Instructor: Ruth Mattson

Room: 206
Foothills Middle School

Prep Period: 3rd
School Phone: 664-8961 x2206

Subjects: 6th Grade Core and Math
School:mattson.r@mail.wsd.wednet.edu


Math 6: Students will receive instruction in basic computation skills and higher level reasoning skills that will help them in the real world. Students will have opportunities to work both individually and in groups to acquire more advanced math skills. During the year, students will prepare and present demonstrations of acquired knowledge which will meet Washington state’s standards for problem solving, communication, reasoning, and making connections. Students will also be taught problem solving strategies. Technology will be woven into instruction and into students’ work as they present their mathematical thinking to the class. Their coursework this year will include units in measurement, geometry, statistics, probability, and beginning Algebra.

There will be direct instruction of skills, group and individual problem solving as well as assessments and journal writes. Students will complete daily homework in spiral notebooks. Daily work will count for 20% of a student’s quarter grade, while problem solving and assessments will account for 40% of the grade respectively.

Textbook/ Supplemental Materials:
Mathematics: Book II by Glencoe
No Limit! Grant Problem Solving Unit

In addition to regular Math class, your student may have an opportunity to have an Extension Class in Math. This class will enrich your child’s experience with mathematics. Projects will be hands-on and interactive. Grades will be based on effort and your student’s skill in communicating mathematical thinking. This class will be scheduled during 3rd Period.



Social Studies: Social Studies at 6th grade is a year long course in Washington’s geography, history, civics and government. As students examine texts, documents and artifacts, they will make connections between the past and the present. The students will begin by taking an intensive course on how to access resource information in our library. These are skills they will be using all of their academic lives. A wealth of resources (printed texts, atlases, and electronic technology) will aid the students in integrating the disciplines of Social Studies with their own reality. Study of the travels of early explorers such as Thompson and Stuart will serve as a springboard to students’ pursuit of research in their own topics of interest. Each quarter a research task will be required of students. In addition, students will incorporate technology with the Journeys curriculum on-line. This wonderful resource allows discovery of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Textbook/ Supplemental Materials:
Classroom Atlas, Rand McNally;
Washington in the Pacific Northwest, Gibbs-Smith Publishing
The Travels of Lewis and Clark, Thompson and Stuart:Pacific Northwest Journeys of Discovery, Editors: Richard Scheuerman and Arthur Ellis

Language Arts: Students will continue to use the Writing Process with emphasis on applying the Six Traits of Writing. Focusing on state standards, they will write in the following forms: Narrative, Expository, and Persuasive. Quarterly assessments are scored to chart student growth. Students will keep track of their growth as writers. All aspects of Language Arts will be covered throughout the year including Listening and Communication.

In addition to regular Language Arts class, your student may have an opportunity to have an Extension Class in Writing. This class will enrich your child’s experience with the writing traits. Students will work toward state standards by writing and publishing with focused attention from the teacher. This class will be scheduled during 4th period.

Textbook/Supplemental Materials:
Literature and Language, McDougall/Littel
Write Source 2000 Handbook, Great Source
Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing, Great Source


Reading: Students’ comprehension skills, vocabulary, and analysis will be monitored through classroom assessment. An emphasis on skills relating to informational text will be given. The Active Reading Strategies (Thinking Strategies) will also be taught. Students will engage in further critical thinking about reading in order to supplement their regular reading class. Students will work individually with the teacher as well as in small groups beginning second quarter. Students will track and monitor their progress in relation to state grade level expectations.

This year our sixth grade students will have an opportunity for reading enrichment through Jr. Great Books and shared inquiry. This class will be during exploratory and will be taught by Miss Ross, and Mrs. Hasenyager. Students will engage in further critical thinking about reading in order to supplement their regular reading class. Students will work individually with the teacher as well as in small groups for the semester as part of reading extension.

Textbook/Supplemental Materials:
Reader’s Handbook, Great Source
Junior Great Books, Great Books Foundation



Science: In order to meet new state standards in Science, 6th graders will be part of the piloting of two science units from STC/MS, (Science and Technology for Children/Middle School). This pilot program is district-wide and is being considered for adoption as the district’s new curricula for middle school science. The two units we will be covering are Earth in Space and Catastrophic Events. These units are built around kits and will be comprised of hands-on labs and the theory of inquiry-based learning, in which students ask questions, perform experiments and look at ‘real life’ applications. This is a new curriculum and should be very exciting, but will also be a learning process for all.










Homeroom: This 7th period class was created with the goal of enabling students to make the transition into middle school successfully. The teacher will require students to demonstrate consistent use of the Planner to organize and manage their learning. Teachers have the freedom to extend class lessons in terms of their own expertise. Spelling and conventions, time for reading and study, and enrichment in Homeroom teachers’ area of expertise will also have a focus, Citizenship, cooperation, community, and mutual respect will be fostered in this learning environment. Grading will be on a scale of O,S,U instead of letter grades because curriculum may vary slightly from one classroom to another. Effort and participation will serve as criteria of students’ growth.

Resource Materials:
Spelling: A Phonetic Approach; J. Weston Walch Publisher

Late Work Policy: Foothills Middle School has a “No Late Work” policy that spans all grade levels. Students receive a “homework buster” for each class at the beginning of the year. These may be used on one late assignment per class only! The buster may be used to get an additional day to turn in the assignment. After that, late work may be turned in for correction, but there will be no credit given for the assignment. In case of an excused absence, illness, or emergency, the student will have as many days to make up the work as he or she was absent or the teacher determines. Parents wishing to pick up student work can contact the office and make arrangements with the school secretary to pick up homework. We encourage you to do so!

Parent Involvement: The following suggestions to parents will help students be successful and have a positive experience in the 6th Grade Social Studies class.
• Read notes and assignments on units that are recorded in your
student’s planner.
• Monitor progress during units by checking your student’s work.
• Encourage and support homework and all unit assignments.
• Talk with your student on a regular basis about what he/she is learning.
• Create an atmosphere at home where your student has a designated
study space and study time.
• Offer help with homework or make sure your student asks for help
before or after school.


Classroom Supplies: Students will need the following: pencils, 3-ring binder/notebook, lined paper, pen, colored pencils, 2 portfolio folders, and a spiral notebook.

Attendance: Attendance is required in accordance with Foothill Middle School's policy (See FMS handbook). Attendance will not be a part of a student's grade. However, the student will be more successful if absences are kept to a minimum.

Classroom Management: Make Your Day is a citizenship program that encourages students to "Do what is expected" and to "Do your best" each period of the day. Students may earn points which will enable them to have "Made Their Day" each school day.


Assessment/Evaluation: Grades will be given at the end of each quarter. Mid-term reports will be given to all students and will need to be signed by parents and
returned for points. The grading scale will be:

A 100 - 95
A- 94 - 90
B+ 89 - 86
B 85 - 83
B- 82 - 80
C+ 79 - 76
C 75 - 73
C- 72 - 70
D+ 69 - 66
D 65 - 60
F 59 - 0