6th Grade Book List
Ancient Rome, geology, astronomy, physics, and business—sixth grade explores how civilizations rise and fall, and how the universe works.
📚 Core Texts for the Year
- City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay
Essential visual guide
- Famous Men of Rome by John Haaren
Classic Roman biographies
- The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
Physics and engineering
- DK Eyewitness: Rocks and Minerals by DK Publishing
Geology reference
- The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H.A. Rey
Best constellation guide
Unit 1: Lammas – Rise of the Republic
- City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay
Visual guide to Roman engineering
- The Roman Republic by Isaac Asimov
Accessible history of early Rome
- Romulus and Remus by Various
Rome's founding myth
- Famous Men of Rome by John Haaren
Biographies of Roman leaders
Unit 2: Mabon – Empire & Engineering
- The Roman Empire by Isaac Asimov
Rome at its height
- Roman Roads by Various
Engineering marvels
- Gladiators and the Colosseum by Various
Roman entertainment and culture
- Pompeii: Buried Alive! by Edith Kunhardt
Vesuvius and daily Roman life
Unit 3: Samhain – Fall of Rome & Early Medieval
- The Fall of the Roman Empire by Various
Why empires end
- Barbarians at the Gate by Various
Germanic tribes and Rome
- Early Medieval Europe by Various
The 'Dark Ages' reconsidered
- Roman mythology by Various
Gods, ancestors, and the afterlife
Unit 4: Yule – Geology: Earth's Story
- Rocks and Minerals by DK Eyewitness
Visual guide to geology
- The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole
Earth's layers made fun
- Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Various
Earth's dynamic forces
- Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki
Reading the rock record
Unit 5: Imbolc – Astronomy: Our Place in the Universe
- The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H.A. Rey
Constellation guide
- There's No Place Like Space by Tish Rabe
Solar system introduction
- The Planets by Gail Gibbons
Our cosmic neighborhood
- Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel (adapted)
History of astronomy
Unit 6: Ostara – Physics: Light, Sound & Heat
- Light and Sound by Various
Physics fundamentals
- The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
Machines and physics
- Sound: Stop, Look, Listen by Various
How we hear
- Heat and Temperature by Various
Thermal energy basics
Unit 7: Beltane – Business & Economics
- The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Business basics through story
- One Cent, Two Cents, Old Cent, New Cent by Bonnie Worth
History of money
- If You Made a Million by David Schwartz
Understanding money
- Biz Kid$ resources by Various
Entrepreneurship for kids
Unit 8: Litha – Summer Projects
- Roman project books by Various
Hands-on Roman crafts
- Backyard astronomy guides by Various
Summer stargazing
- Rock collecting guides by Various
Field identification
- Year-end review materials by Various
Portfolio and celebration
📖 Tips for 6th Grade Reading
- • Connect Rome to today – Our government, architecture, and language all have Roman roots
- • Science reading – Pair books with hands-on experiments and observations
- • Research skills – Practice note-taking and citing sources
- • Compare civilizations – How does Rome compare to civilizations studied in 5th grade?
- • Business reading – Discuss real-world applications and current events