Category: Grade 6

Distance Learning, Grade 6, Language Arts, Math, Provincial Achievement Tests, Science, Social, Teachers Pay Teachers

Grade 6 Curriculum Review (PAT Prep – Distance Learning)

3 Heads Are Better Than 1

Last year, we created an Alberta curriculum study resource to help students prepare for the end of the year Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT’s). It includes questions and answers on Math, Social, and Science aimed to review curriculum concepts over six weeks.

We have recently updated our Grade 6 PAT Bundle to accommodate distance learning!

Although the Alberta government announced that Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Tests are cancelled due to the pandemic, our updated resource can still be used for the following:

  • Bell-ringers for the beginning of lessons
  • Extra practice for learning outcomes currently being worked on
  • Homework study questions
  • Review of curriculum concepts for Math, Social, and Science (it could be review for the end of the school year or used as review during the summer before going to Grade 7 to scaffold learning)

The digital version is available via Google Slides. It allows the teacher to assign this resource on Google Classroom and offers a place for students to type in their answers. If the teacher made it as a copy for all students, the resource could be seen by the teacher to assess their learning.

If you would like a sample of what that might look like, try our Digital Freebie!

Let us know if you have tried our resource! We would love to hear from you.

Until then, happy distance learning. We’re here for you!

Distance Learning, Grade 6

Flexible Teaching & Learning

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We hope you and your loved ones are safe. We admit that it has been difficult, adapting to create a new “normal” during this unsettling time. For us, it meant learning ways that we could create meaningful digital activities for our students while reaching out to them and their families as much as we can. Even though there have been challenges, we have been uplifted by people in our communities – friends, colleagues, parents, students, and neighbours – who have been coming together to see this through.

Now, more than ever, we’ve been asked as teachers to utilize our flexibility to teach our students and meet their needs from a variety of online resources: from Zoom conferences with staff and parents, to using Google Classroom as the main teaching platform for our students. As a team, we already had digital resources suitable for an in-person classroom presence. This year, we have been updating and creating resources to be more suitable for distance learning and have shared them on our TeachersPayTeachers page.

Distance Learning

We have created a Distance Learning section on our page for resources that are able to be used for a Google Classroom and/or home setting. There are many features on these resources that can benefit your classroom to digitally teach curriculum, whether you are a teacher or parent of a child in grade six. (Although our resources are based on Alberta curriculum, it can be used anywhere to teach particular concepts).

Features

  • Interactive Google Slides: Our resources offer the opportunity for students to type in their answers as they work through the slides. These slides can be easily accessed by a class through Google Classroom. This helps to increase engagement and ensure accountability of learning throughout the lesson. (Our Data Analysis and Probability unit has an accompanying video tutorial about the interactive features for students).
In our “Data Analysis and Probability” resource, students are instructed on how to create a chart based their data.
  • Student Notes – Our Google Slides resources have notes written on slides which allow for guided and independent practice of concepts. Many of our resources also have additional pages of student notes to help them follow along, retain material, and practice their learning.
In our “Shape and Space” resource, there are spots where students use their student notes to check their understanding of concepts. To see what that might look like, check our preview video.
  • Assessment with Google Slides – Students can also reflect and self-assess their answers after they have learned the material to see how their learning has changed. Another option is for students to send a copy of their Google Slides file to their teacher so that he/she can formatively assess their learning and provide feedback on what they have typed.

These are some of the features of our resources that can help you and your class for distance learning. We are working to add more digital versions to our resources to make it more accessible for distance learning for students. If you have already purchased our previous resources that have been updated (such as our Tetris resource), you can get the updates for free.

We hope that you find our resources useful for distance learning. Feel free to let us know what you find most helpful for digital learning! Stay safe – we’re all in this together.

Grade 6, Science, Trees and Forests

Trees and Forests Activity Set

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While teaching the trees and forests unit in grade six science, we found students lacked general background knowledge of the Boreal Forest and it’s organisms. Before students can start to care and connect with the concepts in this unit, it’s helpful for them to be able to see what trees, plants and animals are being discussed. Using the Trees and Forests Activity Set, especially the cut outs, is one way that has helped our students build this necessary background knowledge.

Trees and Forests Activity Set on TPT

Admittedly, laminating and cutting is very time consuming. The Trees and Forests cutouts were created so a long blade can be used for more efficiency. If you laminate before using the long blade or scissors the cutouts will not peel.

Trees and Forests – Cutouts

If you’re really pressed for time, we suggest hosting a trees and forests cutouts party with a group of helpful students! Take your child to work day always provides our school with eager students looking for tasks such as this!

Thank-You!

Grade 6, Math, Provincial Achievement Tests, Science, Social, Teachers Pay Teachers

Provincial Achievement Test Preparation

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In May and June, the Alberta government administers Provincial Achievement Tests (P.A.T.s) in May and June for grade six and grade nine students across the province. Grade six students write tests on the following subject areas: Language Arts (reading comprehension and writing), Math, Science, and Social. Although it can be a stressful time of year, it is an important milestone for our grade six students in particular, as it helps prepare them for high school exams, the grade 9 PAT, and grade twelve diploma that are to come.

Beginning with the Right Mindset

Before we review for these tests, we encourage students to begin by having the right mindset. We tell students to start with positive thoughts: we have all worked hard together and they can do anything if they put their mind to it! These tests are also only one way to evaluate their learning; it does not define them. If they don’t understand some concepts yet, they can get there with hard work and support. It is also not about comparing themselves to others – it is about their inner confidence.

