6th Grade Overview

LANGUAGE ARTS

General goals for 6th grade Language Arts are the following:
•To increase appreciation for and insight into higher level literature
•To explore writing genres such as essay, memoir, poetry, letter forms, and short fiction
•To work well in groups to accomplish cooperative tasks

Reading:

Sussex has a literature-based approach to reading instruction. We do not use reading textbooks, but, rather, the students are continuously reading novels of their own choosing.
The 6th grade room has an extensive library with appropriate young adult novels for this age in a book nook furnished with plenty of pillows.
Our Reading and Writing Workshop model involves mini-lessons on subjects such as: what distinguishes particular genres; how to choose good books; author studies; certain writing techniques used by authors; book talks by the students; ways to read aloud well; how one learns to read and improve; different purposes of reading; and more.
We strive to have quiet reading time every day. The teacher reads too.
Students record the books they have finished on their individual reading logs.
Students write Literary Letters every week; these are letters in their reading journals written to their teacher about what they’re reading. The teacher responds in a letter back to the student.
The class also reads a few novels all together as a group, with a variety of writing or Social Studies activities intertwined. Books read annually in this manner are Number the Stars and The Giver, both by Lois Lowry, plus a choice of various American Revolution novels.
Read-aloud is a central part of the curriculum. We try to find time to read aloud to the students every day so they can hear good literature read well and get even more excited about books.
Students set reading goals, discussing these goals and their progress at their portfolio presentations. They progress at their own pace, but benefit from the general enthusiasm about good books that pervades the classroom.

Writing:

Sussex School has a strong writing program taught through Reading and Writing Workshop. The middle school Language Arts teachers were both fellows at the Center for Teaching and Learning, a prestigious K-8 school in Edgecombe, Maine under the direction of Nancie Atwell, who is a national leader in Reading and Writing Workshop classrooms.
Workshop begins each day with a mini-lesson related to writing. Examples are: genre study (what makes good memoir? What is needed in a news article? What are the elements of fantasy writing?); how to write a good lead; revision techniques; publishing opportunities; mechanics; giving feedback to student writers; and more.
Students write pieces of their own choosing and bring them to some kind of publication through Workshop. Many students get pieces published in various national literary magazines, the school newsletter, the Missoula newspaper, and by posting work on bulletin boards or reading at a community meeting, etc.
Particular genres 6th graders typically cover are essay forms (5 paragraph, simple literary analysis), poetry, short fiction, memoir, and letter forms.
The teacher rotates among the writers, conferencing on individual pieces.
Some teacher-led writing exercises are also regularly included in class, such as specific poetry forms or idea-generating techniques.
Students keep year-long personal spelling lists. They write down all words they struggle with in their writing or they generate choices from vocabulary lists, choosing 5 a week to focus on. We work on general word awareness, playing word games, and discussing patterns and interesting spellings, etc.
Students set writing goals and reflect extensively on their writing through the portfolio assessment process. Sussex kids clearly see themselves as writers.

In addition to these particular academic goals, the 6th grade students work on their general transition to middle school and the upper grades. Language Arts is their homeroom, so they work with their teacher on the following:

Generally staying organized in their classes with homework and deadlines, by writing in their planners
Being personally motivated with the goal of being intrinsically motivated rather than extrinsically
Maintaining high standards for the quality of their work
Keeping a good attitude about new challenges
Being able to work productively both independently and with a group
Staying healthy at school socially and emotionally

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SOCIAL STUDIES

The 6th grade Social Studies curriculum is largely integrated with Language Arts. For example, we might investigate the time period in which our class book takes place. We discuss current events and study geography as things come to our attention. Students participate in the National Geography Bee each year.

Particular units we are likely to explore in 6th grade are: Colonial America and the Constitution; Ancient Egypt; Family History; Native American issues; and more.

