SYLLABUS
6th Grade Science
Quint 1
Overview:
This will be the 1st unit of the school year. Within the unit we will be practicing and assessing the Scientific
Method. We will be learning about the Scientific Method through introduction to Chemistry. My Scientists
will learn about matter, and the states of matter. They will also gain an understanding of mixtures, solutions,
and will be able to describe properties of common elements and compounds.
Please sign and return all forms at the end of this syllabus so that I know you have read it and are aware of
your Scientist’s responsibilities.
Pacing guide
Unit 1: Inquiry & Intro to Chemistry
August 24-28
August 31Sept 4
September 811
September 1418
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
Dates
Standard
Topic
Vocab Words
Assessment(s)
Learner
Expectation
Metric Measurements
& Classroom
Procedures
No formal assessments
C.INQ.1
C.INQ.10
C.1
RST.6-8.4
Testable Questions and
Hypothesis
C.1
C.INQ.10
RST.6-8.4
Element Properties and
Hypothesis
Inquiry
Procedure
Evaluate
Volume
Metric System
Assessed on: 8/31
Research Question
Testable question
Hypothesis
Variable
Format
Assessed on: 9/8
Physical Property
Chemical Property
Oxidation
Conductivity
Differentiate
Assessed on: 9/14
independent variable
dependent variable
constant variable
manipulated
responding
Assessed on: 9/21
C.INQ. 4
C.2
RST.6-8.4
Physical & Chemical
Properties
Activity: Is it Magnetic?
Activity: Property Card
Sort
Variables
Activity: Identifying IV &
DV and Control Group
in a chemical
change/reaction
1st C.INQ.1 Assessment
1st C.INQ.10 Assess
1st C.1 Assessment
2nd C.1 Assessment
3rd C.1 Assessment
2nd C.INQ.10 Assess
1st C.INQ.4 Assessment
2nd C.INQ.4 Assessment
1st C.2 Assessment
September 2125
September 28Oct 2
October 5-9
October
12-16
October
19-23
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
C.2
RST.6-8.4
Element vs. Compound
Properties
C.INQ.5
RST.6-8.4
Observations
C.INQ.3
C.3
RST.6-8.4
C.3
RST.6-8.4
Activity: Qualitative vs
Quantitative
Observations of
Mixtures vs. Solutions
Procedure & Data Table
Activity: Procedure for
Separating a Mixture
Element
Compound
Aluminum
Iron
Carbon
Assessed on: 9/28
Data
Qualitative
Quantitative
Observation
Inference
Assessed on: 10/5
Mixture
Solution
Homogeneous
Heterogeneous
Particle Size
Assessed on: 10/12
2nd C.2 Assessment
3rd C.2 Assessment
1st C.INQ.5 Assessment
2nd C.INQ.5 Assessment
1st C.INQ.3 Assessment
2nd C.INQ.3 Assessment
1st C.3 Assessment
2nd C.3 Assessment
3rd C.3 Assessment
Scientific Method
Activity: Mixture
Separation Lab
C.1
C.2
C.3
4th C.1/C.2/C.3 Assess
Review and Post-Assess
Standards
Content
C.1 Describe the properties of common elements, such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, iron & aluminum.
C.2 Describe how the properties of simple compounds, such as water and table salt, are different from
the properties of the elements of which they are made.
C.3 Explain how mixtures can be separated by using the properties of the substances from which they
are made, such as particle size, density, solubility and boiling point.
Inquiry
C.INQ.1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.
C.INQ.3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different
questions.
C.INQ.4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant,
when designing an experiment.
C.INQ.5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.
C.INQ.10 Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary,
supporting evidence and clear logic.
Common Core State Standards
RST.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases
as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics.
Academic Procedures
Vocabulary
Each week my Scientists will get 5 new words and their definitions. On Mondays, they will complete a cumulative
vocab quiz with the words addressed thus far. The quiz will contain 5 additional words because 5 new words will
be added to the list each week. The vocabulary quizzes will assess standard RST.6-8.4. Students who can match
100% of the words to their definitions will receive a 4. Students who match 80-99% of the words with their
definitions will earn a 3. Students who can match 70-79% of words to their definitions will get a 2. 40%-69% is a 1,
and 39% or below is a .5.
