MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS
GRADE 6 ACADEMICS
Writing
Students will practice a wide variety of writing, ranging from journal entries and poetry to essays crafted about unique experiences in the classroom and beyond. The Six Traits of Writing program will be used to help all students continue to improve their work. Spelling, vocabulary, and grammar will be integrated into daily writing work.
Reading
Students will explore a variety of books as a class, both independently and in literature circles of four to six students. Students will have the ability to read a large selection of Newbery Award and Honor books. Student activities will include book projects, response journals, reading notebooks, guided reading, and Reader’ s Theater. Students will also learn the elements of a short story, reading several in the process.
Mathematics
Units of study include decimals, fractions, algebra, geometry, graphing, ratios, and proportions. Connections between math concepts being taught and their real-world application will be integrated into lessons through mini labs and interdisciplinary projects whenever possible. Middle school teachers use the flexible grouping model to organize learning communities of students based on mathematical aptitude. Criteria for establishing these groups include: fifth grade math average, NWEA and NECAP scores, entrance mastery assessment and teacher observations.
Middle School Counselor: Kelsey Ramsey 207-602-8270 | kelsey. ramsey @ thorntonacademy. org
Science
The sixth-grade science curriculum is a continuation of the skills students have learned from fifth grade courses and before. This science program helps students analyze the parts of our world that they can perceive with their senses, but also provides them with the knowledge of systems that are much bigger or smaller than their senses can detect alone. In sixth-grade, students will learn about earth sciences topics such as the water cycle, weather and climate patterns, layers of the earth, rock cycle, natural phenomenon( s)( earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis), and the solar system. Whenever possible, science will be integrated with other areas of the curriculum, including a natural overlap with social studies and math.
Social Studies
Students will learn about the world and its people with a focus on Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The social studies program will also be integrated with world art. Students will become more aware of the people of the world with a focus on their economies, demographics, geography, and culture. Important local, national, and world current events will be explored and discussed.
Health / Wellness
Instruction is divided between physical activity and healthoriented classroom lessons. Physical activities are often integrated with core curriculum in science and social studies. Health units of study include mental, emotional, family, and social health; growth and nutrition; personal health and safety; drugs and disease prevention; community and environmental health; and current events that deal with health.
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