Sixth Grade
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Sixth graders, as the leaders of the school, engage with early childhood students as mentors.
Language Arts
- Appreciate and respond to literature during Reader’s Workshop
- Integrate comprehension strategies while reading to gain understanding of text
- Analyze and apply literary elements and techniques
- Apply metacognitive skills while reading independently
- Apply the six traits of writing to all written texts
- Use the writing process effectively to write an organized story narrative, expository paper, MLA-formatted literary essay, and personal speech
- Rehearse and deliver a speech focusing on voice control and stage presence
- Identify the eight parts of speech, understand their functions, and use them effectively when writing
- Analyze sentence structure and edit writing samples for proper use of clauses, complements, prepositional and verbal phrases
- Examine word choice to develop accuracy and precision of language
- Complete analogies and state their relationships
Math
- Solve operations with decimals, fractions, percentages, and integers
- Convert fractions, decimals, and percentages
- Compute using order of operations
- Identify perfect squares and their roots and estimate the root of non-perfect squares
- Identify rational and irrational numbers
- Understand and solve ratios, rates, and proportions
- Differentiate between algebraic expressions and equations
- Solve 1-step and 2-step equations and 1-step inequalities
- Interpret the slope of a line
- Investigate geometric concepts such as Pythagorean Theorem, planes, transformations, angles, figures, and polygons
- Understand the Metric measurement system and use formulas to find perimeter, area, circumference, and volume
- Collect data and use data-analysis skills to relate data to real-life situations
Social Studies
- Investigate diplomatic relationships with countries today
- Make connections from the past to the present and possibly the future
- Explore history through controversial concepts such as Isolationism vs. Expansionism, Neutrality vs. Involvement, Cold War vs. Hot War, and Values and Morals vs. Violence and Terrorism
- Read for understanding and summarize historical events
- Conduct internet research
- Determine main ideas and worthy conclusions within texts and take informative notes
- State a claim and support it with historical data
- Apply understanding of vocabulary and sentence structure to write an essay featuring content and opinions of American history
- Use critical and creative-thinking skills to write a reflection on historical topics
Science
- Explore chemistry by studying the characteristics of matter, atomic structure, the periodic table, and formation of compounds
- Balance chemical equations
- Recognize the difference between an acid and a base
- Understand that cells are the smallest structural unit of plants and animals
- Observe that most cells share similar structures and have organelles that perform important functions within the cell
- Identify the parts of the cell
- Understand the role genetics plays in determining personal features
- Identify the components of a DNA molecule
- Compare characteristics of personal features
- Correctly complete a Punnett Square
Curriculum Overview by Grade
Early Childhood
Elementary
Curriculum Overview: Special Areas
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1
We intentionally educate and nurture the heart, soul, mind, and body of each boy.
Guiding Principles
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2
We know, nurture, and love each boy as a unique child of God.
Guiding Principles
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3
We teach the Bible and model the Christian faith to our boys.
Guiding Principles
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4
We aren't just teachers; we are life-long learners and students.
Guiding Principles
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5
We push students to engage as thinkers.
Guiding Principles
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6
In an increasingly connected world, our curriculum has a global perspective.
Guiding Principles
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7
Flexible teaching strategies seek to maximize learning for each boy.
Guiding Principles
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8
Our assessments aren't just a way to measure learning — we want our boys to demonstrate understanding.
Guiding Principles
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9
We seek to enroll boys from diverse backgrounds.
Guiding Principles
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10
We seek balance and excellence in all we do.
Guiding Principles
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11
We aren't just boy-friendly; we're boy-specific.
Guiding Principles
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12
Our program sets a foundation of learning that will help boys thrive beyond PDS.
Guiding Principles
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13
We take time to make sure our faculty and staff are growing spiritually.
Guiding Principles
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14
We hold high standards for ourselves, pushing ourselves to reflect, renew, and grow.