We study some topics through a method called Storyline. The class develops a story together that involves a historical time period. For example, when studying Colonial America, students learn the basics of the time period together with their teacher. They then develop characters from the time period—perhaps a Whig, a 20 year-old who writes for the local newspaper. Perhaps his father is a Tory. He has a name and a farm of some sort. We place our characters in a fictional village, set near Boston, for example. We spend time looking at the geography of the area, deciding where we will be, what it is like there, and what an authentic name for our town might be. Such decisions take time, but are important for the class to make.

These characters inhabit a fictional place, but it becomes real to the class. We make our people like paper dolls, using fabric for colonial clothes, sheep fleece for hair, leather for boots, etc. The characters begin to interact. Some of them attend the Boston Massacre and come back to report on it to the rest of us in a town meeting. We experience the Tea Party. We write letters to the Boston newspaper on parchment. The students take on the voice of the person they develop. They struggle with the ethics of not seeing eye-to-eye with your neighbor. Along the way they have a lot of questions: What was the money like? Did they have books like we do? What tools did they have on their farms? We research the answers to these and many other questions.

The students essentially live through the events of the time. When we come to a close after a month or so, the class is sad to say goodbye to the village we have created together. We put together books for everyone with photos and all of our writings and research. This is just a brief outline, but this Storyline method is a fun way the 6th grade can study a time period.
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MATH

Subjects and Skills Summary:

The main goal of the Math program at Sussex School is to develop the students’ problem-solving abilities, a developmental goal implicit in every subject the students study. We teach students specific math skills in order to help them conceptualize and solve problems in various ways. In the 6th Grade, these skills usually include: measures of middle, basic and linear algebra, arithmetic with fractions and negative numbers, planar and volumetric geometry, and proportional reasoning.

The above list is a guideline only. We may cover more or fewer skills, depending on how the class progresses. To keep the kids excited about math, they complete several hands-on projects, which include the Mathematics of the Great Pyramid.

The Mathematics of the Great Pyramid

The mathematical mysteries of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau, particularly those of the Great Pyramid of Cheop’s (Khufu’s), are numerous and intriguing, even to the casual observer. That such buildings exist at all defies reason, and even the cutting edge of modern engineering practices remains baffled by their precision and immensity. The Great Pyramid, at over 2500 years old, is the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World, yet controversies over its purpose, layout, and building methods continue to spring up in the circles of academics and enthusiasts alike. Many such questions can never be answered with certainty; nevertheless the questions excite the imagination, not least in the minds of children.

Bente Winston – founder of Sussex School, emeritus faculty, and current Mathcounts coach – initiated the unit on the Great Pyramid with 6th and 7th. It is a hands-on integrated project that has the students actively building scale models as often as solving or posing mathematical problems. The current math instructor, Matt Zunker, has recently recast the project as a series of investigations, each building on those preceding, ostensibly guided by Dr. A. Upuautt of the (fictitious) Museum of Antiquities and Relics in Cairo. As the students work through the investigations, they learn not only interesting and important mathematics, but also of the fascinating art and cultural lore of Ancient Egypt.

The Fibonacci Numbers and Phi:

Leonardo of Pisa, also called Fibonacci, was the son of a merchant, and was therefore well acquainted with the need to develop efficient mathematical practices. Fortunately, he was both intelligent and well traveled, so that when he came across the Arabic numeral system he immediately recognized its superiority to that of the Romans. Not only did he introduce to Western civilization the numeral system used today the world over, he also introduced the vital concept of 0, and made popular such seemingly innocuous puzzles as the reproduction of rabbits.

Nature is, of course, complicated, so Fibonacci’s model of their reproduction was really a thought experiment. In the beginning, he imagined, there were no rabbits, but then, some time later, there was a single pair. Eventually that pair matured, and then produced another pair, so that there were two pairs, one young, the other mature. With time, the young pair matured, and the first pair produced another pair, and so on; each pair maturing, then producing a pair at each time step that eventually matured and produced pairs of their own. The result is the Fibonacci number sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144…

As it turns out, the Fibonacci numbers are all over the natural world, perhaps most clearly in the geometric patterns of plants and (especially) aquatic animals. This connection between mathematics and nature is vital for the students, as mathematics can sometimes venture off too far or too long into abstractions. It’s important for the kids to see how ambiguous and subjective concepts, like beauty, can be expressed elegantly in simple mathematics.

