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.
Middle School News
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Fifth & Sixth Grade Performing Arts Students Produce Original Play: "The Rocky Road Trip"
Fifth and sixth grade performing arts students presented their original play "The Rocky Road Trip" to audiences of Middle School classmates, family, faculty and staff during performances held in the school’s auditorium June 2 and 5. The production was entirely student-written, choreographed, designed and performed by the ensemble cast of 32 students over the course of the spring trimester.Read More -
Middle School Shares: Students Showcase their Unique Artistic Talents
Country School fifth and sixth graders showcased their considerable artistic talents in group and individual performances at “Middle School Shares,” an hour-long production created by the students, for the students, on April 28 in the school’s auditorium.Read More
Student acts included comedy skits, breakdancing, tap dancing, a drum solo, card tricks, a guitar solo, group and solo choreographed dance performances, a video of sports highlights, piano performances, vocal solos and joke-telling emcees. -
Do Dark-Eyed Junkos Prefer Sunflower or Milo Seeds? Sixth Grade Bird Sleuths Measure Feeding Behavior in Scientific Study
Sixth grade students presented their scientific experiments and conclusions on the feeding behavior of local birds to Upper School students, faculty and staff at a Bird Symposium, held in the school’s Dining Hall on April 5 and 6. The event was a culmination of their trimester-long inquiry-based study of birds.Read More
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.
