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Introduction
Grade 6 is the culminating year for the PYP in that it is the year for the Exhibition and a key milestone year for our students in their understanding and application of the three interrelated componcoents: 'What do we want to learn?', 'How best we will learn?' and 'How will we know what we have learned? The Exhibition is a community celebration of learning and inquiry and is held early in the second semester.
During the Grade 6 year, particular emphasis will be placed on supporting students with their understanding and development related to the transdisciplinary skills and, when applicable, incorporating the MYP Approaches to Learning. In addition, when authentic opportunities arise for the inclusion of other dimensions of the MYP Areas of Interaction, teachers will be encouraged to develop them. We believe that this increased connectedness between the two programmes will provide for a seamless transition and reinforce a continuum of skills, understandings and attitudes that will ensure each student's development as a successful and responsible international learner.
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 | At CIS, grade 6 students are engaged in studying 8 broad subject areas:
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English Language Arts
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Mathematics |
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Social Studies and Science |
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Additional Languages - students have the choice of French or Mandarin |
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Art and Drama |
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Music |
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Physical Education |
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Information Technology |
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In the Primary Years Programme, students engage in large, transdisciplinary topics of study organized as Units of Inquiry (UOI). With each UOI, the classroom becomes a centre of structured inquiry through which students acquire skills and build new knowledge. These units are outlined in our school-wide Programme of Inquiry (POI) and are carefully designed to build from one year to the next as students' progress through the school.
| Each Unit of Inquiry: |
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Is a significant, relevant and challenging learning experience.
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Involves students in a range of learning activities. |
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Requires students to engage in positive action. |
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Integrates diverse subject areas whenever meaningful and appropriate. |
| Units of Inquiry are organised within six transdisciplinary themes: |
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Who we are
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Where we are in place and time |
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How we express ourselves |
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Sharing the Planet |
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How the world works |
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How we organise ourselves |
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| Grade 6 Units of Inquiry: |
At CIS, our curriculum leaders and teachers strive to make learning relevant for their students. All students in grade 6 (PYP) will have the same transdisciplinary themes for each unit of inquiry (listed below), although the central idea will change slightly on each campus.
WHO WE ARE
CENTRAL IDEA: Beliefs and values underpin how we live our lives and are expressed in a variety of ways.
WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME
CENTRAL IDEA: All countries have a location and history that connect them in different ways.
HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES
CENTRAL IDEA: People's outward appearance is a form of self expression.
HOW THE WORLD WORKS
CENTRAL IDEA: Scientific knowledge can be applied to everyday life and can be investigated.
HOW WE ORGANISE OURSELVES
CENTRAL IDEA: Culture, art, people or the environment can be restored.
THE EXHIBITION
SHARING THE PLANET
CENTRAL IDEA: Conflict can be solved in peaceful ways.
| The Science PYP strands incorporated into units of inquiry are: |
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Living Things
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Earth and space |
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Materials and matter |
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Forces and energy |
| The Social Studies PYP strands incorporated into units of inquiry are: |
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Human systems and economic activities
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Social organisation and culture |
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Continuity and change through time |
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Human and natural environments |
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Resources and the environment |
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| The major language expectations for the PYP are organized into three main strands: |
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Oral Communication: listening and speaking
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Written Communication: reading and writing |
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Visual Communication: viewing and presenting |
Grade 6 students will be supported in seeking out complex children's literature and selecting books to read independently. They will be expected to read a variety of genres, such as realistic fiction, historical fiction, biographies, non-fiction, and poetry and to deal with complex issues such as survival or war. Learning strategies will involve the students in talking about and responding to the theme, author's purpose, style, and author's craft. They will be supported in writing and talking about literature at a deeper level and in using reason and examples to support their opinions. Students will have opportunities to delve into topics by reading both fiction and non-fiction materials and to use several resources independently. There will be opportunities to write persuasively about their ideas, feelings, and opinions, and with guidance, to write fiction and non-fiction in an organized way that weaves in information from several sources. Independent writing will provide opportunities for the inclusion and use of more complex sentences, sophisticated language, and imagery, with fiction writing focusing on including more detailed settings and well developed plots and characters. Students will continue to independently use increasingly sophisticated revising, editing, and publishing skills and will continue to set their goals and identify ways in which to improve as writers. Through shared and modeled sessions they will discuss qualities of good writing in different genres. Presentation and viewing skills will be emphasized and continue to be taught across all curriculum areas.
