Do recorder lessons involve any music theory? Do they include learning notation? Or just blindly making different sounds, or learning just the specific ways to manipulate an instrument?
To answer: Yes, they included learning notation, in fact that was the point.
And they included learning music theory in the same sense learning spelling to first graders includes grammar. Just because it's not explicitly described in terms from the theoretical model, doesn't mean it's not there.
They did however firmly link music note to finger positions, and I think that's a big part of why they failed in promoting universal musical literacy (even though professional musicians too typically sight read that way).