The Affiliated High School of Peking University's Dalton Academy
2025
The experiential learning program of Dalton Academy is a compulsory course for senior 1 and senior 2 students. The curriculum is designed around five common themes, each of them is closely related to what we learned in the classroom.
Faculty, staff and students are actively involved in the design and supervision of ELP projects. It is the goal of all projects to be closely aligned with the mission and curriculum aiming to ignite curiosity and provide a transformative experience acting with responsibility and integrity.
Dalton Academy’s Experiential Learning Program seeks to bridge the learning that is happening inside the school's walls to the outside world. By utilizing the unique passions, talents and experience of our community members we strive to take learning to deeper and more meaningful depths. We believe that students can arrive at a deeper, more meaningful learning outcomes through seeing, acting and reflecting.
Experiential Learning Program
Through the Years
A Timeline of ELP Projects Traversing The Globe
Gazing out the window, Liu Yixuan felt a surreal, dream-like wonder on her first bus journey through the heart of the Kenyan savannah. She saw a paradise teeming with wildlife; a blessing of nature worth defending.
Li Zimeng, a member of Dalton’s crack team of coders who travelled to Shenzhen as part of an ELP to design technological aids for the visually impaired, noted wryly that the experience was ‘eye-opening’.
December 30 2021, Teachers James Vaughn, Mingzhen Li and Moana Teriitehau's classes viewed the Van Gogh Alive exhibit from two distinct lenses, which, in tandem, paint a beautiful stereoscopic picture of van Gogh and his works.
Gazing out the window, Liu Yixuan felt a surreal, dream-like wonder on her first bus journey through the heart of the Kenyan savannah. She saw a paradise teeming with wildlife; a blessing of nature worth defending.
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Li Zimeng, a member of Dalton’s crack team of coders who travelled to Shenzhen as part of an ELP to design technological aids for the visually impaired, noted wryly that the experience was ‘eye-opening’.
Li Zimeng, a member of Dalton’s crack team of coders who travelled to Shenzhen as part of an ELP to design technological aids for the visually impaired, noted wryly that the experience was ‘eye-opening’. The plan was to design a smart cane, one with infrared sensors to detect traffic light status which would then relay the status via Bluetooth to the user’s headphones. The team was given a crash course in product development – from ideation and design to constructing a functional prototype.
December 30 2021, Teachers James Vaughn, Mingzhen Li and Moana Teriitehau's classes viewed the Van Gogh Alive exhibit from two distinct lenses, which, in tandem, paint a beautiful stereoscopic picture of van Gogh and his works.
Li Zimeng, a member of Dalton’s crack team of coders who travelled to Shenzhen as part of an ELP to design technological aids for the visually impaired, noted wryly that the experience was ‘eye-opening’.
As part of a volunteer teaching program, Cao Kejia promptly searched online for interesting facts about her ELP destination, and learned a surprising titbit: Nepal ranks among the happiest nations in the world according to the international happiness index.
Upon hearing that she would be traveling to the remote landlocked nation of Nepal as part of a volunteer teaching program, Cao Kejia promptly searched online for interesting facts about her ELP destination, and learned a surprising tidbit: Nepal ranks among the happiest nations in the world according to the international happiness index. This fact intrigued her, adding to the swelling sense of anticipation in the build-up to her departure.
December 30 2021, Teachers James Vaughn, Mingzhen Li and Moana Teriitehau's classes viewed the Van Gogh Alive exhibit from two distinct lenses, which, in tandem, paint a beautiful stereoscopic picture of van Gogh and his works.
As part of a volunteer teaching program, Cao Kejia promptly searched online for interesting facts about her ELP destination, and learned a surprising titbit: Nepal ranks among the happiest nations in the world according to the international happiness index.
Dalton students embarked on a journey to the heart of rural Cambodia as part of a program to examine the viability of micro-financing as an instrument to overcome the problems of underdevelopment.
December 30 2021, Teachers James Vaughn, Mingzhen Li and Moana Teriitehau's classes viewed the Van Gogh Alive exhibit from two distinct lenses, which, in tandem, paint a beautiful stereoscopic picture of van Gogh and his works.
Dalton students embarked on a journey to the heart of rural Cambodia as part of a program to examine the viability of micro-financing as an instrument to overcome the problems of underdevelopment.
