Program

6th Grade

Sixth Grade is risk, respect, responsibility, and play. The Sixth Grade curriculum continues to instill within students a sense that they are students of the world and lifelong learners.

The goal is for these students to be thinkers, inquirers, flexible, open-minded, empathetic, knowledgeable, creative, honest, and collaborative; these qualitative intentions shape and guide the work of Sixth Grade everyday. Middle school students are active learners, and experiential education is important. Sixth Grade values their outdoor classroom, both out and about on the beautiful campus and off campus. Students intentionally learn to extend classroom skills into the greater world, highlighting that learning is everywhere; it can be found in the minute and monumental. Sixth Graders engage in dialogue, look at the world and ourselves, and take time to teach and learn responsively. Welcoming myriad guest speakers into the classroom, students practice listening, taking notes, asking insightful questions that further the discussion and learning, and gleaning knowledge from different people with different styles. Sixth Graders study mathematics””including the philosophy and history of math””literature, writing, geography and map-making, world cultures, 20th Century history, and current issues. Students explore the meaning of broad concepts such as “story” and “culture."

Above all, Sixth Graders revel in leadership of the school, applying tools acquired throughout their experience at PMFS to demonstrate global citizenship, thinking about the world, relationship building, listening to learn, interacting with diversity, handling differences, conflict mediation, and contributing to the community.

Areas of Study

List of 8 items.

Math

The Sixth Grade math program stresses versatility and math literacy. Centered on the middle school Course 1 of the Math in Focus program, students develop a deep understanding through real-world application of mathematical concepts and class discussion; they articulate their own processes and selection of strategies in problem-solving.
Language Arts

Sixth Grade creates a thoroughly interdisciplinary program where the ongoing development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening spans all subjects and activities.
Social Studies

World Cultures is the focus of social studies in Sixth Grade, investigating what it means to be human in today’s world. Initial geographical studies””learning the location of all countries in the world””lead into a year-long examination of the definition of ‘culture’ in the broadest sense.
Social-Emotional

Recognizing these middle school age students need to feel safe, cared for, and empowered in their community, Sixth Grade teachers expertly balance individual needs and awareness with that of the group.
Overnights

Echo Hill Outdoor School (two-day trip in fall; four-day stay at the end of the school year) – Bookending the Sixth Grade experience, stays at Echo Hill provide a framework of community, challenge, and reflection for the class. Students build leadership skills and trust through a series of cooperative challenges. At the beginning of the year, students are primed to become leaders of the PMFS community, and at the end of the year, they are guided to reflect on their growth in community and consider how future adventures will continue to shape them.
Sixth Grade Musical

Collaborating with peers and adults, students learn to constructively critique themselves and others through an experience that is both process and product driven. The full-scale musical showcases students’ growth, training, and achievement in both theatrical and musical arts, giving Sixth Graders opportunities in acting, singing and dancing, as well as in collaborative set and costume design, stage, and props management.
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The Egg Drop: One Central Experience

The culmination of a self-directed project encouraging design and problem-solving skills, the annual egg drop challenges students to work within given parameters to test their knowledge of force and velocity. The whole school comes out to see the Sixth Graders test their contraptions on a clear Spring day.
Graduation

At Plymouth, each Sixth Grader is the graduation speaker. Their final writing project at PMFS is to create and deliver a speech that reflects on their experiences and how events have shaped them as community members, learners, thinkers, and risk-takers.

See more about how PMFS support our student with transitions and where kids go after Plymouth at Transition to Seventh Grade