Did you know that climate change is already having an impact on wildlife in Alberta? Join us to learn more about how some of our wildlife species respond to climate change, why climate change is so challenging for wildlife to adapt to, and what we humans can do to help. This program will include a presentation on how climate change is impacting Alberta's ecosystems and wildlife, as well as biofacts such as taxidermy animals, bones, skulls, and pelts. Learners will also be given time to brainstorm their own adaptations and explore how these adaptations will be affected if the environment changes.

Suitable for Grades 3-6

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Explore the wonderful world of energy! Students will generate electricity on stationary bikes to experience the effort needed to power varied lights, sound systems, and appliances. This experiential learning opportunity allows students to learn about renewable sources of electricity in Alberta, and to appreciate that energy is precious and must be conserved. This workshop also uses music to connect participants with curriculum concepts of energy transformations, active transportation, renewables, climate change, energy efficiency, and other STEM topics. These sessions allow students to get some exercise while better understanding how energy is produced, the importance of conserving energy and innovating energy systems, and real life solutions to current energy and climate concerns.

Suitable for Grades 3 - 9

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, Continuously from 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, Continuously from 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Well kids, today’s your lucky day because the Fairy Trout Mother is going to turn a very lucky human into a spectacular Rainbow Trout! Complete with a brilliant technical transformation from human to fish, all participating scientists will learn how trout design makes for an exciting life in the Bow River. Human is guaranteed to be returned to original form upon completion of program.

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Well kids, today’s your lucky day because the Fairy Trout Mother is going to turn a very lucky human into a spectacular Rainbow Trout! Complete with a brilliant technical transformation from human to fish, all participating scientists will learn how trout design makes for an exciting life in the Bow River. Human is guaranteed to be returned to original form upon completion of program.

Suitable for Grades 1 - 6

In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Meet Calgary Wildlife's resident Hoary Marmot! Get an introduction to wildlife rehabilitation and common challenges wildlife face in our urban environment. Learn about burrowing, hibernating, ecosystem connections and the urban dangers as they relate to hoary marmots! Finish the presentation with a brief visit from our live-animal ambassador, Marmalade (a hoary marmot)!

Suitable for Grades K - 9

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

A rodent important to North America’s past, and future! Find out how the beaver has been built to create wetland habitat, refill aquifers, stop forest fires, cleanse pollution from water, and mitigate floods and drought! How do you tell male and female beavers apart? Ever seen a baby beaver kit? What does vanilla have to do with the beaver? Learn this through song, dance, sounds, biofacts, and patient stories in our Built to Build (Beavers) presentation. Let’s learn to co-exist with beavers, their building skills will come in handy!

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

When the hustle and bustle of downtown gets you feeling rushed, come unwind under the shade of a Schubert Chokecherry or stretch out on the lawn at Olympic Plaza. CPAWS is teaming up with Thimbleberry Learning to bring you a well-deserved chance to slow down and connect to the natural world. These Mindful Nature Moments will combine active movement, sensory exploration, and present-moment awareness in a fun and accessible way. Don’t leave Expo without treating yourself and your students to the gift of mindful connection in nature!

Suitable for Grades K - 12

Seisson 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Seisson 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Seisson 3: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Seisson 4: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Seisson 5: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Seisson 6: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.  

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Session 4: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Session 5: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Session 6: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Join us for a self-directed outdoor play experience that uses loose parts and natural materials to inspire active and creative play, and connect people young and old. Play spaces have been chosen to meet the needs of creative, imaginative, nature-based and self-directed play that are vital to children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. Play ambassadors will be onsite to inspire play and pique imaginations!

Suitable for Grades K - 9

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Session 4: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.  

Session 5: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  

Session 6: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.  

Session 7: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.  

Session 8: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Session 9: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 

Session 4: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Session 5: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Session 6: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Session 7: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Session 8: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Session 9: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Discover how water, the greatest solvent, reaches all areas of a landscape and drains to the lowest point, while carrying materials like sediment, nutrients, and contaminants. Following a curriculum focused discussion, students will create their own watershed simulations with art supplies!

All art and cleaning supplies will be provided. Students should not wear their favorite clothing in case they get (washable) paint on them.

Suitable for Grades 2, 4, 5

In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Evergreen Theatre's "Snow White and the Seven Regions" is a musical theatre show that is focused on climate change challenges and solutions across Canada's 7 physiographic regions while paying homage to the classic "Snow White" fairy tale. Our theatrical performances engage children from Grades K-6, with opportunities for student volunteers to perform with us on stage. Our shows feature curriculum-based scripts, exciting sets, props, and costumes - and popular music based on hits that kids and teachers love.

