HOME

Today's Think

Heading 3

TODAY'S

THINK

Our 6th grade learning journey

Hey there!

Welcome to our homeschool page! We thought it would be fun this year to create a website together on various topics we want to know more about. The goal is to spend a small amount of time each day researching and documenting a loose outline of topics.

Motivational Film I Award Winning Animated Short Film I Alyce Tzue

TOPICS

Science

History

World Geography

Geology: Rocks and Minerals (3 1/2 weeks)
- Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
- The mineral world
- Mohs scale
- Volcanoes
- Earthquakes
- Mountain formations
- Rock collection project
- Learn about the manufacture of cement and glass
- Examine the origins of "fossil fules" such as coal and petroleum
- Examination of precious metals and jewels and their role in human civilization.
Intro to Phsyics: Heat, Light and Sound (5 weeks)
- Static Electriciy
- Magnetism
- Thermodynamics
- Optics
- Acoustics
Astronomy I (3 weeks)
- History of astronomy from the Ancients to Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler and Gallileo
- Phases of the moon
- The sun and seasons
Astronomy II (3-4 weeks)
- Our solar system
- The planets

Ancient Greek History (3 weeks)
Early Roman History (3 weeks)
- Make a time line to show events unfolding in chronological order
- From it's mythological period thorugh the Seven Kings of Rome and onto the Roman Republic.
Rome II, The Empire of the Caesars and begin The Middle Ages (3 weeks)
- Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire
History of the Middle Ages (3 weeks)
- The decline and fall of the Empire and the unfolding of European civilization in the Middle Ages.
Africa and Japan (3 weeks)

General Geography (3 weeks)
- Contrasts and configurations of land and water masses
- Continents
- Oceans
- Seas
- Mountain ranges
- Tributatires
- Comparing the perceptions of the Earth of peoples of the past; from the perspective of what we can see with the naked eye from where we stand on the earth (the changes of the sun, moon, stars, and planets)
- Biomes (climates, plant and animal life around the world)
European Geography (3 weeks)

Math

Intro to Geometry
- Will become familiar with the history of geometry and early earth measure.
- Review names and shapes of basic geometric polygons
- Review of square measure for area, pictorially and arithmetically
- Review of computation of perimeters of polygons
- Review computation of areas of rectangles and squares
- Intro to geometric drawing with a compass and straight edge
- Constructions of various polygons using different methods and materials
- Computation and construction of area, circumference, radius, diameter, angles, arcs, and chords of a circle
- Construction with the compass and straigt edge of polygons, angles, perpendicular bi-sectors and parallel lines.
- Intro to both concepts and diagrams of parallel lines, corresponding angles, interior angles of a triangle, and quadrilaterals.
- Ration and proportion
- Congruence and similarity of figures
Business Math
- Intro to percent, formulas, and graphs.
  - Percentage
  - Conversion of fractions to percentages and the reverse
  - Intro to double entry bookkeeping
  - Forumulas (ex. Interest formula)
  - Concept and calculation of simple interest
  - Comparing simple interest and compound interest
  - Cost, mark-up, and selling price
  - Discount and loss
  - Profit, comission, and tax
  - Dividends and principal on checking and savings accounts
  - Bills of various types
  - Pie charts and line graphs
  - Banking
  - Discounts
- Math Concepts
  - Mastery of four concepts - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, with whole numbers, fractions and decimals.
  - Decimal/fraction conversions and the reverse
  - Repeating decimals
  - Exponents and roots
  - Perfect swuares and very simple intro to estimating their square roots
  - Divisibility, long division, and estimation
  - Prime factorization
  - Measurement (U.S. and metric systems)
  - Order of arithmetic operations (PEMDAS)
  - Unit cost, rates, and ration
  - Statistics (mean, median, mode, and range)
  - Significant digits
  - Simple intro to exponential and scientific notations (also during science blocks)
- Optional
  - Puzzle problems
  - Mental Math & math tricks
  - Currency exchange rates

Misc.

ELA

Music
- Plain chant and Gregorian chant are introduced. Learn to sing and read it.
- Folk dances and Middle Ages dances.
- Medieval vocal and instrumental music.
Art:
Foreign Language:
Handwork
- Design and construct a soft fiber sculpture (doll). Make first a doll head and then make a pattern for the body based on proportions of the head.
- Intro to sewing stitches. Follow patterns to make clothing for the dolls, including socks and shoes.
- Card weaving
- Make a clay pot or bowl

English Grammar (3 weeks)
- Eight parts of speech are practiced
- Write in active and passive moods
- Latin Roots
20 to 45 minute presentations of stories, myths, legends, and factual content taken from the history of Rome and the MIddle Ages, the natural sciences and literature.
Intro to etymology
Create vocabulary lists each week of new words introduced through other learning, with an emphasis on Latin derivatives.
Master word syllabication
Write and edit samples of:
- Simple declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperatve sentences.
- Compound sentences with coordinate conjunctions and semi-colons
- Complex sentences with adjective phrases with restrictive and non-restrictive clauses
- Adverbs
- Subordinate conjunctions - with emphasis on if / then constructions
- Sentence structure as it relates to tense
- Punctuation
- Proper capitalization
Writing Skills
- Take dictation
- Daily practice of short quotes or form drawings to improve penmanship and regular dictation from lessons.
- Proofread own work and correct spelling errors.
- Given topics from science and history, do research and then develop simple outlines emphasizing main ideas and supporting details. They will then write a report, re-stating what they have read in their own words, utilizing note cards and citing their sources.
- Compose business letters and personal correspondence.
- Writing in narrative form from material they have heard or read
Reading
- Read at least nine books, three of which will be school time readers, the rest will be assigned for after school time, followed by comprehension questions.
- Present oral reports and orally answer questions asked.
- Read aloud in class a minimum of 20 minutes per week