6th Grade Math Bundle (Part 3 of 4: Full Year of 6th Grade Mastery Method Math )

* FREE enrollment in my 6th Grade Math FLEX course included! (weekly video lessons and activities) $120 value
**FREE 8-week access to IXL Math ($20 Value)
*** Discounts on my games classes and private tutoring!

****Note: If your student has not taken (or is not signed up for) Part 1 of this series, please contact me first for placement advice.

This session is part of a larger series titled, 6th Grade Math Bundle: Full Year of 6th Grade Mastery Method Math. I call the class a "bundle", because not only do students get 2 days per week of LIVE, small group instruction, they will also receive weekly video lessons that they can watch (and re-watch if needed!) anytime, as well as access to activities, games and even skill practice on IXL! Additionally, I will be offering discounts on my weekly games classes and private tutoring. It's the best of all worlds: flexibility, fun, rigor, differentiation and social interaction! Taken as a whole, this series will offer a full year's worth of math at the general 6th grade level--focusing on the topics of exponents, place value, decimal numbers, percentages, measurement in the metric system, probability and basic geometry.  This is a Mastery approach to math--each concept will be demonstrated, explained and practiced in a meaningful, in-depth way to achieve full understanding before moving on and connecting to the next topic. This approach is ideal both for students who love math and want to take a deep dive into each concept, as well as anxious math learners who get easily overwhelmed by jumping quickly between concepts and prefer to take their time to fully learn and understand each concept. In both cases, the mastery method can build confidence, create a positive math identity and set students on a trajectory of math success. Because of the small size of this class, I will be able to give each student the individual attention needed to ensure mastery. This course is geared towards the 6th grade student, but because the mastery method builds on previously internalized concepts and skills, specific age or assigned grade level is not as important as the prerequisite foundations of mathematical understanding. 

**For this series, students should come with a solid number sense for both whole numbers and fractions (including comparing and finding equivalents) as well as performing basic operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing) on multi-digit numbers as well as fractions.  Specific to Part 3, students should have mastered the material of Parts 1 and 2, which included: exponents as repeated multiplication, place value and its key relationship to exponents (powers of ten), decimal numbers (concept and adding and subtracting), multiplying decimals, percentages and pie charts, finding the area and circumference of circles, and the metric measurement system and conversions. If your student missed Parts 1 and 2, please contact me for placement. I may be offering accelerated sections of Parts 1 and 2 for students who wish to catch up, or we can arrange private tutoring sessions before Part 3 begins.

In this third 8-week session, we will begin by building on our knowledge of long division to learn to divide decimal numbers by whole numbers, whole numbers by decimals and decimals by decimals. We will then also cover the basic pre-algebra concept of solving for the unknown with decimals, as well as converting any fraction to a decimal and percentage. We will be reinforcing the idea that fractions, decimals and percentages are all ways to convey parts of a whole through real world examples. Each week we will cover one topic over two days, following this pattern: 1) visual, interactive introduction using real world connections; 2) guided, group and individual practice; 3) review work, including previously mastered concepts such as operations with fractions so that understanding stays fresh and further connections can be made. (See below for the full weekly outline of topics).

I want my students to feel fully engaged in the learning process--to find meaning, confidence (and yes, even joy!) in mathematical problem solving. To make math fun and engaging, I will be presenting lessons through interactive slides, which will include clear visual representations, virtual manipulatives, and connections to math in the real world. Additionally, I will be using applications such as Nearpod (nearpod.com) to create further opportunities for students to engage with the material and with one another. Activities will include collaborative idea boards, typed or drawn responses, polls, matching games, quizzes and embedded games. These activities provide not only engagement and fun for students, but also give me as the teacher the opportunity for ongoing, informal assessment. Furthermore, the ability for me to share student answers anonymously can help those students who feel uncomfortable or anxious answering questions verbally.  

In order to better personalize instruction and keep track of student mastery, I will also be utilizing Google Forms for students to submit tests. This will allow me to make and share corrections directly with each student (corrections will be shared via individual Google slide links which students will be able to edit.
*For students needing additional support in reaching mastery of a topic, I will be offering tutoring sessions each week, available by the ½ hour.

Week 1: Decimal & Decimal Operations Review, including metric conversions part 2
Day 1: Review concept of decimals, place value, and adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing with decimals, use Place Value and a Units Chart to Convert Smaller to Larger Units
Day 2: Review Work & Word Problems: More Dividing Mixed Numbers (Multiplying by Reciprocal of Improper Fraction)

Week 2: Area and Circumference
Day 1: Interactive Introduction to Circles and Circle Terminology (Radius, Diameter, Circumference, Pi)
Day 2: Computing the Area and Circumference of Circles Using Real World Examples
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Perimeter

Week 3: Single Step Solving for the unknown (multiplying with decimals)
Day 1: (Re)-introduction to solving for the unknown (undoing multiplication) using whole numbers
Day 2: Solving for the unknown with decimals (using whole numbers and moving decimal point)
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Finding the area of a rectangle

Week 4:  More decimal division (dividing decimals by decimals)
Day 1: When do we need to divide decimals in the real world?
Day 2: Using Standard Algorithm to divide decimals, checking by multiplying (calculator skills)
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Finding the area of a parallelogram

Week 5: Dividing decimals with remainders as decimals, rounding decimals
Day 1: Real world examples of decimal division and rounding, names of parts of division problems
Day 2: Adding zeroes to the dividend until the quotient comes out evenly
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Finding the area of a triangle

Week 6: Two step Solving for the Unknown (multiplying and adding with decimals)
Day 1: Balancing equations, "undoing" by using opposite operations
Day 2: Practicing 2-step solving for the unknown
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Finding the volume of a cube

Week 7: Converting any fraction to a decimal and percentage
Day 1: Fractions as division problems
Day 2: Using long division with decimals to convert fractions to decimals
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Finding the volume of rectangular solids

Week 8: Review Week: Ways to describe parts of a whole
Day 1: Fractions, decimals and percentages: how and when do we use each in the real world? What do they mean?
Day 2: Practice converting between fractions, decimals and percentages
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Create our own word problems and review

Week 8: More Review: Checking on Progress
Day 1: Fractions, decimals and percentages: Progress Assessment
Day 2: Review lessons/practice based on student need
Day 3: Review Work & Word Problems: Based on student need