PDTCA 2025

Use the FREE Alberta Tomorrow platform to explore Alberta’s glaciers and watersheds through videos, interviews, 360 Tours and lesson plans on glacier loss, Climate Change, ice core analysis, isotopes analysis, persistent chemicals, glacier features, water quality, and more. Use the Climate Change Scenarios to explore 3 different future climate change scenarios and the impact they may have on the landscape, environmental, social and economic factors. View temperature and precipitation maps and experiment with management practices to see how they can impact our C02 emissions in the future.

Conservation agriculture represents a crucial approach to sustainable farming, particularly in response to local climate and weather dynamics. Explore the principles and practices of conservation agriculture, emphasizing its adaptive strategies in the face of environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, fires, windstorms, and more. By minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, optimizing water use, and employing sustainable harvesting techniques like crop rotation and companion planting, conservation agriculture not only enhances agricultural resilience but also supports stable plant and animal populations over time. Attendees will gain practical insights and resources to effectively incorporate conservation agriculture into their teaching, preparing students to become future leaders in sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. By equipping educators with the tools to integrate these principles into their classroom. This session will empower educators with practical knowledge and resources to integrate conservation agriculture concepts into their teaching, thereby cultivating a generation of informed students about agriculture.

This interactive, hands-on session will introduce teachers to a number of classroom-ready activities that encourage students in applying evidence-based reasoning. Participants will engage in activities suitable for junior high science and high school physics that promote student to analyze, assess, and evaluate scientific models using real scientific data. All the resources used in the session will be available in English and in French, although the session will be presented in English. The resources are available from the Perimeter Institute.

Hop aboard the historic Stampede Trolley and join us for an enriching hands-on workshop in the custom-designed Journey 2050 classroom. Educators will have the opportunity to construct their own microgreens growing system to take back to their classroom and gain insights into how such projects can inspire students to become stewards of our planet. Explore how to nurture these microgreens from seed to harvest. Discover the science behind their growth and the environmental benefits they offer. Delve into discussions on sustainability and food systems. Learn about how the Journey 2050 education team can help student-led projects come to life in the classroom! Cap off your experience by enjoying a sustainable snack featuring the very microgreens you've learned to grow—a delicious culmination of your efforts in fostering sustainable practices in education.

This off-site session will occur at Nutrien Western Event Centre; 1800 Stampede Trail SE and has a participant fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Alberta Parks has teamed up with the Calgary Regional Consortium for the second year to offer multiple outdoor, land-based sessions that will inspire your teaching and support personal wellness. This year, three sessions are available at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, located at 13931 Woodpath Road, SW Calgary. Please note, teachers are encouraged to car pool as parking is limited. The sessions are offered twice (morning and afternoon) as described below:
1. Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside (am and pm)
2. Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2 (am) / Gr 3-6 (pm)
3. Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Did you join us last year? Come again - there will be new ideas included! Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Simply chose two sessions (morning and afternoon) from the options below.

Morning Sessions (9:00-11:30 am)
Please choose 1 session (Maximum 25/session)
Session 1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Session 2: Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2
Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Afternoon Sessions (12:30 -3:00 pm)
Please choose 1 session (Maximum 25/session)
Session 1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Session 2: Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades 3-6
Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Session Descriptions:
Session1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Did you know that the word “land” shows up 845 times in a search on the new LearnAlberta website of all subjects within the Kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum? It’s true! What better way to learn about and from the land than to spend a day of professional learning being inspired and activated at the Fish Creek Learning Center! This half day session will be offered in the morning from 9:00 – 11:30 and a REPEAT session will take place from 1:00 – 3:30 pm. While at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, we will help answer your curriculum questions through engaging learning experiences that bring the learning to life. We’ll overview the new science curriculum and highlight possible learning outcomes you can take outside for each Organizing Idea. We will explore simple and practical ideas to help you get out of the classroom while promoting physical and mental wellness benefits for your students. Along the way, we’ll also consider opportunities to integrate other subjects like ELAL, Math and Visual Arts to make your outdoor learning experience more engaging, efficient and effective. If you’d like to help your students be more connected to the natural world this school year, then this session is for you.

