First Program

List of 8 items.

• Chess

  Formal chess instruction, integrated into the curriculum, begins in kindergarten and continues through 3rd grade. The chess program aims to introduce and develop critical thinking skills and foster social development. Through chess, students learn to categorize information, recognize patterns, sequence ideas logically, creatively interpolate moves, visualize outcomes, define and solve problems, and plan long-term goals. Socially, chess teaches students to follow the rules, take turns, accept responsibility for their decisions, respect tradition, and show good etiquette in both victory and defeat. 

  
  The program is tailored to accommodate diverse learning styles through a variety of teaching methods that incorporate verbal, visual, and hands-on activities. Every lesson provides opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency or seek further support, with ongoing assessment through observation and teacher interaction. 

  
  Numerous extension opportunities are available for students passionate about chess. The after–school chess program offers instruction across all grade levels, with students participating in local, state, national, and international tournaments. We also offer Saturday group chess classes. 

  
  For more details, please refer to the Chess page.

• Engineering

  Dalton’s Computer Science and Engineering programs equip students with skills to break down and tackle large challenges by emphasizing how to embrace experimentation and failure. In the First Program, educational technologists from New Lab collaborate with faculty to introduce technology tools for learning in purposeful, responsible, and developmentally appropriate ways that support the core curriculum. Within this context, New Lab works closely with First Program teachers and Computer Science department colleagues to introduce K-3 students to the field of computer science and engineering activities through hands-on explorations. Critical to both pursuits is a value on the iterative process using computer science and engineering as tools for Assignments for problem solving, self-expression, and collaboration.

• Health & Wellness

  Dalton’s K-12 Health & Wellness Program empowers students to embrace their authentic selves and equips them with the skills to navigate their social environments with mindfulness and intention. In the First Program, a full-time psychologist supports students, families, and faculty to meet the needs of students.

• Language Arts

  The K-3 Language Arts curriculum is designed to develop essential communication skills, enabling students to express their own ideas effectively while appreciating the perspectives of others through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Literacy development is a central focus, emphasizing critical thinking, comprehension, the application of language across various genres, with attention to grammar, spelling, and handwriting. 

  
  Instruction incorporates phonemic awareness, syntactic cues, and exposure to diverse literary genres. Examples include handmade books with detailed stories and poems, social studies and science research reports, written representations of mathematical concepts, and technology-based projects, all fostering a love of reading and writing. 

  
  Through ongoing observation, assessment, and personalized instructional strategies, the program supports individual learning styles, ensuring steady progress and helping each student reach their full potential. 

• Library

  The First Program library, with its 9,000 volume collection, is a cornerstone of Dalton’s K-3 curriculum. Each grade follows a tailored library program that nurtures literacy, research skills, and love of reading. Each grade level has a specific library curriculum designed to make good use of this expansive resource with award-winning literature from various cultural read aloud and discussed. Kindergarten and first grade students concentrate on I-Can-Read books or other developmentally appropriate literature; second grade students read Caldecott and Newbery Award-winning books and are introduced to the Dewey Decimal System. By learning about its subject categories and how the library is organized, they become more independent in accessing library resources. Third grade students receive instruction on developing their research skills. This includes learning how to use EBSCO Discovery, the library’s automated card catalog system, as well as online resources such as The World Book, Britannica, and Grolier’s Encyclopedia. The library also offers e-books and audiobooks online to supplement the collection. All of the library’s resources (online catalog, databases, reference resources, book lists, literary website links) are now on an interactive library blog which also features updates about what students have read and projects undertaken in the library; this allows students and families to post comments and foster community dialogue about literature. Throughout the year, the library hosts prominent, award-winning authors and illustrators to present their work to the children.

  
  Kindergarten and first graders have weekly visits to the library. Children spend half of every library session doing guided browsing in order to select books to take home to read. Second and third graders use the library through an open/flexibly scheduled model. Meaning, students are able to visit at various times during the week to check out books, as needed, which helps to foster their independence and responsibility in using the library. Each House also has its own classroom library to supplement the regular collection. Parents are welcome to visit the First Program library after school. 

