CATCA 2025: Full Schedule

9:00am MST

Move Over Cigarettes: Vapes and Nicotine Pouches are Hooking Our Youth

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

Alberta Health Services health professionals will discuss vaping and nicotine pouch use amongst youth.

Participants will learn:
• Trends in and prevalence rates of e-cigarette use for school aged youth in Alberta
• Best practices for preventing nicotine use
• An overview on nicotine pouches
• Marketing tactics targeting youth
• Grade appropriate prevention education for schools
• A summary of available resources for students and teachers to prevent and reduce nicotine use by young people

Speakers

Aaron Ladd

Health Promotion Facilitator 2, AHS

Aaron Ladd has been a Respiratory Therapist for over 20 years, currently working with Alberta Health Services, with the Tobacco Vaping and Cannabis Program as a Health Promotion Facilitator. Throughout his professional career, he has dedicated much of his time and energy to the field... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1408

Health and Wellness (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6)

11:40am MST

Finding Home on The Range: Exploring Alberta’s Wildlife and Conservation Agriculture

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP Room 1408

Join Inside Education for an introduction to agriculture in Alberta's Grasslands region, exploring ecosystem health, impacts on wildlife and agriculture practices addressing climate change. This session covers biodiversity, climate change, and conservation agriculture, aligning with grade 5-6 Earth Systems, grade 6 Living Systems, grade 7 Interactions and Ecosystems, and grade 9 Biological Diversity. In addition, we’ll highlight our full suite of additional support through classroom programming, field trips, youth summits, learning resources and teacher PD.

We will showcase 3 interactive low-equipment Monday-morning ready classroom activities, adaptable by grade:
-An active reflection game that explores students' connections to agriculture and the food system.
-An immersive group game on habitat in the grasslands
-A high-energy game show about native grasslands species, innovation in the region, and more!

Speakers

Inside Education

Inside Education is an Alberta-based, environment and natural resource education charitable society. We have been supporting teachers and inspiring students to think critically about natural resource topics since 1985! With our full suite of no-cost teaching resources, youth summits... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1408

Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Environmental & Outdoor Education (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Science (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Social Studies (TQS 3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

1:00pm MST

Future Stewards: Building Critical Thinkers for a Sustainable World

Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room 1408

Join Inside Education for an engaging and interactive session where we will equip teachers with essential strategies to foster stronger critical thinking skills, informed stewardship, and a deep understanding of natural resource education among their students. We will demonstrate how experiential learning opportunities benefit all learner levels and leave you feeling empowered to teach across a diversity of literacy and numeracy skills. This session focuses on sharing practical, hands-on approaches and activities that Inside Education integrates into each program, empowering students to critically navigate and evaluate diverse perspectives while inspiring ethical decision-making through real-world environmental issues.

Speakers

Inside Education

Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1408

2:20pm MST

Gestion de classe—ce qui fonctionne

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST

RDP Room 1408

Cet atelier a été conçu pour les enseignants débutants ou nouveaux dans la profession. Les participants revisiteront le thème de la gestion de classe et son importance, à commencer par l’importance de privilégier des relations positives et authentiques avec les élèves. De là, ils examineront les règles, routines, procédures et stratégies liées à la gestion de classe. L’objectif de cet atelier est d’aider les participants à créer des salles de classe dans lesquelles le travail des élèves et des enseignants pourra porter ses fruits.

Speakers

Andrea Mishio

Teacher

With 17 years of invaluable experience in the education field, Andrea brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. After spending 15 years teaching in a junior high school setting, she now finds herself in the world of early childhood education as a dedicated kindergarten... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room 1408

French & International Languages (TQS 3), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), All Divisions | Fostering Effective Relationships (TQS/LQS 1), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Early Childhood Education (Pre K-K), All Divisions

9:00am MST

Tell a Story with Masks

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP Room 1408

Storytelling can be a way to introduce students to telling their own story. And by creating masks, the story can be even more effective. Learn how to make masks including balloon masks and life masks and create inexpensive costumes so that stories can be individualized and performed. Students from all cultures can create masks and stories to express their culture.

Speakers

P Gail Whiteford

A drama teacher for 35 years, in Australia and Calgary Gail retired to teach Drama Education at U of C, while still teaching workshops at schools in Alberta and British Columbia. Gail has presented sessions at over 20 Teachers' Conventions in Alberta. She has written 2 books on the... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1408

Art (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6) | Drama & Dance (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6)

10:20am MST

Learning Canadian History through Playwrighting

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP Room 1408

Whether it is for a Remembrance Day presentation or a class presentation, playwrighting can be a way to inspire students to learn more about Canadian history. Focusing on research of individuals or groups, plays show a side of Canadian history that is sometimes overlooked: the individuals and the true stories. Combined with playwrighting or speechwriting this unit will inspire students to learn more about their own history. Students can work individually or in collective writing groups

Speakers

P Gail Whiteford

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1408

Social Studies (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Drama & Dance (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

11:40am MST

Make 'Em Laugh:Clowning for Class Clowns

Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST

RDP Room 1408

So many have begun to fear clowns, through the advent of Scary Clowns. Dispel this fear. This session covers movement, makeup, costume and scene creation though the use of classic clowning. It is a physical unit that has students up and moving, yet is appropriate for those with disabilities as well. The unit gives a physical outlet for energy while learning about the history of clowning. Also, it teaches students planning, group communication and presentation giving them the chance to improve their confidence and communication skills. As the unit does not involve verbal communication, students of all languages and abilities will be able to participate.

Speakers

P Gail Whiteford

Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1408

Drama & Dance (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6)

1:00pm MST

Vocabulary Development Across Disciplines

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room 1408

This session will focus on the essential need for academic vocabulary development to build a strong foundation for academic success for EAL (and all) students. During this session, we will look at key terminology, theories, and frameworks that underpin vocabulary acquisition. Additionally, we will examine practical strategies to enhance vocabulary development in all subject areas.

Speakers

Gaylene Mackay

Gaylene has been working in the field of EAL for the past 21 years. She currently works as EAL Lead Teacher for Red Deer Public Schools and has taught and supported English Language Learners at the high school and middle school level. Additionally, Gaylene serves as president of the... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1408

English Additional Language [EAL/ESL](TQS/LQS 4), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)