Diana Jenkins

Sixth Grade Curriculum Overview

LEARNING GOD’S WORD

Sixth graders learn God’s Word through their focus on the Bible. They do a complete overview of the Bible and have daily devotions as well as weekly chapel.

• Martin Luther and the Reformation
• Gospel of Matthew
• Pentecost and the birth of the church
• Plays
• Service projects

MEMORY

Sixth graders further their knowledge of Christ through the use of weekly memory work. The memory work chosen works alongside what our sixth graders are focusing on within their Learning God’s Word curriculum. Memory work incorporates:

• Books of the Bible
• Portions chosen emphasizing school’s theme for the year
• Portions of Matthew
• Luther’s Small Catechism

SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

At the junior high school level spelling and meaning begin to converge. Students are expected to learn the generalizations for English spelling as well as understand the meaning and origins of suffixes, prefixes, and Latin and Greek roots. Vocabulary instruction based on lists from the high school sat tests include varying levels of thinking skills. Spelling instruction includes sorting for patterns, deriving generalizations, and applying knowledge by creating and defining polysyllabic words.

ENGLISH

English skills are taught using direct instruction, guided practice, and individual practice. The curriculum is divided into:

• Grammar (nouns, pronouns, verbs, modifiers, punctuation, prepositions)
• Expand sentences, sentence fluency
• Spelling/vocabulary (vocabulary in context, parts of speech synonyms and antonyms, word families, classical roots)
• Write 5 paragraph essays for all forms
• Biographical research paper
• Revising, Editing, Proofreading
• Demonstration speech
• Use MLA format

LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERATURE

Trade books (historical fiction) and an anthology of various genres are used to:

• Expand vocabulary (figurative and connotative)
• Make inferences
• Identify different types of conflicts
• Compare and contrast texts
• Analyze plot, characters, theme, point of view, imagery
• Write thesis statements and supportive evidence
• Oral presentations
• Creative writing project
• Accelerated Reading goals

MATH

INTRO TO PRE-ALGEBRA

Sixth grade math is a basic introduction to Pre-Algebra. The curriculum covers:

• Fractions, decimals, percents
• Ratios, unit rates, proportions
• Mean, median, mode, range,
• Order of operations (PEMDAS)
• Factors and multiples (Prime Factorization)
• Operations with positive and negative integers
• Write and evaluate algebraic expressions
• GEOMETRY: Area and volume, draw nets of 3-dimentional polygons, circumference and area for circles
• Function rules

SOCIAL STUDIES

HISTORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Students will explore ancient world history beginning with the prehistoric hunter-gatherers. They will then focus on the early societies of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the empires and dynasties of ancient India and China, and the rise of the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, and how each contributed to the world as we know it today. Students will participate in dramatic role playing, group projects and activities, simulations, and writing from a historical perspective. Areas of study include:

• Early humans and the rise of civilization
• Ancient Egypt and the Near East
• Ancient India
• Ancient China
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome

SCIENCE

EARTH SCIENCE

The study of Earth and the wonderful planet God created for us to live on. We explore science as an inquiry, how science and technology become one, Mapping Earth’s surface, Minerals, Rocks, the relationship between Earth and Space, Plate Tectonics, Ocean Zones, the Atmosphere, Earth Moon and Sun, the Solar System, as well as Stars, Galaxies and the Universe.

The sixth graders have the wonderful opportunity to tie this all together by attending a four day camp at El Camino Pines.

SPANISH

Spanish Classes at Christ Lutheran focus on reading, writing, listening, and speaking the language as well as learning about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Instruction is focused into units that contain vocabulary and grammar/syntax lessons. Assessments contain dictation, listening comprehension, and writing. Beginning the first day of instruction, students are reading, writing, and responding in Spanish. CLCS graduates typically take Spanish 2 as freshman in high school.

• Vocabulary:
  • Salutations
  • Classroom/classes
  • Colors
  • Animals
  • Calendar, days of the week, month of the year
  • Weather and seasons
  • State of being/feelings
  • Telling time, specific times of day
  • Family and family members

• Grammar:
  • Adjectives
  • Direct/indirect articles
  • Punctuation
  • Cardinal/ordinal numbers
  • Infinitive verbs
  • Ir + a + infinitive
  • Conjugation of present tense AR verbs
  • Accents and question words
  • Likes/dislikes using reflexive verbs
  • Subject – article – adjective agreement

ART

Sixth grade students focus on positive and negative space. They learn how to blend and mix paint to create positive and negative space in their art work and focus on perspective as well as color and light contrast. Our art class incorporates lessons through the Art to Grow On program at least four times a year.

• Oil pastels – Egyptian Art history
• Drawing – Ancient Greek history
• Cubism: Artist appreciation – Picasso

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students dress out in CLS physical education uniforms three times per week to participate in fitness programs such as stretching, strength training and running. Rules to the basic sports games are taught and drills are performed to master skill sets prior to taking part in actual sports.

• Basic sports: basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball

TECHNOLOGY

Students will use various applications of Microsoft Office. They are taught the appropriate ethical and safety guidelines for technology usage and learn the credibility of websites.

• Typingweb.com
  • Each student has their own account to learn and improve on their typing skills
• Establish Google Drive account
  • Become familiar with Google Docs
    • Learn how to access word processing
    • Spreadsheets and forms
    • Follow step-by-step directions for practice activities
• Create a Movie Town advertisement using shapes, Word Art, text effects, clip art and text wrap
• “Techno Ezine”
  • Create an electronic magazine for teens; research a musician or band; work with tools on the Drawing Toolbar, use font formatting tools and format graphics; write an article which includes a hyperlink; create a table that illustrates the latest trends (Microsoft Word)
• Internet Safety