2024云冈石窟ELP
DISCOVER, CREATE, REFLECT & APPLY
Dr. Huang organized a trip for students in her Art in China: Archaelogy and Material Culture course to an exhibit showcasing material culture they had explored in class titled, "Splendor of Huaxia: The Essence of Shanxi's Ancient Civilization."
December 30 2021, Teachers James Vaughn, Mingzhen Li and Moana Teriitehau's classes viewed the Van Gogh Alive exhibit from two distinct lenses, which, in tandem, paint a beautiful stereoscopic picture of van Gogh and his works.
Dr. Huang organized a trip for students in her Art in China: Archaelogy and Material Culture course to an exhibit showcasing material culture they had explored in class titled, "Splendor of Huaxia: The Essence of Shanxi's Ancient Civilization."
ELP Video
Students participated in a workshop on the revitalization and protection of cultural and historical buildings, urban planning and community construction. Students also learned about the concept of a MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
Students travelled to the Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Drugs to study the influence of specific medicines on tumor cells and applied the CRISPR technique in a genetic modification experiment.
Students participated in a workshop on the revitalization and protection of cultural and historical buildings, urban planning and community construction. Students also learned about the concept of a MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
2019
An ELP journey to Australia including visits to the World Heritage Listed: Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, and Daintree Rainforest. examining the impact of the human footprint on varied coastal environments.
Explored Japanese cultural elements such as Sado, Wagashi and Kimono. Visited the Miho Museum, a pottery factory, a textile mill, and a craftsman's workshop. Through these experiences they learned to preserve and protect cultural heritage.
An ELP journey to Australia including visits to the World Heritage Listed: Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, and Daintree Rainforest. examining the impact of the human footprint on varied coastal environments.
2018
Students researched biodiversity and climate change by sampling vegetation and monitoring everything from black rhinoceros behavior to Acadia tree seedlings.
Students traveled to Jordan to learn about the lives of refugees. From this trip emerged the Dalton Tutoring Program. As of 2021, there are over 75 volunteer tutors from Dalton helping refugees.
Students researched biodiversity and climate change by sampling vegetation and monitoring everything from black rhinoceros behavior to Acadia tree seedlings.
2017
In an immersive program, students learned about Chinese Opera's history, costumes, singing styles and make-up methods from professional performers. The finale was a Beijing Opera show organized and acted by the participants.
Participants investigated the lush alluvial plain in Xizhou that was once the intersection of conflict between Nanzhao State and Dali State. Students also investigated the relationship between local economic development and nature conservation.
In an immersive program, students learned about Chinese Opera's history, costumes, singing styles and make-up methods from professional performers. The finale was a Beijing Opera show organized and acted by the participants.
ELP GALLERY
 Nepal潘彦含, Student of Dalton Academy |  Amazon郭星言, Student of Dalton Academy |  Kenya |
|---|---|---|
 Australia |  Jordan |  Kenya潘彦含, Student of Dalton Academy |
 Jordan刘彦怡, Student of Dalton Academy |  Guizhou, China陈一萱, Student of Dalton Academy |  Japan钱昱熹, Student of Dalton Academy |
 Italy郭星言, Student of Dalton Academy |  Beijing, China |  Kenya赵嘉宁, Student of Dalton Academy |
 Sri Lanka汪湛, Student of Dalton Academy |  Japan钱昱熹 , Student of Dalton Academy |  Nepal潘彦含, Student of Dalton Academy |
Student Reflect on Their Trip to Van Gogh Alive
"Van Gogh's letters show that his contradictory interpretations of Wheat Field with Crows are not confused. It reveals a pattern that Van Gogh took for granted. When he paints something exciting or melancholic, something that excites him highly, he feels the pressure is completely relieved. Finally, he experienced peace, serenity, and welfare. His paintings are truly cathartic, with a sense of order and peace always at the end of the emotional storm."
- Psychology Student Li JIayi
" ... the interactive Van Gogh Alive shows the audience an amazing experience in getting in touch with the artistic expression of Van Gogh – a Dutch post-impressionist painter who is influential in Western art history. With a series of landscape paintings, self-portraits, portraits that composed 2,100 artworks, it gives a glimpse of Van Gogh’s life through his art style of bold color and unique brush that creates a dramatical feeling that reveals his unique personality."
- Psychology Student Jin Ge
