Homeschool Curriculum Blog Online Learning for PreK-8th

Time4Learning presents a logical and sequential approach to teaching science and social studies.

Sixth grade students are immersed in the scientific process. Sixth graders learn about the properties of matter, characteristics of plants, energy, force and motion, and electricity and magnetism.  These units will cover such subjects as collecting and displaying data, different states of matter, stimulus and response in plants, six forms of energy, electricity from magnetism, and phases of the moon.  See the sixth grade science curriculum for more information.

In social studies, sixth grade students continue the study of ancient civilizations, this time covering India, China, Rome and Islam in history. In geography, Africa and westward migration in the US are studied. Students will also begin state studies of their own states. Individual lessons cover such things as contributions of India, the Han dynasty, Origins of Christianity, the Arabian Peninsula, West African civilization, Settler and Native American wars, Growth of American Cities, The Spanish-American War, and Presidential Elections.  See the sixth grade social studies curriculum for more information.

There are 73 lessons in the Time4Learning sixth grade science curriculum, and 110 in the social studies curriculum.  The Time4Learning program combines illustration, animation, real pictures, audio, text, video and embedded simulations in multimedia online lessons and activities.  It also combines math and writing skills in cross-curricular activities that are completed both on and offline.

To find out more about the Sixth Grade science or social studies program at Time4Learning, try out one of the demo lessons, ask a question in our parents forum, or even view the entire Sixth Grade Scope and Sequence. Sign up today to let your Sixth Grader experience the fun and learning encompassed in the Time4Learning Sixth Grade Science and Social Studies Program.

See the sixth grade social studies curriculum for more information.

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, grade levels, homeschool curriculum, science, sixth grade curriculum, social studies

A sixth grade reading program should be taught using a system of sixth grade reading lesson plans including interactive activities, learning games, printable worksheets, assessments, and positive reinforcement. Guided reading is a vital part of a sixth grade reading program.

And sixth grade language arts lessons should cover all English language arts strands. The major language arts strands for a sixth grade reading program are vocabulary development, reading comprehension, literature, writing strategies, writing applications, English language conventions, listening and speaking. While these language arts strands might surprise you, they are all critical lessons for a sixth grade reading program.

Sixth grade reading activities provide an opportunity for students to describe and connect essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. Students learn through guided reading, reading worksheets, language arts games, and many creative methods that make the sixth grade reading program fun for them.

A sixth grade language arts program includes vocabulary and concept development. Reading skill develops as students continue to learn using grade level appropriate reading material. Sixth grade reading program students describe and connect essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. They apply this knowledge to achieve fluent oral and silent sixth grade guided reading skills.

For example, the sixth grade reading program requires students to apply knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade level appropriate words. Language arts lesson plans help sixth grade reading skill students read narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression. Their reading level also requires them to identify and interpret figurative language and words with multiple meanings.

In sixth grade students recognize the origins and meanings of frequently used foreign words in English, and use these words accurately in speaking and writing. They should monitor expository text for unknown words or words with novel meanings by using word, sentence, and paragraph clues to determine meaning. Furthermore, a sixth grade reading program includes language arts lesson plans that help children understand and explain “shades of meaning” in related words, for example, “softly” and “quietly”.

The sixth grade reading level is tested with reading skill comprehension strategies.  They analyze text that uses the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern. Sixth grade guided reading includes comprehension and analysis of reading level appropriate text in order to connect and clarify main ideas by identifying their relationships to other sources and related topics. To strengthen comprehension, sixth grade reading program students are asked to clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries, or reports. Sixth grade language arts lesson plans require students to demonstrate reading skill by following multiple-step instructions for preparing applications (library card, bank savings account, sports club, and/or league membership). Also students in the sixth grade reading program are expected to make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations. In doing this they are instructed to note instances of unsupported inferences, fallacious reasoning, persuasion, and propaganda in text.

