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Pre-Primary

Theme Learning

Theme-based learning was pioneered over 20 years ago at Halifax Independent School on the Dalhousie campus. The core of the programme is the in-depth study of various topics, under the umbrella of the larger “theme” and in which all the traditional core subjects are integrated. Five rotating year-long themes are studied by the whole Elementary and Pre-Primary school. The themes are of broad interest, appropriate for any age group and are chosen to reflect a balance of science and social studies sub-topics. Language Arts skills are built into all topics as students report and explore. The five themes are as follows:

Oceans, The World of Work, Discovery, Living Things and Nova Scotia

The Smidgens, Littles and Youngs take a vigorous and playful approach to theme studies, in a classroom environment designed to capture and develop interest. All five senses are engaged to help them in these early research projects. For example, one year when the theme was “Living Things” there was a special “doorway” in the classroom, through which the children could enter an ever-changing natural habitat full of plants, water, birds, insects, animals (stuffed), earth and sand. During the term, they visited the Australian outback, a bamboo forest in China, a tropical jungle, the African savannah and a Nova Scotia forest. Through play the children explored living vs. non-living things, habitat protection, the important role of water and species interdependence.