Sixth Grade
Language Arts
In 6th grade ELA, we will begin the year focusing on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl by reading the novels Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis and Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. We will also read articles about “Hoovervilles” and examine photographs, such as Dorthea Lange’s iconic “Migrant Mother.” Students will have the opportunity to analyze Langston Hughes’ poem “Mother to Son,” as well as listen to jazz music from this time period. Students will write an explanatory essay exploring the ways in which ordinary people responded to and surpassed the extreme hardships caused by the Great Depression.
The next module takes us to the Jamestown colony in which the 6th grade will read Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone and Written In Bone by Sally M. Walker. Students will examine the social and environmental factors in the unknown world of Jamestown and how they shaped its development and decline. The students will conclude this module by writing an argumentative essay compiling what they've learned about how the social and environmental factors in the unknown world of Jamestown shape its development and decline.
In the final module, the 6th grade will read true stories of strong individuals placed directly in the midst of hostile environments and how they overcome their surroundings and bring forth heroic actions. Students will read Jennifer Armstrong’s riveting nonfiction text, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance as well as I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World, written by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick. By the end of this module, the 6th-grade students will have written an informative research essay about an individual of their choosing whose heroic action during a time of challenge or controversy impacted the lives of many.
Math
In 6th grade math,students begin the year with the concepts of ratios and percent, before extending their computation skills to include all operations with fractions & decimals. Student understanding of the number line is also extended, as they explore rational numbers (positive & negative numbers) and how they can be compared and ordered. Sixth grade students begin learning pre-algebra with work on algebraic expressions and equations, and geometric concepts of surface area and volume are also introduced. Throughout this coursework, emphasis is placed on finding multiple strategies for solving a problem and on the idea that all people can learn math.
Our Grade 6 math curriculum is Eureka Math Squared.
Social Studies
In 6th grade Social Studies, we focus on Ancient Civilizations and what creates a society. We cover prehistory through Ancient Rome. All units are taught through activities and projects that require students to apply new content as they learn.. In sixth grade, we focus on how to take effective notes to support the project and/or studying. We focus on geography skills and what we can infer about a society based on the geographical impacts. As we dive into Ancient Egypt we immerse ourselves into all themes of this exciting civilization, culminating in the Egyptian banquet. Throughout the year, students will develop research skills and learn different methods of applying what they have learned.
Religion
We start by developing a foundational understanding of the Bible and Catholic faith. Throughout the year we will focus on the Old Testament and our calling as beings made in God’s image.
