NCTCA 2025

Misinformation, fake news, AI in the classroom, cyberbullying, digital citizenship, cell phone use and texting...these are just a few of the many media and technology concerns of parents and teachers alike. Elementary teachers wrestle daily with how to teach their students the skills they need to manage the pervasive and constantly-evolving digital world in which they learn and live. This session will explain what Media Literacy is and identify its key components. It will demonstrate how it can be tied into the new ELAL curriculum. It will offer sample lessons created using the 5 key competencies developed by Renee Hobbs (Media Education Lab) for Divisions 1 and 2 students. And finally, teachers are invited to express their concerns and ask questions regarding media and technology use in the elementary classroom.

Geared towards the music teacher, this session will discuss basic sound and lighting equipment for performances. We will touch on what to rent, how to set it up and hook everything up and how to run it.

Venez jouer et bouger avec nous! Cet atelier vise à outiller les enseignants pour leur cours d'éducation physique au primaire. L'atelier vise un partage d'idées d'activités et d'éducatifs qui aident à développer les habiletés physiques chez les élèves dans les sports. Il est important que l'élève développe un sentiment de compétence dans les activités physiques et les sports si on veut qu'il continue d'être actif plus tard et pour le reste de sa vie. Le port de souliers de sports est recommandé.

SMASHBALL is volleyball for kids aged 6-12 played on a modified court in a 3 vs 3 format. There are 5 progressive levels that provide a fun, safe and developmentally appropriate environment for kids to learn volleyball. In SMASHBALL you get to learn to smash/spike right away, there is lots of time to play and learn the cycle of actions that is used in full 6 vs 6 volleyball. In this session, teachers will learn how to introduce Smashball in a fun and engaging way. There are two types of programs that will be reviewed. SMASHBALL – FUNDAMENTALS (Designed for children: Gr. 1-3; ages 6-8) It is a volleyball program which: - introduces children to the game of volleyball in a fun and interesting way; - uses play experience (games & activities) to help children learn and develop basic movement and motor skills, game tactics, and rules; - uses lighter and softer volleyballs; - is played on a smaller court (badminton court or modified volleyball court) SMASHBALL – LEARN TO TRAIN (Designed for children: Gr 4-6; ages 9-11) It is a volleyball program which: - children learn the basic skills of volleyball; (spiking, fore-arm passing, overhead passing, and serving children practice the skills through modified game play (SMASHBALL) that incorporates: - the use of lighter and softer volleyballs; a badminton court with the net at badminton height or, a modified volleyball court with a lowered net and; - a maximum of 4 players per side

Science of reading reminds us that brains learn best through PLAY! Come prepared to play literacy games that incorporate the use of hands-on manipulatives; literacy dice, word decks, letter tiles, dollar store finds and even a paint chip or two! Games and strategies will focus on the following: learning the alphabet, rhyme and word patterns, vocabulary building games, spelling simple cvc words, work with vowels and blends. These activities will fit into whole class, small group or center instruction, are easy to differentiate, and can be used for assessment. The games are also great for upper elementary students who are still struggling with literacy concepts, ELL students, and if you have Reading Buddies perfect for cross graded groups to play together. Handout will contain gameboards that can be used first thing Monday morning.

Some things aren't a big deal… you can get them wrong now, and yet still do well on everything else. But other things are so important that their loss means the learner is handicapped at learning new ideas. Sometimes, you can't let weak understandings slide. Enter the need for targeted Intervention in Math. Based on the work of Marilyn Burns, Do The Math is a series of targeted interventions, aligned with a Mathematical Learning Progression, that leverages the power of Manipulatives, Models, Direct and Guided Instruction, along with the engaging power of games to help remediate and strengthen student performance where it counts... on the Big Ideas of Math. Use these ideas for Intervention, Remediation, or everyday Instruction to build strong learners that leverage strong mathematical foundations to tackle new situations.

Welcome to a workshop on year plans, unit plans and making them work together to make your year go smoothly. We will talk tips and tricks and look at a few examples. Along the way we will hit topics like assessment and technology. Let’s make those long-range plans and unit plans workable documents that you refer to all year long. Bring a device if possible.

Rejoignez-nous pour un atelier interactif dédié à la compréhension et à la gestion des comportements difficiles, incluant les élèves sous le spectre de l’autisme. Nous explorerons les causes sous-jacentes de ces comportements, ainsi que des stratégies pratiques pour y faire face de manière efficace. Au programme : Analyse des comportements : Identifiez les différents types de comportements difficiles et leurs origines possibles. Stratégies d'intervention : Apprenez des techniques adaptées pour répondre à ces comportements tout en préservant une relation positive. Échanges et partages : Profitez d’ateliers en petits groupes pour partager vos expériences et apprendre des autres. Outils pratiques : Recevez des ressources et des outils concrets à mettre en œuvre dans votre quotidien. Cet atelier est une occasion unique d’enrichir vos compétences et d’apprendre à transformer les défis en opportunités de croissance. Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant pour participer à cette expérience enrichissante!

