Academics

Quakerism Curriculum

Quakerism

Germantown Friends School’s Quaker identity fundamentally influences the Lower School program.  The study of Quaker values guides young children of many diverse religious backgrounds to learn to express themselves honestly, to listen well to others, to solve conflicts peacefully, and to be good members of the community.  The faculty and staff in the Lower School establish warm relationships with the children in an environment that promotes mutual respect. 

The Lower School Quakerism Committee, comprised of dedicated Lower School faculty, has developed an informed curricular program.  This Quaker curriculum provides our community with developmentally-appropriate materials that allow the students access to understanding the history of Quakerism.  The curriculum also guides students in developing ownership of the six Quaker Testimonies known as the “SPICES”: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship. 

Each year, the Lower School focuses on two of these testimonies to guide our work. Study of these testimonies increases students’ understanding of Quaker history and principles, as well as their appreciation of their dual roles as members of both our local and global communities.  This year’s testimonies are Equality and Stewardship.
  • Simplicity: Activities and possessions should not overwhelm us.
  • Peace: Each life is precious and unique.
  • Integrity: We are seekers of the truth.
  • Community: We care for each other.
  • Equality: We are all equal before God.
  • Stewardship: We use God’s gifts wisely.
- GFS Faith and Practice, 2007

Equality Testimony for Grades K and 1

  1. Finding the Light Within Each Person
  2. Respecting the Equality of Families
  3. Following the Golden Rule
  4. Understanding That Each of Us Is One Part of a Whole
  5. Appreciating Differences
  6. Including Everyone
  7. Seeing that Boys and Girls are Equal
  8. Acting on Behalf of Others

Equality Testimony for Grades 2 and 3

  1. Background: What do your students already know about Quakerism?
  2. What is a “Testimony”? Introducing the testimony of Equality
  3. Finding the light in another person
  4. The Golden Rule
  5. Making connections
  6. Appreciating difference
  7. Equality of families
  8. Inclusion/exclusion
  9. Gender equality
  10. Racial and cultural equality
  11. Some concluding activities

Equality Testimony for Grades 4 and 5

  1. An Introduction to Quakerism
  2. An Introduction to Journal Keeping and Writing
  3. Meeting for Worship
  4. The Meeting House and Meeting for Worship
  5. Meeting for Worship, “The Special Silence” of Meeting for Worship, Attentive Listening
  6. Attentive Listening, Quaker Responses to Attentive Listening, to the Inner Light, and to the Inner Voice
  7. Quaker Testimonies
  8. William Penn and the Testimony of Equality
  9. The Life of John Woolman, an American Quaker
  10. The Life of John Woolman, an American Quaker, Part 2
  11. The Life and Work of Lucretia Coffin Mott, an American Quaker
  12. The Life and Work of Lucretia Coffin Mott, an American Quaker, part 2
  13. The Life and Work of Bayard Rustin, an American Quaker

Stewardship Testimony for Grades K and 1

  1. Awareness of the natural environment
  2. Care of personal belongings and classroom environment
  3. Trash, recycling, and composting
  4. Farms and gardens
  5. Air, water, and noise pollution
  6. Acting on behalf of the environment
  7. Birds and bird migration
  8. Sharing one’s own special gifts and talents with the community

Stewardship Testimony for Grades 2 – 5

  1. Some background for adults
  2. Starting with ourselves and building out
  3. Recycling
  4. Moving out to the city/country/world
  5. Develop a class, or Lower School service learning activity
  6. Additional subject matter: The Native American Curriculum; Wangari Matthai
  7. Concluding thoughts