Curriculum Standards and Frameworks

Click Here to View Birney's Units / PROGRAMME OF INQUIRY (POI)

Together with the IB Learner Profile attributes, the elements below are craftfully woven into the Birney Programme of Inquiry. Our curriculum map, or POI, consists of 44 units unique to Birney Elementary. The POI is designed, reviewed and revised annually by our IB trained educators to meet the developmental, academic, social, and emotional needs of our students. These units lead student inquiry, exploration, and play in the classroom and across the campus. Our units aim to develop caring, balanced, open-minded, principled, reflective and knowledgeable inquirers, communicators and risk-takers with knowledge, understanding and skills to take action within and beyond our learning community. 

Putting it all together...An overview of the IB framework of education in Birney's PYP classrooms.

KNOWLEDGE  How do we celebrate life-long learning?

Six IB Transdisciplinary Themes 

1. Who We Are
2. Where We Are in Time and Place
3. How We Express Ourselves
4. How the World Works
5. How We Organize Ourselves

Science

• Science Grades K-2

  • Download the Grades K-2 Parent Guide (in English)
  • Download the Spanish version

• Science Grades 3-5

  • Download the Grades 3-5 Parent Guide (in English)
  • Download the Spanish version

Math

• Matemáticas Grados K–2 (PDF), 3–5 (PDF)
• Math: Grades K–2 (PDF), 3–5 (PDF)

English Language Arts/literacy

• The brochures also offer suggestions for supporting your child's learning and a list of additional resources.

          en español

• Del kindergarten al segundo grado, artes del lenguaje de inglés (Spanish) (PDF)
• Del tercer al quinto grado, artes del lenguaje de inglés (Spanish) (PDF)

         English 

• Kindergarten – Grade Two, English Language Arts/Literacy(PDF)
• Grades 3–5, English Language Arts/Literacy (PDF)
  

Additional California Content

• World Language Standards
• English Language Development Standards
• CA Arts Standards
•  CA Physical Education Standards
•  CA Health Education Content Standards
• CA Social Studies Overview 
  

SEVEN IB KEY CONCEPTS How do we develop conceptual understandings?

The seven key concepts have relevance withing and across subject areas, but also transcend them.

• Form
  • What is it like?
• Function
  •  How does it work?
• Causation
  • Why is it like this?
• Connection
  • How is it connected to other things?
• Perspective
  • What are the points of view?
• Responsibility
  • What is my/our responsibility?

FIVE IB APPROACHES TO LEARNING SKILLS How do we  practice these skills?

IB AGENCY SUPPORTS ACTION How do we help your child take action in the community?

What is action?

• Participation
• Advocacy
• Social Justice
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Lifestyle Choices

Learners with agency can:

• actively engage with all stages of learning
• actively involve themselves in discussions and questioning 
• understand through construction of their own projects
• make connections
• speak up - active voice
• face challenges with courage
• take-risks
• reflect on actions
• self-regulate

For examples of our learners taking action, please visit our Birney Exhibtion Website.

10 IB LEARNER PROFILE ATTRIBUTES How can we develop these traits so we can be more internationally-minded, or simply put, better humans?

LEARN MORE ABOUT IB LEARNER PROFILE

IB APPROACHES TO TEACHING 

What makes our IB approaches to teaching so successful?

Our key pedagogical principals are:

• based on inquiry
• focused on conceptual understanding
• focus on effective teamwork and collaboration
• differentiated and inclusive to meet needs of all learners
• informed by ongoing reflection and assessment

Visit IBO.org to learn more about the IB PYP curriculum