List of 14 items.

• English

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  The 6th Grade English experience encompasses four main elements, which include essential reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. Students are exposed to various genres and themes in novels, short stories, and poetry. Grammar fundamentals are integrated throughout the year to ensure well-structured essays that range from creative to persuasive. Assignments and projects include various book reports based on independent reading and group projects that allow student voice and choice. Self-expression and creativity are cornerstones of the 6th grade course.

• Mathematics

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  Students learn how to develop the upper-level skills of arithmetic and begin to explore more abstract concepts. This course is developed to meet the goals and objectives of the math department, which correlates with the Mathematics Common Core Concepts. Students can access an online math textbook and other online resources. Sixth grade topics include review of basic math facts, fraction and decimal operations, ratios, proportions, percents, graphing on the coordinate plane, basic geometry concepts, and integers. Students also begin to use basic numeric and algebraic equations. Throughout the curriculum, 6th grade students practice decoding and mastering word problems and continue to make connections to real life math concepts through various projects. The overall goal of the sixth grade math curriculum is to foster independence and critical thinking skills. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to become more individually responsible for themselves and their learning.

• History: The Ancient World

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  In order to take on a deeper sense of global citizenship, students in sixth grade initiate their study of World History with the origins of civilization and the rise to great heights of six cultures of the ancient world: the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome. In each unit the significance of geography and natural resources is analyzed with respect to the rise and achievements of each culture and their continued effect on the modern world. As the course of study begins in pre-historic times, and the cultures of study are rich in artistic traditions, a great deal of time is given to analyzing the art of each culture. Students will engage with a variety of sources in order to enjoy the culture, look for patterns and draw conclusions, and understand the importance of contextualization. Students work both individually and in cooperative groups to complete projects that demonstrate their understanding of topics. Guest speakers, art projects, simulations and other activities extend student learning.

• Earth and Planetary Science

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  Through modeling and labs, students learn about the composition of the Earth and how forces such as plate tectonics, uplift, volcanism, weathering and erosion shape our planet. Where do we fit in the universe? The same forces that shaped our galaxy led to the formation of our home planet. A study of rocks and minerals helps cement those connections and leads to an understanding of how scientific classification works. An exploration of fossils helps students understand how physical evidence is used to make inferences about the past. As students explore earthquakes and the waves they produce, they see how scientists use indirect evidence to know about things that can’t be seen, such as the composition of the Earth’s core. One project -- building model toothpick towers to withstand an “earthquake” -- lets students participate in the engineering process. Another project has students building Rube Goldberg machines -- a fun way to apply sound engineering principles to whimsical tasks. Each year, students go on a field trip to AstroCamp to learn about astronomy, rocketry and physics, and apply what they are learning in real-life science simulations.

• Religion

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  This religion course is designed to provide students with knowledge that strengthens their personal relationship with God and their commitment to a life of faith. The class provides opportunities for students to grow in their spiritual relationship with God through prayer and liturgical celebrations. They grow in their knowledge of the Old Testament through the study of Creation, Cain and Abel, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Moses, David and other prophets. Students are able to relate the Bible scripture to their own life experiences and develop a heightened sense of social justice.

• Health and Personal Development

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  The middle school health and personal development program builds on what the students have learned in the lower school and expands their knowledge in the areas of physical, emotional and social health. Areas of focus include: interpersonal relationship and communication skills, understanding who they are as individuals as well as citizens of their community and world, learning about various aspects of health, including sexuality education, being physically fit, understanding body image and eating disorders, drug and alcohol education, learning about the impact of media and technology and how to be good digital citizens, and how to exercise effective and educated decision-making skills in all aspects of their lives. Students leave Mayfield confident in their life skills and with a deeper understanding of their personal development and physical, emotional, and social health.

• Art

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  The art curriculum is divided into three units: sculpture, ceramics, and drawing in sixth grade. In the first unit, sixth graders create a Christmas Elf. Sixth grade is usually referred as “the year of the Elf,” a tradition at Mayfield that sixth graders and parents look forward to in art. Students design, construct, out of newspaper, paper towel rolls, cardboard, masking tape, and plaster cloth, and then paint their elves in unique colors. Attention to balance, proportion, and design are embedded in this project. The ceramics unit consists of creating a set of tableware, dinner plate, salad/dessert plate, mug, and water goblet using the slab method. The clay projects are enhanced with simple glazing techniques. In this unit, students are exposed to the history of ceramics and the principles of ceramic glazes. Sixth graders end the school year with a drawing unit. They work on drawings using soft lead pencils, colored pencils, oil pastels, chalk pastels, and charcoal sticks. Students are challenged to “really look” at objects they draw, see, understand, and create using Elements of Art such as line, texture, and especially value. Students also look at “still life” paintings/artists as a major component of western art history.

