Math Critical Areas

Students in Grade 6 will focus on these critical areas: (1) connecting ratio and rate to whole number multiplication and division and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems; (2) completing understanding of division of fractions and extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers; (3) writing, interpreting and using expressions, and equations; and (4) developing understanding of statistical thinking. 

Grammar Critical Areas

Students in Grade 6 will focus on building sophisticated conventions of standard English, understanding complex vocabulary, and applying these mechanics effectively across writing and speaking. 

The critical focus areas include:

• Conventions of Standard English:

  • Grammar & Usage: Mastering relative pronouns (e.g., who, which, that), relative adverbs (e.g., where, when, why), progressive verb tenses (e.g., was walking, will be walking), modal auxiliaries (can, may, must), and ordering adjectives properly in sentences.

  • Capitalization & Punctuation: Using commas and quotation marks for direct speech/dialogue, and using commas before coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences. 

• Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:

  • Figurative Language: Explaining simple similes, metaphors, idioms, adages, and proverbs.

  • Word Relationships: Understanding antonyms, synonyms, and Greek and Latin prefixes and roots (e.g., tele-, micro-) to decode and determine the meaning of unknown multisyllabic words.

• Knowledge of Language:

  • Making informed choices about language to expand vocabulary, express ideas more precisely, and compare formal and informal uses of English in writing and speaking.