Division One

The Division One curriculum is a one-year experience designed to engage sixth-grade students in extensive studies of core subjects using the tools of social studies, reading and writing, science, math, and the arts. Additionally, students will begin to develop skills in Spanish and be engaged in a health and physical education program.

The curriculum is integrated by a common theme, Beginnings. This theme guides each curricular area and allows for interdisciplinary projects. As it is the beginning of each student’s experience at Wildwood Secondary and the start of their middle and high school career, this theme fits their personal and academic development. Our overall goals are to introduce to each student our Habits of Mind and Heart, our process of experiential teaching and learning, and our assessment system based on actual student demonstration of their learning.

Literature and Writing

The focus of students’ investigation of literature is the mythology and drama of the ancient cultures. Students read and perform material from each civilization they study with an eye toward how these cultural tools enriched both the lives of individuals and the community’s shared cultural norms.

Division One students read biography, autobiography, and historical fiction related to each of the civilizations studied. In these materials, students discover the role of individuals in a community in terms of leadership, responsibility, and protest. Reading for content and the utilization of multiple sources are stressed, as is expanding each student’s vocabulary.

Student writing uses a variety of forms, both creative and expository. In their creative writing, students are inspired to write poetry, myths, or drama by literature from each civilization studied. Expository writing includes report and research writing. In both areas, students develop the conventions of writing in order to understand the differences in style the approaches require.

Social Science

In the social studies, students focus on the ancient civilizations of Sumer, Egypt, and Greece. The primary focus is on what history is, what the different components of social studies (e.g., evolution theories, ancient history, current events) are, and what lessons there are for us in understanding the development of other societies. Students use the skills and concepts gained in examining the ancient societies to examine current issues in the world around them. Recognizing both their roles in history and as historians is also a crucial component of the sixth-grade year. Skills developed are the use of primary and secondary sources, library research, research analysis, and research-report writing.

The integrated approach utilized in Division One involves students with a reading, writing, and arts program also focused on these civilizations for a Humanities approach to these topics.

Mathematics

The Division One mathematics curriculum is designed to broaden and strengthen skills through a combination of traditional and project-based instruction. The year begins with a basic review and continues through pre-algebra in a spiraling method. Students learn algebraic, geometric, and statistical principles in concert with one another rather than as separate areas. Topics include basic operations, graphing and data analysis, number sense, rational numbers, measurement using standard and metric units, deductive and inductive logic, test-taking skills, and problem-solving strategies.

Science

Division One sets the stage for the middle school science program by introducing the concept that science is not a body of information but rather a way of finding information. Students are introduced to the ideas of measurement, observation, and experimentation as ways of learning about the world around them. We use these skills to explore topics in planetary science: meteorology, geology, and astronomy. Students learn about the atmospheric and geologic phenomena that affect their lives in Los Angeles and around the world. This knowledge provides a framework in which to think about the diversity of life on Earth, which they will then encounter in the seventh grade life-science curriculum.

Visual Arts

Students in Division One are introduced to art and its relationship to culture and history, the elements of design—line, form, shape, space, texture, color, and value—and design principles such as movement, contrast, balance, unity, and pattern. They examine how art influences society and culture, how culture influences art, and how art history affects artwork today. Projects include doing line narratives, color mobiles, monochromatic still life, texture collages, and figure drawing. Division One students learn how to look at art by viewing the Ancient Art collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Students keep a sketchbook in which they do assignments that either develop their skills of observation (“Draw your window and what you see out of it from where you are sitting”) or reinforce their skills and study of ancient history (“Draw an artifact from the ancient culture you are studying in Humanities”).

Performing Arts

The Division One performing arts program provides students the opportunity to develop their skills and their understanding of theater and to perform in formal and informal productions. The performing arts curriculum program focuses on drama and music drawn from the civilizations being studied in Humanities and the overall divisional theme of Beginnings. Students examine the early roots of theater and how theater is used as communication today and how it was used in ancient cultures. To view theater as living history, students prepare monologues to recreate an Egyptian celebration of the sun god Ra. They learn about costume design and set preparation and perform scenes from George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra. Division One students study classical Greek theater and do scene work based on their study of comedy and tragedy.

Spanish

Because of the nature of the world in which we live, all Wildwood students take Spanish. In Division One, students are introduced to basic vocabulary that they can use to name the world around them. Focus is given to gender and number agreement, verbs and infinitives, conjugation of regular verbs, reflexive verbs, cognates, and idiomatic expressions. Additionally, they are given opportunities to begin developing speaking and reading skills, including auditory comprehension, oral expression, and beginning writing proficiency.

Physical Education

In physical education, our focus is on team building and a fitness plan that will develop efficient and effective movement skills. Through team games, students develop respect for self and others and acquire leadership skills through communication and cooperation. Additionally, an introduction to the outdoor education program will be provided, with students going on an overnight camping experience.

Advisory

The focus of Advisory in Division One is to introduce students to Wildwood’s secondary program. Particular attention is paid to Wildwood’s Habits of Mind and Heart, which students are expected to demonstrate in all their work. Students begin the Leadership Program, working on team-building, conflict resolution, and leadership skills in a variety of structured activities. Outdoor Education and Community Involvement programs give students an opportunity to develop leadership. Students in Division One do their community involvement at McBride School continuing a Wildwood tradition. Students assist a buddy at the school and maintain regular contact with that student. Students prepare journal entries about their service and create a portfolio item to go along with the experience.