Lake Forest Country Day School GRADE 6
UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8, graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888
Overview of Upper School (Grades 5–8) The Upper School experience at Lake Forest Country Day School offers a challenging, yet engaging curriculum coupled with the skills needed to flourish in a twenty-first-century world. The Upper School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her academic, social, creative, and physical strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a respectful, safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge. Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking. We aim to help students grow in self-awareness and selfdiscipline so they can manage increasingly challenging coursework. Each student has an advisor to whom he or she can turn for assistance. A middle school social worker is also available to provide students with strategies that help the transition or aid in negotiating friendship dynamics as students mature and explore new interests. Students benefit from: The School's strong commitment to offering excellent academic preparation in all subjects and opportunities to participate in extracurricular arts and athletics programs. An emphasis on twenty-first-century skills, including information literacy, the productive use of technology tools, and digital citizenship. Our Character Development Program, which places an emphasis on developing students’ self-awareness and resilience as well as creating a positive social and emotional environment as the foundation for academic excellence. A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning. A commitment to experiential learning where students’ learning is enriched with field trips to Lake Forest Open Lands, the symphony, the theater, and a variety of historic sites. A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view. Expert assistance with the transition to selective high schools.
Upper School Curriculum Guide
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Upper School Curriculum
Overview
Teaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with advisor intake calls prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Upper School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Strength of character is emphasized and developed through socialemotional skill-building in the advisory curriculum, opportunities for leadership and service, and the disciplinary system. AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINES
The curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration, and has real-world applications. DIFFERENTIATION
Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Students enjoy opportunities to engage in hands-on activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas. UNIFYING CONCEPTS
Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and remember connections in what they are learning in different disciplines. ACADEMIC RIGOR
Teachers and students share responsibility for pursuing learning goals that are challenging yet attainable and position the student for future academic success.
Character Development Character education at LFCDS begins in the Early Childhood Program. As appropriate, children are introduced to terms that refer to specific “habits of mind,” such as persistence and empathy. As students move through the Lower School, their understanding of the various habits of mind deepens, and many “Until recently, most economists and psychologists believed that the most important factor in a child’s success was his or her IQ. This notion is behind our national obsession with test scores. But the scientists whose work I followed for How Children Succeed have identified a very different set of skills that they believe are crucial to success. They include qualities like persistence, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and selfcontrol. Economists call these non-cognitive skills. Psychologists call them personality traits. Neuroscientists sometimes use the term executive functions. The rest of us often sum them up with the word character.” —Paul Tough, Author of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character
Upper School Curriculum Guide
opportunities are given both inside and outside the classroom to demonstrate increased social emotional skills. Upon entering Upper School, each student is paired with an adult advocate. As his or her advisor, this faculty member takes on numerous essential roles, including being a guide for academic growth, executive functions, social-emotional learning, and character development. Each student is placed in a small advisory group consisting of eight to ten students who meet two to three times per week. During these sessions, students are engaged in activities related to empathy, communication, social cruelty, emotion management, and problem solving. Students also participate in teambuilding activities related to collaboration, diversity, respect, trust, and sensitivity. Finally, each advisor plans age-appropriate lessons throughout the school year such as movie discussions, study skills, test-taking strategies, and leadership skills.
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Upper School Curriculum
Overview
At LFCDS, we espouse certain core values— excellence, partnership, responsibility, participation, and diversity. So, for us, ‘strong character’ means acting in accord with these five values, which is what students and families agree to do by joining our school community. The School’s character education efforts,
therefore, are designed to help students recognize examples and lapses of these values in action and to develop the social-emotional skills needed to make behavioral choices consonant with what the school community recognizes as important.
Authentic Work of the Disciplines At LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view their education as relevant and connected to the larger world.
from an African drum circle using only non-verbal communication. Eighth-grade student groups build, analyze, and test their own roller coasters based on
Outdoor Education
Lake Forest Country Day School’s Outdoor Education Program is designed to promote a positive and supportive atmosphere by heightening students’ awareness of and concern for others. This program provides a unique opportunity for teachers and students to become acquainted outside the classroom and to respond to and learn from the needs of others by working in a broader community. The program supports the School’s mission of producing students who have strong character and are responsible citizens. These goals are pursued through fifth-grade collaborative group activities and team building exercises, sixth- and seventh-grade camping experiences, and a six-day eighth-grade trip to Washington, DC. Numerous field trips to sites in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Springfield also enhance and enrich our School’s goal to provide students with ongoing opportunities for the development of collaboration and team-building skills.
