6th Grade Course Updates

.The skills of standards being taught are:

What are some of the challenges and triumphs of growing up?

Unit 1 Family Letter: English & Spanish

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Summarizing texts

• Citing textual evidence

• Writing a short personal narrative about a true experience

• Identify central idea and theme in a text

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Reading and engaging in writing memoirs in the form of a short personal narrative

Students should be able to:

• Write a personal narrative about a true experience

• Cite textual evidence

• Summarize a text

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Performance Task: Personal Narrative Writing (Summative)

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• A variety of Exit Tickets for topics such as First Person POV, Central Idea/Theme, Latin roots, etc.

• Selection tests for stories: “My Achilles Meal,” from Bad Boy, and “I was a Skinny Tomboy Kid”

In October, we are working on Ratios and Proportions. Please check out this website for family information, videos, and activities to complete with your student. Website in Spanish

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Unit Rates and Percentages (English link)

• Unit Rates and Percentages (Spanish link)

Students should be able to:

• Identify ratios

• Represent equivalent ratios

• Solve ratio and rate problems

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• IXL Practice Assignments- See assignments in Canvas

• Checkpoints A, B, C, D, E

• Daily Lesson Cooldowns

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Asking Questions and Defining Problems

• Developing and Using Models

• Planning and Conducting Investigations

• Analyze and Interpret Data

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

• Systems and System Models

• Water movement causes weathering and erosion, changing landscape features

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Make observations about a Flowing Water Model to model an interaction between the hydrosphere and geosphere.

• Read an article exploring how a scientist created a model to answer a question about landforms on Venus

• Write scientific arguments explaining how an interaction between the hydrosphere and geosphere formed the channel on Mars.

Students should be able to:

• Actively read a scientific article for information.

• Use a physical model to represent a geologic process.

• Analyze and interpret real data.

• Make an argument with claim, evidence, and reasoning.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Plate Motion

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Geology on Mars - 1.1.1 Homework

• Geology on Mars - 1.1.3 Homework

• Geology on Mars - 2.2.3 Warm-up

• Geology on Mars - 3.3.2 Homework

• Geology on Mars - 3.4.2 Activity

• Geology on Mars Summative (1.3.5)

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Geography skills i.e reading maps, using geography tools, constructing a mental map of the world

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Using geographic tools such as various maps and Geographic Information Systems

• Analyzing patterns in geography in our community and the world.

• Reading and rereading nonfiction text

Students should be able to:

• Identify geographic patterns

• Organize geographic information into five themes and six elements

• Construct a mental map of world regions.

• Use a variety of maps and map elements

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Chapter 2 will explore physical and human geography as foundational knowledge of the regions we will learn about.

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Geographic Thinking Questions

• Chapter 1 Test

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can demonstrate the ability to play while using proper technique.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Mouthpiece only playing.

• Repeating 3 note patterns

• “Say it and play it” say the letter names in an exercise, then play the notes.

Students should be able to:

• Name and play notes 1 - 3 on their instrument

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Notes 4 and 5, and simple 5 note songs, the beginning pages in their Measures of Success book

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Monday, December 8th, BRMS/CKCS 6th Grade Band

Link to Full Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can demonstrate the ability to sing on pitch and in rhythm.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Singing together for the first time!

• New Music: Yonder Come Day, Be the Change, Travel These Ways.

Students should be able to:

• Sing in unison, matching pitch and rhythm;

• Sing a scale on solfege (do, re, mi) with hand signs;

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Expanding vocal range, higher and lower;

• Sight-reading with solfege (do, re, mi);

• Work on rhythm.

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Thursday, October 30th - 6:30 pm

Link to Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can demonstrate the ability to play while using proper technique.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Holding the instrument properly

• Making a good sound with the bow

• Beginning to read music

Students should be able to:

• Explain and demonstrate the correct way to hold their instrument and bow

• Make a sound with the bow

• Read “D” and “A” with support

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Adding left hand technique to play more notes

• In depth music reading practice

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Tuesday, December 9th, 6:30 p.m.

Link to Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Learning about the ceramic studio space.

• Understanding & applying hand building techniques.

• Applying design and composition principles.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Practicing hand-building techniques like pinch, coil, and slab construction
  

• Designing and creating clay projects inspired by nature.
  

• Exploring texture by using tools and found objects to decorate surfaces
  

• Learning how to safely use tools, score and slip, and prepare clay for firing

Students should be able to:

• Identify and apply the stages of clay (wet, leather-hard, bone dry, bisque, glaze)
  

• Construct a basic ceramic form using proper techniques and craftsmanship
  

• Explain the purpose of scoring and slipping when joining pieces
  

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Introduction to glazing and painting techniques.
  

• Class critique sessions to discuss finished works and design decisions
  

• Reflect on their creative process and explain artistic choices

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Leaf Drawing

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Present written information using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, or sentences.

• Identify relevant details of spoken language

• Provide information by asking and answering questions

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Writing a paragraph about their summer break in Chinese

• Listening to a short story in Chinese

• Learning the names of different food in Chinese

Students should be able to:

• Write a paragraph within 6-8 sentences in Chinese

• Gathering relevant information from listening to a story

• Say the names of different food in Chinese

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Describe other people’s food preferences

• Describe foods and how much food to order

• Moon Festival

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Daily Note on paper or notebooks

• My Summer Break

• All About Me

• Making Sentences on paper

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Proper forehand and backhand skills in tennis

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Tennis court lines and structure

• Doubles and team play

Students should be able to:

• Play a tennis match

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Fitness Testing

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Tennis Skills Test

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Developing an age appropriate definition of Advocacy.

• Developing SMART goals to maintain or improve health.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Creating an Advocacy Poster on students’ personal importances.

• Developing SMART goals on students’ personal “wants”.

Students should be able to:

• Personally define advocacy and explain what it means to be an advocate.

• Create a full SMART goal with action steps in a complete sentence.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Making responsible decisions using a “Decision Process”.

• Finding out what our Core Values are.

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Advocacy Statements

• Advocacy Poster

• SMART Goals

• Decision Making Handout

• Core Values Journal Entry

• Core Value Project

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Define a budget and its importance

• Demonstrate measuring and estimating skills

• Construct a sewing project

• Select appropriate studio tools

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Understanding the basics of building a budget

• Review reading a ruler

• Create and sew a bag and a pillow

Students should be able to:

• Identify parts of a budget

• Read and understand a pay stub

• Accurately use a sewing machine

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Nutrition

• Cooking Labs

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Budget Test

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Demonstrate an ability to persevere through authentic, open-ended problems. ( 2020.8.INF.ID.2)

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Getting introduced to Game Lab, the platform we use to teach coding and video game animation.

Students should be able to:

• Follow an algorithm that accurately describes the behavior of a character moving on a computer game grid.

• Create an algorithm to allow a character to safely make their way through obstacles, utilizing repeat loops.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Investigations into a variety of topics possibly including:

• Codebreaking and cryptography

• Creating game sprites and changing their characteristics

• Group problem solving challenges built on investigating failures and improving designs.

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Code.org assignments ranging from lessons 5-10 or so.

• Build a boat - Aluminum boat construction (Ruel)

• Code Breaking challenges

• Music Lab Summitive (Frisch)

If you have questions, please reach out to the course teacher.