6th Grade Curriculum
Curriculum follows California Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards
Religion
Sixth graders gain a deeper understanding of the people, the lessons, and the process through which the Bible was written. They reflect more deeply on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), learning about how God’s people, then and now, are called to be faithful to a covenant. The students are called to grow and respond more in faith as they learn about the challenges and the faith of people in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures who were faithful to God. Sixth graders learn to appreciate creation more deeply and to understand more about what their responsibilities are to one another and to the world in which they live. Students discover and explore the real presence of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in the blessed sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The course of study is designed to be in accordance with the Religion Outcomes determined by the Diocese of San Jose Department of Education.
English Language Arts
The focus of the Sixth Grade Language Arts program is on the development of a strong reader and writer. Language Arts is focused on four core areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. All of the content taught aligns with the California Common Core State Standards and is based on Catholic Education curriculum.
Complex literature and informational texts will challenge the students to critically analyze events, ideas, structure, writing style of the author, point of view, and personal message. Students will work collaboratively with diverse partners to expand ideas, while learning to express their point of view effectively and persuasively. Application of the writing process, using the Lucy Calkins Writing Program, helps to support the student’s effort to produce an effective piece of literature or informational text across all subject areas. Online adaptive programs that differentiate for learning are also implemented to augment classroom instruction.
Math
St. John Vianney Catholic School follows the California Common Core Standards which contain many topics. The main focus this year is centered on rational numbers, or simply stated, numbers that can be written as fractions. Specifically, students will learn to classify rational numbers, understand integers, expand their knowledge of fractions and decimals, understand and work with several types of ratios including percent. Other concepts will be reinforced and introduced to build a strong foundation that prepares students for the more abstract concepts that arise in future courses.
Science
Students in middle school develop an understanding of key concepts through hands-on lab experiences to help them make sense of science concepts. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) performance expectations in earth science blend the core ideas with scientific and engineering practices, as well as, crosscutting concepts to support students in developing usable knowledge to explain real world phenomena in scientific terms. NGSS performance expectations at the middle school level focus on students developing an understanding of several scientific practices. These include developing and using models, planning and conducting investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematical and computational thinking, constructing explanations, integrating technology and research-based projects to demonstrate an understanding of the core ideas. Students are also expected to demonstrate an understanding of several engineering practices including design and evaluation. One way students implement engineering practices is through 3D printing.
Social Studies
Students review and deepen their understanding of geography, both physical and human. They also reflect on why it is important to study and understand history and how historians study history. With a strong focus on project learning and critical thinking, sixth graders learn about the origins of human beings and our development from prehistory through ancient cultures around the world. Whether studying ancient Egypt or India, Mesopotamia, China, or Greece, among other cultures, sixth graders at St. John Vianney Catholic School blend technology with direct teaching in order to both learn the California history curriculumand progress along the Common Core for reading and writing in social studies.