Curriculum development rooted in language, culture, and land-based learning
Learning Bird works with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit education leaders to support custom curriculum development for Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs, K–12 classrooms, and community-based language programs.
A strong curriculum reflects the knowledge, values, and priorities of the community it serves. Our team collaborates with community educators, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers to develop a curriculum that weaves together language, culture, Traditional Knowledge, and land-based teachings.
Our curriculum projects involve co-developing educational frameworks that support cultural revitalization through land-based learning and Indigenous pedagogies. We support curriculum development across lifelong learning contexts, from early childhood education through K–12 classrooms and community-based language programs.
ECE and Head Start Curriculum Development & Implementation Support
We support communities in developing Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Head Start curricula that nurture the whole child. Our approach centres on inquiry-based and play-based learning, supporting young children as they explore, ask questions, and build knowledge through hands-on experiences.
By weaving in Traditional Knowledge and land-based teachings, we help create early learning programs that connect children to their language, culture, community, and environment from an early age.
Our team works closely with educators, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community leaders to develop progressive early learning frameworks that support children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
Our team can assist with:
- Establishing a curriculum framework and structure
- Identifying month themes
- Developing daily or weekly plans
- Developing lesson outlines and learning activities
K–12 Curriculum Writing and Development
Learning Bird works with community education teams to design and develop comprehensive K–12 curriculum frameworks and instructional materials that support learning across grade levels. Our approach centres culture-based curriculum, with language components often woven throughout and guided by community language speakers and educators.
We collaborate closely with your team to shape the core curriculum documents that reflect your priorities and support educators in delivering meaningful, culturally grounded learning experiences. Where appropriate, the curriculum can be aligned with provincial or territorial standards, based on your goals and context.
Our team can assist with:
- Building curriculum frameworks and program structures
- Planning scope and sequence across grade levels
- Identifying monthly or seasonal learning themes
- Developing lesson outlines and learning activities
- Creating resource plans and materials lists
Learn more about our curriculum projects:
Community-Based Language Programs
Learning Bird supports communities in developing curriculum and building lesson plans for community-based language programs. These programs may be delivered through in-community or online language classes, through community immersion initiatives, or multi-week classes designed for learners of all ages.
Effective language programs create opportunities for learners to hear, practice, and actively use the language in meaningful contexts. Our team works with language leaders, instructors, and fluent speakers to design structured learning programs that reflect each community’s language environment while supporting practical language development and cultural connections.
Cultural teachings and land-based learning are integrated into program design, helping learners build both practical language skills and meaningful connections to the land, stories, and traditions that sustain language use.
Our team can assist with:
- Developing course frameworks and learning pathways
- Creating course outlines and syllabi for multi-week language courses
- Designing lesson plans and structured learning activities
- Organizing vocabulary and language themes across multiple sessions
- Supporting educators in structuring learning experiences
- Developing learning materials for language instruction
Curriculum Implementation Support
Creating a curriculum is only the first step. We also support schools and educators as they implement these documents and processes in their classrooms.
Our team can provide:
- Professional development workshops for educators
- Guidance on implementing the curriculum in classrooms
- Coaching and educator support for curriculum rollout
- Peer review of in-house curricula
- Updates and expansions to existing curriculum materials
How we work
A Collaborative Development Process
Curriculum development is a collaborative process guided by community leadership and educational priorities.
I
Define goals together
We work closely with education leaders and curriculum teams to define the goals and the curriculum structure.
II
Engage the community
This process includes community engagement sessions, conversations with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and collaboration with educators and administrators to identify key themes, cultural teachings, and opportunities for language integration.
III
Draft and iterate
Our team then develops draft frameworks and documents while incorporating feedback from educators, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and language speakers.
IV
Deliver with care
This iterative process ensures the curriculum reflects community knowledge and supports educators in delivering meaningful, culturally grounded learning experiences.
Do you have a curriculum project you are looking to complete?
If so, we would love to talk with you about your project and discuss how we can help.