• Drama: New Perspectives

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  Students collaborate to create plays that reflect multicultural traditions and recreate significant moments in history and literature. The origins of theatre in ancient Greece and dramatizing Greek mythology is a cornerstone of the sixth grade year. Sixth graders are able to critically view a performance and speak intelligently about production values, perspective, and overall message. In addition, they work intensely on their public speaking skills, including speech-writing, impromptu speaking, and using a microphone. In the spring, they lead a meaningful prayer service for Stations of the Cross.

• Music

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  Students learn to read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs. They can identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression. They learn to sing with expression and technical accuracy, alone and in small and large ensembles, and improvise simple melodies. Students can explain how various aesthetic qualities convey images, feeling, or emotion, and they can conduct an in-depth evaluation of their improvement in personal musical performances after practice or rehearsal through active listening to Christmas and Spring Concerts and regular class recording sessions. Sixth graders learn how to describe how knowledge of music connects to learning in other subject areas, such as science, physics, language, history, drama, dance, etc., and are able to identify career pathways in music. Students perform musical selections at the Christmas and Spring Concerts for the school community, as well as a leading a meaningful prayer service for the Stations of the Cross.

• World Languages: Spanish

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  Students are introduced to the textbook Santillana and continue to practice writing, speaking, and listening skills to expand on what they learned in the previous year. They actively practice grammar, engage in the immediate future tense, and delve deeper into more complex vocabulary through hands-on kinesthetic learning that has them physically and verbally learning Spanish. Themes include connections to their communities and families, learning to prepare food and follow a recipe, and speaking about their homes and household chores. Students become more advanced students of the Spanish language.

• World Languages: French

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  Students begin their three-year French Program in sixth grade and are introduced to language and culture. They start with the textbook Discovering French: Nouveau Bleu 1A. The ultimate goal is to have the students express themselves in real-world situations, experience the many different cultures of the Francophone world at large, and expand their communication skills. Students focus on advancing their proficiencies in the following areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Their curriculum includes projects that help reinforce the language, such as skit writing & performing; culture and history, such as bistro or museum visits and francophone country reports; and media arts integration.

• World Languages: Latin

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  Who says Latin is a dead language? It lives at Mayfield Junior School. While the structure of the three year Latin program (grades 6-8) centers on learning Latin, the side benefits include developing "word attack" skills which aid reading comprehension through recognizing Latin root words, exposure to classical epics and myths, and understanding and using English grammar better. Students start their exploration of Latin using the Oxford Latin Course text and continue through the series on a pace fitting each class. Each unit has an enriching cultural element that develops students' appreciation for the classical world and its legacy in our modern times. Additionally, students are invited to attend Southern California Junior Classical League co-curricular activities with other Latin students across the southland.

• Computer Science and Technology

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  6th Grade Computer Science and Technology students expand and practice productivity and creativity skills on the iPad that specifically support their success in the iPad 1:1 program in middle school. Students gain competency in their knowledge of hardware & troubleshooting, advance their word processing, email etiquette, spreadsheet, presentation, video editing and production skills.
  
  The course is designed to ensure that sixth grade students actively participate in a collaborative and integrated approach to digital citizenship with Health and Drama, expanding digital citizenship content across the curriculum.
  
  In addition, 6th graders expand their knowledge of robotics using the Lego Mindstorm EV3 robots and curriculum. Students work collaboratively to create solutions to real world problems.
  
  Students continue to document their classroom learning on their digital portfolio.

• Physical Education

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  Students participate in a wide range of activities that enhance their development of sport-specific skills and creation of lifelong habits of physical activity and wellness. They learn and refine these skills through many activity-based units throughout the year. Following along with the athletic program, students continue building skills in football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, track and field, softball and baseball. The curriculum is interwoven with other various games and activities that develop physical fitness, motor-skills, and basic game strategy. The emphasis on sportsmanship, teamwork, and cooperation encourages students to develop their own skills individually, as well as, collectively when working in groups or on teams. The fundamentals of Mayfield team sports are introduced, and a desire to participate in the school’s athletic program is instilled. Sixth Grade students are given the opportunity to compete in tournaments throughout the year that begins their introduction to the school's athletic program.