Elementary (Grades 1-5) - Canadian Academy

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Elementary School is an important step in becoming an open-minded and capable learner.

Our Elementary Program at a glance...

Global Citizenship

Our Elementary students learn to see diversity in thinking, language, and culture as rich opportunities to grow as global citizens. Students develop a deep understanding of different cultures. Moreover, by learning to listen actively and use the language of appreciation, students are equipped to find solutions in increasingly complex situations.

Individualized Instruction

Differentiated and individualized instruction is a hallmark of Canadian Academy. We celebrate that each child is an individual, with distinct interests, abilities and needs. Small classroom sizes allow our teachers to get to know their students well. With EAL teachers and Learning Support specialists working alongside all children in the classroom, our students are well supported to meet their goals.

Skills for Life

At Canadian Academy, you will frequently hear Elementary School students skillfully articulating and presenting their ideas. Learning opportunities are incredibly varied, and students learn to demonstrate their understanding through speaking, writing, technology, art, movement, and music.

Curriculum

Our curriculum is taught through the framework of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). The PYP is organized according to six transdiciplinary themes, also called Units of Inquiry (UOIs). These Units of Inquiry are addressed and explored in every subject area; this integrated approach strengthens understanding. PYP standards provide clear and compelling goals, while the framework is flexible, allowing for differentiation and meeting each child where they are.

Our curricular programs draw from AERO, Next Generation, and ACARA standards. Balanced Literacy uses highly effective approaches to create readers, writers, and effective communicators. Bridges, our mathematics program, requires our students to have a deep conceptual understanding, while being proficient in key skills.

Use the table below to explore IB PYP Units of Inquiry by Grade Level.

Units of Inquiry

Grade 1

Unit of Inquiry	Who We Are	Where We Are in Place and Time	How We Express Ourselves	How the World Works	How We Organize Ourselves	Sharing the Planet
Central Idea	Improving well-being involves making informed decisions.	Curating historical evidence provides insight into people's past.	Appreciating nature inspires artistic expression.	The characteristics of matter determine their use.	People organize systems to satisfy needs and wants.	The choices people make impact the environment.

Grade 2

Unit of Inquiry	Who We Are	Where We Are in Place and Time	How We Express Ourselves	How the World Works	How We Organize Ourselves	Sharing the Planet
Central Idea	Exploring personal identity helps us better understand ourselves and others.	People's daily lives can be adapted to connect to their location.	Exploring the function of light and sound enables people to use them as a form of expression.	People apply their understanding of design thinking to visualize and solve problems.	Members of communities have rights and responsibilities.	Over time, living things need to adapt in order to survive.

Grade 3

Unit of Inquiry	Who We Are	Where We Are in Place and Time	How We Express Ourselves	How the World Works	How We Organize Ourselves	Sharing the Planet
Central Idea	There are factors that contribute to the process of learning something new.	Changes in society are explained by evidence from the past.	People express their cultural identity through the arts.	Understanding forces and scientific principles help us to design and invent.	People use automation for a purpose.	Finding and maintaining peaceful resolutions to conflict enables harmonious relationships/communities.

Grade 4

Unit of Inquiry	Who We Are	Where We Are in Place and Time	How We Express Ourselves	How the World Works	How We Organize Ourselves	Sharing the Planet
Central Idea	Examining the beliefs of others builds an understanding of diversity.	Earth's changing processes affect society and the environment.	Popular culture is an expression of the beliefs and values of a time period.	Exploring the nature of matter allows people to transform, use, and apply new understandings.	People's lives are impacted through the globalization of goods and services.	Investigating the interdependence of living things within ecosystems.

Grade 5

Units of Inquiry	Who We Are	Where We Are in Place and Time	How We Express Ourselves	How the World Works	How We Organize Ourselves	Sharing the Planet
Central Idea	Exploring how personal change can affect relationships and well-being.	Technological advances in space exploration have led to new discoveries and possibilities for the future.	Technological innovations influence how people live their lives.	Understanding energy promotes opportunities to create and innovate.	Effective communities rely on active citizenship.	Equal access to the earth's finite resources provides challenges for the global community.

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