So what does this look like at LFCDS? After reading The Phantom Tollbooth, fifth-grade students discuss the threedimensional world and properties of space figures in math class. They then create a two-dimensional net pattern from which they are able to construct a dodecahedron model. On each of the faces, students create questions and share facts from the story. In sixth grade, students create structural models of town buildings and test them for strength and durability by recreating hurricane-like winds using fans. Seventh-grade students reenact a traditional, unified musical piece
advanced physics principles. Learning experiences like these offer intellectual challenge, build work habits of persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and engage students in the kinds of creative and critical thinking that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Differentiation Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners
Upper School Curriculum Guide
and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who exhibit academic talent may participate in Illinois Regional Math Counts Competition, LEGO Robotics
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Upper School Curriculum
Overview
Tournaments, or write articles for the latest edition of our School’s newspaper. Those children who require additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through
our Learning Services department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.
Experiential Learning What adolescent wouldn’t want to design and build a bridge and test it for integrity and strength? Or research data that inspires them, and create their own formula for predicting trends based on algebraic knowledge of linear equations? Perhaps even write his or her own music and lyrics using the latest MIDI technology? Experiential learning occurs when students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child—cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning activities that will tap into students’ interest and engagement and then allow for independent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Creative thinking and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!
Unifying Concepts Knowing how students learn best, we developed middle school curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the eighth-grade social studies curriculum is taught using a theme-based approach rather than sequentially. Units include War and Peace, Manifest Destiny, Expansionism, National Politics & the Presidency, African American Studies, and Reconstruction; all afford students the opportunity to make continuous connections while learning historical facts in context. Similarly, world language courses offer students engaging activities and applicable units of study based on culture, food, clothing, art, and notable destinations. Spiraling concepts by theme allows students learning Spanish, French, and Mandarin
Upper School Curriculum Guide
STEM+ at LFCDS STEM+ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and more) education is designed to enhance the teaching of math and science subject areas by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum, creating a “meta-discipline.” A STEM+ curriculum encourages problem solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and encourages students to actively engage a situation in order to find its solution. These skills are critical to the development of high level problem solving and will prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s global leaders. In the Upper School, STEM+ education is integrated through a series of project-based, semester-long classes, one for each grade level. Some of these units are new to the LFCDS curriculum; some are existing components of our current Math and Science programs. In the fifth grade, for example, students will design video games, with the goal being to foster critical twenty-first century skills such as systems thinking and digital media literacy. Seventh-grade students will work together to design, build, and test CO2 dragsters, with a design process that teaches them to identify problems, research and develop solutions, and ultimately redesign their vehicles based on feedback. A new addition is the sequence of a computer generated design, balsa wood model, and actual building of a conservation building. In each grade-level course, the goal is to prepare middle school students for the advanced courses that await them in high school—with the added benefit of giving students the confidence to ultimately pursue a career in one of these fields later in life. Chinese to apply previously learned structure while identifying and utilizing new vocabulary. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.
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Upper School Curriculum
Overview
Community Service
The LFCDS Community Service program is a manifestation of the School’s commitment to responsible citizenship and its dedication to producing students of strong character. The Community Service program affords students an opportunity to respond to and learn from others by providing service to those in need in the broader community. The program offers a wide variety of service environments from which to choose and encourages family participation. Emphasis is placed on the development of an independent desire to serve others. Beginning in Lower School, class- or grade-level service projects are adopted as they arise through curriculum integration. This approach to service continues through sixth grade and is enhanced by many other service projects supported by the entire School. The development of social, environmental, and community consciousness becomes more individualized in seventh and eighth grade. At this point, each student researches and selects projects that are personally meaningful to him or her and that emphasizes the duty of giving back to the community. By reaching outside of the LFCDS family to give service to others, students are exposed to the greater needs beyond their day-to-day school life. Past community projects have benefited the environment, wildlife, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, and underprivileged children here and abroad.
Academic Rigor Rigor at LFCDS targets specific goals for both teachers and students. Teachers develop curricula that are rich with varied and intentional challenges. LFCDS faculty: Set high, yet attainable, expectations. Establish learning objectives that are clear and measureable. Assess student understanding formally and informally. Employ technology and varied resources. Give students clear, meaningful feedback to encourage positive work. Ask a range of questions and target synthesis. Vary learning experiences to include some of the following: multi-sensory materials, kinesthetic activity, technology/media, visual aids, and inquiry-based labs. Provide students opportunities to work collaboratively. Assign relevant homework with opportunities for summarization, questioning, reflection, and/or analysis.
