Liberty Middle School 6 th Grade Social Studies

1. Curriculum Night 2015 Liberty Middle School6th GradeSocial Studies

2. Meet your Teachers • Mr. Robert Dodd (Revolution Hall) • Mrs. Erin Kirby (Transformation Hall) • Mrs. Jennifer Shoemake (Legacy Hall) • Mr. Jack Hall (co-teacher)

3. What We Cover • Europe • Australia • Latin America • Canada • Geography • History • Economics • Government Areas of the World Content Area

4. Homework Expectations • Students and parents should expect homework when work is unable to be completed in class or projects • Review of class work each evening is advised • Homework will be collected for a grade

5. How often will tests be given? • Quizzes (formative)are given when each standard has been met • Major assessments (summative) will be given at the end of each unit (approximately every three weeks).

6. How can I help my child? • Ask him/her about his/her social studies class and assignments • Use Parent Portal and ItsLearning

7. 6th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Molares, Mrs. O’Hara, Mr. Jack Hall, and Mrs. Shoemake

8. Language Arts Classroom • Reading • Writing • Speaking • Listening • Vocabulary • Presentations of Work • 21st Century Skills

9. Writing • Exploration of a variety of writing for various purposes and audiences such as narratives, persuasive/argumentative, and informational. • Use of the RACE strategy to compose effective essays. • Focus on preparing for the writing demands of the Georgia Milestones test. • Emphasize the writing process, meeting deadlines, and using trait-based rubrics • Grammar lessons are embedded throughout each unit.

10. Reading • Learn and apply reading strategies to works of fiction and non-fiction, using Holt-McDougal’s Literature textbook, in alignment with Common Core State Standards • Focus on literary elements: including setting, plot, conflict, characterization, point of view, theme, resolution, and figurative language • Class Novels-read in class • * Textbook website: my.hrw.com

11. Independent Reading • Self-selected reading is expected at home on a regular basis (minimum of 20-30 minutes per night) • Students are encouraged to use their on-line text books to build upon reading skills taught in class. There are many level-up tutorials on concepts such as inferencing, context clues, theme, methods of characterization, etc.

12. Vocabulary • Vocabulary instruction is embedded in each unit. • Students are taught strategies for tackling unknown words. • Each unit test contains vocabulary words which have not been discussed in class requiring students to apply strategies for decoding.

13. 6th Grade Math: Revolution Hall: Jana Crump Transformation Hall: Leeanne Mullinax Legacy Hall: Alesia Simmons Jack Hall (co-teacher) Math Information Materials needed for Math class: Binder PENCILS Notebook/graphpaper

14. Units Covered…

15. Units Covered 2nd Semester.. Unit 5 - One Step Equations and Inequalities Solve one step equations and inequalities, substitution, order of operations Unit 6 - Area and Volume Solve real world problems involving area, surface area and volume Unit 7 - Statistics Recognize a statistical question, summarize and describe distributions (mean, median and mode, interquartile range) Unit 8 - Show What We Know Work on projects that cover all we have learned for the year

16. Math Grading Policy Summative Exams can be retaken for a maximum of 85% credit. Formative Exams can not be retaken.

17. How can I help my child? • Ask about class/assignments • Look at agenda and notebook with your student (emphasize organization) • Replenish pencils/glue sticks/supplies • Encourage use of tutorials/self assess features of the online book, if applicable • Use Parent Portal for grades and itsLearning for course information

18. Questions? Important dates: Student-Led Conferences October 21st – 22nd Please contact us with your questions or concerns.

19. Earth Science 6th Grade Revolution Hall: Amber Brannon Transformation Hall: Sue Sciorrotta Legacy Hall: Alesia Simmons Jack Hall (co-teacher)

20. EARTH SCIENCE • —1st  Semester: • Geology, Rocks and Minerals, Plate Tectonics, Layers of the Earth. Earth and Energy, Volcanoes and Earthquakes. • —1st Final – Cumulative for 1st semester (last week before break)—

21. EARTH SCIENCE • 2nd Semester : • Hydrology, Water and Ocean. Meteorology, Atmosphere and Weather, Severe Storms, Astronomy, Planets • —Milestone • —2nd Semester Cumulative Final (last week of school)

22. 6th Grade Earth Science Curriculum Related Links Georgia Performance Standards http://www.phschool.com/ Assessment Weight : • 20% Formative: Class work, homework, quizzes • 80% Summative:Tests, projects

23. Milestones • The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school.  Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade assessment in each content area, while high school students will take an end-of-course assessment for each of the eight courses designated by the State Board of Education.

24. Milestones Continued • Features the Georgia Milestone Assessment System include: • open-ended (constructed-response) items in language arts and mathematics (all grades and courses); • a writing component (in response to passages read by students) at every grade level and course within the language arts assessment;

25. Milestones Continued • norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses, to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and • transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-penc​il as back-up until the transition is complete.

26. Parent Connections • Email • ITS Learning • Parent Portal • Telephone