Sixth Grade Curriculum

Overview:

Fifth grade and sixth grade feel a little similar. They are two years that can be fairly similar depending on the choices you make. You will see fractions and measurement conversions based on the curriculum you’re using, and decimals and percents for mathematics.

Language Arts:

• Spelling - I like moving to Latin work at this point, and a focus on vocabulary not spelling as much Vocabulary from the Classical Roots Level A

• Reading Work with a focus on literary elements - plot, character, setting, and more

• Growing with Grammar Level 6 (using for 2023-2024, and it is what I’m teaching at our co-op)

• Writing is interdisciplinary - I like having them write about science, history, and their interests. 2023-2024 we will use Winning with Writing which I’ll be combining with some of my own units to add in the interdisciplinary component.

• This is a good time to move into unit study based writing, and work on writing structure and brainstorming - my absolute favorites will forever be Wonderhouse Creative Writing Units.

• If you’d like extra assistance with ELA, I cannot recommend Redefining School highly enough. We used it for the end of 7th grade, and it’s a fantastic resource that really took a lot off of my plate as a parent.

Reading:

• Chapter books of child’s choosing for their own readings

  • Note: My oldest wanted to read Animal Farm and The Great Gatsby just because. My husband and I allowed this, and I did discuss the books with him, especially Animal Farm as it related to current events. I did teach both books prior in a high school setting.

• Chapter book read alouds as a family

• This year our read alouds were the same for Grades K5, 3, 5, &7

  • Fairy Tales (Brothers Grimm)

  • Call of the Wild by Jack London

  • Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

  • The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

• Accessible classics are still favorites of mine

Math:

• We have used Masterbooks 5 for grade 5 every year (no fifth grader this year)

• Or we have moved to Keys to Fractions once Masterbooks 5 is done or mastered

• Using CTC Math for 2023-2024 for grades below grade 7, but not for 1st grade (will keep written math until 4th grade most likely)

History/Social Studies:

• Story of the World 4

• Our co-op has selected Biblioplan for this year 2023-2024, Modern Era for family style learning all grades 7 and below

• Geography will be at our co-op so I’ll focus on games at home:

  • World Explorers Club, specifically the Continent Trek game (sold separately from world explorers membership) to learn continents and place countries on the map

  • Trekking the National Parks

  • Catan Settlers of America…we love Catan and own one too many versions of this game.

  • Ticket to Ride (original game)

Science:

• Nature Study Club Senior Explorers

• Co-op Selection: Apologia Anatomy one semester, Zoology one semester

Enrichment/Electives/Extracurriculars:

• Seek out individual interests - in our household that is coding, gaming, and some specific activities individual children enjoy

• Tie field trips and activities to learning

• Seek homeschool sports, league sports, or sports through your local schools if that’s your thing - we are actively looking for UIL golf or private school golf locally

• Fine Arts classes are always lovely, my kids do take piano, and have not picked up additional fine arts.

Sixth Grade: What I wished I would have done & what went well

• I only have my oldest and his education to go on here, and he and I have a good rhythm and good communication. A lot of our focus in 6th grade was leveling up our family style work.

• Rarely do I advise people push their kids as they homeschool, but we did the keys to math series, which I loved, and he also enjoyed. I may have tried to wrap it up in sixth grade as it blend into seventh a little. Mind you, we had been doing this series of fractions, decimals, and percents from 5th-early 7th grade. I would have tried to wrap it up in two years.