Upper School Curriculum Guide
Students responding to rigorous curricula: Demonstrate investment in and ownership of the learning process. Set reasonable and attainable goals in recognition of their own strengths and challenges. Advocate for themselves and their own learning. Engage in class discussions and activities. Complete assignments thoughtfully and carefully. Show curiosity by asking pertinent and thought-provoking questions. Seek answers using a variety of reliable sources. Apply knowledge, skills, and concepts independently. Make connections to previously learned concepts and skills. Transition beyond rote memorization and restatement of facts to demonstrate depth of understanding. Think critically.
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GRADE 6 Curriculum
The Sixth-Grade Experience at LFCDS
As students move into sixth grade, a series of important developments begin to take place. Cognitively, students at this age seem to challenge all of their assumptions about the world. In turn, they also challenge many of the parameters put in place by the adults in their lives— ones they previously accepted as relatively clear and just. Concerned with rules and fairness, they are beginning to see the world from various perspectives.
them an opportunity to reflect on their own progress— academic and otherwise—as their advisor leads them in the process.
In sixth grade, students are undergoing many changes—physically as well as socially and emotionally. In order to help students flourish during this year, a strong focus is placed on a variety of social-emotional aspects, as well as ongoing academic rigor. Sixth-grade students are deeply aware of peer opinions and are increasingly focused Students at this age Experience Outdoor Education, including on the self. LFCDS are bright and ready for team-building activities and group relationshipsupports this need for a deeper understanding building, at Camp McLean. community validation of many subjects—and and individual Partake in the Springfield Field Trip and as their intellectual explore the State Capitol, the Abraham Lincoln recognition through the skills are expanding, Presidential Library and Museum, and the sixth-grade covenant. they may begin to excel Lincoln New Salem historic site. Unique to this grade a particular subject or Engage in Wetlands Restoration and the Mars level, the covenant is skill. This is a year of Student Imaging Project in science class. conceived of and written deepening the study by students before it is Take part in new extracurricular opportunities of their chosen world such as the fifthand sixth-grade chorus and signed by each member language—Spanish, concert and jazz band. of the class during a Mandarin Chinese, special ceremony. The Compete in the annual Robbie Bermingham or French—with Speaking Contest. covenant is then framed the ultimate goal of and hung in the hallway proficiency. The annual to remind students Springfield field trip in of the community October allows students to gain a better understanding standards to which they have agreed. This covenant of state history by visiting the State Capitol and the allows students to build relationships in a safe and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. constructive manner, even as they learn new social skills In order to help with the skills students need as and begin to get to know themselves in a new way. they broaden their horizons, the sixth-grade year at LFCDS focuses on the use of executive functions, Schedule such as time management, organization, study skills, Upper School students follow a rotating six-day cycle note-taking, and test-taking. These tools give students consisting of forty- or eighty-minute blocks. This hybrid the opportunity to bring their learning to an entirely schedule creates a balanced, developmentally appropriate new level. Plenty of opportunities for leadership also middle school culture of learning, with grade-level emerge, especially when students lead their own courses clustered in blocks providing opportunities for parent-teacher conferences. This unique exercise gives team meetings, integration of curricula, and flexibility.
Highlights of the SixthGrade Experience
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6 English and math classes meet more frequently, and there is a year-long fine arts course that meets on alternating school days. Two times per week, students meet for Advisory and engage in a formal character development program focusing on topics such as empathy, communication, problem solving, peer dynamics, social cruelty, and stress management. These Social Emotional Learning components are facilitated by both our middle school counselor and faculty advisors. Once per cycle, an advisory group leads a division-wide community meeting to share information, talents, successes, and celebrations. Finally, students have a daily opportunity to connect with teachers, receive support, or make up work during a thirty-minute tutorial time.
Homework
Homework is assigned in the Upper School based on curricular needs for repetition, application, reflection, and/or student inquiry. These assignments are written down by each student, but are also posted digitally on the Panther Portal for confirmation and are updated regularly. In general, homework assignments in the Upper School should require the following preparation: Grade 5: 1–1.5 hour(s), Grade 6: 1.5–2 hours, Grade 7 and 8: 2–2.5 hours. Students in sixth through eighth grade usually have two to three academic study periods in addition to daily tutorial time. If this time is used effectively, homework for one or more subjects should be completed during this period. The time for completing homework may vary depending on individual learning style and productivity. The value of homework depends upon how it is done. It is essential that each child find a quiet place to work and determine a definite time for study. Distractions and interruptions such as those from television, cell phones, video games, and social networking technologies should be minimized. Each child should be responsible for his or her own assignments.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
Overview
Tutorial Time
A unique characteristic of the Upper School schedule is that students have a daily opportunity to receive support, connect with teachers, reinforce concepts, engage in enrichment activities, or make up work. Each day, there is a thirty-minute block of time where all Upper School teachers are available to meet with students and students are not scheduled in a class. This dedicated time period affords middle school students the opportunity to build selfadvocacy skills and deepen their relationship with teachers in order to ensure their success.
