Sixth Grade Course Guide 2022-2023
UMS-Wright PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Our School...Our Mission The mission of UMS-Wright is for the UMS-Wright Family to educate all students to their highest potential in mind, body and spirit and to produce in each student character of the highest possible order. Our Founder, Dr. Julius T. Wright, instituted our tradition of excellence in 1893. Each day we strive to maintain the high principles and ideals established by Dr. Wright. Our mission drives each decision we make, allowing UMS-Wright Preparatory School to provide a variety of opportunities for our students to excel to their greatest potential in “mind, body, and spirit.” This guide provides essential information on our academic program. Included are academic requirements, explanations of each course offered with required prerequisites, and important information about the process of course selection.
The Curriculum & Instruction Department The role of the Curriculum and Instruction Department at UMS-Wright is to support teaching and learning across divisions. We look forward to having the opportunity to work closely with students to navigate their middle school academic experience. As the coordinators of the course selection and scheduling process, we are happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
Dr. Patricia Boehm Associate Head of School - Curriculum and Instruction pboehm@ums-wright.org
Mrs. Bre Stricklin Director of Learning and Innovation Grades 3-7 bstricklin@ums-wright.org
2
General Information for Course Selection Course Selection and Registration
Course selection takes place in the spring of each school year. Leading up to the day of registration, students are strongly encouraged to discuss their course selections with parents, teachers and members of the Curriculum and Instruction Department. Students should carefully consider their personal interests, current and future time commitments. Students are provided a deadline for registration. Failure to register by the posted date may result in the student’s forfeiture of course selection rights, and a schedule may be chosen for him/her. Honors Coursework
Honors courses are taught at an accelerated pace and advanced level as compared to the College Preparatory (CP) courses. Students who choose to take an honors course at UMS-Wright should be mindful of the additional requirements involved. At the middle school level, UMS-Wright offers Honors English and Honors Math at the seventh and eighth grade levels. To enroll in Honors courses, a student must receive a recommendation. Recommendations are determined based upon the following criteria: Attendance and work ethic Grades in prerequisite coursework Contributions made to the learning process that indicate intellectual engagement and curiosity in the subject Strong ability to analyze, evaluate, problem solve and conceptualize new ideas Performance on standardized tests, as appropriate Scheduling Conflicts
UMS-Wright offers a great variety of courses and activities for its students to pursue. Because of the varied nature of student interests, sometimes scheduling conflicts will occur. Every effort will be made to place each student in the courses that he or she requests. However, sometimes this is not possible. It is very important that students clearly indicate acceptable alternatives when registering. Schedule Changes
Requests for schedule changes must be made within the first four weeks of the course and approved by the Curriculum and Instruction Department. Due to the pace of instruction, students may not begin Honors level classes after the seventh day of school. Please note that due to our commitment to small, balanced classes, requests for specific class periods cannot be accommodated.
3
Middle School Courses English Language Arts 5th Reading 5 and English 5 6th Reading 6 and English 6 7th English 7 or Honors English 7 8th English 8 or Honors English 8 Mathematics 5th 6th 7th 8th
Math 5 Math 6 Math 7 or PreAlgebra PreAlgebra or Algebra I
Science 5th 6th 7th 8th
STEM 5 STEM 6 / Earth Science STEM 7 / Life Science STEM 8 / Physical Science
Social Studies 5th 6th 7th 8th
Social Studies 5: Ancient History Social Studies 6: Medieval History Social Studies 7: Modern History Social Studies 8: American History
World Languages 5th 6th 7th 8th
Introductory French Exploratory Spanish and Exploratory French Spanish A or French A Spanish B or French B
Elective Offerings 5th 6th 7th 8th
All students will participate in a rotation consisting of: Exploratory Band, Drama, Chorus & Technology All students will choose either two semester elective courses or one year-long elective All students will choose up to four elective classes, depending on length All students will participate in Speech & Debate and choose up to three elective classes
4
Sixth Grade English Language Arts Reading 6 This course is designed for sixth grade students to continue to sharpen their reading and vocabulary skills. Through small group and whole-group discussions, students explore a variety of genres throughout the school year while implementing strategies for critical thinking. In addition to class novels, students also continue their reading exploration outside of the classroom through independent reading projects. Using various forms of media, students share their reading with the class to help inspire others to discover new authors and genres. English 6 This course allows students to refine their use of grammar as they apply their knowledge in composition instruction. Grammar skills are practiced and refined while reinforcing them through written expression. Students learn the six traits of writing (overall development, organization, support, sentence structure, word choice, and mechanics) and use the traits to compose well-written narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository essays.