Objectives for this Session:
• Honor the land on which we are learning and the Indigenous peoples who have cared for the land
• Develop a strong understanding of the K-6 Science Curriculum and consider ways to take the learning outdoors in meaningful, manageable ways
• Share stories and build community to connect us to the land
• Explore, walk and talk about pedagogy, learning outcomes and concepts that bolster our science confidence
• Play some outdoor games that connect to curricular objectives

Session 2 (am): Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2
Join us for an inspiring journey into the outdoors, where literacy and numeracy come alive under the open sky! In this engaging workshop, we will equip kindergarten through grade 2 teachers with strategies and practical ideas to integrate literacy and numeracy with the curriculum into an outdoor learning environment. Come prepared to be active and involved in the experiences.

Session 2 (pm): Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades 3-6

Join us for an inspiring journey into the outdoors, where literacy and numeracy come alive under the open sky! In this engaging workshop, we will equip grade 3 through grade 6 teachers with strategies and practical ideas to integrate literacy and numeracy with the curriculum into an outdoor learning environment. Come prepared to be active and involved in the experiences.

Session Highlights:

1. Nature's Classroom: Discover how the great outdoors can become your classroom as we explore the benefits of taking learning beyond the four walls. We will discuss the impact of outdoor learning on student engagement, creativity, and overall well-being.
2. Literacy in the Wild: Dive into strategies for fostering literacy skills outside, including nature-based storytelling, journaling, and vocabulary development. We'll show you how to utilize the natural world to inspire a love for reading and writing.
3. Math in Motion: Explore the endless mathematical possibilities in the outdoor setting. From counting natural objects to solving problems, we'll explore math concepts through hands-on activities that make numbers and shapes truly come alive.

Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness- for you and your students
Alberta’s Provincial Park System and the land provides a natural space to rejuvenate and to fuel your teaching practice. This session is dedicated to fostering personal wellness through nature-based activities, which you can also implement with your students to create a balanced, healthy learning environment. During this session, you'll explore:
• Sensory Exploration: Engage in exercises that heighten awareness of your surroundings through all five senses, enhancing mindfulness and presence.
• Reflective Practices: Participate in activities like nature journaling, guided meditation, and quiet contemplation to support mental well-being and emotional balance.
• Interactive Games: Participate in games that foster teamwork, communication, and stress relief, which can be easily adapted for classroom use.
• Storytelling: Experience the use of storytelling to connect more deeply with nature and promote mindfulness, creativity, and reflection.
Immerse yourself in these activities to rejuvenate your own well-being and gather tools to foster a wellness-centered learning environment.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50 for the day.
Pre-Registration Link

Explore Indigenous Map Overlays for the province, time travel back to 1910 and forward to 2050 to see what the landscape looked like in the past and may look like in the future using either watersheds or Traditional Territories with Western Science or Indigenous Indicators and view “Stoney Stories” videos in both the Stoney language and English of Elders talking about the land past, present and future. This FREE ONLINE platform includes climate change scenarios, water field trips, videos, 360 VR Tours of the Bow River and Alberta’s Natural Regions, challenges and lesson plans linked to the Alberta Curriculum. Works on tablets or computers (phones work but are a bit small). Check it out at www.albertatomorrow.ca

One of the leading questions in modern astrophysics is how do stars and planets form and evolve? As a discipline that is primarily driven by technology, the technological advances that we see all around us have been contributing to equally significant advances in our capabilities to observe the formation of stars and planets in the Universe.
I will review the physics of star and planet formation, provide a summary of the number and type of planets detected to date and discuss how our strategies have evolved in the search for Earth 2.0.

Don't all science teachers wish we had a list at our fingertips of proven labs or demos, rather than always trying to come up with something on our own? Join in once again in collaboration with other Junior High and High School science teachers across the districts and a variety of classrooms and divisions to share your knowledge or expertise (or sheer lived-out experience) of what works and what doesn't work. Participants are asked to come prepared with a digital list of your favourite 'go to' demos and labs (including materials and procedures) for any Div 3 or 4 science class that you teach. The intention is to collaborate with one another and to leave with a great list of labs or demos that anyone can pull from, given the amount of time and/or resources you may have.

