Academics
Middle School
Middle School: Grades 5 & 6
In and out of the classroom, on and off the sports fields, our teachers artfully stretch our Middle School students further than they think they can go but do so with the compassion children need to triumph boldly over challenges.
Independence and Collaboration
In fifth and sixth grade, children become more autonomous. A strong adult presence and small classes help usher children through these critical transformative years. This is especially important as they begin the natural process of developing independence from their parents.
In Middle School, they are given more responsibility and must develop sound study and time management skills. They continue to practice and master their academic competency and push their creative and critical thinking. They hone their ability to apply their knowledge toward more sophisticated analysis and synthesis across subjects and disciplines.
They also participate in collaborative projects which teach them to work together by accepting and giving feedback to their peers – critical skills for success in life and in the workplace.
Introduction, Practice, Mastery and Application
In the Middle School, students continue to practice and master foundational skills. At this point they are also ready to apply these skills to deeper, more advanced concepts in the same subjects or to novel situations in new subject matter.
Our subject-specific curricular objectives in the Middle School include:
- Language Arts: Cultivate an appreciation of classic and contemporary literature and strengthen their writing skills.
- Mathematics: Participate in a rigorous math program that stresses the importance of computational and estimation skills, as well as the application of logical thinking and problem-solving.
- Science: Learn scientific methodologies through a variety of hands-on experiences in Earth, life and physical sciences, with a focus on geology, weather, the human body, electricity and bird identification.
- Social Studies: Study history, geography and current events while developing skills in research, note taking, outlining, mapmaking and synthesizing information.
- World Language: Strengthen their abilities in Spanish
- Art/Music: Participate in the visual arts, woodshop, Maker Lab and drama.
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Middle School News
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Fifth & Sixth Grade Performing Arts Students Produce Original Play: "The Quest for the Sceptor"
Fifth and sixth grade performing arts students presented their original play "The Quest for the Scepter" to audiences of Middle School classmates, family, faculty and staff during a dress rehearsal and performance held in the school’s auditorium the week of June 3. The production was entirely student-conceived, choreographed, designed and performed by the ensemble cast of 21 students over the course of the spring trimester.Read More -
New Canaan Country School Sixth Graders Present Persuasive Speeches
Read MoreFor the last few months, New Canaan Country School sixth graders have been working hard to research, write, and rehearse argumentative and informational speeches. Each student selected a topic about which they are passionate, including topics related to their families, communities and the world. They then memorized their speech and delivered it in front of a live audience in the school’s auditorium, May 17-24. -
Grade 6 Math Classes Hold Probability Fair
New Canaan Country School sixth grade math students hosted a Probability Fair, offering small prizes to participants willing to try their luck at home-made games of chance. The annual event, a Middle School tradition, featured 55 games including well-known favorites: Plinko, Spin-to-Win and the dice game “PIG,” and was held in the School’s Susan Haigh Carver ’51 Dining Hall, May 13.Read More
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New Canaan Country School Fifth Graders Present Multi-Visual Showcase of Lewis & Clark Expedition
Read MoreNew Canaan Country School fifth graders invited parents, teachers and younger students to an experiential simulation of the Lewis & Clark Expedition on Feb. 16 as a culmination of their social studies unit. The students created an array of hand-made visual displays, short speeches and essays to showcase the Corps of Discovery Expedition. Visitors were invited to follow the trail of tables sequenced in a loose timeline to represent the expedition across the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase, and explore important stops along the way. Guests also crossed a suspension bridge contributed by ninth-grade woodshop students which served as the Gateway to the West.
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
