Sixth-grade English comprises an in-depth study of the six traits of writing: ideas, organization, diction, voice, fluency, and conventions. Utilizing Voyages in English language resources, text-specific mentor sentences to model and learn from, and a variety of interactive tools, students elevate their comprehension and application of many language elements, including parts of speech, punctuation, word usage, clauses and phrases, sentence types and structures, connotation and denotation, and root words. Students also enhance their summarizing and paraphrasing skills, learn short written response strategies, and develop structured paragraph techniques in preparation for longer compositions. Student compositions include narrative, expository, and persuasive pieces and a poetry chapbook, all completed via a collaborative, step-by-step workshop approach in which students learn and apply the writing process. Students learn to properly select, cite, and present effective research from primary and secondary sources. Finally, students develop and apply many rhetorical techniques to bring to life their stories and confidently deliver speeches to their peers.
Leveraging various platforms and interactive resources, as well as the Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures, sixth-grade students survey a broad range of contemporary, historical, and classical fiction, as well as dramas, poetry and songs, short stories, and film. Novels studied include Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Wonder, Where the Red Fern Grows, and The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Students identify and analyze the use and impact of various literary devices from these texts and media, including plot structures, point of view, theme, characterization, imagery, figurative language, tone, mood, symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony. Additionally, students encounter a full-length nonfiction piece, Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, as well as many forms of informational texts. With these, students identify and analyze various writing structures, central and supporting ideas, author purpose and intent, and desired audience. Across all genres, students learn to identify and cite key details and text-based evidence to support their responses to and analyze literature. Students also complete a targeted study of 300 grade-level vocabulary words via the Wordly Wise 3000 curriculum.
Sixth-grade religion offers an intensive exploration of the Old Testament through the lens of Salvation History. From the creation stories to the Israelites’ exodus to the books of wisdom and prophecy, students uncover the beauty and fullness of God’s promise. Of particular emphasis is the central truth that we are created in the image and likeness of God. Anchored by a study of sacred Scripture and supplemented by teachings of St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, students draw connections between the Old Testament, the modern life of the Church, and God’s loving plan for each individual. Students are challenged and enriched by profound daily prayer, catechesis, self-reflection, and a regular examination of their relationship with Christ. Students live their faith through participation in the sacraments, regular visits to the Eucharistic adoration chapel, liturgical planning and leadership, stewardship initiatives, a class retreat, immersion in the liturgical seasons, and meaningful service work throughout the school year.
PreAlgebra
The major topics in 6th grade cover Ratio and Proportional Relationships, The Number System, and Expressions and Equations. Students will understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems. Students can apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions. They will also be able to expand their understanding of numbers to the system of rational numbers. Students will apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions. Students will reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities. They can represent and analyze quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables.
Advanced PreAlgebra
PreAlgebra is a course preparing students for Algebra the following year. Students broaden their number sense by working with rational numbers in various real-world situations. This course introduces linear equations by solving one and two-step equations. Then students can use these skills to work with proportions, ratios, and percentages. Finally, students discover basic geometry concepts when finding geometric shapes’ area, volume, and surface area.
Sixth-grade social studies is the study of geography, beginning with how an actual geographer works. The curriculum then examines the many regions of the world, including Canada and the United States; Latin America; Europe and Russia; Africa; Southwest and Central Asia; Monsoon Asia; and Oceania and Antarctica. The History Alive! materials are designed to deal with these topics objectively, respectfully, and following standards throughout the country. Students also examine local, state, and current national events to become more engaged citizens.
Sixth-grade science students study Earth Science. Units of study include Astronomy, Geology, and Earth Systems. Middle school students engage in inquiry activities and laboratory investigations to explore scientific concepts based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The Engineering Design Process is included throughout each grade level.
