What to Teach in Grade 6
A full school year across every subject, week by week — thirty-six weeks, laid out so you can see what Monday looks like before September starts.
The year at a glance
Thirty-six weeks, five days a week. Three subjects are planned here in detail — English 6, Science 6: Matter, Energy & Earth Systems, Ancient Civilizations — and each is a complete year's course with its own lessons, practice and exams. For mathematics at this grade most families use Grade 6 Math, though placement depends on the track a child is on rather than on their age.
You do not have to follow the weeks in order or at this pace. The plan exists so that there is always an answer to “what now”, not so that falling behind means anything.
The thirty-six weeks
| Week | English | Science | Social Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading Literature — Theme & Summary — core session 1 | Scientific Inquiry: Questions, Evidence & Explanations · Variables, Controls & Repeated Trials | Geography & the Tools of History — The Five Themes of Geography & Reading Maps — core session 1 |
| 2 | Reading Literature — Plot & Setting — core session 2 | Variables, Controls & Repeated Trials · Metric Measurement, Units & Uncertainty · Tables, Graphs & Patterns in Data | Geography & the Tools of History — Primary vs Secondary Sources — core session 2 |
| 3 | Reading Literature — Character Development — independent study | Tables, Graphs & Patterns in Data · Models, Systems & Scientific Explanations | Geography & the Tools of History — Thinking Like a Historian: Chronology & Cause and Effect — independent study |
| 4 | Reading Literature — Point of View & Figurative Language — revision conference | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Inquiry, Measurement & Models | Geography & the Tools of History — How Geography Shapes Human Life — revision conference |
| 5 | Reading Literature — Read, apply and revisit — Plot & Setting | States of Matter & the Particle Model · Physical Properties & Physical Changes | Geography & the Tools of History — Evidence and outline — chapter workshop |
| 6 | Poetry, Drama & Whole-Book Reading — Poetry: Speaker, Image, Sound & Form — core session 1 | Physical Properties & Physical Changes · Chemical Changes: Evidence & Conservation · Mixtures, Solutions & Separation | Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution — Hunter-Gatherers of the Paleolithic Age — core session 1 |
| 7 | Poetry, Drama & Whole-Book Reading — Drama: Dialogue, Stage Directions & Subtext — core session 2 | Mixtures, Solutions & Separation · Water’s Properties: Density, Floating & Surface Effects | Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution — The Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution — core session 2 |
| 8 | Poetry, Drama & Whole-Book Reading — Reading a Complete Novel — independent study | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Matter, Mixtures & Water Properties | Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution — The Rise of Villages & Specialization of Labor — independent study |
| 9 | Poetry, Drama & Whole-Book Reading — Comparing Genres & Interpretations — revision conference | Retrieve measurement and graphs · Retrieve matter and boundaries · Project 1 · Notebook conference and reteaching | Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution — What Makes a Civilization? — revision conference |
| 10 | Poetry, Drama & Whole-Book Reading — Read, apply and revisit — Drama: Dialogue, Stage Directions & Subtext | Forms of Energy & Evidence of Transfer · Energy Transformations, Conservation & Dissipation | Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution — Read, apply and revisit — The Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution |
| 11 | Reading Informational Text — Central Idea & Supporting Details — core session 1 | Energy Transformations, Conservation & Dissipation · Heat, Temperature & Thermal Energy · Conduction, Convection & Radiation | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Mesopotamia & the Fertile Crescent — core session 1 |
| 12 | Reading Informational Text — Text Structures — core session 2 | Conduction, Convection & Radiation · Thermal Design: Compare, Improve & Retest | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Ancient Egypt & the Nile — core session 2 |
| 13 | Reading Informational Text — Author's Purpose & Point of View — independent study | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Energy, Heat & Thermal Design | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — The Indus Valley Civilization — independent study |
| 14 | Reading Informational Text — Citing Textual Evidence — revision conference | Electric Charge, Attraction & Materials · Simple Circuits: Paths, Switches & Energy | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Ancient China & the Huang He (Yellow River) — revision conference |
| 15 | Reading Informational Text — Read, apply and revisit — Text Structures | Simple Circuits: Paths, Switches & Energy · Magnetic Forces, Fields & Distance · Light, Shadows & Reflection | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Evidence and outline — chapter workshop |
| 16 | Reading Informational Text — Read, apply and revisit — Author's Purpose & Point of View | Light, Shadows & Reflection · Refraction, Color & Transparent Materials | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Read, apply and revisit — The Indus Valley Civilization |
| 17 | Reading Informational Text — Read, apply and revisit — Citing Textual Evidence | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Electricity, Magnetism & Light | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Read, apply and revisit — The Indus Valley Civilization |
| 18 | Reading Informational Text — Read, apply and revisit — Central Idea & Supporting Details | Midterm preparation · Midterm · Midterm marking and corrections · First-semester conference | River Civilizations of the Eastern Hemisphere — Read, apply and revisit — The Indus Valley Civilization |
| 19 | Writing — Narrative Writing — core session 1 | Earth’s Spheres & System Interactions · Inside Earth: Layers & Indirect Evidence | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Ancient Greece: Democracy & Ideas — core session 1 |