Homework
Homework is assigned daily to 6th grade students. Homework is a requirement and is due at the start of the next
class period. Homework is important because it helps students practice what they are learning in class. If students
do not complete a homework assignment they will stay after school to complete the assignment.
Ketchup Day & Academic Center
Progress Monitoring: I will be available two days a week for Academic Center & Ketchup Day from 2:30-3:30.
Ketchup Day is different from Academic Center. Academic Center is open to all students who want to improve their
mastery of standards. Ketchup Day will be ‘invite only’. Throughout the quint, each student will be charting their
own progress on their standard assessments. If students are not improving and/or have scored below a 2 they will
be asked to stay after school for an ‘invite only’ Ketch-Up day. You will know that your child has been invited to
Ketchup Day because I will send them home with an info card in the shape of a Ketchup bottle at the beginning of
the week. The Ketchup Day card will include the date the Scientist must stay after and what standard they will be
working on. They must bring the card to Ketchup Day and I will initial it to signify that they came.
Standards Based Grading
Standards based grading (SBG) is a wonderful measure of your success at mastery of each individual standard. If
you are absent and miss work, it is YOUR responsibility to find out what you missed. If you do not demonstrate
mastery level (3) on an assessment, you are more than welcome to stay after, study, and improve your mastery.
You may demonstrate your mastery by re-assessing that standard. In order to do complete a re-assessment, you
must stay after during my Academic Center Day. You must study for the standard, and then complete a reassessment. Students must make a good faith effort on the initial assessment in order to re-assess. We will assess
each standard 2 or more times throughout the year. Here is a summary of the levels of mastery and a description
of each level.
0-Nothing to
assess
No attempt at the problem(s)
1-Emerging
Problem(s) attempted; solution incorrect; minimal understanding of the concept
2-Proficient
General understanding of the concept as evidenced by accurate process for solving basic
problems; major errors or omissions in solution of targeted skill problems
Solid understanding of the concept as evidenced by accurate process for solving targeted
skill problems; solution correct or mostly correct for basic; work is not as sophisticated or
efficient as it could be and/or correct notation not used throughout problem
In-depth understanding of the concept; solution for complex application problems is
correct; work is sophisticated and uses correct notation
3-Mastery
4-Advanced
Technology
Remind
I will be using Remind to communicate short messages to parents and students. Remind is a free, safe, easy-to-use
communication tool that helps teachers connect instantly with students and parents. I will be able to send daily
homework reminders, upcoming assessment information, file attachments, critical thinking questions for the next
day’s class, weekly vocabulary terms, and last minute homework or schedule changes using the app. Please take a
moment to download the free app! I would like both parents and students to subscribe. There are three options
for joining. You may either join through text message, or use the app. If you download the app, follow the onscreen instructions and enter the appropriate class code. If you would like to join via text message, text the
number 81010 and send the message for your class period. The code for period 3 is @paigo3 the code for period 4
is @paigo4. To subscribe to Remind messages via email, all you have to do is send a blank email to
paigo3@mail.remind.com or paigo4@mail.remind.com
Class Blog
I will update the blog weekly with the following information: weekly vocab words, homework, and important
announcements/study materials. I will send out a weekly email, to all parents on the email list, with a link to the
blog post. I will also post related school and classroom events/announcements. You may access my blog through
my Capital Prep Harbor Weebly: www.misspaigo-harbor.weebly.org
Instagram
In addition to the class blog, I also have an educator Instagram account. I use my Instagram to
post photographs of classroom ideas, student work, students performing science experiments,
etc. I have linked the Instagram to the class blog. Be sure to follow me on Instagram so that you
can keep up with daily activities! Follow me at: @miss_paigo
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Progress reports will be sent home every two weeks. For my class students will be embarking upon a
year-long process of creating an Interactive Science Notebooks. We will make ISNotes for every standard
that is taught in class and by the end of the year it will be a wonderful resource for students to keep. In
order to work on our ISNotebooks students need to bring the following supplies to class every day:
sharpened pencils, a 12-pack of colored pencils, a roll of scotch table, and kid-safe scissors. Most
importantly, all Scientists need a composition notebook. I will give my Scientists a small case to put the
ISNotebook materials in. In addition, all of my Scientists must have a 2 or 3 inch binder with 5 tabbed
dividers. Students should keep all work that gets handed back for their own records or Advisory
artifacts. Please do not clean out and discard the Science binder at any point.
