6th Grade

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Dear Junior High Parents,

I would like to welcome you to Junior High Social Studies! I am very happy to be able to take on the role of Social Studies teacher for grades 5-8 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy and I would like to thank you for trusting me with your children.  

I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation and I look forward to a wonderful school year.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel to e-mail me at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Mr. Bryan Lewis

Religion

This year your child will be learning about and discussing that we are God’s People. The following topics will be covered:

• Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition
• Creation Story (Old Testament)
• Cain and Abel
• Noah’s Ark
• Moses
• Israelites
• God guided his people to freedom
• God’s laws
• Advent
• Christmas
• Lent
• Easter
• Jesus is our Savior (New Testament
• The beginning of the Church
• The Bible and the Church today

By the end of the year the students will be able to identify parts and stories from the Bible, participate during Mass, and follow in God’s footsteps.

Tests 50%; Quizzes 20%; Projects 15% Homework 10%; Classwork 5%

Social Studies

This year your child will be learning about and discussing World History during Social Studies class. The following topics will be covered:

• Early Humans and the Agricultural Revolution
• The Fertile Crescent
• Ancient Egypt and Kush
• The Israelites
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient South Asia
• Early China, Korea, and Japan
• Ancient Rome
• The Rise of Christian Kingdoms
• The Americas
• Medieval Europe
• The Rise of Islamic Empires
• The Middle Ages
• The Renaissance Begins
• The Age of Exploration and Trade
• The American Revolution
• World Wars I and II
• The Cold War

By the end of the year the students will be able to identify cause and effect, organize information using timelines, answer document based questions, and relate world history to their current lives. A test will be given at the end of each chapter. I will let the class know at least a week in advance and review the test questions and answers with them during class. Please use these study guides to help prepare your child for his/her exam. 

Tests 20%; Quizzes 20% Homework 20%; Classwork 20% Projects 20%

Bryan Lewis (Grade Six Religion & Social Studies)

6th Grade Math

Students In sixth grade learn key concepts that move them closer to middle school algebra. Ratios and proportions emerge as a new domain of study, where students explore and reason with ratios and rates in order to solve problems. Sixth graders will also investigate negative numbers for the first time and round out their study of the rational number system before operating with all rational numbers in seventh grade. Work with numerical expressions extends to algebraic expressions, which sets students up to solve one-step equations and inequalities. Students will also continue their study of area and volume of geometric shapes, and will learn how statistics can be used to better understand data about our world.

Topics covered in 6th grade math:

• Understanding and Representing Ratios: Students have the opportunity to study a concept that is brand new to them, while leaning on reasoning skills around multiplicative comparisons learned in prior grade levels. Students learn both concrete and abstract representations, including double number lines and tables, which they will be able to use throughout the year.
• Unit Rates and Percent: Students continue their study of ratios by extending the concept to rates and percentages.
• Multi-Digit and Fraction Computation: Students extend their understanding of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions, and develop fluency with whole number and decimal operations.
• Rational Numbers, students focus on the number system, applying understandings to new computations with fractions, and expanding their understanding of the world of numbers to include negatives.
• Numerical and Algebraic Expressions: Students will learn to express math language into expressions with operations.
• Equations and Inequalities, prepare students for future work with more complicated equations in seventh and eighth grades. Students lean on their work with the number system from Unit 3 to support their work with numerical expressions and solving equations.
• Relationships on the coordinate plane: Students revisit ratio concepts from the first two units by representing relationships in the coordinate plane and with equations. Students also apply their equation skills to percent problems as another method to solve problems.
• Geometry, students learn how composing and decomposing unfamiliar shapes into familiar ones can extend their ability to find area and volume. Students draw on knowledge and skills from major work of the grade covered in previous units of the year in order to determine measurements, understand formulas, and represent 2-dimensional shapes in the coordinate plane.
• Statistics, the last unit of the year, students are introduced to the study of statistics. They learn how to represent sets of data and how using different measurements about the data set can be used to analyze the information and answer the statistical question.

ELA

The middle school ELA program is intended to prepare our students for the New York State Test and get them ready for high school English. To accomplish this, the students read novels, learn essay writing, and work on their comprehension and overall writing skills. Vocabulary and grammar are stressed through the use of SRA’s and the iReady program. Discussions and expansive philosophy are encouraged and a holistic approach to knowledge stressed. And as with all things and Immac, our Catholic faith serves as the springboard for all our efforts.

6th Grade ELA
John Shea
[email protected]

Science

Cells & Heredity and Human Anatomy – The students will learn about the basic cell structures and the various physiological systems. Using the school’s science lab will be an added experience.

This year your child will be learning about the following topics:

• Electricity and Magnetism

• Engineering, and Energy Transformations

• Ecosystems

• Investigating Weather and Climate

• Human Impact on Earth’s Climate