arts program
At San Francisco Friends School, every student is an artist. From their first day of Kindergarten to the last day of 8th grade, students have opportunities to perform music, act on stage, present dances and create visual works of art. Through learning about influential artists and exploring a range of artist expressions, students enhance their ability to express themselves creatively, develop confidence as an artist and have the opportunity to pursue artistic endeavors in collaboration with fellow students.
Lower School students take classes in visual arts, music and drama, as do the 5th and 6th Graders in the Middle School. In their 7th and 8th Grade years, students choose arts electives to take each semester with the agreement that they engage in at least one music class, one drama class, and one visual art class, respectively.
Visual Arts
The goal of the Visual Arts program is for children to think like artists. Time spent in our robust art studio and in classrooms is designed to develop artistic thinking skills while engaging in a variety of art-making techniques. We use a range of two-dimensional and three-dimensional materials, including paint, collage, wire, and ceramic clay, to explore how we can express ourselves visually. The art-making process is emphasized, and the resulting artwork is celebrated.
We teach toward big questions, encouraging our young artists to develop a nuanced understanding of key ideas:
- Why do we make art?
- How am I an artist?
- What is the relationship between art, justice, and action?
- How can art change our world?
The work of our young artists is shared in multiple ways, with artwork displayed year-round on every floor of our school. Our online arts gallery is also available to families, featuring photos of students at work as well as images of their completed pieces.
Drama
While students act and perform on stage as part of their regular curriculum each year, there are two major Lower School dramatic performances each year. In the spring, 4th Graders present the annual production of "1906", a play set during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and tied to their study of California history. Smaller dramatic projects are also performed throughout the year, such as the 3rd Grade collaborative poem interpretation, which recently featured dramatic interpretations of Shel Silverstein poems.
In the 6th Grade, students present theatrical examples from their study of theatre history such as early human rituals and ancient Greek plays. Meanwhile, 5th Graders create compositions based on poems about insects (“Joyful Noise”) and non-fictional renderings of stories from interviews with seniors living in our nearby community.
In the fall, a select group of middle schoolers stage a full-scale production. Recent productions include “Wizard of Oz” (2024) and “Charlotte’s Web” (2023).
The 7th Grade Shakespeare elective performs a classic, such as “The Tempest” (2024) at the end of the semester.
Music
Lower School
At the heart of the Lower School music program is joyful participation. Our approach to music making is active, and all students participate in a variety of experiences throughout their years here. The curriculum is inspired by the philosophies of Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroze and guided by The National Core Arts Standards: Create, Perform, Respond, and Connect.
Students have two music classes per week from Kindergarten through 4th Grade. In the early years students learn to be tuneful, artful and beautiful through a balanced program of instruction in movement, singing, games, instruments and dramatic play, and as they progress through the program, they also learn to read and write standard music notation.
By the end of 4th Grade, students have had a range of musical experiences, including composing their own music, participating in formal and informal performances, listening to and appreciating music from around the world, and learning how music is connected to identity and culture.
Students develop a deep appreciation for music and demonstrate pride in their ability to understand and make music. We create a safe and caring musical community where each student feels respected, valued, and comfortable taking risks.
Middle School
Building on the skills learned in the Lower School music program, we move towards a deeper understanding of traditional notation in Middle School. General music continues for 5th and 6th graders, and we emphasize ensemble playing through percussion instruments, xylophones and ukuleles. Team-building drumming routines, collaborative song-writing, and the celebration of individual improvements build the confidence of our young musicians. Our musical environment in Middle School is both supportive and increasingly rigorous. Classes meet twice per week: once for 40 minutes and once for 85 minutes. During longer classes, guided listening to world music provides students both a “brain break” and a foundation for appreciating music from many cultures.
Recent 5th and 6th Grade repertoire includes:
- When the Saints Go Marching In (Traditional)
- Russian Dance (Tchaikovsky)
- Can-Can (Offenbach)
- Stir It Up (Bob Marley)
In 7th and 8th grade we offer electives, and the students can choose from various options. Classes including Guitar Ensemble and World Band continue to develop concepts taught in previous grades while introducing new levels of complexity on both familiar and new instruments. Thematic elements, such as songs of social justice, provide the opportunity for students to reflect on the impact and meaning of performance. Other classes, such as Brass Chorale and Electronic Composition, offer completely new opportunities for students with a keen interest in music. Electives meet twice per week for 85 minutes per class, allowing a deeper dive into the material than in earlier grades. There are three electives per year, allowing students to have a number of different experiences across both performing and visual arts.
Recent 7th and 8th Grade repertoire includes:
- Sky Full of Stars (Coldplay)
- La Bamba (Richie Valens)
- Ode to Joy (Beethoven)
- Minuet in G (Bach)
- If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys)
Major performances for Middle School students include the Winter Celebration, Presentation Night, and 8th Grade Graduation. 7th and 8th elective classes often perform for their grade at the end of each trimester for an Elective Share.
Middle school students also have the opportunity to audition for the Jazz Band. This ensemble is an extra-curricular commitment that offers dedicated music students more options for musical creativity through the idioms of blues and jazz. The Jazz Band is also a great outlet for students who study privately to use their main instrument in school. Improvisation is encouraged, but not required, to be in the group. The jazz band performs at least one off-campus concert per year.
Recent jazz band repertoire includes:
- It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing
- Song for My Father
- All Blues
- My Favorite Things
- So What
Design
In our Maker Space, students in 5th Grade through 8th Grade engage in hands-on design rooted in creativity, craftsmanship, and care for the world around them. Students explore woodworking, creative reuse, kinetic motion, coding, and more with tools like sewing machines, microcontrollers, 3D printers, and recycled materials.
Each project is grounded in empathy and guided by design thinking and Quaker values, encouraging students to design with purpose and think like problem-solvers. Whether prototyping, building sustainable solutions, or crafting community-focused inventions, our young makers become confident creators and thoughtful citizens.