| 20 | Writing — Informative & Explanatory Writing — core session 2 | Inside Earth: Layers & Indirect Evidence · Moving Plates, Boundaries & Earth Evidence · Minerals: Properties, Patterns & Identification | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire — core session 2 |
| 21 | Writing — Opinion & Argument Writing — independent study | Minerals: Properties, Patterns & Identification · Rocks, Weathering & the Rock Cycle | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Classical India & China: Empires & the Silk Roads — independent study |
| 22 | Writing — The Writing Process: Plan, Draft, Revise, Edit — revision conference | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Earth Systems, Plates & Earth Materials | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Origins of World Belief Systems — revision conference |
| 23 | Writing — Read, apply and revisit — Informative & Explanatory Writing | The Water Cycle: Pathways, Stores & Drivers · Atmosphere, Clouds & Weather Records | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Classical South Asia: Maurya, Gupta & Varied Beliefs — independent study |
| 24 | Writing — Read, apply and revisit — Opinion & Argument Writing | Atmosphere, Clouds & Weather Records · Air, Pressure & Uneven Heating · Weather & Climate: Time Scales and Comparisons | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Qin, Han & Early Imperial Administration — revision conference |
| 25 | Language & Vocabulary — Grammar & Sentence Structure — core session 1 | Weather & Climate: Time Scales and Comparisons · Climate Evidence, Greenhouse Gases & Responses | Classical Civilizations & Belief Systems — Read, apply and revisit — Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire |
| 26 | Language & Vocabulary — Punctuation & Conventions — core session 2 | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Water, Air, Weather & Climate | The Mediterranean World: Byzantine, Islamic & Western Societies — The Byzantine Empire: Roman Continuity & Change — core session 1 |
| 27 | Language & Vocabulary — Context Clues & Word-Solving — independent study | Ecosystems, Habitats & Biomes · Food Chains, Food Webs & Energy Flow | The Mediterranean World: Byzantine, Islamic & Western Societies — Islam’s Origins, Caliphates & Diverse Communities — core session 2 |
| 28 | Language & Vocabulary — Figurative Language & Word Relationships — revision conference | Food Chains, Food Webs & Energy Flow · Cycling Matter Through Organisms & Environment · Human Impacts, Conservation & Tradeoffs | The Mediterranean World: Byzantine, Islamic & Western Societies — Europe & Asia in the Middle Ages — independent study |
| 29 | Language & Vocabulary — Read, apply and revisit — Punctuation & Conventions | Human Impacts, Conservation & Tradeoffs · Watersheds, Water Quality & Sampling Limits | The Mediterranean World: Byzantine, Islamic & Western Societies — Draft and feedback — chapter workshop |
| 30 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Research Questions, Notes & Source Credit — core session 1 | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Ecosystems, Watersheds & Conservation | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — The Spread of Religions & Trade Networks — core session 1 |
| 31 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Media, Charts & Missing Information — core session 2 | The Solar System, Gravity & Orbits · Day, Night & Seasons: Rotation and Tilt | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — Travelers and transport technologies — draft, discuss and revise |
| 32 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Discussion, Listening & Evidence — independent study | Day, Night & Seasons: Rotation and Tilt · Moon Phases: Sunlight & Viewing Geometry · Eclipses & Tides: Alignment with Different Mechanisms | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — Tang, Song & Mongol Connections in East Asia — core session 1 |
| 33 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Presentation, Visual Support & Response — revision conference | Eclipses & Tides: Alignment with Different Mechanisms · Space Models: Scale, Evidence & Revision | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — Trade Networks, Epidemics & Historical Explanation — core session 2 |
| 34 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Read, apply and revisit — Media, Charts & Missing Information | Plan and predict · Examine evidence · Explain, revise and reflect · Earth, Moon, Sun & Space Models | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — Interconnection & the Road to the Modern World — independent study |
| 35 | Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation — Read, apply and revisit — Discussion, Listening & Evidence | Notebook and model audit · Sample paper · Sample marking and targeted practice · Project 2 · Year-end readiness conference | Connections Across Africa, Asia & Europe — Read, apply and revisit — The Spread of Religions & Trade Networks |
| 36 | Final assessment, correction and portfolio | Final preparation and agreed support · Final · Final feedback and next-course goals | Final assessment, correction and portfolio |
Each cell names what that subject covers that week. Open the course for the lesson itself, the practice and the printable version.
How much time this is
Each course plans about five sessions a week for thirty-six weeks — roughly 180 sessions a year. Three subjects at that rate is about fifteen sessions a week, plus mathematics. At forty-five minutes a session that is somewhere near four hours a day, which in practice is less than it sounds: a session is not a school period, and most families find the work takes considerably less time at home than the same material takes in a classroom.
What this does not cover
Health, physical education, art, music and world languages are not taught here. Several states require some or all of them, so it is worth checking what yours asks for — the requirements for all fifty states and DC — and planning them separately. Families commonly meet them through sports, lessons, clubs and documented family activity.