Each of the Language Arts strands has a series of Quality Indicators that identify achievement targets for students in grade 6.
Assessment includes analysis of student achievement according to indicators of performance, observations and one to one assessments, ongoing monitoring and checking of student performance and achievement, interviews, written skills based testing, self evaluation, written skill and comprehension tests and the daily monitoring of skills and understanding.
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As a part of an initiative to increase circulation of independent reading books, a list of recommended reading has been developed. Students have a wide range to choose from, but are required to read a certain number of books and respond to those books with a variety of projects.
The book list is regularly updated as students move from sixth through to seventh and eighth grade and as new literature is released. The list is adjusted to reflect the IB Learner Profile. As part of their response, students discuss how their choice fits or does not fit with particular profiles, for example, how does a character or plot illustrate or exemplify being a Risk-taker or being Principled. This initiative has been very successful in guiding students to make good choices in their independent reading, to choose books they may not have been exposed to and to have students look at the IB Learner Profile as a path to understanding a character or a novel.
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| The mathematics programme will enable the students to make sense of the world around them and will involve the development of strategies, a body of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Mathematical knowledge and the application of skills and strategies will provide students will a body of understanding upon which to build and reflect. The mathematical strands are: |
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Number: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, place value, whole numbers, fractions and decimal notation. Extending the understanding and application of number related knowledge, skills and strategies to include skill in using the broad range of whole and fractional number representations including ratios, percentage, fractional forms. The continued reinforcement of appropriate accurate, efficient and effective computation skills is a major aspect of the programme.
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Algebra: Problem solving, creating and interpreting patterns, identifying and using mathematical relationships and functions.
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Measurement: Using and applying standard measures, applying tools and equipment.
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Statistics, Data Handling and Probability: Designing, collecting and interpreting data, determining and explaining theoretical probability. |
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Shape and Space: Understanding and using geometry. |
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Mathematical Processes: Applying mathematical knowledge, skills and strategies within a range of contexts and problem solving situations. |
Each of the Mathematical strands has a series of benchmarks that identify achievement targets for Grade 6.
A range of assessment strategies are used and include: observations, ongoing monitoring and checking of student performance and achievement, interviews, written skills based testing, assessment of independent skills and knowledge practice, self evaluation, written topic and unit tests and the daily monitoring of skills and understanding.
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Information Communication Technology (ICT) is an integrated part of the curriculum. The ICT teacher works closely with the homeroom teachers to ensure lessons are connected to the Units of Inquiry. The computer is used as a tool to support learning and the exploration of knowledge. In addition, information technology is woven through the curriculum to ensure computer skills are a relevant and meaningful part of the student's education. Research and computer activities at each grade level are connected to the Units of Inquiry.
The Grade 6 programme has five major focus areas:
Responsible Technology Behaviour
- using technology appropriately at school
- participating effectively as an online citizen
Communicating Online
- using blogs as a communication and collaborative tool
Research Skills
- locating and evaluating information on the Internet
- acknowledging sources of information using Noodletools
Desktop Publishing
- producing banners, posters & other graphics using Publisher
- producing a self-running slideshow using PowerPoint
Digital Photography
- using images to communicate ideas and concepts
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An important and highly valued goal of our CIS curriculum is to enable our students to achieve a high level of proficiency in at least two languages, English and either French or Chinese (Mandarin), by the end of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in Grade 10. Language B is an additional or a foreign language the students study. The students are grouped according to their language need and attend Language B classes for 5 periods per week.
Particular emphasis is placed on using contexts that are motivating and familiar to the students to introduce and practice the structures of the language studied. Some students presently take part in Academic Resource (AR) or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programmes during this time.
