Sixth Grade
The Roman Empire
While the balance and harmony of classical Greek architecture and sculpture reflect the state of the fifth grader, the sixth grader is introduced to the shrewd, calculating power and personality of the members of the Roman Senate. The thought-power of the Romans led them to take hold of the earth with such developments as road building, architecture, law, debate, and the like. Therefore, in the sixth grade we help the students discover a completely new realm of inner and outer worlds through the dynamic curriculum.
The study of history begins with the founding of the city of Rome in the eighth century B.C. and generally concludes with a study of King Arthur and Joan of Arc.
Geometric Drawing
In geometric drawing, the students learn to use compasses and rulers in very precise drawing. The work includes the construction of hexagons, stellar hexagons, dodecagons, pentagons, and 24-sided polygons with all diagonals. This block gives students hands-on experience of angles and forms that lead to a deeper understanding of geometry.
Math – Decimals & Percentages
In math, the students work with decimals, percentages, and fractional conversions to percentages. Business math usually includes the study of taxes, discounts, commissions, and interest (principal, rate, time) calculations. As an adjunct to the geometric drawing block, formulae for perimeters, areas, and the Pythagorean Theorem can be introduced during the last months of the school year. Pre-Algebra is often introduced in this grade.
Language Arts – A Review of Grammar
Language arts includes a review of the eight parts of speech, conditional sentences, business essays, description, subjunctive mood, transitive and intransitive verbs, possessive and objective nouns, phrases and clauses and comparative adverbs. Spelling rules, dictionary use, and additional vocabulary complement the work in this block. Students may be taught the fundamentals of note-taking at this point.
Astronomy
Sixth grade astronomy is taught geocentrically. Students study the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, the equator, constellations and planets. The goal is to utilize observation skills and intellect. By observing the phases of the moon, seasonal changes, and the varying relationship of the stars to the earth from the standpoint of the poles and the tropics, the students may make a connection between conditions of the earth and the heavens.
Physics
The physics block is often divided into five sections: sound, heat, magnetism, static electricity, and light. Through the physics curriculum, children learn to observe a phenomenon during an experiment and write about it the following day. This aspect of the curriculum approaches the heart of the twelve-year olds' stage of development and their absorption with sense impressions. The goal is to present physical phenomena to the students and to train their skill in accurate observation. They learn that only after careful observations are made can valid judgments be formed. Next, they develop the skill to write these observations with objective and clear thoughts.
Geology & Mineralogy
The study of geology and mineralogy might begin with a cross-section map of the United States, noting the physical features of the landscape. The students study how rocks are formed: sedimentary by the seas, igneous through fire, and metamorphic through the internal movement of the earth. The sixth grade often takes a class trip to Death Valley, where they experience many examples of these three types of rock. The study of geology also includes aspects of erosion, glaciers, and mountain formation.
Geography
The students usually study European geography: mountains, bodies of water, land formations, climate, and social conditions. Students present country reports that focus on history (timeline of major events and important individuals), population, politics (form of government), economy (important products) and culture, religion, traditions and arts.
