• 6th Grade Math
     

    Grade 6 math classes are heterogeneously grouped. Units of study include whole numbers, decimals, fractions and mixed numbers, number theory, integers, introduction to Algebra, Geometry, ratio, proportion, percent, statistics, and probability.  Further details can be found in the Math 6 Curriculum Guide.

     
    Placement process for 7th-grade math: Placements for the seventh grade are made by the sixth grade teacher and shared with parents via Infinite Campus in June. There is one section of Math 7-1 and three sections of Math 7-2 in each house. Please visit the 7th Grade Math page for more information about these courses.
     
    When making recommendations for the higher-level math course (Math 7-2), teachers look for these attributes in their students:
    • Displays self-advocacy skills (voluntarily seeking help and clarification when needed)
    • Able to independently initiate and sustain working on math tasks
    • Possesses an enjoyment and enthusiasm for the “challenges” of higher-level problem-solving tasks
    • Willingness to take mathematical risks
    • Able to work collaboratively in groups to perform problem-solving tasks
    • Able to communicate mathematical thinking and understanding
    • Exhibits resilience and a willingness to persist when faced with difficulty or struggle
    • Can view problems from multiple perspectives with multiple ways to solve
    • Displays reasoning capabilities that have shifted from a concrete to an abstract nature 
     
     
    **Solid lines indicate a typical path.  Dashed lines indicate possible paths that usually occur with intermediate steps taken.
     
     
    Opportunities for advancement in mathematics become an option for the truly exceptional student at the end of sixth grade. Students who wish to skip a year in math should begin this process by having a conversation with their math teacher. The student must have an average in the A range or above and exhibit appropriate classroom behavior and study habits to be successful in the higher grade course. Additionally, it is essential that the student has high executive functioning skills and is academically and emotionally mature. Skipping a grade level in math often comes with significant disruptions to a student’s schedule in both seventh and eighth grade, and students are in classrooms with their older peers. It is likely the student will take math in another house, and it is even possible this placement may necessitate a house change.
     
    Assessments are given in August at the middle school for students wishing to skip seventh grade math and at the high school for students wishing to skip Algebra 1. No assessments to skip math will be given once the school year has started. Applications for these assessments can be obtained through the math teacher or house counselor. If successful, the student is placed into the highest level of the course offered (ex: Math 8-3 or 424). Students who successfully skip a grade level in math may not return to the previous course, but may drop down a level if they find the coursework or schedule to be too challenging. It is also understood that the qualifying exam will not be shared, data for students will not be shared, and student results are final.
     
    Sixth graders entering seventh grade:
    Students who wish to skip seventh grade math must receive the recommendation of their sixth grade teacher to sit for the placement exam. All applications for the exam must be received by June 15. The exam has 25 questions and the student has 90 minutes to complete it with a calculator. A score of 85% or above must be achieved to skip seventh grade math. If successful, the student will be placed into Math 8-3 as a seventh grader.
     
    Seventh graders entering eighth grade:
    Students who wish to skip Algebra 1 must receive the recommendation of their seventh grade teacher and sit for the placement exam. All applications for the exam must be received by June 15. The student has two hours to complete the exam with a scientific calculator, not a graphing calculator. A score of 85% or above must be achieved to be placed into 424. If successful, the student must also sit for the Algebra 1 Regents exam as an eighth grader the following June at SMS.