Friends Academy third graders in Nikita Desai’s class are currently studying Quaker history – its origins, roots, and global impact in historical and modern contexts. An important aspect of the Quaker faith is the Meeting House, whose architecture is both purposeful and unique. Students visited Matinecock Friends Meeting House for the first time and drawing upon their understanding of engineering practices and ability to transfer knowledge across disciplines, have become architects who are drafting plans to construct their own Meeting Houses out of upcycled materials. Throughout this project, they are applying mathematical skills as well as fine-tuning the real-world skills of collaboration and problem-solving. This work also paves the way for students to develop important critical thinking through the study of other religions, faiths, their forms of worship, and common themes across different belief systems.
Watch a video of our students' journey...