6th Grade Math

Middle School Math · Compass · Innovation Learning Lab

What is Compass Middle School Math?


Math that moves. All 6th grade TEKS covered — with 7th grade concepts introduced along the way. This class is built around the belief that math is most powerful when it connects to real life and feels genuinely engaging. Game-based, body and brain aligned, and grounded in a dedicated financial literacy unit — every semester closes with a capstone project and presentation that puts learning into action.

This isn't a lecture-and-worksheet class. It's an active, creative space where learners build lasting understanding through experience, movement, and meaningful application.

Fully aligned to 6th Grade Texas TEKS · 7th grade concepts introduced · Dedicated financial literacy project unit · Open note assessments

Is this the right fit for my student?


This course is aligned to 6th grade TEKS and is open to any learner who is ready to engage with this level of work — regardless of age or grade. If your student can do the work, they belong here.

This is Year 1 of a three-year sequence. Students who begin now will build on this foundation through 7th grade Math and Pre-Algebra in the years that follow.

A pre-assessment is available to help determine readiness. See details below.

Now Enrolling

Year 1 · 2026–2027

6th Grade Math · TEKS aligned · Financial literacy · Game-based

Coming Fall 2027

Year 2 · 7th Grade Math

Building on Year 1 with 7th grade content

Coming Fall 2028

Year 3 · Pre-Algebra

Completing the sequence with Pre-Algebra


How we learn in this class


🎲

Game-Based Learning

Math concepts taught and practiced through structured, engaging games that build fluency and confidence.

🧠

Body and Brain Aligned

Movement is integrated into learning — because research shows that active bodies support active minds.

💡

Real-World Application

A dedicated financial literacy unit brings math to life through real projects — think running a food truck, building a business, or solving real money problems.

📖

Open Note Tests

Assessments are open note — rewarding understanding and preparation over memorization.


How students are assessed


All assessments in this class are open note — students are rewarded for being organized, prepared, and genuinely understanding the material. Formats include a mix of the following:

📓 Homework
📋 Open Note Tests
🎲 Game-Based Practice
💰 Financial Literacy Projects
🎤 Capstone Presentations
Outside commitment: approximately 1 hour per day on non-class days. Consistent practice outside of class is essential to building mathematical fluency and confidence.

Pre-Assessment


To help determine readiness and allow the Guide to meet each learner where they are, students complete a take-home diagnostic pre-assessment before the first day of class. Results are sent directly to the teacher.

Take-Home Diagnostic

Beginning of Year 6th Grade Math Pre-Assessment

Complete at home and email results to deidrehonea@gmail.com . Purchase the assessment directly from the link below before the first day of class.

$3.75one-time purchase

6th Grade TEKS Scope

All 6th grade Texas TEKS covered, with key 7th grade concepts introduced.

Number and Operations

  • Rational numbers and number classification
  • Integers and absolute value
  • Ordering and comparing rational numbers
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing integers
  • Multiplying and dividing positive rational numbers
  • Dividing fractions and reciprocals

Proportionality

  • Ratios, rates, and unit rates
  • Ratios and percents with models
  • Benchmark fractions and percents
  • Equivalent fractions, decimals, and percents
  • Scale factors, tables, graphs, and proportions
  • Solving real-world percent problems
  • Unit conversion using proportions

Expressions, Equations, and Relationships

  • Independent and dependent quantities
  • Writing and representing algebraic relationships
  • Order of operations with exponents
  • Prime factorization
  • Equivalent expressions and properties of operations
  • One-variable, one-step equations and inequalities
  • Modeling and solving equations

Geometry and Data

  • Area of triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids
  • Area of composite figures
  • Volume of rectangular prisms
  • Triangle properties and angle relationships
  • Coordinate geometry — all four quadrants
  • Dot plots, stem-and-leaf, histograms, box plots
  • Measures of center and variability
Also covered: Personal Financial Literacy (6.14 TEKS) — including checking accounts, debit and credit cards, credit history, paying for college, and comparing lifetime income across career paths. This strand is woven throughout the year as real-world, project-based learning.

Math meets the real world


Financial literacy is its own dedicated project-based unit in this course — not a side note, but a full immersive experience where students apply their math skills to real-world scenarios. Projects are hands-on, creative, and designed to show students that math isn't abstract — it's the tool you use to build things in the real world.

