GETCA 2025: Full Schedule

Welcome to GETCA 2025! We are excited to see you soon...

9:00am MST

Defining Scientific Literacy: A humanistic perspective for every day life.

Thursday February 27, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

Can you define scientific literacy? A consensus definition of this term remains highly elusive, despite it being a focus of science instruction in K-12 schools. In recent years due to global events, there have been vocal calls from outside education to improve scientific literacy in students and the general population. Participants will examine different conceptualizations of scientific literacy and see how teaching science as a humanity (Aoki) holds the key to developing an idea of scientific literacy that is relevant and actionable by all people for everyday life. Using Nature of Science, STS, SSI’s from the program of studies, we will discuss an effective way to implement this humanistic view within existing curricula. All students are “science people”, and this will help them realize that.

Speakers

Zachary Patterson

Learning Leader

Zach is an Assistant Principal in the CBE and doctoral candidate at the Werklund School of Education (UCalgary). An emerging scholar in the field of curriculum studies, his research interests include looking at how changing conceptions of scientific literacy can benefit society’s... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Centre High - Room 315 Centre High

Biology/Physics/Chemistry/Science, General Interest/Wellness

Company English
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Room Details Centre High - Room 315 (Centre High, Max capacity for 32 people)
Tags English

10:20am MST

Science Stories: Engaging Science Curriculum with Public Health to Improve Health Outcomes

Thursday February 27, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST

Centre High - Room 315

Public health and the school system share a symbiotic relationship. Food and mental health programs and others connect the two outside the classroom, while Physical Education and Health connect in a curricular way. This session explores another potential curricular link between the two entities geared towards improving health literacy. We will examine current research that is seeking to show connections between biology and similar curricula with public health stories as a way to help students understand the impacts of health decisions on populations. Stories such as Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells help students learn science and help them understand and improve their public health decision making as adults. Come and learn how this and other stories can help improve science learning and public health.

Speakers

Zachary Patterson

Learning Leader

Thursday February 27, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
Centre High - Room 315 Centre High

Biology/Physics/Chemistry/Science, General Interest/Wellness

Company English
format csv
Room Details Centre High - Room 315 (Centre High, Max capacity for 32 people)
Tags English

1:00pm MST

Growing Native PLANTs?! in your School Garden!

Thursday February 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Centre High - Room 305

From kindergarten to grade 6 the new science curriculum has an organizing idea studying plant and animal life. Growing native plants can help preserve local wildlife populations, provide pollen/food/shelter for natural wildlife, are more likely to thrive in our climate and require less maintenance and resources to grow. We can also use them to teach about our natural ecology and the history of the many different group’s who call Canada home. We will talk about raising Painted Lady Butterflies and Darkling Beetles with local company Wings N’ Wishes. We will also learn about the AMA School Garden Studio site that can connect gardeners to curriculum plans, grant opportunities, planting guides and to a teacher-exclusive community forum.

Speakers

Nathan Bell

Teacher, Edmonton Catholic Schools

I am passionate about incorporating gardening into my instructional practices as I have been witness to how this practice can transform the school atmosphere. Students love to watch their plants grow and are even more excited to eat what they have grown. Fostering students' natural... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Centre High - Room 305 Centre High

Biology/Physics/Chemistry/Science, General Interest/Wellness

Company English
format csv
Room Details Centre High - Room 305 (Centre High, Max capacity for 35 people)
Tags English

2:20pm MST

Growing PLANTs in Class?!

Thursday February 27, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST

Centre High - Room 305

Want a relatively low cost, easy to do, ongoing class project that can be used in multiple classes? There are many ways of growing plants for use at school. Some are more expensive and/or labor intensive than others. In this session, I want to talk to you about the cheapest and easiest ways that you can grow houseplants with your class. Join us in this session to learn ways to challenge students, grow plants and teach environmental stewardship!

Speakers

Nathan Bell

Teacher, Edmonton Catholic Schools

Thursday February 27, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
Centre High - Room 305 Centre High

Biology/Physics/Chemistry/Science, General Interest/Wellness

Company English
format csv
Room Details Centre High - Room 305 (Centre High, Max capacity for 35 people)
Tags English