Course Title:

Grade 6 Mathematics

Description:
As the first course in the 6-12 Mathematics Program, the Grade 6 Mathematics curriculum is designed to provide a transition between the elementary and
secondary programs. As they were in the elementary program, the mathematical processes (problem solving, communication, reasoning, connections and
representation) continue to be essential in the learning of mathematics. Added to these are the CCSS Practices of adaptive reasoning, strategic competence,
conceptual understanding, procedural fluency (skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately) and productive disposition (See
Appendix A).
In addition to the identification and development of all content prescribed by national and State Standards, this Grade 6 curriculum underscores the importance
of developing mathematical thinking as foundational for future success. As a result, daily mathematical instruction requires students to: consider a model,
situation, or task; make mathematical decisions and execute them; and explain, justify, and evaluate their strategies.
Sixth grade mathematical content is focused on big ideas, such as equivalence, number sense, properties, operational reasoning, variables and statistical
thinking. Content primarily focuses on: number systems (rational numbers and integers); proportional reasoning (ratio and rates); computation; equivalent
forms of and solutions to expressions and equations; and data distributions and variability. Appropriate for the developmental level of sixth graders, concepts
and skills are initially presented through models, and real and familiar situations, followed by activities that enable students to conjecture and test, and to
determine, develop and articulate generalizations and distinctions.
This course is designed to provide students with an appropriate balance between the development of key concepts and the mastery of skills. With that in mind,
this curriculum guide defines the learning objectives and content outline that drives the choice of instructional activity and assessment.
Evaluation:
Student performance will be measured using a variety of tools, including (but not limited to) quizzes and tests, class work and homework. All sixth graders will
also take common departmental assessments, including common tests on designated objectives, as well as Midterm and Final Exams. Based on curriculum
and instructional modifications (See Appendix C), these assessments vary for each level. Similar to high stakes State assessments, district assessments will
reflect a balance between concepts, skills, and applications.
New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards:
The delineation of objectives and content outline reflects not only complete coverage of the NJ CCSS for 6th grade (coded under objectives and detailed in
Appendix B), this framework for instruction also draws from all the current empirical research and professional literature available at the time of its development.
Textbook and Instructional Resources:
The adopted textbooks include Everyday Mathematics, Middle School Math (Scott Foresman), and Math in Context. To address number sense and operational
sense, and to insure broad and tailored coverage of all objectives, additional teacher resources(e.g., the Groundworks series, SATs, Skill Power-6, Road to
Reasoning, Computational Competencies, Math Connections, and various released items from national and international tests.

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

1. Expand the
understanding of the
number system and the
sense of magnitudes of
number to include
integers, and negative
rational numbers.
6NS 5, 6

Concepts
1. Represent integers with two-colored counters and number lines to understand
that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities
having opposite directions or values.
2. Use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real world
contexts; explain the meaning of zero in each.
a. Recognize that the opposite of the opposite of a number is the number itself.
Relations
3. Represent equivalent forms of integers and negative rational numbers.
4. Order and sequence integers and negative rational numbers.
a. Write, interpret, and explain statementsof order for rational numbers in
real world contexts.

Instructional
Materials

Everyday Math Unit 1

SF Middle School Math:
Course 1
Ch 9-1 pp.468-471

Assessments

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

SUPPLEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL:

Skill Power-6
Math Connections
District constructed tasks

2. Represent, order, and

interpret in real situations
involving the absolute
value of rational
numbers.

1. Represent the absolute value of rational numbers on a number line.

2. Interpret or determine absolute value as magnitude for a positive or negative
quantity in a real-world situation.
3. Recognize and create equivalent values in an absolute value expression.

6NS 7

Adoption date: July 2012

Everyday Math Unit __

SF Middle School Math:
Course 1 Ch __ pp.__
SUPPLEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL:

Math Connections (ms)

District constructed tasks

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Page 2

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

3. Solve real world and

mathematical problems
by graphing points on a
Cartesian plane.
6NS 8, 6G3

1. Represent points in the plane with integers and negative rational number
coordinates.
2. Find and position integers and other rational numbers on the coordinate plane.
3. Recognize and express that signs of numbers in ordered pairs indicate
locations in quadrants.
4. Solve real world and mathematical problems by graphing
5. Use coordinates to find distance between points with the same first coordinate
or the same second coordinate.
6. Recognize that when 2 ordered pairs differ only by signs, the locations of the
points are related by reflections across one or both axes.

