Riverdale

6th Grade
Course Selection Form

6th grade students will choose either Science, Technology, Engineering,

Mathematics (STEM) or World Languages. These courses are described
on the back. These are graded, yearlong courses.

Student’s Legal Name: ____________________________________________

Current Homeroom Teacher ________________________

Grade Level for 2018-2019 _________________________

Note 1st and 2nd choice.

____Facing History and Ourselves

____STEM

____World Languages

Parent signature indicates that you agree with your child’s class selection.
Changes will not be made after schedules have been set.

Parent Signature:______________________________

Parent Email Address:___________________________

Course Descriptions
6th Grade: Facing History and Ourselves Identity, Belonging, and Positive
Choices
This course will begin with an exploration of both the students’ identity as well as the identity of the
individuals and groups that will be studied throughout the year. Another key focus of the course will be that
of building/strengthening the sense of community among students, which has been closely linked with
students’ future academic success. In doing so, students will be exposed to various aspects of Memphis’
remarkable history. The course will conclude by providing students opportunities to investigate the
decisions others have made in history and literature so that they can make positive choices in their daily
lives.

6th STEM: STEM Explorers

STEM Explorers is a fundamental course for middle school students to search for answers to “What is STEM?”
A student proficient in this course will understand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) as a collection of interrelated disciplines, rather than a series of isolated fields. Students will come
away from this course with a thorough understanding of how the STEM disciplines work together to
investigate the world, define problems, and create optimal solutions to benefit society. In this course,
students will explore the history of engineering and technology; they will be introduced to the practices of
science and engineering; and they will explore various STEM fields to empower them to make an informed
decision when selecting a career pathway in high school.

World Languages
World Language is a course designed to prepare students for successfully fulfilling high-school foreign
language requirements. The course centers upon acquiring strategies for language learning, as well as
exposing students to introductory vocabulary in Spanish, French, Latin, and German. Culture studies will
include history, geography, arts, and the relevance of the romance languages in our world today. Following
completion of the course, students will be able to make an informed decision about which language to
pursue in high school, and understand how that language connects to English.