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Meet, touch and hold a bin full of vermicomposting worms! Learn about food waste, ways we can reduce our impact, and how worms can turn our food waste into valuable compost. We show students the wonderful world of worms while exploring worm anatomy, life cycles, and what they eat. Kids will participate in food-sorting activity (what worms do and don't eat) and will get hands-on time with the worms.

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Water for Life focuses on how our activities impact and potentially pollute our water sources. We will teach students about why we need to protect our freshwater and do a hands-on activity looking at possible pollution sources.

Suitable for Grades 2 - 6

In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

With a focus on landfills and waste-sorting, this program offers students a chance to build their own model landfills and test their designs to keep their groundwater clean!

Suitable for Grades 3 - 5

In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Get your students outside and see what animals and plants can be found in our inner-city environments! This program takes students outside making scientific observations in the natural world, and submitting these observations to assist the work of professional scientists through citizen science apps. This session focuses on birds, using the app Merlin (iPads will be provided during the session). We will start inside with some basic information, and then take some time outside with the students to look for local species.

Suitable for Grades 2 - 6

In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Get up close and personal with these hardworking squiggly wriggly critters. Students will learn the difference between dirt and soil and its importance to all humans, diving into how worms are used for composting, and all the things the worms need to get busy decomposing.

Suitable for Grades K - 4

In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Parks Canada's Mountain WIT is back with a celebration of the animals that make Banff National Park such a special place. Their hilarious and catchy tunes will have you singing along while you discover how we can help our furry friends to stay wild and survive.

Suitable for Grades 3 - 9

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Please join Walter MacDonald White Bear, Cree singer-songwriter, educator, motivational speaker, and traditional knowledge keeper, as he delivers his workshop in a highly theatrical and educational style. Complete with instruments such as The Native American Courting Flute as well as the Hand Drum, Walter will share traditional songs as well as contemporary music performed on the acoustic guitar. Walter will explain and share traditional knowledge that has been passed down from Elders. The presentation will be shared in a manner that will be enjoyed by teachers and students alike, with a unique cultural perspective on the environment and Mother Earth.

Suitable for Grades 1 - 9

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Session 1: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Session 3: In person, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

“The Greedy Frog” is a cautionary story reminding us that water is an important part of everything. Originally an Australian folktale, about a frog who swallowed all the water in the world, but it’s given a modern overtone with found object puppets and modern water issues. A child holds the key to the padlock though and saves the world!

Participants watch and discuss a screening of WP Puppet Theatre's 10 minute original video of "The Greedy Frog" puppet show, specifically on how Frogs are an indicator species giving scientists valuable insight into how an ecosystem is functioning. Students then create their own Frog Puppets, and then present short skits about their characters views on the state of the environment.

WPTS provides all the supplies and equipment for the screening and the project. Students can take their puppets home!

Suitable for Grades 3 - 5

Session 1: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Session 2: In person, Tuesday June 4, 2024, 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

It’s a bird… it’s a plane…it’s a bat?

Bats make the most of their night hunts, catching some 1000 insects in an hour! How does a bat manage its heart rate to survive? How many bats species live in Alberta? What do they do in the winter? How do they hunt at night?

Experience the energy of the bat through song, dance, sounds, biofacts, and patient stories. Let’s learn to co-exist with bats, their insectivorous diet might come in handy!

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Virtual, Thursday June 6, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

The North American porcupine is mostly known for its spiky defence, but there is so much more to these quirky creatures! Ever heard a porcupine sing? Discover the relationship between this herbivore and the cycles of the forest ecosystem! What does a porcupine have to do with a wildlife tree? What do we call young porcupines? How do porcupines end up at our wildlife centre?

Learn this and more in this Wild Wise presentation featuring a prickly song and poky biofacts. Let’s learn to co-exist with porcupines, their foraging habits might come in handy!

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Virtual, Thursday June 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

Stripey and cute? These nocturnal animals clean up our neighbourhoods while we sleep. Learn the answers to these questions...Do skunks really want to spray us? How many kits does a skunk family usually have? How are skunks injured in our urban environment? What are skunks trying to communicate?

Explore the nightlife of the skunk through song, dance, sounds, biofacts, and patient stories in our “So Stinkin’ Cute (Skunks) presentation. Learn how to co-exist with urban skunks, you'll be surprised how much their diets can help us out.

Suitable for Grades K - 6

Virtual, Thursday June 6, 2024, 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Get up close and personal with these hardworking squiggly wriggly critters. Students will learn the difference between dirt and soil and its importance to all humans, diving into how worms are used for composting, and all the things the worms need to get busy decomposing.

Suitable for Grades K - 4

Virtual, Wednesday June 5, 2024, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.