Learning

Middle School

Exploring Interests and Supporting Independence

Welcome
The Dalton Plan
Character & Community
Podcast
Curriculum
Dalton Plan in Action
Beyond the Classroom

Welcome from Eve Andrias
Middle School Director

"At the heart of all our work is our exceptional Middle School faculty and staff. They understand this developmental stage inside and out, care deeply for each child's academic, social, and emotional journey, and bring enthusiasm and expertise to everything they teach."

Take a moment to hear from Eve Andrias as she shares insights into the student experience in Middle School.

The Dalton Plan
in the Middle School

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House

House is more than a structured part of each day — it’s the cornerstone of every Dalton student’s journey. Designed to cultivate a strong sense of belonging, Middle School House is led by House Advisors, dedicated Middle School teachers who are also liaisons to families, who create a warm and supportive environment, guiding students academically and socially.

In the fourth and fifth grades, House doubles as students' classrooms, where most of the instruction takes place. Under the care of House Advisors and other classroom teachers, House serves as a smaller community within a grade where relationships flourish, learning deepens, and community ties strengthen.

Starting in sixth grade, when students transition to a fully departmentalized academic program, House becomes their anchor. With a dedicated House Advisor, students have two House meetings a day, with one additional House period each week. Whether helping students navigate challenges or celebrating successes, House ensures every student feels seen, supported, and connected.

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Assignment

Rooted in Helen Parkhurst’s vision of independence and collaboration, Assignments begin as teacher-guided explorations and evolve in complexity throughout the Middle School timeframe.

In Middle School, students work closely with teachers on Assignments to learn critical skills such as creating achievable timelines for short and long-term projects, breaking down smaller assignments within the larger Assignment, finding resources beyond the classroom, and building an understanding of how to meet the objectives of an Assignment. These teacher-student discussions go beyond academics, fostering abilities like problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication.

By blending guidance with choice, Assignments empower students to take ownership of their learning within topics and areas of study.

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Lab

At Dalton, Lab is built into students’ weekly schedules to provide an opportunity to have personalized instruction with teachers and small group learning opportunities. Students are encouraged to use Labs to expand on Assignments by delving deeper into topics of interest, honing skills, or utilizing time in the library.

Through Labs, students develop self-advocacy, critical thinking, and independence. They learn to embrace curiosity and take ownership of their learning journey — skills that empower them far beyond the classroom.

Cultivating Character and Community
Building Belonging and a Sense of Self

During the middle school years, students are in the midst of discovering who they are and where they belong. Questions like What do I enjoy? Who are my friends? begin to surface, and how students begin to answer them shapes not only their confidence but also their ability to learn deeply, connect authentically, and grow with purpose.

At Dalton, this journey is supported with intention and care. The focus extends beyond academics to building a community where students feel supported to take risks, speak up, and reach beyond what they imagined possible. Grounded in Dalton's core values and brought to life through the Dalton Plan, students experience a balance of guidance and independence. The structures of House, Assignment, and Lab create daily opportunities for students to build trust with teachers, take ownership of their learning, and form meaningful relationships with peers.

When students truly feel seen and heard, they begin to navigate uncertainty with confidence, engage others with empathy, and develop the inner tools they'll rely on long after middle school: resilience, curiosity, and a steady sense of self anchored in community.

Curriculum
An Educational Journey that Nurtures Critical Thinking and Self-Discovery

Dalton Middle School offers a dynamic, intellectually rich curriculum that challenges and inspires. Grounded in the principles of the Dalton Plan, House, Assignment, and Lab, in conjunction with the school's mission and values, students explore a wide-ranging curriculum that shapes a learning journey that is both rigorous and engaging.

Our accomplished and dedicated Middle School faculty continuously engage in curricular development and innovation that reflect the school’s commitment to a progressive education and meet the developmental needs of fourth through eighth graders. Middle School specialists in psychology, health services, writing, mathematics, organization, and study skills ensure personalized support for each student.

Learning stretches far beyond the classroom walls. Dalton's commitment to "the city as a classroom" is evident through field trips and city-based learning that enriches every subject with real-world relevance. Students visit museums, landmarks, and cultural institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Museum of Chinese in America, The African Burial Ground National Monument, The Jewish Museum, and Black Rock Forest.

