Sarah Grimké's story is one of true character. Through determination and self-trust, Sarah left the only life she knew to uncover her authentic self and fight for equality. This lesson gives a real-life example of a woman who learned how to trust who she was and what she was meant to do with her life.
Character Trait
Authenticity
Authenticity is being honest with yourself. How many times a day do you hide your true self? Several times a day, the opportunity may arise to state your honest opinion about something, but you become concerned about hurting someone’s feelings or worry that you won’t fit in. So, instead, you deny yourself the opportunity to be authentic and pick the popular choice, share the most accepted opinion, give the easy answer.
Sometimes the world makes us believe that, for there to be harmony, we all must be the same. If we are all the same, how can anyone judge us? Sameness is a fragile shelter. There is no strength to fitting in. When we fit in, we prioritize others' wants before our own needs.
Be you. Trust who you are and who you are meant to be. You deserve to have friends who will appreciate your spirit. When you step into your authentic self, you free yourself from judgment. Others’ opinions no longer trap you. You are free.
Living an authentic life is a courageous act. Get to that life as soon as possible. The sooner you get there, the better life is going to be.
Lesson Overview
Table of Contents
Section 1: Preparatory Reading
Introduction from Heather Stark: Why Sarah Grimké?
The Journey of Sarah Grimké’s Life
Character Trait: Authenticity
Lesson Contents
Section 2: Group Activity Guide
Instructions
Timeline Poster
Illustrated Portrait
Activity Booklet (Reading Section)
Content Discovery
Biography
Activity Booklet (Question Section) & Biography Workbook
Play-It-Forward Cards
Section 3: Closing Discussion Guide
Closing Discussion Questions
Why We Chose Sarah Grimké
Sarah was born in 1792 on a plantation in the South where her family enslaved many people. Sarah realized early on in her life that slavery was wrong, and her opinion on this matter flew in the face of her family, friends and community.
The older Sarah became, the more she realized she was different from the world around her. She was trying to fit in with the Southern way of life, and it made her uncomfortable. When she had the opportunity to visit Philadelphia as an adult, she realized the North was where she belonged. Sarah felt she belonged in the North, where slavery was not tolerated and where she would have the freedom to advocate for their emancipation and for equal rights for women.
If we take Sarah’s life and bring it into the 21st century, it remains the same story—the tale of a girl believing in her own worth and standing up for those who are made to feel less. Sarah was a girl like you, who just followed her heart, tapped into her authenticity and helped others find the freedom to do the same.
A Character Set Includes
- Illustrated Portrait
- Our portrait gives life to each of our sets. Sarah is pictured as her younger self in her pre-Quaker period. The books in her hands and the famed Liberty Bell in the background give life to the ideas of freedom and equality. Wearing a look of graceful peace, it almost seems she has finally found where she belongs for the first time in her life.
- Biography
- While the Activity Booklet highlights Sarah's story, the Biography gives a more in-depth telling of her life. The reader will learn about Sarah's childhood on a plantation in Georgia. It explains why she was denied a formal education, how she tried to free her help-maid and other enslaved people, her estrangement and eventual reconciliation with her father and how she and her sister became abolitionists and advocates for gender equality.
- Timeline Poster
- The Timeline Poster is an introduction to the life of Sarah Grimké. One look at it, and the reader can easily spot the milestones in Sarah's life. The adversity she encountered and how she navigated through it. From birth to death, Sarah's life led up to her becoming an abolitionist. The poster highlights her accomplishments and how she changed the course of history.
- Charm
- The charm is a reminder of Sarah's legacy. It symbolizes her leaving a life of physical comfort in the South to move North and become a Quaker. The G&G Charm is an outline of a heart attached to a disc that reads "Follow Your Heart." Sarah's heart led her to a more authentic life, where she could speak out against slavery and felt she finally belonged.
Additional Items
- Biography Workbook
- The Biography Workbook allows the reader to dive into the lessons Sarah's legacy teaches and apply them to their life. We took the same thought-provoking activities from the Activity Booklet and made them into a companion guide for the Biography. After completing the activities, girls will understand what authenticity looks, sounds and feels like. More importantly, they will understand how to be their own best advocate.
