CATCA 2025

Are you an educator in Alberta passionate about integrating environmental, climate, and sustainability action into your school curriculum? Join the Alberta Council for Environmental Education for a workshop that focuses on the EcoSchools Canada certification program—a curriculum-linked framework designed to empower students, educators, and schools to take meaningful environmental and climate action. Discover practical strategies, resources, and best practices for implementing EcoSchools in your educational setting and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the curriculum connections that the EcoSchools program provides
- Understand the interdisciplinary potential of the ecoSchools program
- Sign up on the ECA platform and create and EcoAction Plan

I would like to offer NCCP Community Sport Certification Course. Attendees would gain their Community Sport Certification and be eligible to go to the next level of certification for their sport. Attendees MUST HAVE (i) an account created on the locker - thelocker.coach.ca/ and (ii) a NCCP number and (iii) will need to bring a LAPTOP with them as well to answer questions on Google Form after sections have been presented / discussed.

Countless students and adults alike enjoy video games. But what exactly are they? A benign form of recreation, high art, engaging sport, or simply an egregious waste of time? Drawing on the insights of religion and philosophy, from the Bible to contemporary thinkers, this talk explores what the wisdom of the past says about the pursuit of leisure as well as aesthetics and how this applies to video games. It also seeks to provide teachers with novel ideas about how to introduce discussions on the ethics and aesthetics of video games, which students, in turn, can apply to other everyday realities such as sports, music and dance.

Skilled trades through apprenticeship pathways have long provided people with exceptional means to successful careers both ‘on the tools’ and beyond into management, entrepreneurship, and other exciting roles. These pathways require significant intellectual and mental capacity which is often overlooked. The demands of every trade in areas of numeracy and literacy cannot be overstated. Red Deer Polytechnic’s School of Trades and Technology is proposing an engaging and insightful look at the work being done to raise awareness and recognize the expectations both of industry and the post-secondary institutions that support them.The fundamental nature of work that Trades people do relies upon broad numeracy and literacy skills in every activity encountered. From measuring and estimating, to calculating and projecting; trades people employ diverse and complex skills in those traditionally academic areas. It is not good enough to be a journeyperson without having key working knowledge and applied competencies in mathematics and communication skills. Presentations will share deeper insights into daily applications and requirements necessary on job sites and workplaces across the Trades spectrum. Multiple presentation deliveries highlighting different areas by a variety of trades faculty will demonstrate how numeracy and literacy is essential across the board. As an added bonus, we will clearly demonstrate how these tried and tested learning applications can be used beyond those seeking a pathway in the skilled trades. The use of practical hands-on relevant learning activities is immensely powerful in engaging and inspiring learners of any persuasion. Cooking can teach physics, chemistry, and biology in practically every activity. Geometry and trigonometry are vital in all construction areas. Calculations of volume, flow, pressure, and capacity abound throughout Plumbing and Pipe related trades.Faculty from four program areas including Carpentry, Cooking, Electrical, and Welding have created highly informative and detailed presentations emphasizing and reinforcing critical rationales for the importance of academic skills, otherwise perceived as only for university driven learners, in the trades. These presentations will be enhanced with Alumni Success Stories speaking about how math, science, and other skills helped them transition from high school to successful careers in the trades. Industry Partners who hire graduates will discuss the skills they look for in apprentices and the importance of foundational education in high school to emphasize real-world applications of what students learn in school. Interdisciplinary Faculty speaking about trades integration into other subjects like physics, engineering, technology, education, and essential critical thinking areas so teachers can prepare students for trades careers by connecting curriculum subjects that mirror real-world problem-solving. Hands-on Learning and Technology in Trades (such as VR, AR, & simulations) showcasing how new tools are changing the way apprentices learn, making subjects more engaging for students such as our welding simulators. Workforce Development and Career Path speakers addressing workforce trends and how teachers can guide students toward stable, rewarding career paths.All these presentations align well with goals of building relationships and understanding the value of trades education for future success, both for the individual, and the community at large.

If you are new to the Skills world, need help to motivate fellow teachers, or you want to learn more about Skills Canada Alberta (SCA) competitions and exciting programs, this presentation is for you! This interactive presentation is important for CTF and CTS teachers, school administrators, counselors, and general teachers who teach career pathways to junior and senior high school students. Learn about the variety of educational programs that SCA has to offer such as Skills in the Classroom presentations, classroom Try-A-Trade® kits, and the junior high program Skills Exploration Day that encourages the use of empathy through design thinking. If you interact with students who are looking for an exciting career path, work well with their hands, or who want to enhance their future career opportunities, the Regional, Provincial, National, and WorldSkills competitions push students to perform at their highest level while creating projects that align with the Alberta Education CTS curriculum. Educators will also learn about an amazing field trip opportunity where students get to see over 45 trade and technology careers in action and participate in Try-A-Trades.