Come explore Ever Active Schools NEW suite of digital resources, now available for free through new.LearnAlberta.ca. These Physical Education and Wellness resources are locally developed for K-6 Learners in both English and French and aligned to the new K-6 Physical Education and Wellness Programs of Study. Participants will preview the suite of resources, sample activities and have the opportunity to give feedback.

Join Inside Education for this dynamic interactive workshop for K-6 teachers where we will delve into the environmental science and natural resource components of the new Alberta Science Curriculum. We will share hands-on tools, tricks, and methods to use inexpensive classroom supplies for engaging educational experiences both inside your classroom and in your outdoor classroom space. Not only will we teach you some Monday-morning activities, we will also showcase our new no-cost outdoor-focused toolkit to help scaffold learning through the new Organizing Ideas. Three lucky teachers will walk away with their very own toolkit! Every teacher will leave feeling inspired and prepared with resources and activities to foster inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship skills within their classrooms.

Anxiety is the most common mental health issue, and it “walks and talks” in various behaviors and ways. The average age of onset for anxiety is in childhood, and one of the most important things we can do four ourselves and our children is to understand the causes and symptoms of anxiety which helps to create safer, caring and more enjoyable experiences. Anxiety can take many forms and affects each of us uniquely, especially children! This session will give an overview of anxiety and what it is like for this age group, and will also provide some fun & effective strategies and ideas for supporting anxious children, & helping them be successful in your classrooms, playgrounds and communities.

Looking for some new music in French! We’ll have a general overview of a few French music resources and look at a couple specific examples from each. Including: Amuse-bouche and Par Choeur music series.

Are you “…Ready For It?” Teaching art, especially in elementary can be a struggle that many know “All Too Well”. Join me as I share ideas and ways that I not only make Art engaging, but also cross-curricular, theme based, and full of exploring. We’ll take a deep dive into the elements of art—line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value. These foundational concepts will be discussed and broken down in ways to help children feeling empowered and able to express themselves creatively. Whether it’s through a “Blank Space” of a blank canvas or a “Love Story” of their unique ideas, you’ll find strategies to nurture and celebrate every individual’s artistic journey. And what better way to inspire creativity than by drawing parallels to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour? Just as Swift has reinvented herself through different musical styles and eras, you’ll learn how to help your students explore various artistic “eras” and mediums. Whether it’s a “Red” vibrant paint project, a “Folklore” of subdued tones, or a “Reputation” of bold, striking sculptures, you'll discover how to keep your art lessons fresh and exciting. Join us and let’s make art education a thrilling adventure—one that leaves both you and your students excited to “Change” the way art is taught and learned.

Unlock the power of computational thinking for you and your students! Discover how computational thinking can enhance problem-solving skills while connecting with storytelling, nature, art, and more. This session provides a gentle introduction to core concepts found in the new curriculum such as decomposition, abstraction, and algorithms. Through exploring a variety of activities, both plugged-in and unplugged, you’ll learn how to seamlessly incorporate these principles into your classroom regardless of subject or grade level. No prior experience in teaching computer science needed! Please bring a laptop, Chromebook or tablet to this session

Cuisenaire rods, those multi-colored blocks often found tucked away in the back of classroom cupboards, are truly indispensable math manipulatives. In this interactive, hands-on session, discover how these versatile tools can transform your math teaching. Learn how to effectively use Cuisenaire rods to demonstrate the four operations, work with fractions and decimals, develop proportional reasoning and understanding, and enhance measurement and geometry activities. These rods are especially beneficial for learners with dyscalculia, helping them visualize mathematics in a concrete way. Join us to explore the endless possibilities of Cuisenaire rods and how to use them in your classroom on Monday.

How do we engage students in learning all the new concepts in their science curriculum? Learning e terms and their definitions is always a starting point but its just surface level learning. This session will look at ways that we can ask our students to become independent thinkers and start to draw connections between what they know and where we need them to go. Participants will take part in several interactive activities that they can adapt to their own student levels and use within the classroom. Yup, another roll up your sleeve event!

Over the course of this hour, you'll see Trickster Theatres process for teaching Storytelling through theatre- condensing our usual 2 day work-shop into a 1 hour interactive to show the method of bringing stories to life. This theatre method involves getting students actively on their feet to act out the stories themselves, promoting creativity. Alex from Trickster Theatre shows the process of bringing story telling to life in a fun, interactive way. With years of experience in Theatre for Young Audiences, Trickster gets kids on their feet and active. In this Session, Alex will show how Trickster Theatre is adding an interactive program to teaching Storytelling which increases students retention by having the students animate the images to develop the story. Applicable for Kindergarten through Grade 6!

Over the course of this hour, you'll see Trickster Theatres process for teaching the new K-6 Science Curriculum through theatre- condensing our usual 2 day work-shop into a 1 hour interactive to show the method of bringing the science to life. This theatre method involves getting students actively on their feet to act out the science themselves. 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 having the students animate the scientific concepts. 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. But the best part? Alex is gonna show how Trickster can go over an entire Unit in Two Days! Applicable for Kindergarten through Grade 6 and customizable for classes.