Les Gizmos sont des simulations disponibles en ligne. Enseigner les sciences à l’aide des Gizmos augmente l’intérêt et l’engagement en modélisant des phénomènes naturels. Les apprenants peuvent ainsi développer et donner un sens à des concepts scientifiques complexes en interagissant avec les variables, en observant les changements et en tirant des conclusions. Lors de cette session, les meilleures pratiques d'enseignement avec Gizmos seront modélisées. À noter que l'accès aux Gizmos pour les enseignants de la maternelle à la 6e année est rendu possible par Alberta Education. Si possible, apportez un appareil numérique pour profiter au maximum de cette session.

Découvrez comment l’enseignement des sciences à l’aide des simulations virtuelles Gizmos peut soutenir l’approche « explorer avant d’expliquer » grâce à ces expériences d’apprentissage concrètes. Pendant cet atelier, vous participerez à une leçon interactive STIM et témoignerez de l’impact que les Gizmos peuvent avoir en classe. On vous proposera de petits changements dans l’ordre des activités d'apprentissage afin d’aider les élèves à acquérir des connaissances et des compétences durables. À noter que l'accès aux Gizmos pour les enseignants de la maternelle à la 6e année est rendu possible par Alberta Education. Veuillez apporter un appareil numérique pour profiter au maximum de cette session.

I will share two successful projects that I have developed for the grade 8 science curriculum that students love. The first will be an extension of the Body Systems Unit which includes independent student prep work at home and 4-5 days of in class hands-on work. Students will be directed and work independently throughout this project, and the results are spectacular. The second project will take students through the process of water sampling techniques that engage students in some big picture thinking that promotes critical thinking based on scientific data they collect in the field. Both projects are engaging and are highlights of their science programs in grade eight.

Performance assessments are authentic ways for students to demonstrate their abilities and can positively affect students’ attitudes toward the lab, their academic achievement, and upon the overall environment of the classroom. When used in conjunction with student self-assessment checklists performance assessments can also promote metacognitive activity. This session will present how to administer performance assessments of five basic lab skills and the benefits to the classroom that result.

Does your school have robots but you’re not sure how to use them in your classroom? Strengthen your students’ problem-solving skills and engage creatively with the curriculum through robotic exploration! This session will provide you with the foundational knowledge to help your students code a robot through block-based coding. Learn how computational thinking skills such as pattern recognition, algorithm design, and debugging are necessary when coding and how to connect robotics to curricular concepts in any subject. Get hands-on experience with a robot and walk away with a few project ideas to use in your classroom!
The skills learned in this workshop will be transferrable to whatever robots your school has access to.

Devices will be supplied for this session.

Alex from Trickster Theatre shows the process of bringing science learning to life in a fun, interactive way. With years of experience in Theatre for Young Audiences, Trickster gets kids on their feet and active, acting out the science in a memorable way.
In this Session, Alex will show how Trickster Theatre is tackling the New Science Curriculum, adding an interactive program to teaching Science which increases students retention by animating the scientific concepts and learning through movement.
To put it plainly, he will show you how he gets kids on their feet and active to learn science in a different way- one that has them acting out the science to help learn.
Starting with looking at your Organizing Idea and Guiding Questions, this program involves an easy and fun way to approach science, with the entirety of the new science curriculum available for kindergarten through grade 6.
But the best part? Alex is gonna show how Trickster can go over an entire Unit in Two Days!

Immerse yourself in the zoo, 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 OWN UNLINED SKETCHPAD / JOURNAL, AND WRITING/COLOURING UTENSILS
This session will be held at Wilder Calgary Zoo, 210 St. George's Drive NE, and has a participant fee of $10.50.
​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Join Andrea Barnes, Alberta Park’s Environmental Education Specialist, for this full day session on snowshoes at Hogarth Lakes in Kananaskis Country! On this full day adventure, we’ll delve into the NEW K to 6 curriculum in a winter context. Through captivating stories, interactive games and hands on activities, Andrea will profile and engage you in a variety of unique and exciting ways to bring the new curriculum outdoors. Our trek will be flattish (89 m elevation), occasionally on and off trail, covering a distance of approximately 3 km. Please come prepared to be outside with warm winter clothing, winter boots, lunch and a thermos of hot beverage. Snowshoes required.
Location: Hogarth Lake Snowshoe trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

Transportation: Teachers are required to provide their own transportation. Please consider car pooling.

