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Home » Middle School » Sixth Grade
Halfway and whole-hearted, that’s how Charles Wright’s 19 sixth grade faculty and staff members describe their students. Many of these 50-60 students became Tarriers in Beginning School or Kindergarten, but the school accepts at least 18 new students into the class each fall as they make the big move up to the Middle School. Halfway through the sixth grade year, families and teachers throw the students a joyous Halfway Celebration to celebrate the major accomplishment of completing exactly half of their K-12 education. The school year culminates with a three-night trip to an island off the coast of British Columbia where students practice leaving a very small footprint on the planet at Sea to Sky Outdoor School.
One of the most important sets of skills developed during a student’s Middle School years are the study and organizational skills required to handle the challenging academic load they’ll face in the Upper School. Middle School teachers and Learning Specialist Alyssa Baker take teaching these skills very seriously. From organizing your locker to tracking assignments in your planner, those skills are taught systematically in every Middle School class. Faculty members have the time to teach these skills because there are just eight students in the Middle School for every teacher and 18 or 19 in any given class.
ENGLISH
Sixth graders take two English classes. The primary English class is taught by Rachel Rippl, focusing on the writing process while utilizing genres such as memoir, poetry, realistic fiction and opinion essay with attention given to spelling, grammar and editing. In addition, Rippl and Brynn Starr teach a sixth grade reading class which introduces students to interpretive reading, moving beyond facts and plot to develop inference and interpretation skills. Students study historical fiction, realistic fiction and fantasy. They read independently and in book clubs and develop vocabulary studying Greek and Latin roots.
HISTORY
World geography in the sixth grade is taught by Jim Albers. The course is designed to expand each student’s awareness of the physical and human factors that influence the geography of the world while exploring continents, countries and cultures. The course challenges students to broaden their understanding of the world and make history relevant by creating projects, examining current events and participating in class discussions.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Charles Wright’s foreign language department introduces students to Spanish as they enter the school at pre-k Beginning School, but Middle Schools can choose to study French, Japanese or Spanish. French is taught by Deana Wiatr, Japanese by Julia Maeda and Spanish by Judy Williams and Dana Flaskerud. All three courses focus on developing conversation skills and building vocabulary. Most will continue with their chosen language in the Upper School, although they are free to switch languages in the Upper School or add a second class to their schedule.
MATH
In sixth grade math, taught by Alisha Bright, Albers and Richard Kalustian, students improve their skills with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios and proportions, percents, powers, scientific notation and geometric concepts. They are introduced to some pre-algebra skills using variables. The following year in seventh grade, students will extend their skills with expressions, equations and graphs in preparation for the eighth grade’s traditional high school algebra curriculum.
SCIENCE
The sixth grade science class, taught by Bright, explores the requirements for life, characteristics of the principal ecosystems, natural and living resources obtained from the various ecosystems, human anatomy and reproduction, and human impact on the environment.
VISUAL ARTS
Sixth grade art is a comprehensive art curriculum, taught by Katy Macdonald, which encompasses art-making, art history and art appreciation. Visual arts are also incorporated into the projects students do in many other classes.
PERFORMING ARTS
The sixth grade performing arts program offers two choices – beginning band or a rotating choir and drama course. Band is offered as a full year course and is taught by instrumental music director Heidi Huckins, the Choir/Drama course switches each quarter and is taught by choral music director Aimee Mell and drama teacher John Forier.
Both choices offer lots of opportunities for playing, singing, moving, and acting for peers and parents throughout the year, and culminate with participation, along with all the middle and upper school ensembles, in our Spring Concerts. In the fall of 2009, the Middle School performing arts programs will move into Charles Wright’s fabulous new Language and Performing Arts Center.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Daily PE classes in the sixth grade are taught by Michelle Svensen and Mindy McGrath. Students develop healthy life habits and skills for team sports, which begin competitively at Charles Wright in seventh grade. They also increase personal fitness, learn teamwork, have fun and get outside as often as weather allows.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Research and technology skills are integrated throughout the sixth grade program. Research units are planned and taught collaboratively by the librarian, Sam Harris, and classroom teachers. Major research units are part of the science, geography and English curricula. Additionally, Harris works closely with the sixth grade reading teachers to support independent reading by providing weekly book talks, exposing students to a variety of literary genres.
Regular use of technology within the classroom setting is part of six graders’ daily routine, including the use of portable laptop labs to support writing in the English classroom, lab work in science and projects in geography. Similar to the research process, collaborative technology integration occurs on a project basis. Holly Lara, the technology coordinator for the Middle School, works closely with classroom teachers on these projects.
Middle School is an exciting and challenging time for many students academically, socially and emotionally. Counselor Todd Ritchie works with students and their families to ensure that students are healthy and successful.
While many Middle School students ride the bus to and from Charles Wright, some stay after school until their families can pick them up after work. Jessie Albers supervises the Middle School’s after school program in the library where you’ll often find students curled up in the giant bean bag with a good book or hard at work on their assignments for the next day. Students also have access on campus to computer labs, piano lessons, individual tutoring and the Tacoma Youth Chorus.