4. Apply number theory

concepts to real-world
and mathematical
problem situations.
6NS 4

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Generate patterns of divisibility on a chart (Sieve of Eratosthenes)

Sorting tasks to generate divisibility rules
Prime factorization (w/ tree diagrams; exponential notations)
Identify the GCF and LCM using a Venn diagram
Find the GCF of 2 numbers less < 100 and the LCM of 2 numbers < 12.
Use the distributive property to express a sum of 2 whole numbers 1-100 with
a common factor.

5. Extend the
understanding of the
number system by
constructing meanings
for fractions.

Concepts
1. part/whole meaning/representations
a. linear: Cuisenaire rods & points or lengths on a number line
b. area: Pattern blocks or geoboards or drawings
c. discrete: 2-colored counters
2. for all models: unit - nonunit fractions - mixed numbers
3. density and magnitude
4. negative number coordinates
Relations
1. equivalence
2. order and sequence
3. relation to half

Adoption date: July 2012

Instructional
Materials

Everyday Math Unit 2

SF Middle School Math:
Ch. 9 les. 5-6 pp.488-497
Les Enhance.Transp.45-6
Math in Context
Operations,
Patterns and Symbols ,
Figuring All the Angles
District constructed tasks
Supplements:
Math Connections p38
Everyday Math Unit __
SF Middle School Math:
Course 1Chapter 5
SUPPLEMENTARY:

Groundworks:
Reasoning w/Number
Math Connections (ms)
District constructed tasks
Everyday Math Unit 4
SF Middle School
Math: Course 1
Chapter 5 les. 4-6,8
pp.288-301,308
SUPPLEMENTARY:

SkillPower
Groundworks:
Reasoning w/Number
Math Connections (ms)
District constructed tasks

Assessments

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework
NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Page 3

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

6. Extend the
understanding and use
of arithmetic
operations to fractions;
develop, apply and
explain procedures for
computation and
estimation with
fractions.
6NS 1

7. Develop the number

sense necessary for
computation.
Compute fluently with
multi-digit numbers,
including decimals.
6NS 2, 3

Addition & subtraction 1. Estimation

2. review w/ like denom.
3. reinforce unlike denom.
4. regroup w/ mixed no.
5. Expressions and equations with fractions
Multiplication & division 1. Estimation
2. Extend contexts and meaning across number systems
3. Interpret and compute quotients for division of fraction problems
a. mult/div by whole no.
b. mult./div by fractions
4. Represent/interpret stories and visual models, and compute
quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division
of fractions by fractions
Mixed operations
5. Investigate properties in operations on fractions with and without
variables.

1. If possible, divide out common factors in dividend and divisor before dividing
2. Informally model select division situations w/ Base 10 to reinforce fair sharing
and transition to the standard algorithm. (Levels 2 and 3)
3. Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm
4. Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the
standard algorithm for each operation.
5. Apply properties: identity commutative associative distributive

Adoption date: July 2012

Instructional
Materials
Everyday Math Lesson
4.8
SF Middle School
Math: Course 1
Chapter 6 lessons 1-6
pp.324-356
Chapter 7 lessons 1-6
pp.365-396

Assessments

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

SUPPLEMENTARY
MATERIALS:

Math Connections (ms)

Jacobs Algebra
SAT & NAEP released
items
District constructed tasks
Everyday Math Unit 5
SF Middle School Math:
Chapter 3 lessons 5-12
SUPPLEMENTS: Skill
Power-6
Groundworks:
Reason w/Numbers
Computation.Competenci
es
Math Connections (ms)
District constructed tasks