Mathematics Math 6 Sixth grade math is designed as a transition from previous concrete mathematics to more abstract concepts. This course reinforces mathematical concepts from previous courses including basic foundational concepts, procedures, and vocabulary of algebra and geometry. Students will work with exponents, algebraic expressions, ratios, percentages, probability, and data analysis to refine their mathematical skillset. Real-world applications of concepts will be used throughout the year where students discuss, practice and select appropriate calculation techniques and problem-solving strategies.
History Social Studies 6: Medieval History Students in this course study the history and geography of great civilizations that were developing concurrently throughout the world during medieval times. Students study areas throughout the world during this period including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, China, Japan, and the Americas while analyzing how geography, government, art, religion, architecture, literature, etc. influenced the ideas and events during this period that helped shape the diverse cultures within these areas today. The course centers around the essential question, How does the study of medieval history help us understand the world today?
Science STEM 6: Earth Science Our middle school science courses at UMS-Wright are taught using the STEM approach to teaching and learning. This approach requires teachers to facilitate learning so that students apply skills and knowledge in context as they work to solve problems that integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This 6th-grade STEM course utilizes all of the foundational general science knowledge that students have in order to better understand our natural world. Students demonstrate their understanding through hands-on laboratory experiments, lab reports, class discussions, and projects. Emphasis is placed on common themes of Earth
5
Science including, but not limited to meteorology, geology, astronomy, and oceanography. Some of the units of study may include: Mastering the Scientific Method, Cartography, Fossils and Geological Time, The Solar System and Universe, Plate Tectonics, Rocks and Soil Formation, Oceanography, and Weather.
World Language Exploratory Spanish and French During this year-long course, students explore both Spanish and French. Each language experience lasts one semester with a transition into the next language at the end of the second quarter. During the study of each language, students experience an introduction or a reinforcement to the elementary syntactical rules and social registries that govern Spanish and French. Furthermore, students are introduced to concepts, or concepts are reinforced, regarding basic grammatical foundations such as gender rules, definite and indefinite articles, the formation of the plural, subject pronouns, subject verb agreement, present tense regular conjugations and a few common irregular verbs. Learners apply novice vocabulary to interact with all four modalities (listening, speaking, reading and writing) to create basic communication appropriate for a beginner language student. The cultural focus of this course is an overall introduction to both the Spanish and French-speaking world. After taking each exploratory semester in each language, students will choose one of the two languages to begin in the seventh grade. Students will continue this language until at least the 10th grade.
Additional Course - Required Character Education This course aides in the development of “character of the highest possible order,” which is a part of the mission of our school. Students deepen their knowledge and understanding of character traits and core values that are exemplary in all UMS-Wright students. Sixth grade students have this exploratory course one day per week.
Elective Courses Students will choose two elective courses in sixth grade. These two courses meet every other day for the entire year. Beginning Band This course is for students with little or no playing experience. Students learn basic note reading, phrasing, dynamics, and ensemble playing. Students practice using various instruments in an effort to find the “right fit." These students perform at two concerts a year, and they have the opportunity to perform at other school functions. Chorus 6 Each student in this sixth grade elective course participates in learning the fundamentals of vocal music and sight-reading. Students explore a variety of musical styles while developing skills such as vocal technique, the solfege system, and diction.