Standardized Assessments
Standardized and normed data provided by the following tools, along with classroom-based assessments, offer teachers a more complete understanding of each student’s learning profiles and guides individual instruction as well as curriculum design. Sixth-grade students will take the NWEA MAP (Measurements of Academic Progress) assessment. This test is designed to identify areas of strength, opportunities for interventions, and overall performance over time. The adaptive, untimed assessment provides reliable, detailed information about what each student knows and is ready to learn. Because the test is administered two times a year, educators have immediate and highly accurate data on the precise learning level of each child so their teaching can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of students.
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Grade 6
English
English Overview Upper School English is a multi-strand subject. Students study literature, composition, vocabulary, grammar, and spelling appropriate for their grade level. Students read and write in a variety of genres. Literature selections vary by grade level. Composition mainly revolves around the literature studied and the annual Robbie Bermingham Speaking Contest. Vocabulary focuses on Greek and Latin roots and prefixes; it is drawn from the literature students read as well as from the series Vocabulary for Achievement. Spelling includes words from the Rebecca Sitton program, homonyms, cross-curricular words, literary and language arts terms, and may also include individualized spelling from a web-based program. Grammar covers parts of speech, sentence syntax, and the usage conventions of the English language. The skill levels vary and increase with the complexity of texts as students progress through grades five through eight.
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following English skills:
Reading Read for information, understanding, and appreciation. •• Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend reading selections. •• Clarify understanding of words by using a variety of resources, including context clues and dictionaries. •• Recognize, understand, and compare structural elements such as main idea, supporting details, and conclusion in informational texts. •• Highlight relevant information in the text. •• Empathize, identify with, and compare character roles. •• Use information from reading selections to inform, explain, and support questions and predictions. •• Gather, comprehend, and compare information from a variety of sources. •• Quote from the text accurately to reflect or support a point of view. •• Make and support inferences about the author’s purpose. •• Engage with more challenging reading material as grade appropriate. •• Connect reading selections to personal experiences and other texts. Identify and appreciate literary elements. •• Identify the main events of the story’s plot using terms such as exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action. •• Identify character, setting and theme as they apply to reading selections. •• Identify narrative point of view and use of dialogue in a variety of literary works. •• Recognize the elements of characterization in literary works. •• Recognize the impact of narrative point of view, character development, and setting on a literary selection. •• Compare and contrast themes in multiple stories. •• Identify the author’s use of certain literary elements such as foreshadowing, flashback, figurative language, and irony.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
English •• Compare and contrast how different authors use literary elements. •• Analyze and appreciate poetry through an understanding of poetic devices such as similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme scheme, and personification.
Writing •• Gain experience with writing an assortment of composition modes. •• Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies. •• Generate a multi-paragraph composition, recognizing and using introduction, body, and conclusion. •• Identify and accomplish personal purpose in each composition. •• Recognize and formulate standard parts of an expository paragraph such as topic sentence, supporting details, transitions, and concluding sentence. •• Engage in the stages of the writing process: drafting, revising, and sharing final copy. •• Incorporate figurative language and well-chosen vocabulary. •• Strive for grace of expression through effective sentence syntax, paying particular attention to identifying and correcting sentence fragments and run-ons as well as focusing on sentence variety and transitions. •• Apply the rules studied for syntax, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to writing. •• Edit documents for clarity, correct grammar usage, and effective diction. •• Write concisely and accurately for selected forms of assessment.
Presentation •• Express clearly personal responses to classroom discussion. •• Collaborate and present material as part of a group presentation. •• Practice and exhibit essential presentation skills such as diction, volume, eye contact, appropriate gestures, and pacing for many sizes and types of audiences. •• Read a text aloud with appropriate inflection. •• Participate as an effective audience member.
