Bernardo Heights Departmental Information

SIXTH GRADE CORE HUMANITIES

Language Arts and Literature

Texts:  The Language of Literature – McDougal Littell
Spelling-Vocabulary – Houghton Mufflin
Vocabulary development derived from several texts
Core literature novels

Reading includes: fiction, non-fiction, short story, poetry, drama, biography, and historical fiction.  There are assignments and discussions on various literary concepts that connect reading to current topics, historical detail, social issues and character development.  Vocabulary development is an integrated part of all lessons. 

Styles of writing include: literary analysis, report of information, autobiographical incident, narrative, persuasive, letter writing, poetry, and mini research assignments.  Teachers use various strategies to teach the writing process, spelling and grammar.

Listening and speaking skills are taught and practiced. 

Social Studies
Text:     Ancient Civilizations – Prentice Hall    

Students study early man and the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, Greece, Rome, China, and India.  Vocabulary for successful comprehension of the content is taught with each unit.  Teachers use simulations, historical fiction, videos, weblinks, skits, debates, Socratic seminars and supplemental texts to help make the study of history come alive. 

Science
Text:  Earth Science – Holt        

Students study units in formation of the Earth, atmosphere, weather, rock cycle, water, plate tectonics, and climate.  Labs are done in the classroom and teach the scientific process including the skills of quantitative and qualitative observation, inference, and conclusion.

Mathematics
Text:  Middle Grades Math, Tools for Success - Course One - Prentice Hall

Students in this course will work towards proficiency in the four basic operations with fractions, decimals, and percents.  This will provide them with a firm foundation to be successful in pre-algebra in seventh grade.  The class will also include units in graphing, measurement, and geometry.  Problem solving is a part of every unit.  

Text:  Middle Grades Math, Tools for Success - Course Three – Prentice Hall

Students who have been assigned to take this pre-algebra course as sixth graders have already demonstrated proficiency in working with fractions, decimals, and percents and also have strong problem-solving skills.  The course explores operations with integers, variable expressions, solving equations and inequalities, graphing on coordinate planes, rational and irrational numbers, and geometry.