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Page 4

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

8. Develop meaning for

ratios and proportions.
9. Develop meaning for
percents.
Develop, apply, and
explain methods for
solving problems
involving proportions and
percents in a variety of
situations.
Use proportional
reasoning to solve real
world and other math
problems.
RP 1, 2, 3

1. Ratios
a. Model and explain the concept of ratio and use of ratio language to
describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.
b. Distinguish part to part and part to whole
c. Identify the differences between ratios vs. fractions
d. Model and explain the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio
a:b with b 0, and use ratio language in the context of a ratio
relationship.
e. Determine equal ratios and rates
2. Proportions (with the focus on proportional reasoning)
a. Develop conceptual meaning
b. Make representations
c. Reason through qualitative comparisons
d. Use proportional language in describing, explaining, justifying or
evaluating examples and situations
3. Applications:
a. Make tables with equivalent ratios relating quantities with whole number
measurements; use the tables to compare ratios.
b. Use proportional reasoning to convert measurement units, emphasizing
the multiplicative nature of this activity.
c. Plot pairs of values on the coordinate plane; compare to find equal ratios.
d. Solve unit rate problems, including those involving unit pricing and
constant speed.
e. Solve problems involving scale drawings
f. Solve problems involving similar figures
4. Percents
a. Conceptual meaning using percent bars
b. Representations- area and discrete models
c. Find the percent of a quantity as a rate per 100.
d. Estimate the percent of a given whole.
e. Solve problems involving finding the whole, given the part and percent.
f. Applications
5. Converting fractions, decimals, and percents

Adoption date: July 2012

Instructional
Materials

SF Middle School Math:

Course 1
Chapter 10 les.1-4,6-11
pp.513-572
SUPPLEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL:

Assessments

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Per Sense (MiC)

Grasping Sizes (MiC)
Ratios and Rates (MiC)

Page 5

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

10a. Develop, apply and

explain a variety of
strategies for determining
perimeter, circumference,
area, surface area.
Solve real world
problems involving area
and surface area.

1. Find the area of right triangles, other triangles, special quadrilaterals, and
other polygons by composing into rectangles or decomposing into triangles
and other shapes.
2. Develop formulas for solving problems related to measurement.
3. Apply all of the above in the context of solving real world/math problems.
4. Represent 3D figures using nets made up of rectangles and triangles; use the
nets to find surface area of the figures. apply in real/math contexts.
5. Demonstrate and explain the impact of the change of an objects linear
dimensions on its perimeter, area, or surface area. (Level 4)

SF Middle School Math:

Course 1
Ch.4 les.1,4-9 pp.210214, 228-261
Ch. 11 les. 1-7 pp. 580613

Assessments

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

SUPPLEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL:

Reallotment (MiC)
Made to Measure (MiC)
District constructed tasks

6G 1, 3, 4
10b. Develop, explain,
and apply a variety of
strategies for determining
volume.
6G 2

Instructional
Materials

Measurement concepts:
1. Apply understanding of measurement to construct shapes
2. Develop formulas for solving problems related to volume.
3. Solve real world and other math problems by finding the volume of a
rectangular prism with fractional edge lengths
4. Demonstrate and explain the impact of the change of an objects linear
dimensions on its volume. (Level 4)

SF Middle School Math:

Course 1
Ch.4 les.1,4-9 pp.210214, 228-261
Ch. 11 les. 1-7 pp. 580613

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

SUPPLEMENTARY
INSTRUCTIONAL:

Reallotment (MiC)
Made to Measure (MiC)

Adoption date: July 2012

Page 6

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
Content Outline

The student will ...

