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Grade 6 · Quarter 1 · Week 7 · Friday

The Mystery of the Decline

The Indus Valley Civilization — Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro: the planned cities of South Asia.

Week standards: 6.EE.A.2 · 6.RP.A.3 · RI.6.2 · RI.6.6 · MS-LS1-3 · C3 D2.His.2.6-8

Suggested timing

8:30 Morning meeting · 8:45 Social Studies · 9:30 Math · 10:15 break · 10:30 ELA · 11:30 Science · 12:15 lunch · 1:00 specials & wrap-up

Social Studies

40 min

Climate change, river shifts, and the disappearance of Harappan cities.

Learning target: I can climate change, river shifts, and the disappearance of Harappan cities.

Step-by-step

  1. Warm-up (5 min): map / timeline question on the board to activate yesterday's learning.
  2. Mini-lesson (10 min): teacher-led overview of "Climate change, river shifts, and the disappearance of Harappan cities" using the textbook or atlas.
  3. Guided practice (15 min): annotate a primary source, label a map, or sort cards on a timeline with a partner.
  4. Independent practice (10 min): students respond in their notebook with one claim + one piece of evidence.

Check: Exit ticket: name two specific details (place, person, date, or cause) and explain why they matter.

Home tip: At home, ask: "Where on a map would you find what you studied today?" Have your child point it out and tell you one cause and one effect from "Climate change, river shifts, and the disappearance of Harappan cities".

Homework: Read tonight's textbook section (10–15 min) and add three new facts to your notebook timeline.

Resources to teach from

  • Textbook / OER reading: OpenStax World History Vol. 1 — §3.3 'Indus Valley' — OpenStax (https://openstax.org/books/world-history-volume-1/pages/3-3-indus-valley-civilization)
  • Primary source: Indus seals (artifact gallery) — Harappa.com archive (https://www.harappa.com/indus/indus1.html)
  • Article: Indus Valley Civilization — World History Encyclopedia (https://www.worldhistory.org/Indus_Valley_Civilization/)
  • Textbook / OER reading: OpenStax World History Vol. 1 — Ch. 4 'Asia' — OpenStax (https://openstax.org/books/world-history-volume-1/pages/4-introduction)

Math

50 min

Mixed practice: variables, equivalent expressions, ratios.

Learning target: I can mixed practice: variables, equivalent expressions, ratios.

Step-by-step

  1. Number talk (5 min): mental-math warm-up tied to today's concept.
  2. Mini-lesson (12 min): worked example of "Mixed practice: variables, equivalent expressions, ratios" with the teacher modeling thinking out loud.
  3. We do (10 min): class works two problems together; students explain each step.
  4. You do (15 min): students try 4–6 problems independently or with a partner; teacher confers.
  5. Closure (5 min): one student presents a solution; class critiques the reasoning.

Check: Exit ticket: 2 problems — one procedural, one word problem — graded for accuracy and reasoning.

Home tip: Ask your child to teach you tonight's idea in 60 seconds: "Show me one example of mixed practice: variables, equivalent expressions, ratios." Teaching it back is the fastest way to lock it in.

Homework: Practice set: 6–8 problems mirroring class work. Show steps; circle the answer.

Vocab: variables, equivalent expressions, ratios

Resources to teach from

  • Textbook / OER reading: Illustrative Mathematics 6 — Unit 2 'Introducing Ratios' — Illustrative Math (OER, CC-BY) (https://im.kendallhunt.com/MS/students/1/2/index.html)
  • Video: Intro to ratios (5 min) — Khan Academy — 6th grade (https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-ratios-prop-topic/cc-6th-ratios-intro/v/introduction-to-ratios-new-hd-version)
  • Interactive / simulation: Ratio practice set (adaptive) — Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-ratios-prop-topic/cc-6th-ratios-intro/e/ratio-word-problems)
  • Textbook / OER reading: Illustrative Math 6 — Unit 6 'Expressions & Equations' — Illustrative Math (https://im.kendallhunt.com/MS/students/1/6/index.html)

ELA

45 min

Mini research: 'Why did Indus civilization fade?' — cite two sources (W.6.7).

Learning target: I can mini research: 'Why did Indus civilization fade?' — cite two sources (W.

Step-by-step

  1. Bell-ringer (5 min): a sentence-level grammar warm-up or quick-write prompt.
  2. Read-aloud / shared reading (12 min): "Mini research: 'Why did Indus civilization fade?' — cite two sources" — students follow along and annotate.
  3. Discussion (10 min): turn-and-talk on a focus question, then share out with text evidence.
  4. Writing (15 min): students respond in writer's notebook — one paragraph minimum, citing the text.
  5. Share (3 min): two volunteers read a sentence they're proud of.

Check: Exit ticket: one quoted sentence from today's text + one sentence explaining what it shows.

Home tip: Ask: "Who is the main character or speaker in what you read today, and what do they want?" Then have your child read aloud one favorite sentence from "Mini research: 'Why did Indus civilization fade?' — cite two sources".

Homework: Independent reading 20 min + log title, pages, and one sentence of reaction.

Resources to teach from

  • Article: ReadWorks — Grade 6 informational passages — ReadWorks (free) (https://www.readworks.org/)
  • Article: Newsela — Grade 6 leveled news (free tier) — Newsela (https://newsela.com/)
  • Article: CommonLit — Grade 6 free reading library — CommonLit (https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts?grade_levels%5B%5D=6)
  • Article: ReadWorks — Grade 6 passages + questions — ReadWorks (https://www.readworks.org/find-content#!q:/g:6/t:/dt:/sb:relevance)

Science

45 min

Body-systems checkpoint; exit ticket on hierarchy.

Learning target: I can investigate body-systems checkpoint.

Step-by-step

  1. Warm-up (5 min): one-question opener tied to yesterday's lesson.
  2. Together (10 min): Body-systems checkpoint.
  3. Independent practice (12 min): exit ticket on hierarchy..
  4. Closure (5 min): students name one thing they learned and one question they still have.

Check: Exit ticket: one claim + one piece of evidence from today's investigation, with units where relevant.

Home tip: Ask: "What did you observe today, and what do you think it means?" Encourage your child to draw a labeled sketch of "Body-systems checkpoint" on a sticky note.

Homework: Finish lab notebook entry (sketch + CER paragraph) if not done in class.

Resources to teach from

  • Textbook / OER reading: OpenSciEd — free NGSS middle-school units — OpenSciEd (https://www.openscied.org/access-the-materials/)
  • Interactive / simulation: PhET Simulations (free, classroom-ready) — PhET — CU Boulder (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/filter?subjects=earth-science,biology,physics,chemistry&type=html)

Materials & worksheet checklist

Bring every day

  • Sharpened pencil & eraser
  • Day's notebook (one section per subject)

Social Studies

  • Outline map & colored pencils
  • Timeline strip

End-of-day reflection (student)

One thing I learned today:

One question I still have:

SixthGrade · Quarter 1 · Week 7 · FridayPrinted for classroom use

Part of the K–6 Homeschool Curriculum series · Grade 6 · Eastern Hemisphere & Ancient Civilizations