Academics

The Arts

Bird's Hill School's music program is child-centered and comprehensive. Based on Orff, Kodaly and Daleroze methods, it offers a broad spectrum of musical experiences - singing, playing instruments, listening, movement, dance, drama, recorder and creating music (Improvisation)

The Arts include music, dance, drama, and the visual arts and more information about this area can be viewed at the Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth website at: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/arts/music.html

English Language Arts (ELA)

ELA enables each student to understand and appreciate language. Language proficiency generates confidence and competence in communicating in a variety of situations as well as the personal satisfaction of learning. 

• General outcomes for ELA:
• Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
• Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, literary and media texts
• Manage ideas and information
• Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
• Celebrate and build community

Basic French - grade 4 and 5

Basic French is offered to all students in grades 4 and 5. The French language is learned through themes such as foods, school items, holidays, clothing, etc. with both oral and written work. Although focus is on expression and vocabulary rather than grammar, some verb and sentence structure work is also included informally to allow the students to more easily communicate in a second language.

Mathematics

Check out the Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth site for math at http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/math/overview.html. The main goals of mathematics education are to prepare students to:

• use mathematics confidently to solve problems
• communicate and reason mathematically
• appreciate and value mathematics
• commit themselves to lifelong learning
• become mathematically literate adults, using mathematics to contribute to society

The curriculum is organized into four strands:

• Patterns and Relations
• Statistics and Probability
• Shape and Space
• Number

A strand includes concepts, skills and procedures related to a given topic within the mathematics curriculum.

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/metks4/curricul/k-s4curr/math/index.html

Physical/Health Education

Bird's Hill School offers a complete and comprehensive physical education program based upon the Manitoba curriculum. Students will develop skills, fitness, sportsmanship and positive lifestyle choices through a variety of programs. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of extra-curricular programs such as curling, cross-country skiing, "Turkey Trot", track meets, volleyball, basketball and gymnastics. Bird's Hill staff support and encourage academic and personal growth through physical education.

Specific information about the kindergarten to Grade 5 curriculum can be found at the Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth website at: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/physhlth/curriculum.html

Science

Organization into Clusters

This Science Framework presents specific learning outcomes (SLOs) for kindergarten to Grade 4 science. Within each grade, SLOs are arranged into groupings, referred to as clusters. Clusters 1 to 4 are thematic and generally relate to the three science disciplines discussed earlier in the Science Framework. Cluster 0 includes Overall Skills and Attitudes.

Kindergarten to Grade 4 Science Topic Chart
There is no information here

Grades 5 Science Topic Chart
For grades 5 to 8, the Manitoba science curricula are built upon the following five foundations for scientific literacy:

1. Nature of Science and Technology
2. Science, Technology, Society and the Environment
3. Scientific and Technological Skills and Attitudes
4. Essential Science Knowledge
5. Unifying Concepts

To further view this information please check http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/science/outcomes/5-8/index.html

Social Studies

In September of 2007, a new social studies curriculum was fully implemented throughout the entire province in kindergarten to Grade 5. The theme for each grade is:

Kindergarten: Being Together

Grade 1: Connecting and Belonging
Grade 2 : Communities in Canada
Grade 3: Communities of the World
Grade 4: Manitoba, Canada, and the North: Places and Stories
Grade 5: People and Stories of Canada to 1867

More specific information about the Kindergarten to Grade 4 curriculum can be found at: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/key_conceptk4.html

More specific information about the Grade 5 curriculum can be found at: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/key_concept58.html#top

Library

The library program follows the Resource-Based Learning (RBL) model. Units are planned collaboratively by the classroom teacher and the teacher-librarian. Small groups of students work on either literature-based or research-based projects. Book fairs are held in the library each year, the profits of which go directly back into reading materials for the children.

The Resource-Based Learning model integrates the school library program with the school's instructional program. The model actively involves students, teachers and teacher-librarians in the meaningful use of a wide range of print, non-print and human resources, taking into consideration students' individual differences in learning styles, abilities, needs, interests and prior knowledge base. The RBL model can be implemented at any grade level. Independent learning skills are not taught in isolation, but, rather, they are developed through the integration of classroom programs with the school library. One of the benefits of RBL is that the learner begins to take responsibility for his own learning and will become more involved in choosing a topic and gathering and processing information. In this information-rich society, it is imperative that our students develop their critical thinking, problem-solving and research skills, so that they know where to access information, how to access information, and how to process it. To obtain the RBL document, contact the Instructional Resources Branch at Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 1181 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg.

At the grade 4 and 5 level, there is an opportunity for interested students to be part of a book club. Books are selected either from the list of MYRCA (Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award) nominees, past and present, or from quality children's literature which offers more challenging reading and/or themes, giving the book club participants the chance to further develop their critical thinking skills. At present, we have a Grade 4 boys' book club and a Grade 5 club, run by a classroom teacher and the teacher-librarian.

Technology

At Bird's Hill School we believe that technology is an effective tool to inspire and motivate students to achieve success. One of the prime goals of the school is to integrate technology into curriculum in ways that maximizes student learning and productivity.

Computers are used for the purposes of:

Research (Internet), 
Product creation (Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Photostory 3, Inspiration, Kidspiration) 
Data collection (Excel) 
Communication (Email) 
Instruction (Projector) 

Bird's Hill School has two computer labs available to all the students in the school.