Fifth/Sixth Grade Strands

Numbers

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Fifth grade We begin with practice on multi-digit multiplication and long division. Our next is fractions, decimals, and negatives. They will gain fluency with these operations. Students must write out, in as specific terms as possible, the processes behind all of those operations.  This strengthens algorithmic thinking, which is an indispensable skill in further math and science  courses. We will invent our own problems that can be solved using those skills.  Looking ahead, we will introduce the basics of algebra and geometry through a combination of abstract and real-world problems.  Number fluency in all its forms is our primary goal for the class.

Sixth Grade Our first new unit is  math skills with money. We cover how to calculate percentages, tips, taxes,and discounts.  Students are encouraged to streamline their processes and to take pride in efficiency.  Money problems bring students  far into the territory of algebra, including systems of equations, modeling/graphing, and exponentials.  These skills will form the basis of a larger economics project — perhaps some type of class store or an investment project where students can strategize with finite resources towards some goal. Looking ahead, we will introduce computer programming as a major unit of the course, likely using MIT’s Scratch tool, a kid-friendly visual programming language that is nonetheless powerful and flexible.  Algebra, geometry, and algorithms will feature heavily in any project the students undertake, so programming feels like a natural extension of what these students have done, especially considering their success with the data science project last year

 

Reader’s Workshop

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Students will read short stories, folktales from around the world and novels that are about community, helping one another, receiving help and creating healthy boundaries. Readers will engage with texts by making connections to themselves, other texts and the world. They will also learn about the difference between textual evidence and reader’s inference. As students learn about the importance of helping others and themselves, they will embark on service opportunities such as cleaning up parks, reading to others and making cards and care packages for the elderly. 

 

Writer’s Workshop

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Using the texts that are read in Reader’s Workshop and Social Studies class, The 5th and 6th grade students will learn the components of a research paper and book reviews. They will also write alternate endings and double-entry journals. The ability to persevere through the process of writing, peer-review and drafting will be practiced and encouraged. Lastly, students will learn how to write short historical fiction pieces that involve audience participation and involvement. 

 

The Amazing Human Body

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This class will explore the systems of the body, the basic anatomy and the functions of each system.  Emphasis will be on the connection and interrelationships of the systems in providing for a healthy functioning of the organism.  Students will discover how the body carries out its many functions through observation, research, discussion and readings.  Exercises will challenge students to describe, record and report on what they are learning and communicate with others.   

 

Social Studies

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The 5th and 6th grade students will become more acquainted with world geography and Ancient Civilizations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Indus Valley and Latin America. Specifically, they will go on an in-depth journey into belief and ruling systems, ancient religion and mythology. The students will also explore the effect landscape and climate have on people and the development of civilizations. Close reading, research and discussion skills will be introduced and developed in this grade allowing the growth of individual thought and academic independence. Simultaneously, students will be given the tools to strengthen their innate ability to understand the Point of View of others through primary texts from civilizations across the world. They will learn the basic skills needed to read, decipher and persevere through challenging historical texts. Evidence based arguments and discussions will take place while they share and explore material as well as their own points of view. Additionally, trips to libraries and the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be included in the curriculum this year along with a discovery of tastes and foods using ingredients vital for people in ancient civilizations. Units will include assessments in the forms of final papers, visual art, sound layering and historical fiction. 

 

The Arts

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In this class students learn the basics of art training in drawing and painting. We will explore various materials and techniques commonly used by visual 2D artists such as pencils, pens, charcoal, watercolor and acrylic paint. Our first unit is drawing, and our first project is self portraits. 

 

Language 

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Students select to study Spanish or Mandarin.  Our emphasis is on oral fluency.  Students will be conversant in the language through song, discussion and real world activities such as shopping, eating and asking for directions.

 

Movement

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In this class, we practice consciously mastering our focus of attention, using awareness techniques such as exercise, dance, meditation, writing, and drawing.  Awareness of our emotional, thinking, and physical bodyscapes are partly demonstrated through students making their own team rules for spontaneous games, choreography, and conversations.  In doing so, we psychologically connect fun and play with the good habit of getting our blood pumping and noticing what our bodies need (in terms of how much rest and movement for balance).  Students track their mind's attention through a self-reflection journal practice and also hone in on listening skills in relating to fellow classmates/teacher, with the master objective of being able to teach themselves and others how to shift emotional, thinking, and physical states.

 

Media

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The media strand is about telling a story. We will investigate topics of interest, gather information through interviews and research, analyze and organize that information into a format that has a clear point/ idea to be shared, and several subtopics developing that point. The final product might be a “TV news” style show, a podcast, or a newspaper article. This media will be “published” on a password protected website, podcast platforms, or hard copy.

 The strand has two goals. First, for students to develop the skills to “find” stories in the world—to put together key points of interest in a way that tells a story. To do this they will learn how to analyze transcripts of interviews, create storyboards, record audio interviews, take photographs, and edit audio and images on computer software. Second, students will develop the skills to work together—to share tasks, edit each other’s ideas, and collaborate to make key decisions—often under time constraints and deadlines. 

 

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