Mathematics Overview By incorporating researched standards and best practice strategies, our Upper School mathematics program challenges fifth- through eighth-grade students to compute accurately, think analytically and to reason logically. Instruction is individualized and differentiated within each class in addition to having a framed readiness path to allow for a variety of flexible grouping based on specific criteria. The curriculum is infused with manipulatives, creative applications, projects, technology, and critical thinking activities. The goals of the Upper School mathematics program at LFCDS are: to stimulate enthusiasm for mathematics. to teach and reinforce essential mathematical concepts. to develop students’ problem-solving abilities. to foster mathematical creativity, flexibility and ingenuity. to offer challenging, engaging learning experiences.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Mathematics
To best meet the needs of all of our middle school students, a math readiness path allows for fluid and flexible movement among leveled courses within each grade. When appropriate, accelerated and/or honorse courses are available to accommodate individual conceptual understanding with greater depth, pace, and rigor. Resources, manipulatives, projects, web-resources used on an ongoing, rotational basis: Prentice Hall Mathematics textbook series and online supplemental resources. Marcy Cook Tiles BuzzMath individualized online mathematics skills program Math Olympiad, ICTM, Math League Contests The Problem Solver Middle School Mathematics with Pizazz Explore Learning: Interactive Online Simulations Interdisciplinary units with science and STEM+-based projects such as growing crystals, bungee jump analysis, rockets, and balsa wood bridge building Applications-based projects such as fantasy football, mathematician research, polyhedra construction, statistics analysis, stock market game, and shopping unit
Grade-Level Expectations In sixth grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills: •• Apply pre-algebraic understanding. •• Delve deeper into learning order of operations. •• Explore properties of distribution, association, identity and commutative. •• Extend the understanding of exponents. •• Investigate rational numbers and scientific notation. •• Solidify understanding and apply knowledge related to integer rules and integer computation. •• Apply understanding of percent to include concepts such as percent change, tax rate, discount, and mark-up. •• Understand and apply knowledge of proportions. •• Develop a deeper understanding of rational numbers. •• Apply knowledge of basic equations and inequalities to more complex, multi-step problems. •• Solidify knowledge of ratios, rates, and proportions. •• Strengthen data analysis skills. •• Extend and apply probability concepts. •• Apply knowledge of geometric concepts and relate this to 3D space figures. •• Understand coordinate plane graphing. •• Investigate measurement, the metric system and customary units. •• Utilize a variety of problem-solving strategies.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Social Studies
Social Studies Overview The unifying concept of sixth grade social studies is the nature of power. Is it economic, political, financial or technological? Can power also emanate from an effective influential idea or be molded by an influential personality? Initially students seek to discover the nature of Abraham Lincoln’s power and his enduring influences in an interdisciplinary study coordinated with the English Department. This exploration culminates in a trip to Springfield. Students then focus on the intensified interaction between civilizations from 1000–1500 ad, a time of significant social change and international relations which still impacts us today. Units of study include the Dark Ages and medieval period in Western Europe, the introduction of Islam and the Crusades, and the European Renaissance and Reformation. Students then use these questions and answers to participate in a current event game show every two weeks.
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:
Projects and Public Speaking (Cooperative Learning, Problem Solving) Students follow and discuss current events daily and create questions and answers based on international and national news events. Students then use these questions and answers to participate in a current events "game show" every two weeks. Work independently or cooperatively with a variety of peers and use at least two sources to complete projects and presentations using media such as PowerPoint, posters, models, or WikiSpaces. (increasing in depth through the Upper School years).
Social Studies Concepts (Economic, Political, Historical, Geographic) Using authentic evidence, make predictions and draw conclusions about medieval culture. Predict the geographical features that impact the growth, development, and culture of a people. Explain how medieval cultures used technology to overcome geographic challenges and expand commerce and trade. Explain economic and political systems in specific medieval cultures, citing reasons for changes. Discuss the pros and cons of specific period governments: feudalism, monarchy, and city-state republics. Explain how the necessity for trade leads to cultural expansion and assimilation in the medieval world. Discuss the role of women in a variety of medieval cultures. Explore the similarities and differences of social groups throughout the medieval world. Explain different types of work available to people in the medieval world. Discuss how the division of labor allowed rulers to stabilize and expand to their power. Explain the impact and power of religion on medieval culture.