6
Coding and Robotics 1 In this course, students explore, investigate, solve, and document a variety of tasks individually, with partners, and within small groups using robots to understand foundational Computer Science concepts. The focus is centered around block coding, where students develop an understanding of how controls and conditionals impact programming . Students learn the basics of the design process to collaboratively solve problems. Drama 6 The 6th grade Exploratory Drama course is an extension of fifth grade Exploratory Drama with more freedom for students to express their creativity. It revisits topics such as movement and space, environment, and using voice effectively, and culminates in a performance project to demonstrate their enhanced skills. These skills not only help the students discover the joy of theatre, but also aid in the continued growth of self-confidence. Physical Education Physical Education (PE) in the middle school provides students opportunities to learn and practice key motor skills while encouraging lifelong physical activity. During PE, students learn the rules and concepts of sports activities as well as movements that are crucial for success in all areas of exercise and athletics. Students practice these movement skills through individual drills, games, team and individual sports, and team building exercises. A variety of sports are taught, including: basketball, football, soccer, softball, swimming, track, and volleyball. Students are required to dress in the PE uniform for participation in class. Dance 6 *extra fee In dance, students study different styles of dance, learn dance terms, and are challenged at their own level. Some outside performances are required, including a spring performance. Parents are responsible for purchasing one costume in addition to the course fee of $375 (billed in September). Visual Art 6 The sixth grade art elective is designed to awaken students to the wondrous images in the world around them and to teach them how to interpret what they see through a variety of materials using the artist’s tools line, shape, value, color, texture, form, and space - better known as the elements of art. The principles of design - rhythm, movement, balance, proportion, variety, emphasis, and unity - are the means of composing the elements and are taught using a variety of assignments that are often inspired by art history. This class is a rapid immersion in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects.
7
Instructions for Sixth Grade Course Selection Step One
Step Two
Log in to PowerSchool Unified Classroom from your school-issued laptop classroom.powerschool.com
Select "Quick Links" from the left menu bar
Step Three
Step Four Using the Course Guide, review your options in each section
Select "Class Registration" from the Quick Link pop-out menu. This will open the course selection page in a new tab.
Core Requirements World Languages Elective Offerings
Step Five Make your selections in each of the four sections: Core Requirements: You will select your required core courses on this screen (history, math, English, and science). World Language You will select both Exploratory French and Exploratory Spanish, as you will take one semester of each. Elective Offerings You will choose two elective offerings. These will rotate on an A/B schedule all year. Alternate Elective Offerings You will choose two alternate elective offerings. These will only be utilized if your selected electives are unable to be scheduled for you.
Step Six Submit your requests Scroll to the bottom of the page and press submit to finalize your requests. If you are unable to submit, please check to be sure you have registered for a total of seven units.
Step Seven Have your parents sign the last page of your course guide and return to Mrs. Erwin in the Middle School Office no later than April 8.
Helpful Hints A red exclamation point means one course must be selected from the subject group.
A green checkmark means you have made all of the required selections for that section.
Questions? Dr. Patricia Boehm
Mrs. Bre Stricklin
Associate Head of School Curriculum and Instruction pboehm@ums-wright.org
Director of Learning and Innovation Grades 3-7 bstricklin@ums-wright.org
8
UMS-Wright PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Dear Parents, In this packet you will find our course offerings available to sixth graders, which are outlined here: HISTORY: Social Studies 6: Medieval History SCIENCE: STEM 6: Earth Science ENGLISH: English 6 READING: Reading 6 MATHEMATICS: Math 6 WORLD LANGUAGE: Exploratory French and Exploratory Spanish
REQUIRED ELECTIVES: ELECTIVES (students will choose 2): Beginning Band, Chorus 6, Coding & Robotics 1, Drama 6, Physical Education, Physical Education/Dance, Visual Art 6
On page 8 of this packet you will find instructions on how to view your child's personalized course options and complete the online course selection process. The online course selection process should be completed no later than Friday, April 8. We encourage you to sit down with your child and review their options for the 2022-23 school year. Please indicate you have reviewed your child’s selections by signing below and returning this form to the Middle School office by the registration deadline. Your signature indicates you are aware if he/she has registered for courses that involve additional fees. We are here to help answer any questions you may have along the way. Sincerely, Patricia Boehm Assoc. Head of School - Curriculum and Instruction pboehm@ums-wright.org Bre Stricklin Director of Learning and Innovation, Grades 3-7 bstricklin@ums-wright.org
Student Name: _________________________________________ I have reviewed my child’s course requests for the 2022-23 school year and am aware of any additional fees that may be assessed for the courses requested. Parent Name: ___________________________________________ Parent Signature:_________________________________________
9