CONTACT INFORMATION

Miss Julia Paigo

(860) 916-2461
 julia.paigo@capitalprepharbor.org
Please read this page, sign it and send it back to
school tomorrow. In addition, read, sign, and
return the bottom half of the following two
pages.
Student Signature: __________________________________ Date: _______________
Printed Student Name:__________________________________
Parent Signature: __________________________________ Date: _______________
Printed Parent Name:___________________________________
Parent Email:__________________________________________________________
Parent Cell Phone Number:________________________________________________
Would you like to receive text message communication?
 Yes
 No
What questions do you have for me? ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
*The following two pages were created by another teacher and adapted by me
Classroom Instagram Permission Form
Dear Families,
Have you ever wondered what your child is up to in school? Do you ask
your child, and get little response? You will have the opportunity to see
inside your child’s world on a daily basis. There is an app called Instagram
that can be used on all smartphones.
If you are not familiar with Instagram, it is an online photo-sharing
service that enables users to take pictures and then share them with
others. By sharing these photos, you can engage in meaningful
conversation with your children about their day. I will manage our
classroom Instagram account and it will be set to “public”, meaning that
it can be viewed by anyone with the Instagram app.
This will allow you the chance to see the day to day happenings in the
classroom, that you would otherwise miss, and I get the joy of sharing.
To participate, you simply download the free Instagram app, and ‘follow’
our class
Instagram Account Name: @miss_paigo
You certainly do not have to participate in having the app and following
our class, but I would like to post pictures of our class and pictures at
events such as field trips.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me via my
email or phone number.
_______Yes, I give permission for my child to be photographed for public
sharing on the public classroom Instagram
_______No, I do not give permission for my child to be photographed for
public sharing on the public classroom Instagram
Child Name:______________________________________
Parent Signature:_________________________________
Date:____________
Classroom Blogging
Most teachers spend many hours each week outside of the classroom
creating, and preparing engaging lessons for their children. Many
teachers like to keep an online journal of their creations, or fun
things that happen in their classrooms. These online classroom
journals are called blogs. They are an internet based website that
houses all of the information that their author puts on. They can
have PDF documents, pictures, videos, and text that document the
daily ideas in a class.
Not only is a blog a great school-to-home connection, but it will also make it
possible for us to connect our classroom with teachers and students from
other parts of the state, nation, or world. I will be able to use it as a tool to
teach your child how to use the internet safely, effectively, and ethically
essential skills for 21st century technology.
I have a blog that documents our classroom and my journey as a teacher.
My blog is linked on my Weebly: www.misspaigo-harbor.weebly.org and can
be found at www.paigospupils.edublogs.org
I would love for you to visit often and take a look around at all of the amazing
things going on in our classroom. In order to properly record in my blog, I do
need the permission of parents to put up pictures of projects created by
students in my room.
The blog is open to the public to view and comment on. Every effort will be made to
protect your child’s privacy. We will not share personal information about your child
on the classroom blog. I will be moderating all comments to allow only appropriate
comments to be published.
Please return this form back to school on the following school day.
_____Yes, my child can be photographed & classwork can also be featured on the blog.
_____My child’s work can be featured, but I do NOT want my child’s picture featured.
_____My child’s picture can be featured, but I do NOT my child’s work featured.
_____I do NOT wish to have my child’s picture or work on the class blog.
Child’s Name:___________________________________________
Parents Name:_______________________________
Parent’s Signature: __________________________________
Date:_____________