For example, the solutions of the ratio of successive pairs in the Fibonacci sequence (e.g. 1/1, 2/1, 3/2, etc.) settles out to an irrational number less well known than, but as important as, its cousin p, and that number is f. Phi (f), otherwise known as the Golden Ratio or Golden Mean, is a ubiquitous relationship in art and architecture, not least in the geometry of the Great Pyramid of Giza. For this reason, this unit is often included under the umbrella of The Mathematics of the Great Pyramid project.

Homework:

Homework assignments build up over time in 6th grade. At first, they involve one or two interesting problems per night, then gradually increase throughout the year. Students are asked to spend no more than 30 minutes on their math homework so it doesn’t become burdensome or discouraging to them. How many problems they do, and how accurately, provide a constant assessment for them as well as for the teacher.
Most homework assignments are tailored to whatever is covered in class on any given day, but students are also assigned a variety of creative word problems, all designed to improve their problem-solving skills.

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SCIENCE

Approach: At Sussex, middle school science is taught using the inquiry approach. Inquiry strives to engage students in finding explanations for things that happen in the world around them. Students construct and deconstruct their science knowledge through student run experiments that test their ideas. After experimentation, students analyze results for validity and make conclusions about their data. Inquiry at Sussex varies; at times, questions are posed by the teacher (teacher-guided inquiry); at other times, students pose their own questions (student-led inquiry).

Content: Science at Sussex expects students to develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of their world. Students, therefore, study only a few topics, but in great depth.

Topics/Units of Study may vary each year. The following is a current list of topics taught for the 6th grade level:

•Gravity
•Newton’s Laws of Motion
•Disease (cells, bacteria, viruses)
•Sex Education
•States of Matter

Skills: Using inquiry, students engage actively in their learning. Students develop life skills that will be used outside the science classroom. The following is a list of skills that inquiry-style teaching helps to develop:

•Asking testable questions
•Evaluating validity of results
•Making well-justified conclusions
•Listening to others
•Using technology (Excel, Word, Google Earth, GPS)
•Working cooperatively
•Identifying faulty reasoning
•Making objective observations
•Writing non-fiction (technical writing)
•Collecting and recording data accurately
•Editing and revising writing and explanations
•Accepting criticism
•Reading and understanding non-fiction
•Proposing alternative explanations
•Calculating and understanding averages and percents

Examples of 6th Grade Curriculum: 6th grade starts with an exploration of gravity. Students are asked the question, “Do all things fall at the same rate?” Each student must then answer the question and design a fair test to gather data. After data is gathered, students analyze what they have learned and present their findings to the class. If the data is inconsistent, additional tests are run or a new question is asked and tested.

For example, if a student said, “No. Heavier things fall faster”, the student would then design a test of that hypothesis. The student might drop objects of the same weight and of different weights and record the results, looking for patterns. If heavier and lighter things always fell at the same rate, then those results would not support the hypothesis; the student could ask another question or propose a different answer for why things do/don’t fall at the same rate. If the results were mixed, they additional tests might be run or a new reason proposed for why things fall at a certain rate; more tests would need to be run. During the entire experience, students meet, share results, question each other, and discuss ideas. Ultimately, they gain a greater understanding of motion and gravity.

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SPANISH

The middle school Spanish curriculum is varied in structure, so the following is a summary of the goals for the three-year curriculum.

