This document provides an overview of what to expect in 6th grade at a middle school. It discusses organizing time, balancing grades, making new friends, extracurricular opportunities like athletics and clubs, academic subjects, using technology in the classroom, relationships with teachers and peers, communication between home and school, and preparing for the transitions of middle school. The goal is to help both students and parents feel ready for the next step in their educational journey.

1. WELCOME TO 6TH
GRADE

2. BEING NEW TO THE
COMMUNITY

3. WHAT THE KIDS SAY
The “new kids” add a lot You won’t have all your
best friends in advisory,
Cherish 6th grade, it goes and that is actually an
fast opportunity
You have to be organized You’re going to feel nervous
about Yosemite, but it’s
It’s the first time getting really great
grades, but you can’t get
too high or too low about People change
any one test or quiz score

4. TWO TRUTHS AND A
LIE - MCDS
The original Step-Up steps were built by the Class of 1961
out of railroad ties (as a disciplinary consequence).
MCDS had a 9th grade from 1971-1975.
The “yellow Volksy buses” of the school song were originally
painted blue and yellow, and were featured in a magazine ad
for VW vans.

5. THE ORIGINAL VISION
“The Mendenhalls [the founders of MCDS] began to dream
of creating a school where creativity and personal
involvement are encouraged, where children experience an
outdoor life, where they fall in love with the idea of going to
school, and where a superb education is attained with joy.”
“It was great to have all that open space and the connection
with nature. We had freedom to explore in a way that a lot
of kids don’t have these days.” MCDS student, class of 1975

6. THE TEACHERS
“Teachers were more than
educators, they were
unexpected friends. We
knew they would always be
there. Quite simply, when
you are in search of
something at MCDS, all
you must do is step toward
it.” --Madeleine
Lowenthal, Class of 2004
http://bit.ly/K2tfZk

7. PARENTING A MIDDLE
SCHOOLER
http://bit.ly/Jhpl

8. HOW YOU LOOK TO A
MIDDLE SCHOOLER
http://youtu.be/GDeqc8sTLpc

9. DRAMATIC CHANGES

10. GENERAL SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES
Don’t ride the roller coaster
Be patient and have faith
with the process
Relationships matter
Community matters - 360
degree communication
http://bit.ly/IY4v6A

11. RELATIONSHIPS
MATTER
“I was with my son as he opened your letter, watched him
slowly sit down as he read it, watched him smile, tear up a
bit, and smile some more, and all I can say is thank you.
Your words mean more than you can know. He and I framed
your letter, and it now hangs on his bedroom wall. My sense
is it serves as a perfect capstone to a milestone event in his
life, as you so well describe. Your emphasis on the degree of
effort reaping the greatest rewards in life is so well said, so
wise, and appreciated.”
Letter from a parent to an MCDS teacher

12. 36O DEGREE
COMMUNICATION
Home-School Partnership
Team approach
Advisor - first point of
contact
Dan Rogoff, US Dean of
Students
Matt Levinson, US Head
http://bit.ly/IH7P5a

13. CULTURAL
COMPETENCY
Robert Greene, Director of
Community Connections -
CC365
Dr. Steven Jones
The iceberg metaphor
Intent vs. impact
Work the pinch before it
becomes a crunch
http://bit.ly/Kzye8v

14. CURRICULUM
Humanities Art
Math: grade level and Music/Drama
accelerated
Advisory: Team
Science Building, Character
Education, Health
World Language: Education, Decision
Mandarin or Spanish Making
Physical Education

15. SELF MANAGEMENT
Organization Skills - The Planner and School Supplies
Asking for help: tutorial
Student Support Services: Transitions
Binder Club
SSS Team: Nancy Ely, Elizabeth Wade, Page Freyermuth
Tom Bekeny, School Counselor

16. TAKING CARE OF...
Yourself
Your Stuff
Your Responsibilities to the
Community

17. GRIT
“LEARNING IS HARD.
TRUE, LEARNING IS FUN,
EXHILARATING AND
GRATIFYING — BUT IT IS
ALSO OFTEN DAUNTING,
EXHAUSTING AND
SOMETIMES
DISCOURAGING.”
-ANGELA DUCKWORTH
http://nyti.ms/nnlre1

18. THE GRIT TEST
SETBACKS DON’T DISCOURAGE ME.
I AM A HARD WORKER.
I FINISH WHATEVER I BEGIN.
I AM DILIGENT.
I HAVE OVERCOME SETBACKS TO
CONQUER AN IMPORTANT
CHALLENGE.
I HAVE ACHIEVED A GOAL THAT TOOK
YEARS OF WORK.
http://bit.ly/nisF65

20. ADVISORY
Advisor = Homeroom teacher and
advocate
1 Teacher and 11-12 students
Attendance and morning check-in
Advisor = point person
Academic, Athletic/Artistic, Social,
Emotional, Home-School
Communication
http://bit.ly/JSyOJ9

