Program

Grades 1 - 6

PMFS provides a developmentally appropriate, student-centered program designed to nurture the whole child. Quaker practices are at the heart of the emergent and evolving curriculum. Experiential learning is a hallmark of a PMFS education. Teachers create classroom communities in which students feel emotionally safe. This enables students to take the risks necessary to become creative thinkers, problem solvers and leaders, able to know and care for themselves and others.

Through teaching relationships skills, responsible decision making, and social awareness, PMFS provides tools for students to learn from each other, respect one another, and see themselves as changemakers able to advocate for themselves and others. This work happens in the classroom through intentional study of history and current events, on the playground, through group reflection, and in collaboration with families.

Included in the core curriculum are many experiences that other schools might classify as extra-curricular. At PMFS, these programs are part of an integrated, experiential curriculum. A central tenet of the program is providing the students with a developmentally sequenced education that builds upon previous learning and experiences. For example, through the progression of overnight field trips beginning in First Grade with a one-night camping trip and culminating in a ten-day exchange trip to Mexico in Fifth Grade, students’ gain independence and self-confidence through careful nurturance.

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1st Grade

First Grade is a year of growing independence and community building. The curriculum focuses on building strong foundations in reading, writing, and math through lessons that guide students to learn collectively, collaboratively and independently. The academic program incorporates the widespread use of outside play, as well as daily opportunities for inside play in the form of strategic and imaginative games. Teachers facilitate the co-creation of a safe and trusted environment where mistakes of the heart and the brain are not only welcome but encouraged. First graders develop the skills and habits of mind that will support their growth as learners and friends in subsequent grades and throughout their lives.

1st Grade Curriculum

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2nd Grade

The Second Grade year is built upon a profound respect for each student, honoring both who they are and who they will become. Each child is a collection of unique experiences and perspectives that enriches the ecology of the classroom. The curriculum celebrates the interconnectedness of math, literacy, social studies and other disciplines and the power of curiosity to create transformative educational experiences. Students grow in their ability to notice and tend to the needs of others, problem-solve, and believe in their own abilities. We adhere to the Quaker principle that adults are not the only keepers of knowledge, and emphasize dialogue, exploration, and collaboration in our learning and social experiences. Second graders build a strong foundation of skills and strategies that foster both a love and sense of responsibility towards their own learning.

2nd Grade Curriculum

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3rd Grade

Third Grade is lovingly known as “the year of transition” to the upper grades at PMFS. Teachers intentionally foster a classroom climate of warmth and safety while helping students to feel supported and challenged academically. Long-term research projects and presentations incorporate opportunities to boost public speaking skills. Central themes include heritage, sustainability, and people who make a difference. Students read and write frequently and intentionally, building on learned strategies, tools, and skills; they grow in their mathematical thinking and expand their number sense. Third graders build stamina, set goals for themselves, and work with increasing independence across all subjects. Throughout the year, we celebrate asking big questions, value the process as much as the end product, and learn the importance of doing one’s best work.

3rd Grade Curriculum

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4th Grade

Fourth Grade students step into leadership positions, balancing expectations for individual and group academic and social growth. Fourth graders work independently and collaboratively, and find value in both, recognizing opportunities to offer support and guidance to each other. The math curriculum enfolds a yearlong study of Circus Arts, enhancing students’ roles both as group process facilitators and self-advocates, while boosting their organizational, problem-solving and social-emotional skills. The central theme of US History engages and challenges students through social studies, literature, writing and musicology. The class gains an in-depth understanding of important events that shaped US history and their impact on modern society, including issues of equity and social justice. Fourth graders question and explore history and are guided to identify the varied perspectives that impacted the US over time. Fourth Grade is an active and productive year that pays witness to students’ creativity, friendship and incredible ability to collaborate, skills which benefit them in their remaining years at PMFS.

4th Grade Curriculum

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5th Grade

Fifth Grade is a transformative year when students gain a deeper understanding of themselves as learners and as members of their communities. Throughout the year, fifth graders develop a stronger sense of self and confirm that learning takes place in the context of relationships. The classroom provides a safe environment where students can make mistakes and risk being wrong. Core themes of social justice, advocacy, equity and inclusion help students link in class and out of class learning and reflect on how each connects to a bigger picture. Exploring the geography of North America, seeing why and how refugees and migrants travel there, understanding civil rights and government, learning the links between food sources and sustainability are just a few topics covered. Fifth graders are expected to be problem solvers on a daily basis, who strive to be open-minded, principled thinkers and communicators. Differentiated instruction offers students daily opportunities to learn and process concepts and demonstrate their understanding in ways that align with their learning style. Literature, formal research projects, expository and creative writing assignments help students to challenge themselves in their thinking and academics. Students strengthen critical thinking skills as they seek out systems and meaning in their work. Students embrace challenges with confidence in their peers’ and teachers’ support. This growth empowers fifth graders as they take their learning on the road with day and overnight field trips, including the Mexican Exchange Program. The goal for Fifth graders is to become students of the world and lifelong learners who ask questions, wonder and seek to explore possibilities.

5th Grade Curriculum

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6th Grade

Sixth Grade prepares students to leave PMFS as global citizens and lifelong learners. Themes of connection, community and justice recur within the Sixth Grade curriculum and expectations. Sixth graders are thinkers and inquirers; they are creative, flexible, open-minded, empathetic, innovative, and collaborative. Students learn to intentionally extend classroom skills into the greater world, highlighting that learning is everywhere. Sixth graders engage in dialogue, look at the world and themselves, and take time to guide, teach and learn responsively. In preparation for middle school, sixth graders actively engage in inquiry-based learning and integrate concepts across subject areas into their academic work. Students practice active listening and asking insightful questions that further the learning for all. They develop a deeper understanding of their strengths and challenges, glean knowledge from peers with different styles, and self-advocate for support or enrichment. Throughout the year, students build resources, strategies, and systems their assignments and research projects; organization, strong study habits, conscientiousness, problem solving, self-knowledge, and risk taking are just a few of the skills necessary to excel as a student and in life. In addition, setting expectations for themselves and others in the community is key to strong Sixth Grade social-emotional growth and the ability to become a change-maker in society. Above all, sixth graders revel in leadership of the school, applying tools acquired throughout their PMFS experience to serve as responsible role models who interact with kindness and respect even amid conflict, demonstrate global citizenship, and continuously seek out ways to contribute to their community.

6th Grade Curriculum