Early in the middle school program, students will:

Maintain an appreciation for the study of a second language and its cultures
Begin to feel proficient in Spanish, and to feel that they could use the language in an authentic context
Understand short, clear conversations in standard speech. Students at this level may need information repeated
Understand written paragraphs about familiar topics and understand the main idea of some authentic texts
Carry on independent conversations when given a prompt
Exchange some information of personal interest and ask basic questions
Speak in simple, connected sentences in order to talk about themselves and their needs, as well as about some daily activities
Relate information about what they read and see
Describe a situation or a picture in detail in comprehensible written language

By the end of the middle school program, students will:

Have a desire to use Spanish in authentic situations
Feel confident in their ability to communicate with a sympathetic listener
Understand a series of sentences about familiar material in clear, standard speech
Understand the main idea of authentic texts and be able to pick out some details
Carry on spontaneous conversations with familiar material
Respond to questions and ask a variety of questions in order to obtain simple information
Carry on written correspondence with the teacher
Speak in connected sentences, explain their opinions, and narrate a story
Write highly comprehensible paragraphs on a variety of topics
Write and speak with more grammatical accuracy

Middle School Units and Methods:

Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS): We will build proficiency throughout the year through storytelling units. This method utilizes the framework for a story that includes 2 to 4 words or phrases to be acquired each day. These are acquired through repetition, in the form of different questioning techniques, oral retells of stories, translation, and written retells. Throughout a TPRS unit, I may incorporate acting, drawing, games, reading, songs, videos, flashcards, quizzes, and timed writings. Grammar points are taught through the context of a story.
La tienda de ropa: This is a unit that builds upon a chapter in the TPRS series of stories. In addition to learning vocabulary that is commonly used in a clothing store, students reinforce and add to an extensive list of clothing words that they have learned throughout previous years. These are practiced through trying on and describing actual clothing, performing partner activities in order to discover the prices of articles of clothing, drawing and describing clothing, word finds, and even a Sudoku puzzle made up of clothing vocabulary. Students also practice having an interaction in a clothing store, during which they play the roles of customer and salesperson. We also discuss the practice of bargaining throughout markets in Spain and Latin America.
La corrida de toros: In our bullfighting unit, students learn about the different sides to the controversy of bullfighting. They develop their own opinions and learn to argue in favor of or against this tradition. In addition to learning bullfighting vocabulary, students practice reading dates, times, and locations on bullfighting posters and they go on to produce their own poster. We practice reading proficiency through the use of the book, Ferdinando, the Spanish translation of the beloved Ferdinand book about a bull who doesn’t want to fight. Aural and oral skills are also practiced through the use of “La cogida y la muerte”, an ode to a torero who is killed, written by the Spanish poet, Federico García Lorca. Students practice the use of adjectives in descriptions of the different players in a bullfight, and they produce their own poems about bullfighting.
Other possible middle school units include: Murals; Spain; Professions; Friends; Cuba; Day of the Dead; and a Trip to another region or country such as Mexico.

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FRENCH

French is offered at Sussex School in the 6th through 8th grades. Beginning in 6th grade, students may choose to continue studying Spanish or to begin a study of French. The level of French progresses through each grade. Classes meet for a total of two hours a week. It is not immersion, but it does serve as a wonderful introduction to the language, helping students feel excited about another language and culture.

Typically, students who graduate from Sussex go on to French II or III in Missoula County Public High Schools. Placement in private high schools can vary depending on the program. Sussex does not use a textbook. The class is designed by the teacher, and is typically very interactive and hands-on.

General Outline for 6th grade French:
This is the introductory level and is largely oral. Topics include greetings, The French National Anthem (which is sung enthusiastically every day), other songs, numbers to 1000, colors, days of the week, the months, seasons, weather, food, restaurants and other shops, holiday traditions, and geography. Units always involve projects, art, lots of conversation and games, and creative ways to repeat and absorb the language.

