Middle School

At AIS, our goal is to develop responsible, global citizens who demonstrate strong moral character, intercultural understanding, and academic excellence.
We achieve this mission by maintaining a student-centered approach to teaching, fostering a strong sense of self-esteem, cultivating empathy toward others, and encouraging an appreciation of diverse cultures and philosophies. We believe that every student has the potential to become an independent, productive citizen equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in an interconnected world.

Student Voices: My Middle School Experience

Our Middle School program offers a challenging and globally minded academic experience designed to prepare students for the demands of high school and beyond. Students continue to follow a dual curriculum that combines the American program with the Italian Ministerial Program, allowing them to deepen their knowledge across two educational systems. This integrated approach strengthens their academic versatility, nurtures bilingual and bicultural fluency, and enhances their ability to think critically, solve problems, and engage with diverse perspectives.
In addition to English and Italian, students continue their study of Spanish, working toward increased linguistic confidence and cultural awareness. Middle schoolers also have the opportunity to take the official Spanish certification exams, further validating their language proficiency and expanding their international academic credentials.

Academic excellence is supported through a series of standardized assessments and certifications, including the Cambridge Exams, Italian state exams in partnership with the Italian school system, and the Iowa Tests. These evaluations help families understand student progress and benchmark performance against national and international standards.

The Middle School curriculum is enriched with a wide range of subjects such as science, technology, art, music, and physical education. Students are encouraged to explore their interests, collaborate on projects, and develop strong study habits and personal responsibility. The arts hold a particularly central place in our program: through visual arts, music, drama, and performance-based projects, students have multiple opportunities to express themselves creatively. They participate in school shows, exhibitions, and special events that allow them to develop confidence, discover new talents, and share their work with the school community. These experiences not only strengthen artistic skills but also promote teamwork, communication, and self-expression.

​The school day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with two afternoons dedicated to more in-depth work on the Italian Ministerial Program for students who choose to follow this program.
With a balance of academic rigor, cultural diversity, and meaningful extracurricular experiences, our Middle School prepares students to enter high school as confident, independent, and globally aware learners.

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Curriculum Overview

  • 6G: History is taught using an international approach, focusing on key concepts like time, cause and consequence, and continuity. Topics include prehistoric man, Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Greece/Crete, and the Roman Empire.
  • 7G: Students develop skills in chronology, source analysis, and information presentation. Topics studied include Feudal Europe, Medieval Europe, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment.
  • 8G: The aim is to cultivate interest and enthusiasm for historical events, with a focus on developing students’ understanding of significant moments in history that align with their abilities.
  • 6G: Students engage in weekly art projects and appreciation activities across a wide range of mediums, including drawing, painting, collages, photomontages, and fabric work.
  • 7G: Students explore various art techniques as forms of communication and narrative. The Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods are analyzed.
  • 8G: Further exploration of artistic techniques is done alongside project work. Students study portraiture, patterns, still life painting, and drawing skills. 

Science is taught through hands-on exploration, observation, experimentation, and conclusion-building.

  • 6G: A general course covers topics like the Earth, climate, solar system, and hypothesis formation.
  • 7G: Students study more complex material, including ecology and various forms of energy.
  • 8G: In-depth studies of chemical reactions, motion and forces, sound and light waves, and electricity are explored.
  • 6G: The geography program promotes a global perspective and an appreciation of the natural environment. Topics include North Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Italy, India, and China.
  • 7G: Students study various biomes in greater detail, exploring ecosystems and environmental processes.
  • 8G: The focus is on physical, human, and environmental geography, with special attention to governmental structures and their impact on society.

The school’s primary language of instruction is English. The curriculum focuses on the five core language skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and vocabulary.

  • 6G: Grammar, narrative writing, and classic novels form the foundation of the program.
  • 7G: Students read three novels, engaging in reading and writing tasks related to each. Narrative expression and poetry are also explored.
  • 8G: The emphasis is on contemporary issues, with students encouraged to reflect on social concerns and express themselves verbally. Strong focus is placed on developing writing skills through brainstorming, drafting, editing, and proofreading.
     
     

Spanish is taught as a second language, promoting linguistic growth and cultural appreciation.

  • 6G: Students learn basic vocabulary, physical descriptions, and how to ask questions and express likes and dislikes.
  • 7G: Vocabulary building continues, and students practice making simple oral presentations.
  • 8G: Students develop a strong foundation in the language and are prepared to take language qualification tests.

Geometry studies begin with the identification and nomenclature of plane figures and geometric solids. As students continue their exploration, they study angles, polygons, triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles, calculating area, volume, and perimeter along the way. The concepts of similarity, congruence, and equivalence are also explored. Students record their discoveries and nomenclature in their personal copybooks, creating a visual and written record of their learning journey.

Mathematics is taught holistically to help students see its relevance in everyday life.

  • 6G: Topics include numbers, patterns/functions, data, measurement, and shapes.
  • 7G: Students study math in a historical context, exploring algebraic expressions, equation solving, spatial thinking, area/volume, and right triangles.
  • 8G: The program covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, probability, and discrete math, highlighting the universal language of mathematics.

Students learn to utilize computers for research, creative activities, and multimedia projects.

  • 7G: Students explore communication devices and their impact on society. Library skills such as note-taking, extracting, and organizing information are taught.
  • 8G: Students analyze various forms of media, including leaflets, posters, TV, and radio.

The PE program promotes lifelong participation in physical activities while fostering physical awareness and teamwork.

  • 6G: Team sports, sportsmanship, proper diet, and hygiene are introduced.
  • 7G: Focus expands to include the origin of sports, new exercise programs, and further development of sportsmanship.
  • 8G: Students explore dance, aerobics, isometrics, hygiene, social skills, and classic sports.
  • 6G: Students learn the basics of music notation, symbols, and signs.
  • 7G: Students deepen their understanding of pitch symbols and sound, as well as more advanced aspects of music. Performances include singing in unison and parts, and playing tuned and untuned percussion instruments.
  • 8G: The standard music program encompasses a wide range of educational experiences, with performances and events, including an annual opera production at the San Carlo Theater.