Over the past two years I have ran an esports option class, where there have been several bumps along the way. During this session I will share some of the things that have worked and some of the things that have failed.

The new parts are in Bold.
In this session, educators will delve into the evolving landscape of educational technology with a focus on integrating LLMs - Large Language Models, like Google Gemini, Claude, Copilot, ... into the classroom. Participants will gain hands-on experience with LLMs' innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This beginner to intermediate session will cover practical applications, including the integration of LLMs interactive platforms and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking with students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom. This session will now cover the topic of AI "detectors" and plagiarism.

In this dynamic session, educators will delve into the evolving landscape of educational technology with a focus on integrating Magic School into the classroom. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Magic School innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This beginner to intermediate session will cover practical applications, including the integration of Magic School interactive platforms and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking in students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom.

Fashion Draping is a technique that involves the manipulation of fabric on a form to create clothing designs. Through a series of demonstrations and practice, this full day workshop will provide teachers with the basics for fashion draping with a focus on the curricular outcomes of the fashion course FAS3150 Draping. Teachers will be required to bring a body form, straight pins, fabric scissors, hand needle and thread, 2-3 meters light weight muslin, an erasable marking pen/pencil, fabric measuring tape and a couple packages of 1/4” twill tape. Come Drape with me, everyone Welcome! This session will be occurring at Lindsay Thurber High School

Come and join us in the kitchen for a day of international cooking. Join with a friend or be ready to make a new ones while we cook some international delights including:
- Homemade Ramen with handmade noodles and garnishes
- Authentic chicken curry with rice & samosas
- Parisian gnocchi with vodka sauce
- Pavlova and fresh berries

The class will run from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm at Notre Dame High School - 50 Lees Street, Red Deer AB.

The menu is subject to change without notice due to ingredient availability.

You are encouraged to bring take out containers for leftovers.
There will be breaks to eat and visit. You will not need to bring lunch!

Thank you! This session is FULL and all paid participants have been accounted for.

In this dynamic session, educators will delve into artificial intelligence and its potential to transform teaching and learning. Participants will gain hands-on experience with innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This intermediate/advanced session will cover practical applications, including the integration of LLM and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking in students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom.

NEW: For ease of use in this session, bring a device that makes it easy to select text and copy/paste content from published Google Docs to your favorite AI.

Welcome to Sal'S Skate Shop - the CTS classroom that has a goal of melding entrepreneurial and business skills with skateboard culture to engage students through project-based learning. Participants will be introduced to project and program ideas on how to start your own skateboard business course in your school.

Participants will be introduced to how the skateboard business model can be incorporated to many facets of the CTS modular stream such as ENT, MAM, COMM, FAS and many more. Participants interested in learning how to start a skateboard focused CTS class will be provided with many different ideas and projects on how to get this started.

CSA Astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, is part of the Artemis II mission and will be the first Canadian to travel around the moon! Come and learn about a variety of Canadian contributions to space exploration and how you can inspire future Artemis astronauts to help us get a maple leaf on the Moon! Amanda Green is a CSA Canadian Space Ambassador and will share all of the resources already out there and can show you how to connect space exploration to a variety of STEM subjects like; environmental science, plants, energy and electricity, coding and technology, Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being, & so much more! Amanda primarily focuses on Junior High (both in English and French), but has many ideas you can use with students of all ages.

Micro:bits are little pocket-sized computers packed with infinite possibilities! Come and see how to use this powerful tool to build engaging lessons around sustainability and energy conservation. Amanda Green will show you a variety of projects that focus on energy sources, environmental monitoring and coding for climate change. She will introduce you to InkSmith Climate Action kits and connect you with local energy organizations like Inside Education and the Alberta Emerald Foundation for free resources and potential funding. Amanda primarily focuses on Junior High (both in English and French), but has many ideas you can use with students of all ages. If you would like to try a Microbit please make sure to bring your own laptop or Chromebook.

Discover the transformative power of esports in education through my firsthand experience of launching and scaling esports programs in middle and high schools across our division. Learn how Esports can foster student engagement, enhance social-emotional learning, and create a dynamic, inclusive school community. Join me in exploring strategies for implementing a thriving esports program that prepares students for future success both in and out of the game.