One example of an activity: when we study weather, the students create big maps of France, decorating them with all sorts of weather symbols. We watch a real weather report from France. We learn all the main cities and rivers in France. They write out French weather expressions in a personal dictionary. They practice with a partner to put on a weather report, which we film and supplement with funny French commercials. In general, listening comprehension and speaking skills are emphasized in the 6th grade

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ART

Art Elements emphasized:
•Form
•Line
•Shape
•Color
•Texture
•Space
•Value

Art Principles emphasized:
•Balance
•Harmony
•Variety
•Movement
•Rhythm
•Proportion
•Unity

Sample lesson:
The 6th graders create illustrated manuscripts based on several examples we view from the Renaissance. The students then unearth common sayings that personify animals, such as “busy as a bee”. These sayings are written in calligraphy above drawings, providing the viewer with a visual reference for the words. The drawings, like the illustrated manuscripts of the Renaissance, focus on the ways in which color and value can convey form and shape. In addition, the students strive to make these drawings balanced, harmonious, and proportionally correct.

Additional lessons may include but are not limited to:
•Hand-building clay coil pots
•Throwing clay pots on the pottery wheel
•Exploring painted-line
•Making positive and negative space collages
•Participating in the Egyptian paper-mache pyramid project, created in conjunction with the 6th grade Math and Language Art classes
•Emulating Chinese landscape painting
•Participating in a Sussex campus beautification project, such as 12” x 12” murals to adorn the outside of the gymnasium

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MUSIC

6th Grade music includes, but is not limited to:

Beginning Guitar:

Students will learn about the guitar, different types of guitars, and what genres guitars are used for. They will learn the 17 natural notes and scale.
Students will learn basic chords, progressions, and strumming patterns, and will be introduced to finger picking
Students will demonstrate an ability to read tab music and music in treble cleff, applying that to the guitar.
Students will learn to play together as an ensemble in unison and in varied parts by listening and watching each other.
The curriculum may include a field trip to a guitar shop to see how guitars are built.

African Drumming:

•Students will be taught unit on African drumming from a selected country. This will be integrated into a study about the culture and social history of that particular country. Students will learn the vocal part in the native language and demonstrate an ability to play various parts of an African Ensemble on Tubano or Djembe drums, as well as on various percussion instruments.

•Students will rehearse a selected series of pieces to be performed on a city-wide drum tour at schools to be selected by the music teacher. This may include performing with another group of students from the public school, as well as with the Sussex 7th grade class.
•Students will strengthen their aural perception skills by recognizing drum breaks and identifying different sections of the ensemble.

The History of Rock and Roll:
•Students will be taught a unit on the 1960’s and how music of that time period related to the social and cultural climate of the world. We will study various artists of that time, listen to their music, sing their music, and have a chance to play various instruments to accompany those songs.

Exploring Instruments:
•Students will have a chance to continue playing the Orff Instruments in the music class, as well as adding their specialized instruments into music we sing and play. Students will have a chance to play electric guitar, drum set, violin and cello, and trumpet or flute as a way of "trying out" instruments. Those students currently taking private lessons will be encouraged to play their instrument in concerts, with their part written and arranged for them by the music teacher.

Teamwork:
•Students are expected to respect and encourage their classmates in developing their individual, unique, musical talents. They will learn to work together as a team to create, arrange, and perform music on various instruments. To create a cohesive class, they will work with each other in small groups that will be changed frequently to portray the various individual talents and gifts the class has to offer.

Concerts:
•Students will have two Sussex performances during the year, one in December and one at the Spring Community Meeting. In addition, they will have a city-wide drum tour and a chance to play at one or two Samlings during the year to highlight what they have been studying and learning in music class. All students are expected to be at performances, unless they have an excused absence.

Homework:
•Students are not required to do homework for music, but the guitars are available to check out for playing at home. Students are required to return the instrument the next day or make arrangements to have the instrument brought in if they are absent, since the other middle school classes use the guitars as well. Also, if students are interested in private lessons, they may talk to the music teacher, who will provide them with a list of professional teachers in that area of study.

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