21. ADVISORY THEMED
CHECK-IN
1 - Trash Can 7 - Medium Small Llama
2 - Medium-Large Llama 8 - Little Piggy
3 - Recycling Bin 9 - Big Blue Comfy Chair
4 - Large Llama 10 - Little Llama!
5 - Action Figure
6 - Stuffed Dog In The
Corner

22. SILENT DRAWING

23. SCHEDULE
Each academic class meets for the equivalent of five 40 minute
periods a week with doubles (80 minutes) in 6th grade humanities
daily
Recess/Snack
Lunch
Morning Homeroom and PM Tutorial
Activity Periods
Advisory

24. ASSESSMENT AND
GRADING
Grade reporting 4 times/year
Practices of an Effective Learner (PEL),
Content and Skill Mastery, Core Values
Narrative Comments - Mid-Year
Advisor Comments - End of Year

25. CONNECTED
LEARNING
http://youtu.be/tahTKdEUAPk

26. ORGANIZATION
“The iPad has really helped
me with organization and it
has helped keep me from
being stressed, because the
more organized you are,
the less stressed you are.
And we know that no
teacher wants a student to
be stressed.” --6th Grade
Student
http://bit.ly/JjMk6J

27. HUMANITIES - USING
THE IPAD
ANIMAL FARM
Yellow: Information
Blue: Character
Description
Green: Character Names
Stickies: Comments

28. ASSESSMENT
Open note test in
humanities
Characters, vocabulary and
themes

29. SCIENCE
Plant study
Compost and
plant growth
Graphing using
the Numbers App

30. http://bit.ly/Hf7Iy4
MANDARIN
Learning Characters

31. SPANISH
“Las amigas me hacen feliz”

32. YOSEMITE TRIP
Monday-Friday
- 5 Days and 4
Nights
November
26-30, 2012

33. YOSEMITE SKILLS
The Comfort
Zone
The Stretch
Zone
The Stress
Zone
http://bit.ly/ISSL39

34. ATHLETICS
Fall - Boys Soccer, Girls
Volleyball and Co-Ed Cross
Country
Winter - Boys Basketball,
Girls Soccer
Spring - Boys Volleyball,
Girls Soccer and Co-Ed
Track and Field

35. ATHLETICS - LESSONS
LEARNED
“We played a great game and we lost, but I know that we will
overcome this. I tip my hat to stuart hall, they got the lucky
shot at the end. There is no one person to blame for this
game and if you feel bad right now, don't. If you think that
you cost us the game, you didn't. It was a great team effort
that just didn't go our way. I know this game meant so much
to a lot of you, but in order to win next year, you just have to
let it go. I know all of you have passion for the game and for
me and all of you great friends, I promise to do everything in
my ability to bring the trophy back to MCDS.” - MCDS 6th
grade boys’ basketball player

36. AFTER SCHOOL
OPTIONS
World Beat Band
Girls Rock Bands
Winter 6th Grade Play
Tech Challenge
Makers’ Lab
Canal Club
Homework Cafe

37. ELECTIVES
Mathletes
Campus Council and Eco Council
Garden Club
Python Programming
Makers’ Lab and Welding
Sports Skills Clinics
World Beat Band, Girls Rock Bands
and Chorus

38. THE SOCIAL SCENE
Dances
Social Media
Clothing
House Rules: Be Clear and
Consistent
Boundaries and Safety
http://bit.ly/ICfb7p

39. THINGS MOVE FAST
http://youtu.be/Ufw2D8oMJ64

40. “TOO BIG TO KNOW”
“Our task is to learn how to build
smart rooms. So, to make a smart
room -- a knowledge network -- you
have to have just enough diversity.
And it has to be the right type of
diversity. Scott Page in The
Difference says that a group needs a
diversity of perspectives and skill
sets if it is going to be smarter than
the smartest person in it.” --David
Weinberger
http://bit.ly/yyGVgE

41. THE INFORMATION
DIET
9CCC - Cell Phone,
Computer, Curfew
“Public By Default, Private
Through Effort”
Parent In The Real World
And The Virtual World
“Clicks Have
Consequences”
http://bit.ly/J8tYMZ

42. STANDING AT THE
DOOR
http://youtu.be/vZdsvs_2ZJQ

43. THE PARENT TRAP?

44. DRIVING CARPOOL -
PACE YOURSELF
“Parenting is not for the faint of heart” - Harlan Coben
You can always call and ask
Don’t go the road alone - we are a community
“I do not have to fix everything”
“Every problem is an opportunity”

45. SUMMER
READING
WHAT THE MOON SAW
PLUS TWO CHOICES
FROM THE 6TH GRADE
SUMMER READING LIST
http://bit.ly/K3cr4v