Sixth Grade

Attention and Focus - Students can begin to lose interest in school and learning around this age or in the next few years to come. Continue to engage their curiosity, and help make learning exciting. At the same time, resist overscheduling your tween. They need downtime, as well as time to focus on homework. Pick just a couple of activities together, and focus on commitment to those choices. This all helps your child get ready for school. 

Social-Emotional Learning - Although 11-year-olds are starting to develop their own personality among a social group, they haven’t yet resisted the concept of “family time.” Make participation in family activities, such as going to church or dinner with grandparents, and responsibilities like chores part of the standard daily routine.  

Listening and Speaking - Engages effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. Comes to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; draws on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. Follows rules for discussions and carries out assigned roles. Poses and responds to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborates on the remarks of others. Reviews the key ideas expressed and draws conclusions from the discussions.

Reading - Actively engages in reading with purpose and understanding.  Independently reads books like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Writing - Writes multi-paragraph texts to inform, to tell stories and communicate arguments using effective techniques and descriptive details.  Is able to develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. Is also able to edit for conventions.

Discover a new hobby or interest!

Tell stories.  Engage in debates.  Teach others about their interests and skills.

Read books and listen to stories.

Write about everything.  Keep a journal.  Write letters.  Create their own graphic novel.  Write stories.

Create adaptations of board and word games like Bananagrams, Scrabble, Hangman, Scattergories and Apples to Apples. Video Tutorial

Move their bodies as often as possible!

Subscribe to a new podcast like Eleanor Amplified or Flyest Fables

Take a virtual writing class through UCLA (fee-based)

Free online summer camps

Design their own font style; Video tutorial

Create a vision board

Curate a book of favorite recipes with short videos showing "How to" make the recipes

Record favorite family stories using photographs off a phone

Record videos of read alouds for younger children; Video tutorial

Begin a Passion Project