NCTIES2025

In this session, we will discuss how scaffolding the use of a digital tool like Canva can benefit students in terms of products created and enhance learning experiences in the classroom. We would all agree that the more we use a tool, the more comfortable we are with it, and the better the products we produce. Do we approach student products the same way?
Canva provides a user-friendly platform that allows students to create visually appealing materials, graphics, websites, videos, audio recordings, and so much more but only if it is used tactfully and responsibly. This session will provide practical strategies and examples to effectively integrate Canva into your teaching practice and easy ways to connect activities building on the understanding of Canva as a tool leading to a higher level of creativity, more in-depth projects, and ultimately better products refocusing on the learning and not the challenge of learning a new tool all the time.

Participants will discuss how we scaffold learning content and how we apply this concept to tools in the classroom or if we even do. Then, we will walk through a sample yearly curriculum showcasing ways Canva could be tactfully applied and how the scaffolding concept would work. Lastly, participants will get a chance to share ways they have used Canva in the classroom and if they used the scaffolding concept or if scaffolding the use of the tool would have changed student outcomes.

Join us for an interactive session designed to empower K-2 educators to harness the power of Canva! We’ll start with a brief presentation showcasing engaging ways to use Canva with our youngest students. After a brief presentation participants will then actively create within Canva as well as colloborate with others to create other ways in which Canva can be used in the primary grades. Among the others ways to use Canva we will explore how Canva's AI tool can be used in the primary classroom.

In this hands-on session, participants will dive into the essentials of starting and leading a successful robotics team at the elementary level. Aimed at both newcomers and those with some experience, “From Classroom to Competition” will provide practical tools, step-by-step guidance, and interactive activities designed to make robotics accessible and engaging for young students. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a clear action plan and resources to launch or enhance an elementary robotics program. They’ll gain confidence in using basic robotics technology, managing a team, and incorporating STEM principles, equipping them to foster curiosity, teamwork, and critical thinking in their students.

Let’s “Dig a Little Deeper” into the bayou brilliance of Canva as we stir up a flavorful blend of creativity and student engagement in K-12 classrooms! This zesty session is designed for educators, administrators, and tech coaches eager to infuse teaching with interactive virtual activities, harmonize collaboration with Canva’s whiteboard features (the perfect Jamboard substitute), and create visually stunning and user-friendly LMS and websites. Join us to jazz it up NOLA-style and collaboratively discover how to transform educational practice into delectable learning experiences that keep students coming back for more!

The Time is now to TIE the TIMES into your curriculum! Specific, easily reproducible lessons harnessing the New York Times Learning Network (no account needed) and other news sources will be shared, ranging from grade-level specific implementation to activities that can happen in ANY class. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the resources and contribute their own knowledge. You'll get the chance to try one or more of the activities, too!

In this session you will be exposed to 20+ FREE resources that you can use in your classroom immediately. How? Through the engaging presentation strategy called Pecha Kucha! You will get an overview of resources that can be used for math, ELA, science, and social studies, along with some cultural arts resources. At the end you will get explore time! Are you ready for a quick and upbeat Resource Roundup? Join me!