What your child learns in Grade 6 in BC
Grade 6 pushes towards more abstract thinking: an introduction to ratios and percents, multiplying and dividing decimals, factors and multiples, one-step equations, longer writing and more independent study.
Grade 6 subjects in the BC Curriculum
Math
Big Ideas
- Mixed numbers and decimal numbers represent quantities that can be decomposed into parts and wholes.
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals.
- Linear relations can be identified and represented using expressions with variables and line graphs and can be used to form generalizations.
12 units, including thousandths to billions, facts & factors, mixed numbers & ratios, decimal × and ÷.
English Language Arts
Big Ideas
- Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
- Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.
- Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking.
10 units, including close reading, point of view, figurative language, connotation & tone.
Science
Big Ideas
- Multicellular organisms rely on internal systems to survive, reproduce, and interact with their environment.
- Everyday materials are often mixtures.
- Newton's three laws of motion describe the relationship between force and motion.
6 units, including body systems, mixtures & solutions, newton's laws, gravity & friction.
Social Studies
Big Ideas
- Economic self-interest can be a significant cause of conflict among peoples and governments.
- Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
- Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.
6 units, including map skills, cities & migration, global challenges, governments & rights.
French Immersion
Big Ideas
- The impact of a message largely depends on the author's word choices and style.
- Discovering other cultures encourages us to examine our own mores and values.
- Asking questions allows us to connect ideas and develop our ability to think critically.
7 units, including imparfait ou passé composé?, racines et préfixes, les légendes, quand et où?.
Core French
Big Ideas
- Listening and viewing with intent helps us understand French.
- Using various strategies helps us understand and acquire language.
- With simple French, we can describe others and their interests.
8 units, including letter patterns, question words, hobbies, giving reasons.
What to look for on the report card
Look for comments about organization, explaining reasoning in math (including ratios and percents) and writing with evidence.
BC report cards describe learning with Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending. See what each level means.
Core Competencies are part of every grade. Read about core competencies.
Ready for Grade 6?
Grade 6 builds on what your child practised in Grade 5. If a skill feels shaky, a few short practice sessions before or early in the year can help:
- Math: numbers to a million, add & subtract, multiply, divide, equivalent fractions
- English Language Arts: reading detectives, plot and conflict, figurative language, purpose and structure, context clues
- Science: digestion & breathing, heart, bones & muscles, solutions & mixtures, simple machines, the rock cycle
- Social Studies: levels of government, making laws, rights & freedoms, immigration & multiculturalism, learning from the past
- French Immersion: qui, que, où, dont, ne… plus, jamais, rien, les adverbes, la ponctuation, la bande dessinée
- Core French: salutations, sounds and accents, numbers 0 to 30, masculine, feminine, plural, likes and dislikes
Common questions
What do kids learn in Grade 6 in British Columbia?
Grade 6 covers math, english language arts, science, social studies, french immersion, core french in the BC Curriculum. Grade 6 pushes towards more abstract thinking: an introduction to ratios and percents, multiplying and dividing decimals, factors and multiples, one-step equations, longer writing and more independent study.
How is Grade 6 reported in BC?
BC report cards describe learning with Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending.
How can I help my Grade 6 child at home?
Short, regular practice works better than long sessions: 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Read together, use math in real life, and praise effort.
Practise Grade 6 skills with Gradelings
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