Math 6
Unit 1: Area and Surface Area
Dates: August - September
In this unit, students learn to find areas of polygons by decomposing, rearranging, and composing shapes. They learn to understand and use the terms “base” and “height,” and find areas of parallelograms and triangles. Students approximate areas of non-polygonal regions by polygonal regions. They represent polyhedra with nets and find their surface areas.
Unit 2: Introducing Ratios
Dates: September - October
In this unit, students learn to understand and use the terms “ratio,” “rate,” “equivalent ratios,” “per,” “at this rate,” “constant speed,” and “constant rate,” and to recognize when two ratios are or are not equivalent. They represent ratios as expressions, and represent equivalent ratios with double number line diagrams, tape diagrams, and tables. They use these terms and representations in reasoning about situations involving color mixtures, recipes, unit pricing, and constant speed.
Unit 3: Unit Rates and Percentages
Dates: October-November
In this unit, students learn to understand and use the terms “unit rate,” “speed,” “pace,” “percent,” and “percentage,” and recognize that equivalent ratios have equal unit rates. They represent percentages with tables, tape diagrams, and double number line diagrams, and as expressions. They use these terms and representations in reasoning about situations involving unit price, constant speed, and measurement conversion
Unit 4: Dividing Fractions
Dates: November - December
In this unit, students examine how the relative sizes of numerator and denominator affect the size of their quotient when numerator or denominator (or both) is a fraction. They acquire the understanding that dividing by ab has the same outcome as multiplying by b, then by 1a. They compute quotients of fractions. They solve problems involving lengths and areas of figures with fractional side lengths and extend the formula for the volume of a right rectangular prism to prisms with fractional edge lengths and use it to solve problems. They use tape diagrams, equations, and expressions to represent situations involving partitive or quotitive interpretations of division with fractions. Given a multiplication or division equation or expression with fractions, they describe a situation that it could represent. They use tape diagrams and equations in reasoning about situations that involve multiplication and division of fractions.
Unit 5: Base 10 Arithmetic
Dates: August 26th to September 18th
In this unit, students compute sums, differences, products, and quotients of multi-digit whole numbers and decimals, using efficient algorithms. They use calculations with whole numbers and decimals to solve problems set in real-world contexts.
Unit 6: Expressions and Equations
Dates: February - March
In this unit, students learn to understand and use the terms “variable,” “coefficient,” “solution,” “equivalent expressions,” “exponent,” “independent variable,” and “dependent variable.” They begin to write coefficients next to variables without a multiplication symbol, e.g., 10x rather than 10⋅x, and note that x is 1⋅x. They learn other situations in which the multiplication symbol can be omitted, e.g., 6⋅(3+2) can be written 6(3+2). They work with expressions that have positive whole-number exponents and whole-number, fraction, or variable bases, using properties of exponents strategically to evaluate these expressions, given a value for the variable. They find solutions for linear equations in one variable and simple equations that include exponents, e.g., 2x=32 and 100=x^2. They use these terms and representations (including expressions with two variables) in reasoning about real-world and geometrical situations, understanding that some values of variables may not make sense in a given context. They represent collections of equivalent ratios as equations and use and make connections between tables, graphs, and linear equations that represent the same relationships.
Unit 7: Rational Numbers
Dates: March - April
In this unit, students interpret signed numbers in contexts (e.g., temperature above or below zero, elevation above or below sea level). They understand and use the terms “positive number,” “negative number,” “rational number,” “opposite,” “sign,” “absolute value,” “a solution to an inequality,” “less than,” “greater than,” and the corresponding symbols. They plot points with signed rational number coordinates on the number line, and recognize and use the connection between relative position of two points on the number line and inequalities involving the coordinates of the points. (These are limited to strict inequalities rather than inequalities such as 2≤x which occur in grade 7.) They understand and use absolute value notation, understanding that the absolute value of a number as its distance from zero on the number line. Students graph inequalities in one variable on number line diagrams, using a circle or disk to indicate when a given point is, respectively, excluded or included. They solve simple inequalities, understanding that there may be infinitely many solutions, and show solutions symbolically and on the number line. They interpret solutions of inequalities in contexts, understanding that some solutions do not make sense in some contexts. Students plot pairs of signed number coordinates in the plane, understanding the relationship between the signs of a pair of coordinates and the quadrant of the corresponding point, and use coordinates to calculate horizontal and vertical distances between two points. Students understand and use the terms “common factor,” “greatest common factor,” “common multiple,” and “least common multiple,” and solve problems set in real-world contexts in which common factors or multiples occur.
Unit 8: Data Sets and Distribution
Dates: April - May
In this unit, students learn about populations and study variables associated with a population. They understand and use the terms “numerical data,” “categorical data,” “survey” (as noun and verb), “statistical question,” “variability,” “distribution,” and “frequency.” They make and interpret histograms, bar graphs, tables of frequencies, and box plots. They describe distributions (shown on graphical displays) using terms such as “symmetrical,” "peaks," “gaps,” and “clusters.” They work with measures of center—understanding and using the terms “mean,” “average,” and “median.” They work with measures of variability—understanding and using the terms “range,” ”mean absolute deviation” or MAD, “quartile,” and “interquartile range” or IQR. They interpret measurements of center and variability in contexts.