- Play-It-Forward Cards
- Using the Play-It-Forward Cards allows your girls to generalize the lessons they have learned about authenticity and Sarah Grimké. By following the directions on the cards, they will acknowledge those instances where they see Sarah's legacy of advocacy and authenticity in their community. This set of Play-It-Forward Cards also provides an opportunity to give the gift of literacy to another girl—both activities Sarah would heartily approve of.
- Accessory
- Sarah Grimké's Accessory is a gray bookmark. Gray symbolizes her time as a Quaker, while the bookmark exemplifies her love of reading. It represents so much about her desire for a formal education, her love for her father's library, her short teaching career and her attempt to teach enslaved people to read. For Sarah, reading was a way to free the mind from oppression.
- Printed Lesson Guide
- When using the Grace & Grit curriculum for educational purposes or small groups, the Printed Lesson Guide provides lesson outlines for instructors. Inside are instructions for structuring several mini-lessons focusing on each item in our sets and room for notes. It also gives instructors the necessary background information to teach participants about Sarah Grimké and authenticity. The Printed Guide contains the same information as the Digital Lesson Guide.
A Box Set Includes
- Illustrated Portrait
- Our portrait gives life to each of our sets. Sarah is pictured as her younger self in her pre-Quaker period. The books in her hands and the famed Liberty Bell in the background give life to the ideas of freedom and equality. Wearing a look of graceful peace, it almost seems she has finally found where she belongs for the first time in her life.
- Activity Booklet
- The Activity Booklet highlights the themes of Sarah Grimké's life. It gives an overview of her journey into authenticity and the legacy she left behind. The booklet includes six thought-provoking activities that guide the readers to apply the lessons of Sarah's life to their own. Girls will understand what authenticity looks, sounds and feels like. More importantly, they will understand how to be their own best advocate.
- Accessory
- Sarah Grimké's Accessory is a gray bookmark. Gray symbolizes her time as a Quaker, while the bookmark exemplifies her love of reading. It represents so much about her desire for a formal education, her love for her father's library, her short teaching career and her attempt to teach enslaved people to read. For Sarah, reading was a way to free the mind from oppression.
- Charm
- The charm is a reminder of Sarah's legacy. It symbolizes her leaving a life of physical comfort in the South to move North and become a Quaker. The G&G Charm is an outline of a heart attached to a disc that reads "Follow Your Heart." Sarah's heart led her to a more authentic life, where she could speak out against slavery and felt she finally belonged.
- Play-It-Forward Cards
- Using the Play-It-Forward Cards allows your girls to generalize the lessons they have learned about authenticity and Sarah Grimké. By following the directions on the cards, they will acknowledge those instances where they see Sarah's legacy of advocacy and authenticity in their community. This set of Play-It-Forward Cards also provides an opportunity to give the gift of literacy to another girl—both activities Sarah would heartily approve of.
- Timeline Poster
- The Timeline Poster is an introduction to the life of Sarah Grimké. One look at it, and the reader can easily spot the milestones in Sarah's life. The adversity she encountered and how she navigated through it. From birth to death, Sarah's life led up to her becoming an abolitionist. The poster highlights her accomplishments and how she changed the course of history.
Additional Items
A SEL Lesson Set Includes
For the Girl[s]
- Illustrated Portrait
- Our portrait gives life to each of our sets. Sarah is pictured as her younger self in her pre-Quaker period. The books in her hands and the famed Liberty Bell in the background give life to the ideas of freedom and equality. Wearing a look of graceful peace, it almost seems she has finally found where she belongs for the first time in her life.
- Activity Booklet
- The Activity Booklet highlights the themes of Sarah Grimké's life. It gives an overview of her journey into authenticity and the legacy she left behind. The booklet includes six thought-provoking activities that guide the readers to apply the lessons of Sarah's life to their own. Girls will understand what authenticity looks, sounds and feels like. More importantly, they will understand how to be their own best advocate.
- Play-It-Forward Cards
- Using the Play-It-Forward Cards allows your girls to generalize the lessons they have learned about authenticity and Sarah Grimké. By following the directions on the cards, they will acknowledge those instances where they see Sarah's legacy of advocacy and authenticity in their community. This set of Play-It-Forward Cards also provides an opportunity to give the gift of literacy to another girl—both activities Sarah would heartily approve of.