Sixth Grade – Middle School

GOALS & EXPECTATIONS

Middle school students are role models for younger students. They are expected to use manners, show kindness, and do their best in and out of the classroom. The following are the Secrets to Middle School Success:

• Absences: Successful students have regular attendance. They make arrangements with a responsible classmate to get work when the other is absent. When absent, they turn in what they missed in a timely manner. They don’t wait to be asked for missing work. If a test is missed, they make arrangements to take it.
• Chrome Books: Successful seventh and eighth grade students use their devices in the appropriate way. They bring them to school daily fully charged.
• Class Participation: Successful students participate in class, even if they’re shy. They listen, answer questions, offer insights, stay on task, and ask questions if they don’t understand. They contribute to the learning environment rather than distracting from it.
• Computer Lab: Successful students know the Computer Lab is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (7:00-7:45) in case they need to use it.
• Due Dates: Successful students have their work completed neatly and on time. They realize that means having it with them when class starts. Seldom are they missing what they need. If they don’t have something for class, they turn it in the next day. If appropriate, they bring a note from home explaining why they don’t have the assignment that day.
• Help: Successful students ask for help. They know that teachers come to school early and are available to them. They utilize any study guides or practice quizzes that are available.
• Homework: Successful students realize they always have homework and plan their day accordingly. They know that homework not only incudes writing—it’s reading and studying, too. They check the teachers’ class pages on Sycamore or Google Classroom for assignments as needed.
• Manners: Successful students are polite to fellow students and adults.
• Maturity: Successful students think for themselves. They are leaders, not followers.
• Organization: Successful students are organized. They use their planner and write things down. They file papers where they belong.
• Quality: Successful students challenge themselves. They do not settle for less than their best work. They follow directions. Their work is neat and organized; complete and accurate.
• Respect: Successful students are respectful in both words and actions. They wait their turn, raise their hand, and refrain from talking back. They listen when others are speaking. They respect school property and that of their classmates.
• Responsibility: Successful students take responsibility for their actions. They think before they act. They act as Christian role models.

RELIGION

Sixth grade students participate in a special mass at the beginning of school to receive their own bibles.  The students will use these bibles throughout their middle school years and in their lives.  The religion curriculum for 6^th grade includes an examination of Old Testament bible stories and characters that provide the foundation for our faith in Jesus as well as our Church’s liturgy, prayers, and teachings.  An overview of the Church’s social principle and how to apply them to our own lives will be given though service projects, walks, etc.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Language Arts focuses on the development of writing skills and how to become more detailed writers overall. Emphasis on and use of various grammar skills help the students improve their writing abilities. We also focus on a variety of genres when it comes to Literature such as fiction, nonfiction, news article, etc. in order to expose the students to different reading experiences. Looking beyond the words on the page and into the deeper meanings behind those words offers the students an opportunity to think critically about what they are reading.

MATH

Sixth grade students explore the following concepts: Statistics/Graphs, Decimals, Fractions, Area/Perimeter, and Positive/Negative numbers. Students use the online resource IXL to reinforce weekly standards.  There is a heavy emphasis on multiple choice questions and word problems to prepare them for Terra Nova in the seventh grade.

SCIENCE

Sixth grade science focuses on earth science. In addition to learning specific content, emphasis will be placed on the development and application of science process skills through hands-on activities that are designed to maintain interest as well as encourage the self-discovery of scientific concepts and sharpen critical thinking skills. Subjects covered include:

• Safety in the science lab
• Scientific skills and methods of inquiry
• Engineering design process and STEM activities
• Earth’s place in the universe: cycles of the moon; role of gravity
• Earth’s systems: cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy
• Earth and human activity: natural resources; natural hazards; methods of monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment; evidence of global climate change

SOCIAL STUDIES

The focus in 6^th grade Social Studies includes an in-depth study of the Eastern Hemisphere and World Geography.  This class includes world history, culture, religions, and current events. Not only do students explore world history and geography, but they further develop skills as critical thinkers, writers, speakers, and listeners in the process. The goal each day is to learn new things and explore new ways of thinking and questioning. An array of research projects including Google Slide presentations, brochures, interviews, collage making, debates, and board games also contribute to the inquiry-based learning environment.

ART

These students expand their knowledge of genres and categories of art. They learn what the art is expressing and how to show expression and purpose in their own creations. The art projects are often tactile and textural. In middle school, neatness and completion of a project is integral to expression.  Even Jackson Pollack had a method to his madness.

MUSIC

In 6^th grade students spend the first half of the year learning how to compose their own music. They use all of the knowledge they have learned in music and pour it into their own piece. They use the Chromebook to produce their song. The second half of the year they talk about music in the media and do multiple projects that involve TV, Movies, Commercials, etc. and then they present them to the class.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students do cooperative games, and learn about incorporating fitness into their everyday life. They participate in sport units where they are more involved in leadership by having the option as acting as captains, and coaching other students. Sports include; basketball, floor hockey, flag football, volleyball, team handball, archery, and badminton. Students participate in tournaments and win championships at the end of each unit. Students also participate in an intramural sports as their elective class.  Each student is given points based on effort, participation, and sportsmanship.

SPANISH

The Spanish curriculum is taught in a cross-curricular way, supporting learning in other subjects through the Spanish language and culture. Literacy:  Greetings & Farewells, Subject Pronouns,  Ar, Er & IR verbs, Family members, To have, to be, to like & to go verbs,  Emotions, Locations, Classroom Expressions,   Reading comprehension, pronunciation. Religion: Our Father prayer Cultural: Spanish Speaking Countries,  Hispanic Heritage, Day of the Dead, Three king’s Day, Holy Week & Cinco de Mayo.

TECHNOLOGY

Middle school students have “full-time” use of a Chromebook, and are taught how to use a variety of programs and apps, including Docs, Slides, Keep, Drive, Forms, and Sheets. In the Elective classes, the middle school students learn the history of computers and video games, as well as participate in coding lessons.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

• CHROMEBOOKS: Students are one-to-one with Chromebooks in all classes.
• STUDENT COUNCIL: Students are eligible to run for and become members of the Student Council.
• SERVERS: Starting in fifth grade, students may be trained to be altar servers for school and weekend masses.
• AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS: Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA), MathCounts, Quick Recall, Rosary Club, Book Bee
• PARENT LUNCH: Parents come to eat lunch with their child.