CATCA 2025: Full Schedule

COMPLETE THE CATCA 2025 SURVEY TO IMPROVE FUTURE CONVENTION

CLOSURE REMARKS FROM CATCA 2025!

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE CONVENTION AND FOR CATCA 2026 WILL HAPPEN ON FEBRUARY 19 AND 20, 2026 AT RDP.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM YOUR ATA LOCALS.

All pre-recording videos will be up until May 31st.

9:00am MST

Multiple Representations of Energy

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

RDP Room 1435

Energy is a foundational concept in science. However, many students struggle to understand what energy is, and to correctly analyze situations using the concept of energy. Join us as we explore how using energy representations, such as energy-flow diagrams and work-energy bar charts, allow our students to describe the storage and transfer of energy in various familiar contexts. The visualizations described in this session work for multiple subjects and for students at various levels. A Deeper Understanding of Energy is the product of collaboration between classroom teachers and Perimeter Institute researchers. The resource is available in English and in French. Target audience: grades 7-12 general science, chemistry, biology and physics

Speakers

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute

Laura Pankratz is an educator with more than 30 years of working with students and teachers. One of her principles of education is the learning is messy. Her passion is finding the nugget of value in that mess and then helping the learner to build around it. Laura’s career included... Read More →

Meaghan Sylvester

Meaghan Sylvester has nearly two decades of experience as a high school physics teacher. As a continuous learner, Meaghan has worked with Alberta Education for over ten years, and is currently the Alberta Regional Coordinator for the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics. In... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

10:20am MST

Climate Change Models

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST

RDP Room 1435

Anthropogenic climate change is one of the most important issues facing our students. Join us as we explore the basic science of heat and its effect on global systems through a series of easy demonstrations, the factors driving climate change, and discuss ideas around how society can respond to the challenges ahead of us. The Evidence for Climate Change resource is the product of collaboration between classroom teachers, Perimeter Institute researchers, and climate scientists. The resource is available in English and in French. Target audience: grades 7-10 general science

Speakers

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute

Meaghan Sylvester

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

11:40am MST

Exoplanet Tabletop Escape Room

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

RDP Room 1435

In the last decade thousands of exoplanets have been discovered. In this session, we will share hands-on activities you can have your students do to learn about how exoplanets are detected. We’ll also share the latest on exoplanet discoveries! Collaborations between Perimeter Institute researchers and classroom teachers have produced this classroom ready resource, Exploring Exoplanet Breakout Activity.

Speakers

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute

Meaghan Sylvester

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (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

1:00pm MST

Mystery of Dark Matter

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

RDP Room 1435

Are you looking for ways to connect your students with current physics research? Join us in performing an experiment and collecting observations from uniform circular motion to introduce students to dark matter. The materials are straightforward and teachers will be able to bring it to their classroom next week. The Mystery of Dark Matter resource is the product of collaboration between classroom teachers and Perimeter Institute researchers.

Speakers

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute

Meaghan Sylvester

Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

2:20pm MST

Safety & Leadership through AMA School Safety Patrol

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

RDP Room 1435

Discover how to implement a School Safety Patrol program in your school to increase student safety and promote leadership, citizenship and teamwork amongst grade 5/6 students. The session will cover the key benefits of the program, including improved school safety and the positive development of students. Information regarding time commitments for staff and students, registration, equipment, and school eligibility will be outlined. We’ll also discuss practical steps for setting up, training, and maintaining an effective committed patrol team. Join us to answer all your questions and learn how to have your school become part of this impactful program that has been part of Alberta schools for 86 years and counting!

Speakers

Kathy McTaggart

My name is Kathy McTaggart, I am the patrol coordinator for the Red Deer, Camrose and surrounding areas. I have a passion for community building and love seeing patrollers out at the crosswalks helping give back and keep their school community safe. The school patrol program is helping... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room 1435

Health and Wellness (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | School Leadership (LQS 1-9), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

9:00am MST

Effective Assessment in the Jr./Sr. High Science Classroom

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

RDP Room 1435

This workshop explores a number classroom assessment strategies that have been utilized in the high school classroom to improve student learning. These include introducing students to the cognitive expectations framework, designing formative assessment questions and the active use of whiteboards. The session will culminate with introducing rubrics and their use with summative assessment questions.

Speakers

Kristian Basaraba

Kristian Basaraba (he/him) is a father of two, teacher, lead singer in the punk rock cover band Dad Religion, podcast host, semi-retired skateboarder and the founder of the community organization known as Rad Dads Edmonton. He is currently on a secondment from his school board working... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Assessment (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

10:20am MST

Phantastic Physics Phun with PhET

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

RDP Room 1435

Computer simulations provide an interactive and visual environment that promotes and supports conceptual change in physics education. They are tools that enable students to become actively engaged in their learning, encourage concept exploration and assist in developing their inquiry skills. Participants will be provided resources for an assortment of labs and activities outlined in the Physics 20-30 Program of Studies, 2007 and the physics unit of the Science 10 Program of Studies, 2005 that can be completed using the University of Colorado PhET site. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring an electronic device to explore the simulations introduced in the session.

Speakers

Kristian Basaraba

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

11:40am MST

Sal's Skate Shop - Skateboarding in the CTS Classroom

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

RDP Room 1435

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.

Speakers

Kristian Basaraba

Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1435

Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

1:00pm MST

Hands-On Physics 20/30 - Labs, Demos and More

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

RDP Room 1435

There are many lab experiences mandated in the Alberta Physics 20-30 Program of Studies, 2007. These experiences do not need to use expensive equipment and do not need to involve intricate procedures. The goal of this session is to provide teachers with ideas for over 20 hands-on experiences spanning Physics 20 and 30, have participants engage in a discussion of program expectations regarding these experiences and how implementing a guided inquiry or open-ended approach enhances student learning. Teachers will also be introduced to various evaluation methods and scoring guides for lab skills that can be implemented in the classroom.

Speakers

Kristian Basaraba

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1435

Science (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)