physics in the Watson Gym

Eighth graders calculated average velocities for time trials on scooters. When was the last time you were on a scooter?!

Our J-Term Intern is here!

Connor Hershkowitz has joined the NCCS science department for the month of January. He has already presented a slideshow to Upper Schoolers from his research on jaguars in the Cerrado region of Brazil, started to write a new unit on sustainability for inclusion in our curriculum, taught an honors biology class and last but certainly not least, helped reluctant seventh graders dissect an owl pellet! We're excited to have Connor here and we hope that you'll have a chance to meet him before he heads back to Middlebury in February.

busy in biology labs!

Ninth graders are busy in the biology labs, preparing for multi-day experiments and observing plant and animal cells under microscopes.

more monarchs to migrate from NCCS!

Early Childhood, Lower School and Middle School have been enjoying some pretty amazing fall guests in their classrooms. Monarch butterfly larvae were collected from milkweed plants (the monarch larvae’s host plant) around campus so that students could observe as this species undergoes metamorphosis into adult butterflies. In the fall, the Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains undertake the longest migration known of any butterfly species as they attempt to fly to overwintering sites in the mountains of central Mexico. These adults (the great, great grand offspring of the butterflies that migrated back to North America last spring) are morphologically different than spring and summer monarch butterflies. This generation has undeveloped reproductive systems and large abdominal fat stores; adaptations that help them make the long journey south. Country School students of various ages watched with awe and wonder as larvae grew, molted, pupated and then emerged as beautiful winged adults. They then released them and wished them luck on their epic migration. To learn more about the monarch butterflies and track their migration, go to Journey North.

ninth grade bio bloggers

Do you know how to blog? Can you make your own? The Honors Biology students have created their own blogs this year. They are using web 2.0 tools and techniques to learn about biology and to learn from each other. Take a look at their videos, Jings, Prezis, and more! We know you'll be impressed.
Click on the Bio Hub!

native garden

On Sustainability Day this spring, ground was broken for New Canaan Country School’s Native Plant Garden. Middle schoolers cleared a one hundred square meter grassy parcel of land and planted sixty native perennials and shrubs, representing 30 species from our local flora. In addition to its pleasing aesthetics, the garden was created to serve as a teaching tool, not only for the students of NCCS, but for the greater NCCS community as well. As many of the species exhibited in the garden are rare in our landscape, the hope is that people will see and learn about them, and then plant some in their own gardens. The garden is also meant to improve the habitat for local wildlife including various species of insects and birds. Come visit it and learn about the ecological roles of some of our native flora.

butterflies in beginners!