Course Directory
Our challenging standards-based curriculum emphasizes the development of essential skills, the understanding of important concepts, and the ability to apply learning to real-world problems.
Our curriculum includes courses of study for all students in English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, music, visual arts, physical education, and health. In addition, students take grade-specific trimester courses in technology, research, and study skills which are designed to support their integrated learning experience.
Grade 6
Mathematics
The ASMS mathematics curriculum standards are developed from a combination of both the U.S Common Core Curriculum and the Finnish National standards. The standards are organized around five strands that apply across all grade levels: Numbers and Calculations, Algebra, Functions, Geometry, and Probability and Statistics. Progressing within these strands at developmentally appropriate levels, students are expected to explore mathematical relationships, develop and explain their own reasoning and strategies for solving problems, and use problem-solving tools appropriately. All students are encouraged to develop, to understand, and to value a variety of strategies. Information is presented in multiple ways to accommodate the differing learning styles of our students, to stimulate mathematical thinking, and to promote discussion among students. By the time students leave ASMS, they should be confident in their ability to apply their math knowledge to solve problems both in the classroom and in life.
Our unique course design is supported by teacher-generated materials specific to each unit and is not textbook dependent.
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Math 6
The sixth-grade mathematics curriculum and instruction emphasize growth in students’ conceptual understanding and utility of the mathematics they are learning. Students develop the ability to articulate and explain their own thinking. Emphasis is placed on the Number Strand to ensure students have a firm foundation in their understanding of numbers and their basic computation skills. This foundation is essential, as it supports the development of more abstract thinking and facilitates the acquisition of key concepts in pre-algebra, geometry, and probability.
As the school year progresses, sixth-grade students will comfortably perform all operations with fractions and decimals and fluently convert among rational numbers. They will use these skills to investigate authentic situations involving probability and chance, tax and discounts, distance, and comparison of quantities. They begin to use ratios and proportional relationships in problem-solving and to explore both spatial thinking and formulaic reasoning through a geometry unit. All sixth graders will explore the relationships between the various sets of numbers with emphasis on the rationals.