Children leaping from globe to globe, climbing high into the air, riding five foot unicycles ... the Plymouth Meeting Friends School Fourth Grade Circus is something to see.  In a few short weeks, students will take to the stage for the tenth year of this much celebrated school tradition. Every year, PMFS fourth graders collaborate with teachers Will Starr and Bob Cahill to plan a cohesive program around a theme, learn circus arts skills, and perform three shows, all in less than seven months.

This year’s performance, One World Circus, pays homage to the universality of the art form and its ability to bring people from all backgrounds together to create a shared experience. Fourth graders will travel the globe with the audience, exploring the diversity of circus’ rich and varied traditions in six different countries.

The One World Circus theme dovetails with Plymouth Meeting Friends School’s global emphasis as well as with Will Starr’s own Circus Math curriculum  (Author House, 2009). Throughout the year, fourth graders combine the learning of circus skills with study of mathematical concepts through contextual, circus-based math problems.

An equally important learning process is also central to the Fourth Grade Circus. As students master circus techniques and discover new talents within themselves, they grow in their regard for one another.  Trust and confidence within the cohort is evident as students spot each other and ready the stage.One World Circus is an expression of both skill and community spirit, and a breathtaking spectacle in its own right, including silks, juggling, unicycling, and more.  Far from a typical children’s performance, PMFS fourth graders perform circus feats sure to delight and amaze the audience.

One World Circus will be performed March 8^th and 9^th in the Plymouth Meeting Friends School Steinbright Auditorium.