Learning Themes for 5th and 6th Grades
Major Themes
What will my child be learning this year?
Leadership:
The basic principles of leadership qualities are taught through the 7 Habits as described by Franklin and Sean Covey. It is our desire that each student can find a leader within themselves and thier voice. These are the skills we use daily to partake in healthy dialogue, problem solve, and plan ahead and stick to it. These skills, being essential to a certain quality of life, are highly valued and explicitly taught in our school.
Math:
5th- all operations with decimals and fractions in addition to early algebra and geometry skills.
6th- all operations with negative integers; percentages, ratio and proportion and geometric formulas.
Problem solving exercises will be a daily task as well as increasing advanced numeracy understanding and fluency through various strategies. Students will take notes and hone mathematical skills through games, projects, discussions and various assignments.
English/Language Arts:
Students will read from a variety of grade-level complex genres including historical fiction, verse, literary, non-fiction, and reference materials.
Focus skills include: Penmanship, identification of errors, revising techniques, development and expansion of themes, character development, letters, poetry, speech, presentation, written formatting, short responses, supporting claims with evidence, figurative language, description, inference, analysis, comparisons, contrast, cause and effect, in-text citations, bibliography, quotations, as well as basic grammar and spelling.
Social Studies:
Bi-annual rotation of curriculum includes: US and world geography and culture, US founding and founding documents, US government systems, colonization through civil war, ancient civilizations, and some topical discussion of WWII and other historical or current events as related to readings and calendar events.
Science:
Bi-annual rotation of curriculum includes: Using the structure of the scientific method to postulate and create questions and to design experiments, read, collect, and organize data, determine and write conclusions based on evidence from collected data, and explain results using key scientific understandings.
Topics include: Human body, nutrition, cells, land and water interactions, ecosystems, motion and design, forces, energy, food chains and classification of organisms.
Keyboarding:
Students learn to type fluently using a program called Type to Learn. The program assesses the current typing skills of each student and advances students individually according to their ability. Technique involves touch-typing.
Personal and Internet Safety:
Safety classes are mandatory each year. Our personal safety course is through Yello Dyno, which is a series of short videos and discussions revolving around how to identify and respond to potentially dangerous situations. Our internet safety program is through Life On Line, which also includes a series of short video presentations and discussion surrounding safety precautions with connected devices.
Puberty and HIV/AIDS classes:
Puberty and HIV/AIDS classes are mandatory each year. Typically these classes are each one hour long and held in the spring and are hosted by our nurse or special presenters. The puberty class is generally split by gender and reviews the upcoming or occurring bodily changes that will be or are currently taking place as well as personal hygiene tips. The HIV/AIDS class presents current research and awareness information about blood-born (or body fluid born) illness and how to identify risky behaviors that could lead to acquiring such a disease as well as habits that would keep students safe from contracting HIV/AIDS.