🚚

Run a Food Truck

Plan a menu, set prices, manage costs, and figure out how to turn a profit — all with real math.

💼

Build a Business

Design a business idea, budget for it, and present the plan — learning how money, decisions, and math are connected.

🛒

Real Money Problems

Work through practical, real-life financial scenarios that connect directly to the math concepts covered in class.

🎤

Present Your Work

Every financial literacy project culminates in a presentation — building both math confidence and communication skills.

Capstone Projects


The year closes with a capstone project and presentation — a chance for students to bring together everything they've learned and share it with their community. Capstone celebration dates and presentation details will be released by September 2026.

Coming May 2027

End of Year Capstone Celebration

The year closes with a capstone project and community presentation — bringing together everything students have learned while building real presentation skills. Students will share their work with family and community at the end-of-year celebration. Dates and full details will be released at the start of the school year.


Supply List


Students are expected to arrive each week with all materials ready. Please have these supplies before the first day of class.

Students will also need an active Khan Academy account for practice and an active Google Classroom account to access assignments and resources at home. A personal device will be helpful to bring to class on occasion — your Guide will let you know in advance.

Writing Supplies

  • Pens and pencils
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Colored pencils
  • Eraser
  • Scissors
  • Highlighter
  • Glue sticks

Organization

  • One subject spiral notebook
  • 1 folder
  • Visual tools — 100's chart, multiplication table, etc.

Digital Resources

  • Khan Academy account — khanacademy.org
  • Google Classroom access at home
  • Personal device (laptop or tablet) — helpful to bring occasionally
  • Access to a printer at home — for project materials and visual aids

Simple, transparent pricing


Monthly Tuition

$70

per month

  • Billed monthly
  • No annual enrollment fee
  • Full year commitment required

Innovation Tuesday Add-On

$20

per month

  • For current Innovation Tuesday families
  • No annual enrollment fee
  • Add Math to your existing program
Pre-assessment required: Before the first day of class, students complete a take-home diagnostic pre-assessment ($3.75, purchased separately). Results are emailed to the teacher at deidrehonea@gmail.com.

Common Questions


Yes! Compass is open to any homeschool family. You do not need to be an existing Innovation Learning Lab family to enroll.

Innovators can join one class or build a full academic day — it's completely up to your family. Each class is enrolled and billed separately.

Students are expected to dedicate approximately one hour per day on non-class days to practice and assignments. Consistent effort outside of class is essential to building mathematical fluency.

Students are not permitted to use any form of AI to complete assignments, homework, or projects. This applies at home as well as in class, and parents are asked to uphold this expectation alongside their child.

Open note assessments reward genuine understanding and good organization over rote memorization. Students who have engaged with the material and kept organized notes will be well prepared. It also mirrors how math is applied in real life — where the goal is knowing how to think and where to find information, not reciting formulas from memory.

The Compass school year runs September 1, 2026 through May 18, 2027, meeting every Tuesday.

Students are expected to attend regularly. If your child misses a class, they are still responsible for completing any work assigned. Please reach out to Deidre directly with any attendance concerns.

Compass is a full-year commitment, and families sign a contract at enrollment. We ask that families come in understanding this is not a drop-in program. If concerns arise, please reach out to Deidre or Tamara directly so we can find the best path forward together.

Meet Your Teacher

Deidre Honea

Deidre Honea

Certified Teacher · Compass Math and Science Guide

Hi, I'm Deidre, and I'm so excited to bring math to life for your learner this year! My background spans music, language, and public service — I hold a Bachelor's in Spanish and Music, a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on fundraising and public giving in nonprofits, and a teaching certification that deepened my passion for how the brain and body work together in learning. I've studied and taught the benefits of movement-based education in schools, and I bring that research into every class I design.

After leaving the public school system, I spent over four years as a private tutor, working closely with students who learn best through hands-on, movement-based experiences. Many of the learners I work with are right-brain thinkers who thrive when math feels active, creative, and connected to real life. I've seen firsthand how engagement and movement help students retain concepts more effectively — and how that builds both confidence and a genuine love for learning.

Ready to make math click?

COMPASS Math enrollment is open for the 2026–2027 school year.