  
  In partnership with House Advisors, the librarians introduce and teach second and third grade students about the research process. Students are able to develop their information literacy skills by asking effective questions, using books and databases to locate information, identifying and evaluating resources, taking notes to record relevant facts, citing sources, and synthesizing their information into their final projects. These research skills are integral to students becoming effective and independent users of information and will be reinforced continuously in future grades.

• Mathematics

  The First Program mathematics curriculum empowers students to understand, enjoy, and appreciate the value of mathematics in the world. Rooted in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards, the Dalton Plan, and the Common Core Standards, our developmentally appropriate, problem-solving approach introduces concepts through hands-on experiences, real-world applications, and interdisciplinary opportunities. Under the guidance of Dalton’s full-time Mathematics Coordinator, students build strong foundations in logical reasoning, conceptual understanding, and mathematical communication, encouraging students to apply mathematical thinking in and out of the classroom.

  
  The curriculum emphasizes a common mathematical language, ensuring continuity and helping students articulate their thinking processes as they build their foundation in First Program. Teachers support each student’s learning style and pace by teaching concepts, skills, and activities designed to provide challenges and inspire. 

  
  Classrooms are equipped with materials and technology that guide students from concrete to abstract thinking. Enthusiasm for mathematics is nurtured through interdisciplinary activities, literature, interactive bulletin boards, and collaborative learning opportuniities. Throughout First Program, students develop confidence, problem-solving skills, increasing confidence in their abilities to reason and communicate mathematically, and an appreciation for the relevance of mathematics in the world. Students engaging deeping in areas of study such as Patterns and Algebraic Relationships, Number Sense and Operations, Statistics and Probability, Geometry, Spatial Sense, and Measurement.

• Museum Archeology

  The Archaeology Program exemplifies Dalton’s student-centered learning and inquiry, encouraging students to be active constructors of knowledge through participating in a simulated excavation. While “on site,” the students learn archaeological techniques for mapping, recovery, and recording of all artifacts exposed in the course of excavation. All artifacts recovered are returned to the “lab” (the classroom), where they are measured, weighed, and analyzed to determine form, function, and date of deposit. Periodically, colloquia are held during their excavation, during which students discuss the significance of their findings. 

  
  The program aims to develop students’ analytical and inferential skills, including independent and directed research, hypothesis formulation and testing, and data collection. To support their research efforts, students have access to a digital database of art images tailored to their specific site, such as 17th century Dutch paintings from a New Amsterdam, Medieval panel paintings from a simulated site in Venice during the time of Marco Polo, or Islamic manuscript paintings for a Timurid site along the Silk Road. These images help students contextualize their discoveries and explore complicated issues of commercial exchange and social and cultural identity.

  
  The 3rd grade archaeological study of New York City is a centerpiece of Dalton's First Program activity-based pedagogy. Students actively engage with New York City’s history, applying archaeological methods to uncover historical treasures. Rather than simply studying information about the history of NYC, the hands-on experience deepens students’ understanding of Native American Indian Studies, the Age of Exploration guided by Neil Goldberg, Dalton’s Archaeologist-in-Residence. 

• Music

  The Music Program aims to foster a lifelong love and appreciation of music through singing, creation, listening, and movement. Students will develop musically through exploration of rhythm, notation, harmony, genre, and musical interpretation. They will also explore diverse cultural traditions, rituals, and celebrations through a selected repertoire of songs, dances, and musical games.
  
  The program prioritizes social skills, such as listening, collaborating, taking turns, and supporting peers, through cooperative music-making while also encouraging individual creativity and musical ideas. Instrumental work incorporates a variety of percussion instruments, including Orff instruments and music technology, with the recorder introduced in third grade. Group sings and assemblies are presented several times a year, and they serve to reinforce curricular connections and provide opportunities for children to sing together. Programming goals include the ability to sing in tune, create music, read simple rhythmic and pitch notation, sing two-part music, listening attentively and critically to music, and appreciate diverse musical styles.

  
  For more details, please refer to the Music page.