English
Grade 6 Curriculum
Grammar Matters
An MSA-developed language foundations program
Grammar Matters is a structured, mastery-based curriculum designed to strengthen core language mechanics through skill-driven practice and deliberate repetition. Instruction is individualized, allowing students to progress at their own pace while building accuracy, fluency, and automaticity with essential grammar conventions.
Core focus areas include:
Grammatical accuracy and sentence structure
Speed and precision in language usage
Automatic application of foundational skills
Word Power
An MSA-developed intensive academic vocabulary program
Word Power is a high-impact vocabulary program that pairs text-based instruction with dedicated time for deep word study. Students move beyond memorization to develop a true understanding of meaning, nuance, and usage, ensuring they can confidently apply target vocabulary in speaking, reading, and writing.
Core focus areas include:
Academic and content-aligned vocabulary
Multiple exposures to words across texts and contexts
Authentic application of vocabulary in discussion and writing
Note on Programs' Structure
Both Grammar Matters and Word Power are delivered through a blended model, combining paper-based and digital instruction. Students alternate instructional mediums daily, promoting engagement, flexibility, and balanced skill development.
Literature & Interdisciplinary Alignment
Students are exposed to a balanced range of modern and classic literature that reflects diverse cultural perspectives and intentionally aligns with their history and science coursework. Texts are selected to support thematic study, ethical inquiry, and analytical reading while helping students make meaningful connections across disciplines.
Whole-Book Anchor Texts
Don't Feed the Lion
Bianna Golodryga & Yonit Levi
Themes: Antisemitism, prejudice, courage, allyship, standing up against hate
The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton
Themes: Class conflict, loyalty, identity, belonging
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Mildred D. Taylor
Themes: Justice, family, racism, resilience
Number the Stars
Lois Lowry
Themes: Courage, moral choice, resistance, empathy
Mona in the Promised Land
Gish Jen
Themes: Identity, assimilation, religion, self-definition
The House on Mango Street
Sandra Cisneros
Themes: Identity, home, gender, voice
March
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
Themes: Leadership, justice, activism, nonviolence
The Giver
Lois Lowry
Themes: Community, choice, morality, memory
Brown Girl Dreaming
Jacqueline Woodson
Themes: Voice, history, identity, belonging
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
Themes: Censorship, knowledge, conformity, technology
The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan
Themes: Family, memory, generational conflict, cultural identity
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Themes: Justice, empathy, morality, racism
Short Texts & Excerpts
All Summer in a Day
Ray Bradbury
Themes: Empathy, cruelty, isolation
Thank You, Ma'am
Langston Hughes
Themes: Dignity, compassion, trust
The Gift of the Magi
O. Henry
Themes: Love, sacrifice, irony
Harrison Bergeron
Kurt Vonnegut
Themes: Equality, individuality, government control
The Tell-Tale Heart
Edgar Allan Poe
Themes: Guilt, madness, unreliable narration
The Lottery
Shirley Jackson
Themes: Tradition, conformity, moral blindness
The Circuit
Francisco Jiménez
Themes: Belonging, education, hardship