Directions
From Calgary head west on Hwy 1. Turn south on HWY 40 (by the Stoney Nakoda Casino). Continue south on Hwy 40 for approximately 45 min/51km to the winter highway closure in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Follow the KLT for 2 km until you reach the Smith Dorrien Trail junction (Hwy 742). Drive approximately 21 km north of this intersection. The parking lot is marked by a blue sign labeled Burstall and will be on your left-hand side. We will meet you in the Burstall Day Use parking lot. The Hogarth Lake snowshoe trail starts from this trailhead.
Note:
• there is no cell coverage at this location.
• Outhouse facilities are in the parking lot.
• Maps will be sent to registered participants.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Do you 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.

This session will take place at Wilder Calgary Zoo, 1300 Zoo Road NE, and has a participant fee of $10.50.
​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Strengthen your students’ problem-solving skills and engage creatively with the curriculum by creating games in Microsoft MakeCode Arcade! This session will provide you with the foundational knowledge to help your students design their own video games, then bring those games to life through block-based coding. Learn how computational thinking skills such as pattern recognition, algorithm design, and debugging are necessary when coding and how to connect games to curricular concepts in any subject. This session explores connections to the Computer Science curriculum for grades 4 and up.

A laptop, Chromebook, or tablet is required for this session.

The SHS Community Greenhouse is an amazing space located in Strathmore, AB. This space has been built as a collaboration between students and community members to drive conversations around more sustainable practices. This space has a large impact but is the product of little projects along the way. We will summarize some of our student projects, identify funding sources for your own projects, and share useful principles we have learned along the way.

Join us at the zoo as we learn ways to connect young learners with the natural world. Discover how perspectives in nature can help build connections to wildlife and wild places. We will look at the intersection of education and conservation, and how we can foster a deeper understanding, and feeling of connection to our planet's biodiversity.

This session will take place at Wilder Calgary Zoo, 1300 Zoo Road NE, and has a participant fee of $10.50.
​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Get ready to ignite curiosity and critical thinking with ExploreLearning Gizmos! As the proud recipient of the 2024 CODiE Award for Best STEM Instructional Solution in Grades K-12, Gizmos is your passport to dynamic STEM learning. In our immersive STEM Cases, students step into the shoes of STEM professionals, tackling real-world challenges using critical thinking skills. Dive deep into a STEM Case, and as you explore, consider the pivotal role of the teacher. But that’s not all! Discover how to track student progress, decode results, and accelerate student learning throughout the process. Please bring an electronic device to get the most out of this session.

Enhance scientific literacy using ExploreLearning Gizmos, the 2024 CODiE Award Winner for Best STEM Instructional Solution for Grades K-12! This session introduces the pedagogical approach of CER, claim-evidence-reasoning, to promote scientific understanding and discourse. Participate in a modelled lesson using online science simulations to experience firsthand the strengths of a CER approach. Teachers are encouraged to bring a device.

How does an animal’s adaptations affect their survival? What effect will this have on their ability to pass on their genetics and so affect their species biodiversity? How does the environment impact these adaptations? Come explore Wild Canada and learn about how animals adaptations and biodiversity are impacted by climate change.

This session will take place at Wilder Calgary Zoo, 1300 Zoo Road NE, and has a participant fee of $10.50.
​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Design a new environmental sustainable tourist destination, that engages public involvement, considers water and energy consumption, land use, and waste production, while covering content from grade 5-9 science curriculum. This is just one example of how to create new and engaging lessons that cross multiple concepts within your grade 5 - 9 science and social studies classes. that reinforce skill, knowledge and abilities through practical, meaningful projects. The projects are designed to draw from past experiences and knowledge, and ignite creative and practical approaches to connecting the science curriculum between grade levels and curricular topics.