Halfway and whole-hearted, that’s how Charles Wright’s 19 sixth grade faculty and staff members describe their students. Many of these 50-60 students became Tarriers in Beginning School or Kindergarten, but the school accepts at least 18 new students into the class each fall as they make the big move up to the Middle School. Halfway through the sixth grade year, families and teachers throw the students a joyous Halfway Celebration to celebrate the major accomplishment of completing exactly half of their K-12 education. The school year culminates with a three-night trip to an island off the coast of British Columbia where students practice leaving a very small footprint on the planet at Sea to Sky Outdoor School.
One of the most important sets of skills developed during a student’s Middle School years are the study and organizational skills required to handle the challenging academic load they’ll face in the Upper School. Middle School teachers and Learning Specialist Alyssa Baker take teaching these skills very seriously. From organizing your locker to tracking assignments in your planner, those skills are taught systematically in every Middle School class. Faculty members have the time to teach these skills because there are just eight students in the Middle School for every teacher and 18 or 19 in any given class.ENGLISH
Sixth graders take two English classes. The primary English class is taught by Rachel Rippl, focusing on the writing process while utilizing genres such as memoir, poetry, realistic fiction and opinion essay with attention given to spelling, grammar and editing. In addition, Rippl and Brynn Starr teach a sixth grade reading class which introduces students to interpretive reading, moving beyond facts and plot to develop inference and interpretation skills. Students study historical fiction, realistic fiction and fantasy. They read independently and in book clubs and develop vocabulary studying Greek and Latin roots.HISTORY
World geography in the sixth grade is taught by Jim Albers. The course is designed to expand each student’s awareness of the physical and human factors that influence the geography of the world while exploring continents, countries and cultures. The course challenges students to broaden their understanding of the world and make history relevant by creating projects, examining current events and participating in class discussions.FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Charles Wright’s foreign language department introduces students to Spanish as they enter the school at pre-k Beginning School, but Middle Schools can choose to study French, Japanese or Spanish. French is taught by Deana Wiatr, Japanese by Julia Maeda and Spanish by Judy Williams and Dana Flaskerud. All three courses focus on developing conversation skills and building vocabulary. Most will continue with their chosen language in the Upper School, although they are free to switch languages in the Upper School or add a second class to their schedule. MATH
In sixth grade math, taught by Alisha Bright, Albers and Richard Kalustian, students improve their skills with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios and proportions, percents, powers, scientific notation and geometric concepts. They are introduced to some pre-algebra skills using variables. The following year in seventh grade, students will extend their skills with expressions, equations and graphs in preparation for the eighth grade’s traditional high school algebra curriculum. SCIENCE
The sixth grade science class, taught by Bright, explores the requirements for life, characteristics of the principal ecosystems, natural and living resources obtained from the various ecosystems, human anatomy and reproduction, and human impact on the environment. VISUAL ARTS
Sixth grade art is a comprehensive art curriculum, taught by Katy Macdonald, which encompasses art-making, art history and art appreciation. Visual arts are also incorporated into the projects students do in many other classes.PERFORMING ARTS
The sixth grade performing arts program offers two choices – beginning band or a rotating choir and drama course. Band is offered as a full year course and is taught by instrumental music director Heidi Huckins, the Choir/Drama course switches each quarter and is taught by choral music director Aimee Mell and drama teacher John Forier.
Both choices offer lots of opportunities for playing, singing, moving, and acting for peers and parents throughout the year, and culminate with participation, along with all the middle and upper school ensembles, in our Spring Concerts. In the fall of 2009, the Middle School performing arts programs will move into Charles Wright’s fabulous new Language and Performing Arts Center.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Daily PE classes in the sixth grade are taught by Michelle Svensen and Mindy McGrath. Students develop healthy life habits and skills for team sports, which begin competitively at Charles Wright in seventh grade. They also increase personal fitness, learn teamwork, have fun and get outside as often as weather allows.OTHER PROGRAMS
Research and technology skills are integrated throughout the sixth grade program. Research units are planned and taught collaboratively by the librarian, Sam Harris, and classroom teachers. Major research units are part of the science, geography and English curricula. Additionally, Harris works closely with the sixth grade reading teachers to support independent reading by providing weekly book talks, exposing students to a variety of literary genres.
Regular use of technology within the classroom setting is part of six graders’ daily routine, including the use of portable laptop labs to support writing in the English classroom, lab work in science and projects in geography. Similar to the research process, collaborative technology integration occurs on a project basis. Holly Lara, the technology coordinator for the Middle School, works closely with classroom teachers on these projects.
Middle School is an exciting and challenging time for many students academically, socially and emotionally. Counselor Todd Ritchie works with students and their families to ensure that students are healthy and successful. While many Middle School students ride the bus to and from Charles Wright, some stay after school until their families can pick them up after work. Jessie Albers supervises the Middle School’s after school program in the library where you’ll often find students curled up in the giant bean bag with a good book or hard at work on their assignments for the next day. Students also have access on campus to computer labs, piano lessons, individual tutoring and the Tacoma Youth Chorus.