11. Understand and use

variables to evaluate and
simplify expressions.
6 EE 1, 2, 3, 4

12. Represent and solve

simple equations using
concrete and informal
models, as well as
appropriate paper-andpencil techniques.
Reason about and solve
one-variable inequalities.
6EE 5, 6, 7, 8

Variables
1. Represent and solve problems generated from concrete, pictorial, and
symbolic representations
Expressions
A. Develop an intuitive/logical meaning, with reference to time and position.
B. Apply and extend prior knowledge of arithmetic to algebraic expressions
1. Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole number
exponents.
2. Write and evaluate expressions in which a variable is a placeholder.
a. Translate between expressions written in words and symbols
b. Identify parts of an expression using mathematical terms
c. Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables, including
expressions that arise from formulas used in real-world problems.
d. Perform arithmetic operations, including those involving whole
number exponents, in the conventional order with and without
parentheses.
3. Apply the properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions.
4. Identify when 2 expressions are equivalent, regardless of which value is
substituted into the variable.
Equation
1. Build structure and logic through balance representations w/ problems
a. Focus on and emphasize equivalence as key across varied tasks.
b. Recognize substitution as a logical approach to finding solutions.
2. Solve real world and other math problems by writing and solving equations in
the form of x + p = q, and px = q for cases in which p, q, and x are all nonnegative rational numbers.
Inequalities
1. Approach solving an inequality as a process of answering the question:
which values from a specific set, if any, make an inequality true?
2. Represent solutions of inequalities on number line diagrams.
3. Substitute to determine if a given number in a set makes an inequality true.
4. Recognize that the inequalities ( x>c or x<c) have infinitely many solutions.
5. Write an inequality of the form x>c or x<c to represent a constraint or
condition in a real world or ther math problem.

Adoption date: July 2012

Instructional
Materials

Assessments

Everyday Math Unit 6

SF Middle School Math:
Course 1
Chapter 2 lessons10-11
pp.110-117
SUPPLEMENTS: Algebridge
Expressions and
Formulas Comparing
Quantities (MiC)
District constructed tasks

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Everyday Math Unit 3

SF Middle School Math:
Course 1
Chapter 2 lessons12-13
pp.118-126
SUPPLEMENTS:
Algebridge
Algebra Puzzles and
Problems #6

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Writing tasks
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

District constructed tasks

Page 7

GRADE 6 MATH CURRICULUM

Learning Objective
The student will ...

13. Represent and

analyze quantitative
relationships between
dependent and
independent variables.
6EE 9

Content Outline

1.Use variables to represent two quantities in a real world problem that change
in relationship to one another; write an equation to express one quantity
(dependent variable), in terms of the other quantity (independent variable).
2.Analyze the relationship between the dependent & independent variables using
a. Tables and graphs
b. Relating these to one another
1.
Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of
14. Select and use
its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its
appropriate graphical
values vary with a single number.
representations and
2. Distinguish measures of center
measures of central
Mean
mode
median
tendency for sets of data.
3.
Examine
range,
spread,
gaps,
and (effect of) outliers
6SP 3
4.Graphic representations
Summarize and describe distributions
15. Develop
1. Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots,
understanding of
histograms, and box plots.
statistical variability.
2. Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their contexts; e.g. :
a. Reporting the number of observations
Make inferences and
b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it
formulate and evaluate
was measured and its unit of measurement
arguments based on data
c. Given quantitiative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability
analysis and data
(interquartile range and /or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing
displays.
an overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with
6SP 1, 2, 4, 5
reference to the context in which the data were gathered.
d.
Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the shape of
the data distribution and the context in which the data were gathered.
Variability
1. Recognize that a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a
single number.
2. Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data
related to the question and accounts for it in the answer.
3. Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a
distribution that can be described by its center, spread and overall shape.

Adoption date: July 2012

Instructional
Materials

Assessments

Everyday Math Unit 10

SF Middle School Math:
Chapter 9 lesson 7
SUPPLEMENTS: MIC
Expressions&Formulas
District constructed tasks

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Everyday Math Unit 3

SF Middle School Math:
Chapter 1 lessons 7 - 9
SUPPLEMENTS:
Exploring Data
District constructed tasks

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

Everyday Math Unit 6

SF Middle School Math:
Chapter 1 all lessons

NJ ASK-6
District Common Assessment
Lesson warm-ups
Closure tasks
Group work checklist
Homework

SUPPLEMENTARY

Exploring Data
Data About Us (CM)
Picturing Numbers (MiC)
Tracking Graphs (MiC)
Dealing with Data (MiC)
District constructed tasks

Page 8