Sixth Grade
Overview
Sixth grade marks the beginning of the Middle School experience at Oasis Christian Academy. Students build upon the academic foundations established during elementary school while adjusting to increased expectations, multiple teachers and classes, greater personal responsibility, and more independent learning.
Academically, students encounter increasingly complex concepts that require them to analyze information, think critically, solve problems, conduct research, communicate effectively, and apply previously learned skills in new ways.
OCA utilizes BJU Press curriculum throughout the core sixth-grade academic program, providing challenging instruction taught through a Biblical worldview. Students are encouraged to recognize that Biblical truth applies to every area of learning and to evaluate ideas, information, and competing worldviews through the truth of Scripture.
Our goal is to help sixth-grade students make a successful transition into Middle School while developing the academic skills, spiritual foundation, personal responsibility, and independence necessary for the years ahead.
Bible & Biblical Worldview
Using BJU Press Bible curriculum, sixth-grade students deepen their knowledge of Scripture while beginning to examine the beliefs and worldviews that influence how people understand God, humanity, truth, morality, and the world.
Students strengthen their understanding of the nature and character of God, significant people and events throughout Scripture, God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ, and the nature and purpose of the Church.
As students become increasingly aware of ideas and beliefs different from their own, they are taught to identify foundational worldview questions and evaluate ideas through the truth of Scripture.
Bible instruction incorporates Scripture study and memory, prayer, discussion, worship, and practical application as students are encouraged to take increasing ownership of their faith and understand what it means to know, follow, and live for Jesus Christ.
Mathematics
Using BJU Press Mathematics, sixth-grade students transition from foundational arithmetic toward increasingly complex mathematical reasoning and introductory algebraic thinking.
Students strengthen their understanding and application of operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, rational numbers, and integers while exploring ratios, rates, expressions, equations, inequalities, geometry, the coordinate plane, and statistics.
Instruction emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, accuracy, and real-world application as students learn to select appropriate strategies and explain the processes used to solve increasingly complex problems.
Language Arts & Literature
Using BJU Press English Language Arts and Literature, sixth-grade students strengthen reading comprehension, literary analysis, grammar, vocabulary, research, writing, and oral communication skills.
Literature
Students read and analyze increasingly complex literary and informational texts while examining characterization, setting, plot, conflict, theme, point of view, author's purpose, figurative language, tone, and other literary elements.
Students are challenged to support conclusions with textual evidence, summarize and analyze what they read, and evaluate themes, ideas, values, and worldview perspectives through a Biblical worldview.
Students also complete their study of selected works from The Chronicles of Narnia, building upon the literature experience begun during the elementary years.
Grammar, Writing & Research
Students strengthen their command of Standard English grammar, usage, mechanics, spelling, and vocabulary while applying those skills to increasingly complex writing assignments.
Writing instruction emphasizes organization, development of ideas, sentence variety, supporting evidence, revision, editing, and effective communication.
Students also develop foundational research skills, including locating information, evaluating appropriate sources, organizing research, summarizing and paraphrasing information, and using information responsibly.
Science
Using BJU Press Science, sixth-grade students investigate increasingly complex concepts related to God's creation while developing scientific reasoning, inquiry, and problem-solving skills.
Students explore topics including cells and organisms, matter and energy, astronomy, heredity and genetics, the nervous system, the immune system, and other areas of life and physical science.
Through instruction, investigation, and hands-on learning, students are challenged to ask scientific questions, analyze evidence, interpret information, communicate conclusions, and recognize the complexity, order, and design evident throughout God's creation.
Ancient Civilizations & World History
Using BJU Press Social Studies, sixth-grade students explore major ancient civilizations and the people, geography, governments, cultures, religions, philosophies, achievements, and events that shaped the development of the ancient world.
Students examine how geography influenced civilizations, compare forms of government and social organization, analyze cultural and religious beliefs, and evaluate the contributions ancient civilizations made to later societies.
Historical study is approached through a Biblical worldview, helping students understand the relationship between Biblical history and the broader historical record while learning to evaluate historical ideas, cultures, religions, and events through the truth of Scripture.
By the End of Sixth Grade, Students Will:
Bible & Biblical Worldview
- Recognize the Bible as the authoritative Word of God and the foundation for truth.
- Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the nature and character of God.
- Identify significant people, events, themes, and teachings throughout Scripture.
- Explain foundational truths concerning Creation, the Fall, redemption, and restoration.
- Demonstrate an understanding of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
- Explain the nature and purpose of the Church and identify characteristics of God's people.
- Explain what it means to know, follow, and live for Jesus Christ.
- Identify foundational components of a Biblical worldview.
- Recognize that people interpret life and the world according to underlying beliefs and assumptions.
- Begin comparing selected worldview perspectives with Biblical truth.
