6th Grade Curriculum
Students enhance critical thinking in reading, master key math concepts, build vocabulary, and apply knowledge in science and social studies through analysis, problem-solving, and conducting investigations.
6th Grade Curriculum Highlights
- Outdoor Education – 6th graders have the unique opportunity to participate in Outdoor Education. The program integrates hands on science, religion, and team building activities supervised by teachers, trained staff and parent volunteers.
- In reading, 6th graders read from a variety of genres to motivate them to develop a life-long love of reading. In language arts, students learn and demonstrate the different writing styles and continue to refine their use of grammar and various steps of the writing process.
- Science concepts include ecosystems, matter and energy, simple machines, and the early stages of planning, designing, and conducting their own scientific investigation.
- An introduction to the main historical concepts related to the Empires of the Ancient World is a main focus in social studies.
- In math, 6th grade students demonstrate an understanding of concepts and how to apply them to persevere to solve various problems involving ratios, integers, area and volume.
Middle School Expectations
6th grade students are held to higher expectations of responsibility and accountability for academic performance and Catholic values-based behavior, along with parental and institutional support.
Integrated Technology – 6th grade students at St. Joseph participate in an enhanced technology curriculum. Students receive and use personal Chromebooks for daily classroom instruction. Students and teachers utilize Google classroom throughout the entire curriculum, including content and delivery, collaborative learning, independent research projects, teacher-student communication, assessments, and overall student literacy.
In 6th grade, there are many opportunities for students to participate in various academic competitions such as math competitions, Geography Bees, and Scholastic Bowls at local Catholic high schools. We are proud of their exceptional track record at many of these academic competitions.
Middle school religious studies require students to participate in an in-depth review of the Ten Commandments with an application to how they affect one’s morality, develop insights as to why all of life is worthy of reverence, explain how God calls us to act in a loving way toward one another using knowledge of the Beatitudes and Catholic Social Teachings, and explore virtues and works of mercy as a method of living the model Jesus gave us.
6th Grade Curriculum
Religion
Textbook: Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts (Loyola Press)
- Daily Examen: Reflect on the day’s events to notice God’s presence
- Weekly All-School Mass: Active participation in Eucharistic celebrations
- Rosary: Monthly reciting of the Rosary/Mysteries
- Themes: Ordinary Time, Advent, Lent, Pentecost, Christmas, Easter, Marks of the Church, Christian Mission
- Assignments/Assessments: Scripture Activities, Quizzes/Tests, Service Projects
Social Studies
Early Civilizations
- Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Greece, Rome
- Middle Ages, Reformation, Renaissance and Exploration
- Current Events: Time for Kids Magazine
- Dare: 10 weeks in the first semester
Skills
- Graphing, Inference, Listening, Map, Note-taking, Reading Comprehension
Activities
- Research, Cross-curricular
Science
Life Science
- Scientific Method and Measurement, Abiotic/Biotic Factors in an Environment, Outdoor Education Experience
Earth Science
- Earth Processes, Atmospheric Systems, Erosion, Plate Tectonics, Topographic Maps
Science, Technology & Society
- Recognizing a Design Problem, Identifying Important Contributions to Science and Technology
Expectations of Science Students
- Develop Organizational Skills, Identify and Use the Steps of the Scientific Method, Responsibly Use Tools and Equipment, Practice Note-taking, Work Collaboratively, Participate in Outdoor Education
Reading & Literature
- Diverse Selection of Literature and Nonfiction to Enhance Comprehension and Inferential Thinking
- Skills include: Evaluating Fact, Opinion, and Bias, Identifying Myths and Fables, Analyzing Style and Purpose, Understanding Plot Elements, Applying Word Analysis, Using Textual Evidence, Researching Fiction and Nonfiction
Units of Study
- Short Stories, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Non-fiction, Mythology, Literature Circles, Where the Red Fern Grows
Independent Reading/Book Reports
- Students are expected to bring an independent reading book to class daily and complete three book reports per trimester using Google Classroom.
Vocabulary
- Weekly vocabulary integrated with reading class
- Bi-weekly tests, unit work in consumable text, and additional spelling vocabulary words
Language Arts
Grammar and Mechanics
- Parts of Speech, Grammar, Punctuation, Sentence Structure, Basic Diagramming
Writing
- Paragraphing, Introduction to Five-Paragraph Essay, Research Paper, Oral Skills
Math
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
- Understand ratio concepts
- Use ratio and rate reasoning
Number System
- Perform fraction and decimal operations
- Understand and apply rational numbers
Expressions and Equations
- Write, interpret, and use expressions, equations, and inequalities
Geometry
- Solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume
Statistics and Probability
- Summarize and describe distributions
- Understand variability
Expectations of Math Students
- Participate in class, organize notes and examples, show all work to support answers, collaborate with others
- Improve perseverance and communication of mathematical ideas and solutions