Another vital component of the sixth grade language arts program is literary response and analysis of reading skill appropriate text. Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. Also in the sixth grade reading program, students develop reading skill by analyzing the effect of character qualities such as courage or cowardice, ambition or laziness, on plot and conflict resolution. They also analyze the influence of setting on the problem and its resolution. Language arts lesson plans for sixth grade students help them define how tone or meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, line length, punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. Via guided reading, sixth grade students learn about point of view, identifying the main speaker and recognizing the difference between first-and third-person narration, not only in fiction but also in biographies and autobiographies. Another reading skill introduced in sixth grade is to identify and analyze features of themes conveyed through characters, actions, and images.

Time4Learning teaches a comprehensive sixth grade language arts curriculum using fun, sixth grade reading activities to build a solid reading foundation. To find out more about the sixth grade language arts program at Time4Learning, try out one of the demo lessons, ask a question in our parents forum, or even view the entire sixth grade language arts scope and sequence. Sign up today to let your sixth grader experience the fun and learning encompassed in the Time4Learning Sixth Grade Language Arts Program.

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, grade levels, homeschool curriculum, language arts, learning to read, middle school curriculum, online reading, reading curriculum, sixth grade curriculum

A sixth grade math curriculum should be taught using sixth grade lessons including interactive activities, learning games, printable worksheets, assessments, and reinforcement. Manipulatives are very important for sixth grade math lessons.

And a sixth grade math curriculum should cover all the math strands, not just arithmetic. The major math strands for sixth grade curriculum are number sense and operations, algebra, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, and data analysis and probability. While these math strands might surprise you, they are all critical lessons for a sixth grade math curriculum.

Sixth grade math students build on what they learned in fifth grade math, which led them to the decimal base-10 number system, finding factors of numbers to 100, and multiplication of decimals to hundredths. In sixth grade math they work with numbers through the hundred thousands or more. They compare decimals to fractions, and add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals and fractions. Sixth grade math opens them up to a greater understanding of measurement techniques, geometry and algebraic thinking. It will be an exciting year full of new, complex math concepts.

During sixth grade, math students demonstrate a knowledge of word names and standard numerals for whole numbers, fractions, decimals through hundred-thousands, and percents. They read and write whole numbers and decimals in expanded form. Using graphic models, number lines and symbols they compare and order fractions, decimals, and common percents.

A sixth grade math student will be able to describe the meanings of positive rational numbers, will understand the relationships between fractions, decimals, and percents, and will be able to express quantities in various ways using fractions, decimals, and percents. Sixth grade math students learn about the inverse relationship of positive and negative numbers. Also during sixth grade math, students are expected to use all four basic arithmetic operations on whole numbers, fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals. They should be able to select the right operations and solve real-life problems with one and two step solutions.

Sixth grade math students learn to compare the decimal number system to systems that don’t use place value such as Roman or Egyptian number systems. They are trained to apply commutative, associative and distributive properties in the addition and multiplication of rational numbers. Sixth grade math students also learn about the order of operations used when solving problems - for example, operations inside parenthesis are computed first.

A component of sixth grade math is to know about proportional relationships and to be able to describe them. Students should be able to justify their choice of methods used for calculations. They should estimate to predict results and check the reasonableness of results. Sixth grade math students should know if numbers are prime or composite. They should use divisibility rules, determine prime factorization of numbers less than or equal to 100, and should be able to find the greatest common factor and least common multiple of two or more numbers.

Time4Learning is an online learning system for homeschool education, enrichment, e-tutoring, or for sharpening summer skills. We provide sixth grade math worksheets and sixth grade math games in a total curriculum. Each unit has multimedia lessons, interactive exercises, printable worksheets for reinforcement, and assessments. Click to see the details on Time4Learning’s online sixth grade math lesson plan.

There are 302 math activities in the sixth grade curriculum, and children can either move through them sequentially, or pick and choose from the lessons, using the Activity Finder. Parents can easily follow their child’s progress by logging into the child’s portfolio and viewing day by day lessons or a customizable and printable report than can be sorted by subject, lesson type, or date range.

To find out more about the sixth grade math program at Time4Learning, try out one of the demo lessons, ask a question in our parents forum, or even view the entire sixth grade math scope and sequence. Sign up today to let your sixth grader experience the fun and learning encompassed in the Time4Learning Sixth Grade Math Program.

Posted under Homeschool, grade levels, homeschool curriculum, math, math curriculum, middle school curriculum, online math curriculum, sixth grade curriculum