Comprehension and Synthesis (Reading, Writing, Thinking) Analyze daily life and culture in medieval locales. Discover the factors which led to the development of the Renaissance. Examine, compare, and contrast the quality of life for different social groups. Select writing styles and products to best express learned concepts. Create and interpret timelines to develop a stronger sense of the continuity and discontinuity of different medieval cultures. Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Social Studies, Science Classroom Skills (Organization and Time Management, Note-Taking, Research) Review and reinforce two-column note-taking skills; react to each section of notes by summarizing, connecting, or questioning. Introduce Cornell notes. Reinforce use of online textbook resources as necessary to aid in comprehension, note taking and test preparation. Consitently identify the main idea and supporting details in a reading selection. Take notes, organize, compose, and present information on topics of historical interest using a variety of formats. Find and utilize a variety of reliable resources, both in print and online, to further learn about a topic. Effectively use technology as an aid in research and organization. Review effective study techniques for different types of assessments. Reflect on how historical events mirror or contrast current events. Develop written and oral arguments supported by historical facts.
Science Overview The Upper School curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three branches of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling unifying themes from grade five through grade eight. Sixth-grade students develop understandings around the theme of energy transformation. Investigation of our own planet earth and how to map and compare data is the focus of the fall unit. Through a multitude of laboratory experiences, students are able to realize how mass and volume relate to the concept of density. Knowledge of plate tectonics is the basis for individual design and construction of earthquake resistance structures that are tested in the laboratory setting. Plant and animal cell structure are examined using both models and lab student-made slides. Exploration of the Mars surface is researched by student-written proposals that are sent to NASA and result in images being captured by the THEMIS satellite currently orbiting the planet. Design and construction of actual LEGO robots are used to take various samples of a land formation from a simulated Mars surface built within the classroom.
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following science skills:
Dynamic Earth Systems Use measurement and scientific instruments for a variety of tasks. Calculate mass, area, and volume. Learn graphing techniques. Understanding the scientific method. Map earth using latitude and longitude plotting. Utilize Google Earth for Earth Science activities.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Science Compare and contrast topographic and bathymetric maps. Determine the composition of the atmosphere. Understand the nitrogen cycle.
Heat, Density, and Buoyancy Compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy. Recognize heat as a form of energy that can be transferred from one object to another. Describe the relationship between heat and the motion of atoms, compare and contrast, convection, conduction, and radiation. Describe density as the physical property of matter. Distinguish between mass and volume. Recognize how fluids float and sink and complete a major project involving a practicum-density lab.
Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics Explain the concept of continental drift. Define Pangaea and moving pieces of the lithosphere. Identify the three types of plate boundaries.
Earthquakes, Earthquake Resistant Structures, and Volcanoes Describe what causes an earthquake. Describe how energy is released within an earthquake. Recognize how to locate the epicenter of an earthquake. Describe the parts of a volcano. Recognize that most volcanoes are located along plate boundaries. Differentiate the various types of eruptions. Compare and contrast different types of volcanoes, and complete a major project around earthquake-resistant structures.
Cell Structure Explain that cells are basic unit of structure and function in all living organisms. Analyze similarities between cell structure and function. Identify and describe parts of the cell and their functions. Describe the function of cell division and mitosis. Observe the cell cycle and identify the different stages. Explain what happens to a chromosome during cell division.
NASA Building Initiatives Design and construct scale models; test, analyze data; apply engineering concepts to real life experiences.
Robotic Programming (STEM+ Initiative) Identify LEGO parts and pieces. Learn the basics of the LEGO building system and of design and construction of a stable platform. Calculate turning radii. Program and overcome the challenges presented by the LEGO project. Complete a major project involving simulated Mars Rover Exploration.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
World Language
World Language Overview The world language program intertwines communication, culture, comparisons, and connections in accordance with National Standards. World language events that pertain to community take place throughout each year of the program. We also invite our students to see and explore language and cultures beyond classroom walls by looking through an abundance of multi-media windows to the outside world.
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following world language skills:
Spanish Incorporate regular and irregular present tense verbs, including stem-changing verbs. Identify and use direct object object pronouns. Ask questions using question words, end questions, and question structure. Discuss likes and dislikes using gustar. Describe nouns using adjective agreement. Express what someone is going to do, has just done, or has to do (ir a, acabar de, tener que) Use demonstrative and possessive adjectives. Discuss such topics as travel plans, family, pastimes, sports, chores, and eating. Discuss culture and current issues in Mexico City, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. Understand and celebrate El Dia de los Muertos. Order and experience a variety of typical dishes on a total immersion trip to a Mexican restaurant.
