• 6th Grade Course Descriptions

    Language Arts:

    Students in sixth grade language arts will engage in a rigorous curriculum which focuses on the standard areas of reading, writing and communication.  Students will read a variety of literary genres such as poetry, novels, short stories, and non-fiction.  As a complement to the reading instruction, students will be required to write in a variety of modes which involve text-based evidence for student responses.  Students will learn to prepare and write narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive types of writing pieces in the form of stories, reflections, essays, letters, and reports.  Teachers will also provide vocabulary instruction to enhance students’ skills in reading and writing.  Equally as important, students will continue to sharpen their grammatical skills so that they can become effective writers and speakers.

    Our course offerings include: Language Arts, Honors Language Arts, Reading, Honors Reading, CLUE Reading, Language Lab

    Math:

    During the first semester, students will learn real number operations, including whole numbers, decimals and fractions.  Students will also strengthen their knowledge as they analyze data and probability and evaluate and solve one-step equations during second semester.  Throughout the year students learn the relationship between ratios and percentages and apply their skills to real-world scenarios.  They are also introduced to the fundamentals of geometry and integers.  Students will be expected to persevere in problem solving, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others as outlined by the Common Core State Standards.

    Our course offerings include: Math, Honors Math, Math Lab

    Science: 

    Scientific inquiry skills and the application of technology and engineering are embedded as grade level expectations in the science curriculum.  In the life science study of interdependence, students will explore the world’s major biomes, how living things interact with one another and the non-living elements of their environments, cycles in nature and how matter and energy are transferred through ecosystems.  The Earth and space science curriculum includes a study of the major components of the universe and the relative distances of objects in the solar system from Earth.  Students will learn about the positional relationships between Earth, the moon and the sun and how they control the lunar cycle, length of day, and year.  Lunar and solar eclipses, tides, and seasons will be explored.  Also included is the study of Earth’s atmosphere, currents, weather, and interpretation of meteorological data.  Physical science content includes a study of energy transformations and the interplay between magnetic fields and electrical currents.  Students will learn about forms of energy, their transformations, and how circuits are associated with the transfer of electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced.  Students will be engaging in expository writing to explain scientific principles.

    Our course offerings include: Science, Honors Science

    Social Studies:

    Sixth grade students will study the beginning of early civilizations through the fall of the Roman Empire. Students will study the geographical, social, economic, and political foundations for early civilizations progressing through the Roman Empire. Students will study the development of civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Ancient Israel, Greece, and Rome. The study of these civilizations will include the impact of geography, early history, cultural development, and economic change. This course will be the first concentrated study of world history and geography and will utilize appropriate informational texts and primary sources.

    Our course offerings include: Social Studies, Honors Social Studies

    World Languages:

    Our course offerings include: Exploratory Chinese, Exploratory French, Exploratory Japanese, Exploratory Spanish

    Fine/Performing Arts:

    Our course offerings include: Creative Dramatics, Beginning Band, Beginning Choir, Beginning Orchestra

    Creative Dramatics: In this performance-based class, students will be introduced to the basic concepts of theatre arts. Students will use theatre games and various creative drama techniques to help lose inhibitions and gain trust in themselves as well as others in their groups. Students will learn and use drama/theatre vocabulary in class discussions to promote overall literacy. Students will exhibit and reinforce their skills through individual and group presentations, performances, and script writing.

    Exploratory Courses:

    Our course offerings include: Computer Science Discoveries, Health, Mythology, Physical Education

    Physical Education: Physical Education classes are designed to practice and develop skills through a variety of activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life. Students will learn fun and structured movement activities. These activities will benefit regular exercises that can be provided for a person's mental, physical, and social health.