The Consortium has spent the past several months developing resources and preparing sessions to support teachers with the implementation of Alberta’s new K–6 Social Studies curriculum.
The new curriculum follows the same architecture as previously released curricula. Its three organizing ideas — Time and Place, Systems, and Citizenship — spiral through each grade to help build deep understanding over time. No organizing idea includes more than two outcomes.
Our provincial Social Studies committee has been busy creating a Toolkit to help teachers feel confident and prepared for grade K-3 implementation, and grade 4-6 optional implementation. This Toolkit will include support in four key areas:
- Teacher Foundational Knowledge
- Planning
- Assessment
- Resources
Once the finalized implementation curriculum is released, our team will review and update the Toolkit to ensure alignment. After this review, the Toolkit will be available to teachers on the APLC website at aplc.ca.
To further support teachers in preparing for the upcoming school year, a range of targeted sessions will be offered during the APLC Summer Symposium, August 18–22. Two full days (August 20–21) will be dedicated exclusively to Social Studies. Teachers can look forward to sessions covering the following:
- An introduction and overview of the new K–6 Social Studies curriculum
- Pedagogical strategies and best practices for effective implementation
- Planning for the new curriculum
- Collaborating with AI as a teaching partner
- Helpful resources
- Approaches to assessment
- Connecting the curriculum to the Indigenous Culture-Based Learning in Alberta Curriculum website
Throughout the school year, the APLC is looking forward to offering both province-wide and jurisdiction-specific social studies support through professional learning sessions and collaborative team facilitation.
For more information or to access support, please contact your regional Consortium office.