French Ask and state the price in a restaurant. Use numbers 20–100 to state prices, age, and birthdays. Express need and emotion about school subjects and objects. Describe daily routine regarding time classes and school day beginning and end. Ask and give information about family and relatives including their physical and character traits. Identify and compare European countries and nationalities. Identify and discuss professions and work conditions in France. Describe and compare seasons and weather. Express intentions, preferences, and need regarding clothes and shopping. Understand, compare, and celebrate cyclical celebrations. Go to a French restaurant to experience the layers of a French menu.
Mandarin Chinese Comprehend oral Chinese and respond with short answers and sentences. Ask for clarification of meaning when needed. Share ideas in Chinese and contribute to classroom conversations. Read and understand stories and conversations on topics related to daily life. Respond to written prompts with answers in Chinese pinyin and/or characters. Introduce themselves, their interests, their school experience, and their families in Chinese with descriptive detail. Read, type, and hand-write Chinese characters for familiar vocabulary. Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
World Languages, Fine Arts Recognize and learn the meaning of characters and their components. Use pneumonic devices and character symbolism to remember meaning of characters. Refer to the pinyin phonetic guide to clarify pronunciation with increasing reliance on character reading. Understand important facets of Chinese daily life and culture, including family, pets, school, and hobbies. Celebrate Chinese New Year with culturally significant foods and activities. Interact with other Chinese speakers in the community, such as during a field trip to a Chinese restaurant.
Fine Arts Overview Education in the arts is an integral part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of the fine arts. They learn creative modes of problem solving and develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to a variety of human situations. Students at LFCDS understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect about cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Through experiences in the arts, children develop their imaginations which brings them happiness and a sense of personal fulfillment.
General Music
The three main components of the Upper School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (posture, facial expression, and singing and instrumental technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following general music skills: Read and interpret notation in treble and bass clefs. Explore transposition for various instruments. Compose short melodies utilizing Finale software. Use Audacity to manipulate media. Create audio books and video soundtrack. Learn to critique projects by using a rubric. Discuss Copyright Law and ethics surrounding internet media. Analyze the techniques composers use to tell stories through music.
Visual Arts
The three main components of the Upper School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following general visual arts skills: Participate in discussions about art and artists. Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of design (color, line, shape, texture, space, value, and form). Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Fine Arts Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of design (balance, unity, pattern, emphasis, contrast, movement, and rhythm). Create art with various visual art media to produce 2D and 3D works of art. Demonstrate art techniques & visual organizational skills to create more complex works of art: •• Relief printmaking •• Composition •• Creation of form in 3D art •• Value change in black and white (pen & ink/stippling & cross-hatching) •• Value change in color (watercolor) •• Symmetry, repetition, pattern
Drama
Drama engages students in a progressive curriculum in grades four through eight. The emphasis is on process and exploration, rather than product. Each year, drama will give students the opportunity to hone their voice and movement skills. Students will continually have the chance to learn more about themselves, others, and engage in the world around them through mindfulness-awareness practices. Students will utilize critical thinking skills and stretch their imagination as they learn about the history of the theatre through interactive, hands-on activities. Students will learn how to think on their feet, practice memorization techniques, and learn about the physical theatre space as well as different acting techniques. Through our drama classroom philosophy of O.T.O. (Other Than Ourselves), students will better understand the idea of our interconnectedness as human beings and make lifelong connections between the past and the present. The three main components of the Upper School drama program are mindfulness/awareness practices, storytelling and theatre history, and performance. Students learn proper performance etiquette (body carriage, facial expression, and voice and speech technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
Grade-Level Expectations
In sixth grade, students work to master the following drama skills: Utilize sensory awareness, spatial awareness, and mindfulness practices. Develop voice and movement skills. Develop ensemble skills. Develop memorization skills. Expand improvisation skills as a theatrical art form. Explore the history, conventions, components, and style of the Italian Renaissance theater, and, in particular, the commedia dell'arte.
Performing Arts
The musical performing arts are an important part in the life of an Upper School student at Lake Forest Country Day School. Beginning in fifth grade, students have the option to participate in the choral program. There are three separate choruses in which students can volunteer to participate: Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Chorus, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Chorus, and Honors Chorus (merit based and by director’s invitation only). All students participate in the band program in fifth grade as part of their general music curriculum. In sixth grade, students have the option to continue to participate in the band program. There are three different instrumental ensembles in which students can volunteer to participate: Sixth-Grade Concert Band, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. Students in the choral and band performing groups regularly perform at all-school assemblies including the Thanksgiving Assembly, the Holiday Assembly, the Grandparents Day/Music In Our Schools Assembly, various evening concerts, and Upper School Graduation.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Fine Arts, Physical Education & Wellness
Additionally, there are several opportunities each year for individual students to prepare solo and ensemble pieces for competitions in both singing and instrumental playing.
Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Chorus
Students learn to sing within a choral ensemble. For this group, repertoire can include, but is not limited to, standard folk arrangements, pop arrangements, and arrangements from the standard American Broadway Theatre genre. Skills include:
Sing with proper choral vowels. Stand with a good choral singing stance. Breathing technique. Following a conductor’s cues and patterns. Sing with open-mouth/raised soft-palate position. Perform in unison, two-, and three-part harmony with vocal independence.
Sixth-Grade Concert Band
Students learn to perform within an instrumental ensemble. This group performs standard band literature that includes marches, overtures, orchestral transcriptions and movie scores to name a few. Instruments for this ensemble may include piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion. Skills include:
Playing an instrument with correct embouchure, tone, intonation, tuning, and air support. Exploring more advanced rhythms and techniques. Learning six major scales and one octave chromatic scale. Following a conductor’s cues and patterns.
Jazz Band
Jazz Band is a group comprised of volunteers from Concert and Symphonic Bands. This ensemble meets once per week before school to rehearse. We explore genres including swing, big band, blues, bop and pop. Any instrument is welcome to join the Jazz Band including piano, drum-set, and guitars.
Physical Education & Wellness Overview The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We expect active participation from all students.
Grade-Level Expectations In sixth grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills: Continue to develop fluid locomotor skills. Continue to develop a combination of locomotor and manipulative skills. Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Grade 6
Physical Education & Wellness, Education Technology Follow rules, procedures, etiquette, and wear appropriate attire to actively participate in fitness activities. Use equipment safely and properly. Continue to develop an understanding of fundamental strategies used in sports and games. Continue understanding that aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. Participate in daily physical fitness activities consistently. Analyze and monitor heart rate through manual pulse checking. Identify the principles of frequency, intensity, and time during exercise. Continued understanding of components of health=related fitness. Continued understanding of the body systems and their impact on athletic performance. Follow the LFCDS PE Code of Conduct.
Education Technology
With technology increasingly permeating the fabric of society, success in completing many everyday tasks and projects hinges on competence in information technology. Students learn both the technical skills of computer and technology use, and their proper role in attaining the skills of a competent twenty-first century learner. The continuing expansion of information requires that students focus on the following skills: creativity and innovation critical thinking and problem solving communication collaboration flexibility and adaptability initiative and self-direction social and cross-cultural skills productivity and accountability leadership and responsibility
Information Literacy
Information literacy in the Upper School is embedded in the academic curriculum. In classes from social studies to science to music, students develop skills in: accessing and evaluating information; organizing knowledge and presenting it creatively; and participating ethically as members of social and intellectual networks. The LFCDS library supports the Upper School curriculum by providing resources, both print and electronic, for student use and by teaching particular information skills as necessary.
Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 6
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Resources for Parents Lake Forest Country Day School offers many options for parents to connect with our school community. Beginning with an intake conference with your child’s advisor or homeroom teacher, informational coffees in early September, and grade-level social events, there are many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there are multiple ways for parents to volunteer, from classroom activities and field trips, to a variety of volunteer positions with the Parent Association and the school’s annual Auction. The Parent Association Office is open each day and welcomes all LFCDS parents to stop by for coffee, peruse the spirit wear, and connect with the other school families. In addition, parents are always welcome at our weekly Wednesday Community Meetings and for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesdays in the Parent Relations Office. Throughout the school year, LFCDS hosts outside speakers such as best-selling authors Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. David Walsh, and New York Times parenting columnist Jessica Lahey. All community members are welcome to attend. The school’s portal offers a wealth of information, including: Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an important time to balance learning with leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources. Grade Level Curriculum Guides: Each year, faculty members prepare a detailed description of the curriculum for each grade level. These guides provide an in-depth review of the educational experiences your child will be a part of at each grade level. Teacher Communication: Many teachers share classroom experiences through newsletters and photo sharing sites, emails, and phone or personal conversations. Curriculum Review Information: On an ongoing basis, a faculty task force examines and revises a specific curriculum component. Parent Association Information: The Parent Association web page provides up-to-date information regarding volunteer opportunities and other parent-related events. Social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School. The School regularly maintains and updates both its Facebook page and Twitter account with relevant information regarding the School. Please note that we have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. We encourage you to explore the website and learn more about the Lake Forest Country Day School Experience.
Questions? Please contact the Admission Office at 847-615-6151.
Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org