6th Grade - San Diego French American School

• Language Arts in Middle School

  The language arts program in middle school focuses on preparing the students to be bilingual, bi-literate, and bicultural in French and English. Class time is dedicated to the Spanish language, which enhances the students' multi-cultural experience.

• 6th Grade Language Arts Program

  The sixth grade language arts program, in both French and English, has a strong foundation in reading for word recognition, vocabulary and concepts, and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension may include reading informational materials: such as newspapers, magazines, online information, selected texts, and genres from classical and contemporary literature. Students begin to develop analytical and writing skills in responding to literature studied. There is a strong emphasis on grammar as a base for producing good writing. Examples of novels studied are: Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls, Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech, Les metamorphoses d'Ovide, Le Chat Noir, by Edgar Allen Poe. The program is complemented by studying the moving image, which could be a movie related to a text studied, or a film that supplements the text. In addition to writing responses to literature, students practice writing narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive essays, and research reports that may be connected to a theme studied in American Social Studies or the study of antiquity in French. In Spanish, the students reinforce basic vocabulary and begin to develop oral communication skills.

• 6th Grade French History and Geography/American Social Studies

  Since both the French and American curricula focus on ancient civilizations in the 6th Grade year, the programs are harmonized to ensure that the topics are covered in a balanced way, with reinforcement of ideas and vocabulary in both languages when possible. Students begin to develop higher levels of critical thinking and analyze development of cultures and their interactions through time (politics, religion, economics, social, and geographic backgrounds). Topics include the archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic area to the agricultural revolution; the foundation of Greece, its cities, citizenship and democracy; Chinese dynasties; early civilization in India. Students research and write reports, which may be presented orally in class.

Mathematics in Middle School

The current middle school math curriculum is a fusion of the French and Californian programs. The students have a very good level in math at the beginning of 6th Grade, especially in calculation and geometric construction. Different techniques in each system, such as those for division, help the students. By the end of 8th Grade, all the French middle school program, and US "Algebra 1" and "Geometry" are completed. Student evaluation in each middle school grade is through 30 graded homework assignments and 12 tests. Students participate in math contests during the year, such as the French Kangourou des maths, the US Math League contest, and a local San Diego Math Field Day.

• 6th Grade Mathematics

  The program builds a strong base for combining both the American and French mathematics, since areas of study need to be harmonized to fulfill standards expected to complete both curricula. The five main areas of study are:

  • Number Senseincludes positive and negative integers, decimals and fractions; prime factorization, ratios and proportions; crossover multiplication; using percentages.
  • Pre-Algebraone-step linear equations; evaluating algebraic expressions; order of operations, commutative, associative and distributive properties.
  • Measurementunit conversions; average speed, rate of flow; angles and their sums; perimeters; area of a circle, triangle, quadrilateral; volume.
  • Geometryparallel and perpendicular lines; circles; properties of triangles and quadrilaterals; perpendicular and angle bisectors; construction using a compass and straight edge.
  • Statistics and Probabilitiesdata tables and displays; mean, median, mode of data sets; outcomes and probabilities; non-occurring, disjointed, and independent events.

Science in Middle School

The middle school science program builds a strong base for combining both the American and French science, since areas of study need to be harmonized to fulfill standards expected to complete both curricula. Objectives are cognitive, methodological, and educational. Emphasis is on forming responsible citizens who are capable of making meaningful choices.

• 6th Grade Science - Earth and Life Science

  The program links the French Life and Earth Science with the American Earth Science curriculum. Where possible, students are presented with hands-on experiments and field trip experiences to supplement and enhance the curricula. Areas of study include:

  • Characteristics of the immediate environment and distribution of living beings
  • The origin of living matter: diversity, unity, and kinship of living beings
  • Populating a space - the notion of species
  • Practices and techniques related to food production