Dalton Middle School is committed to nurturing every student’s growth by providing the support and empowerment they need to reach their full potential. Learning Support Specialists provide more personalized guidance through a combination of in-class, individual, and small-group learning experiences for those who may benefit from further scaffolding in reading comprehension, writing, math, organization skills, or time management.

Please read below for department overviews. For detailed curricular information, please refer to the Middle School curriculum guide.

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Chess

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.
Computer Science and 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. 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.

Students have the opportunity to hone their engineering skills through Dalton’s robotics courses and competitions. Dalton competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge, an international competition in which mixed-age groups design, build, and program a robot. Students practice fabrication techniques like 3D printing, laser cutting, milling, and traditional machining. The Dalton Robotics Team has placed in the top one percent and advanced to the World Championship for several consecutive years.
Dance

The Middle School Dance Program approaches dance as an intellectual and creative art form, focusing on expressing and communicating ideas. Through various classical, post-modern, traditional, and contemporary dance forms, students engage in experiential learning that supports individual learning styles, interests, and abilities. Our dance faculty fosters creativity, self-expression, collaboration, and body awareness in a supportive environment.

For more details on the Dance curriculum, read more on the Dance page.
English/Language Arts

The Middle School English Department is committed to cultivating effective reading and writing skills, and fostering critical thinking. Through the study of classical and modern literature, students explore the moral complexities of varied human experiences where collaborative and individual Assignments encourage student creativity and inquiry-based learning. By exploring literature from a diverse and inclusive array of genres, time periods, and cultural contexts, students broaden their perspectives and cultivate curiosity and understanding.
History and Social Studies

The Dalton Middle School History and Social Studies Department aims to challenge students to think across and make connections between different cultures, religions, and historical ideas. Through study, research, written expression, collaborative projects, and class discussions, Middle School students refine their abilities to observe, critique, and evaluate the past and present from multiple perspectives.

The Department is committed to fostering skills in active listening and civil discourse. This is accomplished through Harkness-style discussions where everyone, teacher included, sits around a table and discusses a shared primary source. This exercise intentionally builds critical skills in listening, challenging one’s own perspective, and respectful dialogue across differences of opinion.
Library

The Middle School Library supports both curricular needs and individual passions, fostering discovery, information literacy, and a love of reading. At the core, the Library curriculum is responsive to academic programs and personal interests from 4th through 8th grade. Students are encouraged to explore a wide range of physical and online resources such as books, websites, databases, search engines, streaming media, and more, preparing them to navigate both current and emerging information sources responsibly.

For more details on the Library curriculum, please refer to the Library page.
Mathematics

The Middle School Mathematics Department provides a dynamic curriculum that balances a solid foundation in basic skills with a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, aiming to inspire a community of curious and confident thinkers who recognize math as a tool for analyzing and understanding the world.

Building on knowledge acquired in the First Program, students engage in challenging inquiry-based and problem-solving experiences, develop skills in number sense, abstract reasoning, computation, and spatial awareness, and acquire an appreciation for math’s beauty, relevance, and utility. The curriculum guides students to realize their full potential with tailored support and challenges and encourages growth as independent learners through Labs and Assignments.

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Museum

The Museum Program supports the school’s mission to promote interactive teaching and learning, a hallmark of progressive education. Our in-house museum educators, with expertise in cultural anthropology and art history, create tailored experiences with objects and images for K-12 students.

Through close collaboration with classroom teachers and external and internal experts, the museum program integrates seamlessly with the academic curriculum, aligns with students’ ages and interests, and incorporates new technologies. The program enhances observational and inferential skills, enriching learning across all grades.

Students and teachers also benefit from unique access to collections and curators at leading cultural institutions, such as the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For more details, visit the Museum Program page.
Music

The goal of the Middle School Music Department is to foster a feeling of pride, responsibility, and joy in students as they learn to read and perform music in a safe and inclusive environment. 4th grade is a general music curriculum and by 5th grade students select an instrument for a two-year course of study. Instrument options include the violin, viola, cello, bass, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, percussion, chorus, flute, and clarinet.

