Grade 6 Math: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 6 math in the Saskatchewan Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Number (N6.1–N6.9): Demonstrate understanding of place value. Demonstrate understanding of factors and multiples. Demonstrate understanding of the order of operations on whole numbers (excluding exponents) with and without… (and 6 more outcomes)
- Patterns and Relations (P6.1–P6.3): Extend understanding of patterns and relationships in tables of values and graphs. Extend understanding of preservation of equality concretely, pictorially, physically, and symbolically. Extend understanding of patterns and relationships by using expressions and equations involving variables.
- Shape and Space (SS6.1–SS6.5): Demonstrate understanding of angles. Extend and apply understanding of perimeter of polygons, area of rectangles, and volume of right rectangular… Demonstrate understanding of regular and irregular polygons. (and 2 more outcomes)
- Statistics and Probability (SP6.1–SP6.2): Extend understanding of data analysis to include. Demonstrate understanding of probability.
Easy ways to practise math at home
- Look for fractions, decimals and percentages in sale signs, sports statistics and recipes.
- Ask your child to explain a problem to you as if you were the student.
- Estimate first (the bill, the trip time), then check with a calculator.
- Keep a tricky-problems list and revisit it every few days instead of re-doing everything.
What each unit covers
Thousandths to Billions
Reading, writing, comparing and rounding numbers from thousandths (0.001) up to billions, including multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000.
Facts & Factors
Quick recall of multiplication and division facts, plus factors, multiples and prime numbers, the greatest common factor (GCF) and least common multiple (LCM), and word problems that use them.
Decimal × and ÷
Multiplying and dividing decimals, estimating to check where the decimal point goes, and solving shopping and measurement problems.
Percents & Budgets
Finding percents of amounts, working out sale prices and savings, comparing unit prices to find the better buy, and planning a simple budget and savings goal.
Integers & Decimals
Meeting negative numbers on a number line, comparing and ordering integers, decimals and fractions, working with thousandths, and rounding decimals.
Mixed Numbers & Ratios
Switching between improper fractions (like 13/5) and mixed numbers (2 3/5), placing them on a number line, and writing and using ratios such as 3:4 in tables and word problems.
Patterns & Graphs
Describing growing and shrinking patterns with rules like 3n + 2, using tables and graphs to predict values, and reading change over time from line graphs.
Equations
Using the order of operations (brackets, then × and ÷, then + and −) and solving one-step equations like 6n = 42 with inverse operations, including writing equations for word problems.
Angles & Triangles
Estimating and classifying angles (acute, right, obtuse, straight, reflex), finding missing angles on a line and in triangles, and classifying triangles by their sides and angles.
Perimeter & Area
Finding the perimeter of L-shapes and other polygons, and the area of triangles (b × h ÷ 2), parallelograms (b × h) and trapezoids ((a + b) × h ÷ 2), including working backwards to a missing measurement.
Volume & Capacity
Finding the volume of rectangular prisms, converting between litres and millilitres, and connecting volume to capacity (1 cm³ holds 1 mL).
Quadrilaterals & Grids
Properties of quadrilaterals (symmetry and diagonals), top and front views, coordinates in all four quadrants, and combining slides and flips.
Transformations
Translating, reflecting and rotating points and shapes on a coordinate grid, and combining two transformations in a row.
Data & Graphs
Telling discrete data (counted) from continuous data (measured), reading histograms and line graphs, finding the range, and spotting misleading graphs.
Probability
Writing probabilities as fractions for spinners, dice and marbles, comparing theoretical probability with experimental results, and making predictions from data.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Meeting is the goal for every outcome. Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exemplary
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Saskatchewan report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 6 child with math?
Look for fractions, decimals and percentages in sale signs, sports statistics and recipes. Ask your child to explain a problem to you as if you were the student. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 6 math in Saskatchewan?
The Saskatchewan Curriculum Grade 6 math units include thousandths to billions, facts & factors, decimal × and ÷, percents & budgets, integers & decimals, mixed numbers & ratios.
Free printable Grade 6 math practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.