PAT Review

We have shared several strategies for students and parents to help them review and retain the curriculum they have learned:

  • Classroom Review – We have found that arranging classroom time for review is essential with helping students prepare. What this may look like is providing “Scheduled Review” or “Bell Work” in the morning as soon as students walk in the classroom. The question on the board (or on Google Classroom) could be related to one or more subject areas. After observing and helping students, the question could be addressed in pairs, small groups, and as a whole class to discuss thoughts and questions.
  • Flash Cards – Research has shown that flash cards can be an important tool to improve and understand concepts. Students can make flash cards in class with coordinated colours for each subject. They can also be made digitally through web applications such as Quizlet, so that they do not forget them to and from school.
  • Quest A+ – This a website by the Alberta government that provides practice tests for grades six, nine, and twelve on the following subject areas in English and French: Language Arts, Math, Social, and Science. These questions and answers are helpful, especially because they are from released PAT’s and diplomas.
  • ExamBank – ExamBank is similar to QuestA+ in that it provides sample practice tests, but for a wide range of grades (K-12). One advantage is the way in which they provide randomized sets of questions either per subject unit, or as a whole. While this is a great advantage, ExamBank does require payment of logins. School districts, individual schools, teachers, or parents are able to pay for logins for students.
  • THE KEY – Some parents have found it helpful to purchase “THE KEY,” a series of workbooks that contains questions and answers related to certain curriculum. “THE KEY Study Guide – Math 6” can be found in Chapters, along with the following subject areas for grade six: Language Arts, Social, and Science.

PAT Prep Bundle

To further assist students with reviewing the curriculum, we have created a PAT Prep Bundle. This bundle is a combination of 6 volumes, making it six weeks worth of Math, Science, and Social questions. This resource also comes equipped with response sheets for students, an answer key, a “how to study” guide, and a spot to jot notes on what students need extra help on.

Students work on one Math, Science, and Social concept a day. By the end of six weeks, they have reviewed all the curriculum!

We have noticed an improvement with students’ study habits. By working on these questions each day, students have been learning to pace their studying, as opposed to cramming a lot of information in a short amount of time.

We have also noticed that there has been an increase in the responsibility of students’ learning with this PAT Prep Bundle. Students have been taking the initiative to work on these questions. We have seen them huddled together in small groups throughout the day – on the bus, during lunch, or even at recess – to discuss the questions together so that they can find success with the PAT’s. It is quite the sight, to see grade sixes so willingly take this on every single day!

Overall, success on the PAT’s can be found through hard work, preparation, and dedication. By preparing students with the right mindset and a toolkit of strategies will they be able to find the inner confidence to show the best that they got by the time the PAT’s arrive. 🙂

Grade 6, Math, Teachers Pay Teachers, Transformations

Math Transformations

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Translations, reflections, rotations. These types of transformations are part of a geometric concept that our grade sixes are required to learn in our Alberta curriculum. While it is an interesting math concept, we have found that it can be a difficult concept to grasp for students. We have used a couple strategies to help students understand transformations.

Transformation Strategies

Transparency Sheets – For our transformations unit, we provide students with transparency sheets to help them visualize the transformations. Each student is provided with a square-cut out that can be placed over a transformation question. Students use their whiteboard marker to trace the original shape, then rotate, reflect, or transform the shape to its image. This visualization is particularly helpful, especially for our visual learners!

Transformation Movement Games – Creating movement has also been beneficial with reinforcing transformation concepts. Combining movement with games also makes learning more fun!

  • Translation – Ask students to stand up, face the front, and translate around the classroom according to your directions. For example, “Translate 4 steps right, 1 step down.”
  • Reflection – Draw a vertical line in the middle of the whiteboard. Stand on one side of the line and ask a student stand on the other. Ask the student to reflect your movements. For example, if you dab right, the student should reflect the dab appropriately on the other side.
  • Rotation – Ask students to stand up, face the front, and perform a rotation according to your directions. For example, “Rotate 1/4 turn counter-clockwise.” Last person standing, wins!

Transformation Tetris

While it can be a difficult concept to grasp, we also have a passion for creating math projects connected with our curriculum that are fun, engaging, and differentiated for students. It has been shown that one way for students to practice and reinforce concepts in an engaging manner is by connecting them with games – we have done just that! We just released a Math transformations activity inspired by Tetris in our TPT store. It can be used after teaching math transformations.

This resource is a low floor, high ceiling activity that allows students to complete the task to their level. Some students may be able to find a solution in one step, others may need more.

What made it most engaging in our classrooms was the fact that it was based off a real game: Tetris! It was a great introduction to this 80’s game for those that were not familiar with it, and it intrigued students with how they can apply the skills of motion geometry to complete the 6 levels of this particular Tetris game. Students also found opportunities to collaborate with others by comparing their transformation descriptions, as there are multiple ways to move each shape to its image.

What’s Included in This Resource?
• 6 leveled game boards with different scales in full colour; as well as:
• A Grey-scale option
• A Black & White version for a low floor, high ceiling activity that can also
help foster spatial awareness
• A blank scale/level option for all of the above
• A sample answer key
• Student Tetris Piece “Cheat Sheet”

So, cue the Tetris theme song and let your kids transform their learning!