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FRENCH
Students in Grade 6 will continue to follow the Accelerated Integrative Method (A.I.M.). This method uses a kinesthetic approach of gestures along with songs, games, and use of literature to enhance and accelerate acquisition of the language. Each unit of study consists of a play and related exercises which encourage language development.
Teachers will choose the plays that best fit a particular class and its students. Generally, and depending on the students' language skills, the following plays will be studied at each grade level. Adaptations may be made to suit individual students, and additional materials will be used (e.g. Galaxies readers) to reinforce language skills. PYP elements will be integrated into the units.
Louis la grenouille and related readings and studies
Themes: friendship, interpersonal relationships, common interests, emotions, humour
Cultural notes: Famous French "Louis" - e.g. Louis XIV, Louis Pasteur, etc.
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Le chat angora and related readings and studies
Themes: humour, using one's wits, intrapersonal, detective's work
Cultural notes: Charles Perrault - Author Study
Beginner
Salut mon ami!
Themes: friendship, sports, perseverance, keeping a positive attitude
Veux-tu danser?
Themes: friendship, middle school contexts
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MANDARIN
| Contexts for Study: |
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Getting to know a new friend
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Nationalities and languages |
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Introducing the Mid-Autumn Festival |
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Dates and time |
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My Extended Family (parties and celebrations) |
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Chinese New Year celebration/legends |
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Transportation and moving around |
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The role of different occupations |
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| SKILLS |
| Oral: |
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Follow classroom instructions |
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Talk about familiar topics using short phrases and sentences |
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Use the vocabulary, structures and grammar conventions introduced in class |
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Understand questions or comments and give appropriate responses |
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Maintain the flow of conversation for 1-2 minutes and show spontaneous engagement |
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Give an oral presentation of 5-8 sentences |
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| Reading: |
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Identify main ideas and key information in text |
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Read aloud familiar material, using correct pronunciation and intonation |
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Use reading strategies to assist in determining meaning (e.g. prior knowledge of the text and vocabulary, visual cues from the structure of characters) |
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Understand short written material, expectation minimum: 300-600 characters |
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| Writing: |
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Communicate ideas with some details |
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Use correct strokes and sequence to write characters |
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Use correct punctuation and relevant vocabulary appropriate for this level |
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Write a short paragraph of about 5 - 8 sentences on a familiar topic |
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Expectation minimum 120 - 180 characters |
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Art and drama are integrated into Units of Inquiry. Students attend visual arts throughout the year. Specific artistic skills are taught, including the elements of design, art interpretation and the creation of artwork that communicate a range of ideas and feelings. Students attend drama for an intensive block of time during which they interpret play and stories using dramatic techniques and communicate using role-play and movement.
| The Visual Arts PYP strands are: |
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Creative processes
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Elements and principles of art and design
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Reflection and appreciation |
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Visual art in society |
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| The Drama PYP strands are: |
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Creative exploration and expression |
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Technical incorporation |
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Performance |
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Personal and social development |
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Reflect, evaluation and appreciation |
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Drama in society |
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The Physical education department provides a high quality physical and education programme in a safe, fun, and challenging environment. The physical education staff exercise excellent communication and teaching skills and aim to nurture each student's growth and development in the physical, cognitive, and social domains through the scope and sequence of the Primary Years Programme.
| The Physical Education PYP strands are: |
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Health related activities
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Body control and spatial awareness |
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Athletic activities |
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Games |
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Movement to music |
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Adventure challenge |
The goal is for students to learn the value of intrinsic motivation and to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle in an increasingly changing society.
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All students receive music instruction each week with a specialty teacher. During these classes, students learn the basic elements of music through listening to, performing and creating music. During the first weeks of Grade 6, students will go through the process of choosing an instrument*. The musical instrument chosen will ideally be used throughout the entire three years as part of the music programme.
Once students have chosen their instrument more information will be provided to assist parents in deciding which option (purchase or rental) is best for each child. Grade 6 students need to rent or purchase their own instrument.
| The Music PYP strands are: |
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Performing - singing and playing instruments |
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Creating and composing |
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Notation |
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Listening and appreciation |
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Music in society | |
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