, and Climate  

•  Rock Cycling and Plate Tectonics  

•  Natural Hazards  

•  Solar Systems and Earth

The focus of this course will be on the history, geography and cultures of the ancient world.  Students will have the opportunity to learn about the complex nature of cultures and global relationships.  The study of countries and cultures prepares each student to take part in a global economy.  There is an emphasis on physical geography, map reading and atlas skills.  Teaching students to read informational text is a key component of the social studies classes, along with an emphasis on writing.