Science Alliance Middle School Program
Classes at the Museum for students Grades 6-8.
Learn new skills doing what you love—and meet our scientists. Explore the Tree of Life, our universe, and humankind. Make friends and collaborate on scientific discoveries!
Join Science Alliance
All classes are for students in Grades 6–8. Students can choose the topics they want to explore: anthropology, astrophysics, conservation science, Earth science, and evolutionary biology.
During the school year, Science Alliance runs three sessions: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Classes will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and Saturdays during the day.
- Tuesday and Thursday classes meet from 4:30–6:30 pm for eight weeks.
- Saturday classes meet from 10 am–3 pm for four weeks.
Daniel Kim/© AMNH
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH
Winter 2027 Sessions
Class:
Evolution
Join us for an exciting journey through time to explore how life has evolved on Earth! In this hands-on course, students become evolutionary biologists by uncovering fossils, investigating ancient species, and discovering how organisms adapt and change over millions of years. Through Museum explorations, games, and lab investigations, participants will learn how evolution explains the incredible diversity of life that surrounds us today.
Dates: Saturdays 1/9, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6
Time: 10 am–3 pm
Cost: $1000
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Tuition assistance is still available. Please complete this application.
Age Group:
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Dates & Times:
January 9–February 6.
Saturdays, 10 am–3 pm
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
January 9–February 6.
Saturdays, 10 am–3 pm
Class:
Exoplanets
Diamond rain, oceans of lava, endless darkness… these are some of the many features discovered on exoplanets, or planets found outside of our own solar system. The hunt is on to find as many as possible. Join our astro educators to discover how planets form, learn how scientists find and explore exoplanets, and determine if new exoplanets have suitable conditions for life. In “Exoplanets,” you will run experiments, experience visualizations in the Hayden Planetarium, and create a model of a planetary system that scientists have detected outside of the solar system.
Dates: Tuesdays 1/12, 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/23, 3/2, 3/16
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm
Cost: $1000
Buy Now »
Tuition assistance is still available. Please complete this application.
Age Group:
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Dates & Times:
January 12–March 16.
Tuesdays, 4:30–6:30 pm
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
January 12–March 16.
Tuesdays, 4:30–6:30 pm
Class:
Animal Behavior
How do ants farm fungus? Why do some birds “moonwalk?” Why do capuchin monkeys like to poke each other in the eye? Animals exhibit complex sets of behaviors. In this course, you will explore the ways that animals form sophisticated social structures, investigate their strategies for finding food and avoiding predators, and discover what they’ll do to attract mates and outcompete their rivals. Students will conduct observational field studies of animals, interpret behavioral data including migration patterns and communication strategies, and meet with museum scientists who study the dynamic lives of the animals that coexist with us.
Dates: Tuesdays—1/12, 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/23, 3/2, 3/16
Time: 4:30 pm–6:30 pm
Cost: $1000
Buy Now »
Tuition assistance is also available. Please complete this application.
Age Group:
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Dates & Times:
January 12–March 16.
Tuesdays, 4:30 pm–6:30 pm
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
January 12–March 16.
Tuesdays, 4:30 pm–6:30 pm
Class:
Ocean Worlds
Over the past few decades, observations from space exploration missions have allowed scientists to determine that planetary bodies within our solar system contain vast reservoirs of water. These “Ocean Worlds” may be our best future targets to determine whether life exists beyond Earth. In this course, students will take a deep dive into the dynamic physical processes of Earth’s oceans, the unique organisms that have adapted to the ocean environment, and the tools and technology used to explore the ocean depths. We will then look toward the skies to see what is known about our solar system’s other “Ocean Worlds,” culminating with a challenge to design a future mission to explore them!
Dates: Thursdays 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm
Cost: $1000
Buy Now »
Tuition assistance is also available. Please complete this application.
Age Group:
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Dates & Times:
January 14–March 11.
Thursdays, 4:30–6:30 pm
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
January 14–March 11.
Thursdays, 4:30–6:30 pm
Class:
Anthro-bites
Anthropology is the study of how human cultures have developed and changed over time. In this course, students will explore how food serves as a powerful pathway to understanding culture. Through hands-on activities and engaging discussions, we will examine our relationships with food and the stories it tells about our histories, identities, and communities. Students will learn about modern food trends, reflect on their own experiences, and explore the sensory and symbolic world of food by sampling treats, practicing recipes, and creating culinary experiments. We will also learn how food plays a central role in celebrations and rituals, from festivals and religious ceremonies to family gatherings and everyday traditions, learning how these practices connect people across time and place.
Dates: Thursdays 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11
Time: 4:30 pm–6:30 pm
Cost: $1000
Buy Now »
Tuition assistance is also available. Please complete this application.
Age Group:
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Dates & Times:
January 14–March 11.
Thursdays, 4:30 pm–6 pm
Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
January 14–March 11.
Thursdays, 4:30 pm–6 pm
Middle School Programming in the Gilder Center is proudly sponsored by the New York Life Foundation.