PDTCA 2025

Come show off your braiding skills as we learn to make traditional Ukrainian bread know as Kolach, and practice pinching (and eating) Perogies. Bring your culinary skills and your appetites.
AIRDRIE: WH Croxford School 2654 Chinook Winds Dr SW; Airdrie

Off Site - Okotoks Curling Club
Whether you are interested in curling and have never tried it before or are a seasoned curler, this session will teach you something new about the game. There will be on and off ice instruction as well as a short game at the end. Should participants have questions about how to incorporate curling into elementary PE, resources are available.
OKOTOKS: Curling Club 99 Okotoks Dr, Okotoks

We are presenting a workshop on Indigenous Perspectives that includes "hands-on" experiential sessions with teachers actively participating in an "Educational Teaching" Sweat Lodge, Indigenous games and traditions, and discussions with regards to the application of foundational knowledge regarding Alberta Education's curriculum and First Nations, Metis, and Inuit.

Where: Camp Horizon ( Located about 50 minutes West of Calgary just past Bragg Creek) Hwy 66 10 KM Southwest of Bragg Creek, Bragg Creek, AB T0L 0K0

What: Our planned Indigenous Perspectives workshop will include the following:
1.) Teaching/Educational Sweat Lodge Experience conducted by Indigenous Elders
2.) Indigenous Traditional games and talking circle
3.) Applying Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Metis, Inuit and curriculum connections.

George Taven of Seeds Connections will be hosting the day and coordinating the logistics. Walter White Bear will be the Keynote speaker and Sweat Lodge Elder.

Walter will also engage several other locally recognized and respected elders to assist with the other sessions throughout the day.

KEY POINTS

1.) This workshop will be conducted at Camp Horizon from 8:30am - 3:00 pm . Teachers are responsible for their own transportation.

3.) We can have up to 50 people register.

4.) It is vital to read the attachments which are descriptions of each of the sessions as well as expectations and appropriate dress and details of what people should be aware of if they are planning to participate in the Educational Teaching Sweat Lodge.

5.) Teachers need to bring their own bag lunches. Participants should bring their own water bottle.

6.) Teachers wanting to participate in the Teaching Sweat must bring appropriate change of clothes and towel.

7.) We will require each participant to fill out and sign an Acknowledgement of Risk form when they first arrive.

This course is focused on giving you a foundation and tools to support and understand Autism in the classroom and how to effectively support the varying needs presented by our students. Starting with How is Autism diagnosed and moving through the topics of sensory processing, sensory overload, motor skills, theory of mind, executive functioning and communication. We will also delve into activities of daily living, family and social life. Through a blend of presentation and audience participation these topics will be tied to effective teaching strategies, practical strategies and supports. Case studies will be provided. 
THERE WILL BE NO PARTICIPANT FEE COLLECTED.
Off-site Address: 2651 Chinook Winds Drive NW Airdrie Alberta T4B 0B4

This session offers warm up activities for grade 7-12, semester of ideas/projects that incorporate the curricular objectives, Canadian Artist Project for Ted Harrison, as well as Reverse Painting, rubrics for marking, as well as supplementary lessons for guest teachers. These lessons can be done with minimal access to supplies or be modified for more advanced skills and programming.
Participants will leave with two art projects and digital copies of lessons that can be used immediately in the classroom.

Immerse yourself in the warmth of Destination Africa while its resident animals inspire you in this workshop that will demonstrate strategies and techniques that combine art with scientific inquiry and open the door to descriptive writing. Be prepared to have fun and discover your inner artist as you slow down and appreciate the finer details around you. No previous artistic experience necessary, just a willingness to have a go!
Please bring your favourite writing instrument, and a journal or blank paper. 
Session Location: DOW Classroom, in the Enmax Conservatory
CALGARY ZOO 210 St. George’s Dr. NE; T2E 7V6

During this session participants will be provided with an overview of the Child Intervention System, who Children's Services serve and how they strive to build safe communities for Alberta Children and Youth. Recent changes in reporting processes and guidelines will be described.
Included in this session will be specific strategies to help to identify and report suspected child abuse. Information such as the specific questions that you will be asked when making a report will be presented. Finally, participants will discover if their call is truly confidential, and what happens after they have made the report.

Join us for an adventure at TELUS Spark Science Centre to get a taste of all we have to offer you and your students! We'll take you on a tour through K-3 programming, including all of those new curricular connections and then travel through some of the sights and sounds of the science centre, including our Creative Kids Museum, designed specifically for young learners.
220 Saint George's Drive Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 5T2

Want to design a conservation action project with your students but don't know how to get started? In this presentation, we will introduce you to conservation action project ideas, tips for getting started, as well as introduce you to our Conservation Champions Festival as a way to celebrate and showcase your students' work.
Session Location: Karsten Discovery Centre
CALGARY ZOO 210 St. George’s Dr. NE; T2E 7V6

As a visual art senior high specialist for 20 years I had developed selection of art assignments that had proved to be particularly successful. One of these, the "Conte Still Life Drawing" assignment was particularly successful. I found this assignment dealt with several, often challenging, drawing concepts, including "working progressively from the most general to specific details", the use of values to give the illusion of three dimensionality and perhaps most importantly "drawing what you see - not what you know."

Participants prepare their drawing paper by creating a grey "ground" with the drawing conte' (similar to charcoal) then set up 3 - 4 "still life" objects (vases, mugs etc.) then dramatically light them with the table lamps.
Using the white erasers, participants draw their objects in big basic shapes. Then, participants will look for the basic highlight areas of their set up and erase those areas on their prepared drawing paper. That done, participants draw in the darker areas of their set up. Then, they will draw in any finer details using their conte' sticks and erasers.
One of the intents of the lesson is to create a convincing "range of tones" from light to dark to appear "3 Dimensional" and not Flat - 2 Dimensional.

I had presented this assignment to the Art 10 students but have found it to be of value to students of all ages and prior experience. In March of this year I presented this assignment to members of the "Calgary association of Lifelong Learners" and received a most positive response and was very pleased with the resulting drawings from the group.

I would be bringing in all of the items needed including: table lamps (to "highlight" the still life objects), drawing materials - cartridge paper, conte' drawing sticks and cheap white erasers. Although the materials are inexpensive, I would ask participants to either prepay $10.00 for materials or simply "pass a hat" to compensate me.

During this session, participants will be provided with an overview of the Criminal and Youth Justice perspective on consent. Tools will be presented that may be used by school staff to explain consent to youth and case studies will be reviewed.

During this interactive session, participants will have the opportunity to review and book an RCMP presentation geared to students in grades 6-12. Participants will be encouraged to pose questions to gain strategies for addressing and responding to concerns regarding consent, internet safety, exploitation, and peer-on-peer sexual abuse among youth in their schools.

Join us for an adventure at TELUS Spark Science Centre to get a taste of all we have to offer you and your students! We'll take you on a tour through 4-12 programming, from joining a semester-long design challenge to witnessing a live knee surgery. Then travel through some of the sights and sounds of the science centre to help you make connections when you come for a field trip.
220 Saint George's Drive Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 5T2

Looking for ways to get your students outside and engage them in real world science? Come explore Citizen Science, why it’s important and how to incorporate it into your classroom. We will look at various classroom-ready Citizen Science initiatives then head out on to zoo grounds to test them. You will leave equipped to turn your students into citizen scientists!
Session Location: DOW Classroom, in the Enmax Conservatory
CALGARY ZOO 210 St. George’s Dr. NE; T2E 7V6