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Class VI

  • Class VI English

    Class VI English focuses on grammar, literature, vocabulary and expository as well as creative writing. Grammar, based on the sixth-grade grammar textbook, covers parts of speech, parts of the sentence (subject, predicate and complements), phrases, punctuation, capitalization and other topics. The literature comprises short stories, poetry and short novels, including Farenheit 451, The Call of the Wild, Treasure Island and Of Mice and Men. Boys study vocabulary from a variety of sources: the textbook Wordly Wise 3000 Book VII, assigned Latin and Greek prefixes and roots, in-class literature and miscellaneous words given by the teacher. Multiparagraph writing assignments include analysis of assigned literature, book reports and creative writing; boys are taught effective methods of editing and rewriting their compositions with an emphasis on developing conciseness, variety of sentence structure, clarity and organization.

  • Class VI History

    Boys in Class VI study American history beginning with the colonization of the Americas and ending with the completion of the Civil War. The first major topic of study is European expansion into the New World and its effects on native populations with a primary focus on the English colonization of the East Coast of North America. Next, the boys study the colonists’ political and commercial conflicts with England which lead to the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, the basic reasoning behind the structure of the Constitution and the founding of the United States, technological and industrial growth, westward expansion and the concept of Manifest Destiny, slavery, the evolution of the American form of popular democracy, the growing political and cultural divisions leading to the Civil War, and finally, the Civil War. Coursework includes readings in the textbook, America, History of Our Nation (Prentice Hall/Pearson Education–2011 edition)  and work with primary and secondary sources, slides, films, maps, discussions and lecture. The primary forms of assessment are in-class essays or multiple choice tests assigned on a weekly basis in the fall and early winter, a formal term paper that is completed in late winter and a return to multiple choice testing in the spring. Outlining and writing skills are emphasized for both the essays and the term paper. History book reports are assigned in the fall and spring, and the class reads Tom Sawyer as a group through the winter. Field trips are normally planned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The New York Historical Society.

  • Class VI Math

    Class VI Mathematics emphasizes arithmetic fundamentals, pre-algebra skills and problem solving techniques. Topics covered include order of operations, distributive property, integers, ratios and proportions, percents and solving algebraic equations. Data analysis involves learning about representing data in tables and graphs and learning about measures of central tendency. Additionally, students study the Pythagorean Theorem and the volume and surface area of solids. The goals of the Class VI course are to give students a solid arithmetic foundation for Class VII, to continue developing logical reasoning and problem-solving skills and to stress the importance of communicating mathematical thinking.

  • Class VI Science

    Class VI Science introduces students to the environmental and earth sciences. The earth is a dynamic, living planet. As such, students focus their attention on four units: the environment, weather and climate, our dynamic planet earth and astronomy. Beginning with the environment, students build on their current understanding of ecosystems by studying the major biomes, the biotic and abiotic factors which shape life on earth, the impact of pollution on the environment and the role of conservation and stewardship to protect the environment. They then learn about weather and climate on the earth, considering the role of the atmosphere and its daily and long-term weather patterns. Next, the earth science unit dives into the composition and geologic history of the earth and the forces which continue to shape it. Students cover plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, the significance of rocks and minerals and land formations. Throughout the course, students make links to key physical science concepts such as density, viscosity, motion, force, energy and momentum. We end the year by looking to the cosmos and understanding earth’s place in the broader universe. From the moon to the Milky Way, astronomy covers the space in between. Supported by exciting individual and group hands-on application and challenging critical reading and thinking activities, students are given an engaging science experience.

  • Class VI French

    Class IV–VI students are introduced to the basics of reading, writing, speaking and comprehending French, in addition to the study of the culture of France.

  • Class VI SLA

    The SLA curriculum reinforces the reading, writing, speaking, listening, organizational and executive-functioning skills taught in the general curriculum. The learning specialists serve as resources for the classroom teacher, suggesting teaching strategies and materials. They also help coordinate and interpret students’ standardized achievement tests and administer diagnostic tests. Middle School boys work with the Learning Resources teachers in SLA classes and on a pull-out basis. The department also serves as a resource for all the Middle School students who may need support in any of their academic subjects.

  • Class VI Spanish

    In Classes IV–VI, the students are introduced to the basics of reading, writing, speaking and comprehension by teaching grammar as a function of the vocabulary being taught. The culture of the Spanish-speaking world is also an important element of the program.

The Buckley School

113 East 73rd St | New York, NY 10021 | 212-535-8787