6th Grade Courses

Language Arts 6:  

This course alternates writing and reading workshops throughout the academic year. In writing workshops, students develop personal narratives, character and theme-based argument essays, and informational pieces related to teen activism. Informational pieces are presented as TED-style talks, podcasts, e-books, websites, and/or slideshow presentations. Reading instruction engages students with fiction and nonfiction through studies of plot, character, point of view, theme, social issues, and poetry. Students are encouraged to read from self-selected, developmentally-appropriate literature consistently throughout the year. Language skills are developed through vocabulary study emphasizing Greek and Latin roots, along with English grammar and usage.

**COMING SOON**

Mathematics 6:  

This curriculum uses instructional design that allows opportunities for all learners to be successful. It is a research-based program promoting visual learning and discussion, while showing students many connections with real-world situations. Students work together with hands-on lessons to expose them to a conceptual understand before shifting towards a procedural fluency. Units include: area/surface area, ratios, rates & percentages, fractions, base ten (decimals), expressions/equations, rational numbers, and data sets/distributions.

Integrated Math 6/7:

This course covers foundational material for grade 6 and part of grade 7, focusing on area and surface area, the essential concepts of ratios, rates, and percentages, and advanced number operations (fraction division and decimal algorithms). It introduces equations and expressions with variables, explores proportional relationships in contexts like circles and percent change, establishes rational numbers (including negatives) and their operations, and concludes with an analysis of data sets, distributions, and statistical inferences

Science 6:  Sixth grade science is hands-on and dynamic. Sixth grade students begin the year collaborating through a brief STEM unit which leads into designing their own experiments. Then, as students learn the rules of observation and refine observation and inferring skills, they work with partners in learning labs where they collect, process, organize, and analyze their own data. These labs include a dissection lab with a cow‚Äôs eye. Students also learn how to correctly and accurately use scientific measurement tools to collect data. Other topics include the periodic table of elements, chemistry, and genetics. Students use Chromebooks (laptops) as a learning tool and technology skills are integrated into every part of the scientific process. Students use Google Docs for lab reports, inserting labeled photographs/diagrams of lab set-ups from Google Slides into Docs, creating digital presentations, making videos, using Google Sheets to make tables/charts/graphs, etc.

Social Studies 6:  In sixth grade Social Studies, students begin the year reviewing basic map, globe, and related social studies skills. They then learn about the key aspects of several important civilizations using the acronym GRAPES (geography, religion, achievements, politics, economics, and society). The first civilizations students examine are the four early river civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India. This leads into a unit covering the development of Greece and Rome, followed by the Middle Ages and world religions. The year concludes with students applying their understanding of GRAPES to a modern-day country. A variety of reading and writing strategies, along with technology, are incorporated in each unit throughout the year.

Art 6: Art in the sixth grade will help students make a transition to middle school art. It is designed to encourage self-discovery and artistic expression through problem solving. Students will explore the basics of drawing and shading, a variety of painting techniques, ceramic construction, and digital design and photo manipulation.

FACE 6: In our 6th grade FACE course, students will explore the world of interior and fashion design. Through fun projects and activities, students will learn how designers use color, pattern, texture and space to express personal style. Students will experiment with simple floor plans, room layouts, and mood boards to understand how spaces can be organized for comfort and function. They will also learn the basics of fashion design, including sketching, identifying fabric types, and understanding how clothing choices reflect identity. 

Healthy You 6:  In this course, our 6th graders will be introduced to many health-related skills, terms, and principles with the ultimate goal of learning the best practices and habits to take care of the mind, body, and relationships within their expanding lives. This course will cover the topics of self-care, physical and mental wellness, nutrition, relationships, human growth and development, and many more health-related aspect.

Band:  Band is a class for students who have learned or would like to learn flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, or tuba. Fifth grade percussionists will continue developing their skills in this band class! There is not a beginning percussion course in sixth grade because percussion students have already been screened and selected in fifth grade. This course will consist of full band rehearsals and a small group lesson for students with previous instrumental experience. Lessons are held every eight days, during the school day, dependent on student availability. Musicians will learn the basic performance skills and develop cooperative group skills. The classes must be supported by individual practice and will culminate in several public performances.

Choir:  Choir is a class for students who enjoy singing! Choir members will learn basic singing skills and develop cooperative group skills. Students will learn to sing music that represents many different styles and cultures. This class will meet for choir rehearsals every other day. Small group lessons will meet once every eight school days, dependent on student availability. The rehearsals will culminate in several performances throughout the year.

General Music:  This non-performing music class meets every other day for one semester of the school year. It is designed to be a music appreciation course that teaches students about the ‚"Ingredients" of music such as melody, harmony, notation, texture, style, rhythm and form. Students will explore the basics of music as well as sing, perform on classroom instruments, and listen to various examples of music from around the world, including musical theatre.

Orchestra:  String Orchestra class is for all students who have or would like to learn violin, viola, cello, or string bass. Whether you’ve been playing for one, two, five years - even just beginning! Students who began in a Suzuki or 5th grade strings program, this is definitely the next step in your musical journey! Orchestra class will consist of every other day string orchestra rehearsals. Small group lessons meet once every eight days dependent upon student availability. Musicians will further develop ensemble playing skills and string technique through performance. The classes must be supported by individual practice and will culminate in public performances.

Physical Education:  Physical Education is a sequential educational program that teaches students how to: understand and participate in physical activities that can help them develop positive attitudes toward maintaining a healthy lifestyle; practice the lifetime skills of cooperation and successful interaction with other students; and understand and improve their health-related fitness and motor skills.

STEM 6:  In this hands-on 6th grade STEM course, students explore the engineering design process, identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, building prototypes, testing, and refining designs while learning to use tools safely and responsibly; they apply math to real-world scenarios through measurement, data analysis, and problem solving projects, and are introduced to simple machines to understand mechanical advantage and everyday engineering.

Intro to World Language 6:  World Language is designed to introduce students to the beginning stages of learning a foreign language. Students will spend 12 weeks in each language: Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese. Students will communicate in the target language, gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures, connect with other disciplines and develop insight into the nature of language and culture.