Sixth Grade Math Curriculum

Everything You Want to Know About Sixth Grade Math

For many students, sixth grade is the start of middle school, which brings with it a wide range of challenges and new experiences. The sixth grade math curriculum mirrors this, as it builds on previously learned concepts but also introduces potentially difficult new topics like percentages, statistics, and probability. 

By the end of sixth grade, students should feel extremely comfortable with the concepts they learned in previous grades and have more confidence with the new topics as well. Keep reading for our complete guide on sixth grade math. 

What is covered in 6th Grade Math?

Sixth grade Common Core standards ensure that all students in the grade, regardless of location or school board, learn the same math concepts throughout the school year. Since most States subscribe to the Common Core model, this means that sixth grade children across the country are all learning the same math concepts, which include:

Ratios and Proportional Relationships  

Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems. 

• The Number System  
• Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions.  
• Compute fluently with multi-digit numbers and find common factors and multiples.  
• Apply and extend previous understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers. 
• Expressions and Equations  
• Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions.  
• Reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.  
• Represent and analyze quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables. 
• Geometry  
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume. 
• Statistics and Probability  
• Develop understanding of statistical variability.
• Summarize and describe distributions.

Teaching Sixth Grade Math

It can be difficult to decide how to teach sixth grade math as by this time in their studies, students are often at very different competency levels. It’s important to create lesson plans that cater to students’ varying skill levels while also covering all the necessary parts of the curriculum. This can leave teachers scrambling for ways to keep things fresh while also being thorough. Here are some of our tips for accomplishing this!

Provide Lots of Structure

One of the most important factors of teaching sixth grade math is providing a solid structure for your lessons, so when students enter your classroom they know exactly what to expect. As the first year of middle school, sixth grade can be a time of adjustment for many students: they are meeting new friends, teaching, and changing classrooms throughout the day. This gives math teachers the opportunity to establish a solid routine for their lessons. 

For example, class can start with a warm up, then move to a review of yesterday’s homework or what was covered in a previous lesson. After that, the whole-class lesson can be given, with partnered or independent practice afterward. 

Reinforce Skills

A great way to set your students up for success in sixth grade math and beyond is by regularly practicing old and new skills. This can be done in the form of in-class drills, giving extra worksheets, or simply reviewing important material. Prodigy has a range of curriculum-aligned, grade-specific worksheets for you to help your students develop their math skills, and they can be downloaded here. 

Give Consistent, Helpful Feedback

It can be tricky to strike the balance between encouraging students and providing them with frequent, constructive feedback that will help them develop their skills. One way of doing this is through Prodigy Math

Learning 6th Grade Math

With sixth grade students being between 11 and 12 years old, they are more mature and able to sit for longer periods of time. That being said, many students have determined by this age that they do not enjoy math or are not good at it, so it can be a challenge for them to stay engaged. Additionally, sixth grade students still learn better through active exercises, so active participation in math lessons is encouraged.

Making sixth grade math fun is a key component to students learning successfully and staying engaged throughout a lesson. Here are some tips for boosting the fun quotient for students in sixth grade math:

Low-Tech Games

Having fun in the classroom doesn’t have to be complicated, and playing games in small groups that help review and develop math skills is a great way to help sixth grade students engage in a lesson. For example, to practice dividing fractions, students can play a range of fun math games while competing in groups to advance their scores. Teachers can even host regular tournaments to get students excited about participating.

Brain Breaks

For students in the sixth grade, learning math can sometimes be an exhausting undertaking. Brain breaks can be helpful when you want to give your class a bit of a breather from the subject at hand without them losing focus completely. 

Keeping these breaks to between 3 and 5 minutes makes sure that you don’t lose control of your lesson but also gives you and your students a chance to let off some steam and re-focus on the important material you are teaching. Examples of brain breaks include short dances, songs, or cardio or yoga exercises.

Prodigy Math

Prodigy Math is a curriculum-aligned math game that teachers can use to supplement the sixth grade math curriculum. A great way to motivate and engage students is by setting up Classroom Challenges within Prodigy that motivate students to practice their math skills within the platform. You can also give your students feedback on their practice, and customize learning for each student. 

How Prodigy Improves Sixth Grade Math

Sixth grade math is the perfect time to include Prodigy in your math lessons: teachers have full control over the skills and concepts their students are practicing, and students can have fun while practicing old skills and learning new ones. Prodigy turns math into an exciting adventure, and with Assessment and Report features (among others), ensures that teachers are able to spend more time actually teaching, and less time grading.

It’s easy to incorporate Prodigy in math lessons, as it it Core Curriculum-aligned, and adapts to individual students’ learning and skill level. Register for your free teacher account and see the difference Prodigy makes in your students’ math progress!

Sixth Grade Math Curriculum

For more information on the sixth grade math curriculum, as well as how it aligns with Prodigy Math’s game-based learning, please visit the Math Skills & Curriculum Standards page. On this page, you can select your location and desired grade level to see exactly what is covered in the curriculum.