6th Grade Curriculum
RELIGION
Religion
Students will learn about God's people in the Bible and their lessons for us today. In addition to our study of the Bible, students learn about the liturgical year, celebrate the seasons of the Church year, celebrate the Mass and sacraments, pray everyday, share faith with others and live out their faith.
Content Focus:
Unit 1: Forming the Covenant (Old Testament)
Unit 2: Building the Covenant (Old Testament)
Unit 3: Redefining the Covenant People (Old Testament)
Unit 4: The Covenant Fulfilled in Jesus (New Testament)
MATHEMATICS
The Scott Foresman* Addison Wesley Envision Math 2.0 Program (Common Core Edition) builds on understanding mathematics with a focus on problem solving in everyday situations and mathematical contexts, as well as mathematical modeling.
Emphasis is on:
Using Positive Rational Number
Integers and Rational Numbers
Numeric and Algebraic Expressions
Represent and Solve Equations and Inequalities
Understand and Use Ratio and Rate
Understand and Use Percent
Solve Area, Surface Area, and Volume Problems
Display, Describe, and Summarize Data
ART
The art class at Saint Mary is an interactive experience where students are encouraged to strive for a "growth mindset.” All forms of artistic mediums to do a variety of artistic projects.
Students are assessed using letter grades that align with Marzano’s assessment criteria for visual arts:
A is given for students who do what was asked and more in the areas of creativity and craftsmanship
B what was asked
C more could be done
D did not due what needed to be done
SOCIAL STUDIES
Students prepare for their role as informed citizens in a democratic society. The textbook series used is The Ancient World.
Emphasis is on:
the beginning of human society. the Fertile Crescent
Ancient Egypt
Ancient China
Ancient Rome
World Religions
ELAR
Reading
The Reading Program is composed of authentic literature in many forms including short stories, novels, reader’s theatre, poetry, and nonfiction texts.
Students will engage in strategies that lead them to identify key ideas and details, to analyze the author’s craft and structure, and to interpret the integration of knowledge and ideas in a variety of genres and texts.
The components of the curriculum focus on the development of the students’ ability to read with fluency and comprehension, and to effectively communicate. The students participate in literature circles, challenging them to apply these skills by finding deeper meaning within the text, using academic vocabulary, supporting their reasoning with text evidence among peers, and building off of others’ ideas. The paramount novels of the 6th Grade year include: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and student selected novels for Literature Circles. The Sadiler Vocabulary Series is used for focused instruction of vocabulary acquisition.
Writing
Students will be immersed in the production and distribution of the writing process in order to produce writing pieces that include: narratives, opinion pieces, informative/ explanatory pieces, creative writing, and news articles.
Students will also experience the research process first hand as they complete personalized learning projects. The presentation of the writing instills a sense of pride and accomplishment within the students as they are challenged to enhance their speaking through a variety of contexts and tasks while collaborating on multimedia presentations. The goal of each writing experience is to produce creative, discerning, reflective, and expressive communicators.
Language Arts
Students will continue to develop their knowledge of:
The Conventions of Standard English
Knowledge of language when writing, speaking, reading,& listening
Vocabulary acquisition & use
Figurative language,
Word relationships & nuances in word meanings
Academic and domain specific vocabulary.
SCIENCE
Students will ask questions, make observations, measure, graph and analyze data, create models, conduct investigations, support arguments, and complete research. Various teaching strategies are used in the classroom to accommodate different learning styles.
Content focus:
Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Waves, Sound and Light
Earth's Place in the Universe
Earth's Systems
Earth and Human Activity
SPANISH
To prepare students to communicate effectively in an increasingly global community.
The Spanish classes focus on the three modes of communication:
Interpersonal-communicating effectively with native speakers in oral fashion.
Interpretive-reading and comprehending authentic texts made for native speakers.
Presentational-expressing yourself effectively and correctly in Spanish in written form.
Theme-based Units
¡Avancemos!1a-Unidad 1/Lección 2 Estados Unidos
Ser
Adjectives
Definite and indefinite articles
¡Avancemos!1a-Unidad 2/Lección 1 México
Telling time
Spanish numbers 0-100
Adjectives
Tener & Tener que + infinitive
Frequency words
-AR present tense verbs
MUSIC
Students will have the opportunity to participate in music activities and to develop an appreciation for music.
Emphasis is on:
Singing in groups and performance opportunities
Involvement in choirs.
Exploring a variety of musical styles
Understanding tonality through singing and listening activities.
Developing vocal skills, understanding how the voice works
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The goal of the P.E. and Health curriculum at Saint Mary School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well-being. The program mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to become literate. This will allow them to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their life, which benefits students of all ages and all aspects of their growth, development and learning. This will allow the students to become proficient movers, demonstrate strong character, collaborate effectively with their peers, think critically and become advocates for family and friends in promoting the value of exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices.