To learn about the musical skills and competencies, visit the Music page.
Physical Education

The Physical Education and Athletic Program curriculum is designed to meet student’s emotional, cognitive, and physical needs. The main goal is to enhance each student's self-image and confidence while developing coordination and athletic skills. The program provides a balanced progression of activities through well-structured instruction tailored to students’ needs, abilities, and interests at all developmental stages. This approach ensures that students have the opportunity to reach their full athletic potential in an environment committed to good sportsmanship and a healthy attitude toward competition.
Science

Scientific education is rooted in the joy of inquiry, discovery, and understanding. The program aims to teach students to think like scientists — observe, explore, experiment, hypothesize, model, analyze, and critique. It cultivates curiosity, open-mindedness, rational skepticism, imagination, and intellectual risk-taking. Students are encouraged to work independently and collaboratively and have a commitment to learning the moral and intellectual responsibility of actions on current and future generations.
Theater
Within Middle School the goal is to create an inclusive environment that encourages as many students as possible to participate in theater.

Theater classes within House in the fall of 4th and 5th grade to build community and have an introduction to theater. All 6th graders have a theater course leading up to The Greek Festival. 7th and 8th graders have an option of selecting a Theater or Theater Production elective.

The Theater Department is dedicated to:
- Fostering a community and culture of learning, collaboration, and creativity through curriculum and production;
- Nurturing collaborative relationships among young theater artists as they engage with text, voice, music, rhythm, movement, light, form, texture, and color;
- Developing students’ habits of observation, self-study, and critical commentary that are insightful and constructive;
- Presenting a diverse range of dramatic literature, performance styles, and challenging programming
To learn more about the Theater curriculum, visit the Theater Arts page.
Visual Arts

The Middle School Art curriculum encourages personal expression and inventive thinking by exploring various art materials and techniques. Emphasizing a hands-on studio experience, the program focuses on visual imagery and the core elements of art — line, shape, color, pattern, texture, and space. Assignments are structured, sequential, and flexible, encouraging students to expand their artistic skills, broaden their visual perception, and develop facilities with a range of media.

The studio environment promotes compassion and respect for each student’s creative process. Through dynamic, hands-on art history lessons, students engage with a diverse range of artists, styles, cultures, genders, time periods, and media, including self-taught artists who overcame psychological challenges. The curriculum values different voices and perspectives, encouraging students to explore new ideas and find their own artistic voice.

Our aesthetic celebrates the subtle and beautiful irregularities of art made by the human hand. Students learn to work with focus and discipline, making thoughtful artistic choices about their creations. The Art Department considers every child an artist and honors their artwork by displaying it professionally throughout the school.

For more details on the Visual Arts program, please refer to the Visual Arts page.
World and Classical Languages

The study of World and Classical Languages at Dalton immerses students in real-world experiences as a means of developing cultural and linguistic proficiency. Students develop curiosity and the willingness to take risks in order to navigate new cultural situations and languages other than their own.

Students learn Spanish in kindergarten through 4th grade. In 5th grade, they have the option to continue Spanish or take Mandarin, Latin, or French for four years.

Dalton Plan in Action

Mini Golf

A cross-departmental Assignment, 7th graders build a mini-golf course on the 13th floor in collaboration with the art and engineering departments. Students pick a theme, render footprints, and build their obstacles from scratch.
Archaeotype

Fifth graders "excavate" Bronze Age Mesopotamian artifacts using Archaeotype, a virtual dig built by Dalton's New Lab. Archaeotype recreates a virtual site based on a real ancient Mesopotamian city, allowing them to "dig" through quads, uncover artifacts, and make educated inferences about the ancient city and culture they're exploring.
Greek Fest

A well-loved Dalton tradition, the Greek Festival celebrates 6th graders' cross-curricular work with Ancient Greece as the focal point in math, history, music, dance, PE, English, and theater. The Festival includes three principal performance elements: handcrafted 'persona' poems based on an Ancient Greek character; dance compositions born of Ancient Greek stories, themes and text; and choral arrangements.
Historical Fiction Book Groups

In this Assignment, 4th grade students are presented with six book options and then assigned to mixed House book groups. Groups meet weekly as an opportunity for students to learn about immigration stories connected to their Social Studies Essential Questions (i.e what are the push and pull factors for people to immigrate to the United States?) and practice the critical writing skill of summarizing.
Public Speaking

In this Assignment, 8th graders study a variety of famous speeches and then work to develop their own speech on a compelling topic of their choice. They first deliver these speeches to their classmates before selecting a handful of speeches to be shared at the annual public speaking assembly.