- Apply Scripture to age-appropriate questions involving truth, identity, morality, relationships, and decision-making.
- Develop habits of spiritual growth through Scripture, prayer, worship, fellowship, obedience, and service.
- Memorize and apply selected passages of Scripture.
- Demonstrate an age-appropriate ability to communicate and support Biblical beliefs.
Mathematics
- Extend understanding of numbers to include negative numbers and absolute value.
- Add, subtract, multiply, and divide positive rational numbers.
- Apply properties of operations to rewrite numerical expressions in equivalent forms.
- Demonstrate an understanding of operations involving integers.
- Extend understanding of arithmetic expressions to introductory algebraic expressions.
- Write, evaluate, and simplify grade-appropriate numerical and algebraic expressions.
- Develop an understanding of solving equations and inequalities.
- Understand ratio, rate, and unit-rate concepts and use them to solve problems.
- Apply knowledge of the coordinate plane to represent and solve problems.
- Model and solve problems involving two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures.
- Apply formulas to solve grade-appropriate problems involving area, surface area, and volume.
- Develop an understanding of statistical reasoning.
- Determine and interpret measures of center and measures of variability.
- Solve multi-step mathematical problems and explain the reasoning used to reach a solution.
Literature
- Read and comprehend increasingly complex grade-level literary and informational texts.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used within a text, including figurative and connotative meanings.
- Analyze how specific word choices influence meaning and tone.
- Analyze characterization, setting, plot, conflict, theme, point of view, and other literary elements.
- Determine central ideas and themes and support conclusions with relevant textual evidence.
- Summarize texts objectively and accurately.
- Make inferences and draw conclusions supported by textual evidence.
- Compare and contrast characters, themes, perspectives, events, and texts.
- Analyze an author's purpose and perspective.
- Evaluate age-appropriate themes, ideas, values, and worldview perspectives through a Biblical worldview.
- Communicate literary analysis through thoughtful discussion and written responses.
Grammar, Writing & Research
- Demonstrate command of grade-appropriate Standard English grammar and usage when writing and speaking.
- Demonstrate command of grade-appropriate capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
- Apply appropriate vocabulary and word choice to written and oral communication.
- Vary sentence patterns to improve meaning, clarity, interest, and style.
- Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words using context and other appropriate strategies.
- Use print and digital reference resources appropriately to determine pronunciation, meaning, usage, and parts of speech.
- Verify inferred word meanings through context and appropriate reference materials.
- Produce organized narrative, informative, explanatory, and argumentative or opinion writing appropriate to the sixth-grade curriculum.
- Support written ideas with relevant facts, details, examples, and evidence.
- Participate in the writing process through planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
- Conduct age-appropriate research using multiple appropriate sources.
- Summarize and paraphrase information while distinguishing original ideas from information obtained from sources.
- Organize and communicate research findings through written and oral presentations.
- Demonstrate increasing independence and responsibility in completing extended writing and research assignments.
Science
- Examine scientific questions and evidence through a Biblical worldview.
- Use scientific inquiry to ask questions, investigate, collect and analyze information, and communicate conclusions.
- Identify major structures and functions of cells.
- Explain relationships between cells, tissues, organs, systems, and organisms at an age-appropriate level.
- Describe basic concepts involving matter and energy.
- Demonstrate an understanding of foundational concepts in astronomy.
- Identify significant components and relationships within the solar system.
- Explain foundational concepts of heredity and genetics.
- Describe major structures and functions of the nervous system.
- Describe major structures and functions of the immune system.
- Interpret age-appropriate scientific models, diagrams, data, and evidence.
- Apply scientific reasoning to questions and problems.
- Recognize evidence of complexity, order, and design throughout God's creation.
Ancient Civilizations & World History
- Examine history, geography, government, economics, culture, philosophy, and religion through a Biblical worldview.
- Identify major ancient civilizations and locate them geographically
- Describe significant characteristics and achievements of major ancient civilizations.
- Explain how geography and natural resources influenced the development of civilizations.
- Compare forms of government and social organization among selected ancient civilizations.
- Identify significant historical people, events, innovations, and ideas from the ancient world.
- Describe the cultural practices and beliefs of major ancient civilizations.
- Identify major religious and philosophical beliefs associated with selected ancient civilizations.
- Compare selected ancient religious and philosophical beliefs with a Biblical worldview.
- Explain significant contributions ancient civilizations made to government, law, language, architecture, mathematics, science, art, and other areas of society.
- Recognize relationships between Biblical events and the broader historical timeline.
- Analyze cause-and-effect relationships in historical events.
- Use maps, timelines, primary sources, secondary sources, and other historical resources to interpret the past.
- Compare perspectives and experiences of people from different civilizations and cultures.
- Demonstrate respect when studying cultures and religious beliefs different from their own while evaluating ideas through a Biblical worldview.