FSD advances new curriculum by building meaningful learning for students
Foothills School Division is supporting its teachers in implementing Alberta’s new curriculum through a summer project focussed on creating engaging learning experiences and practical classroom resources for students.
This July, 15 teachers and four school administrators from across the division worked together as part of FSD's Summer Curriculum Design Team. Their goal was to develop comprehensive, ready-to-use resources and learning materials that allowed for the continued implementation of kindergarten to grade 6 social studies, and expanded into grades 7 to 9 social studies, and mathematics.
The team spent time learning, collaborating, and designing resources that help students build strong understandings of the learning outcomes, think critically, and apply their learning in real-world situations. Rather than creating materials only for teachers, the team developed resources that students can use directly in their learning.
As part of the Learning Services team, Chase Ellis, Director of Professional Learning and Education Partner Relations alongside two members of the Curriculum Design Team, Kaitlyn Hanson and Kayla Penney, presented to the FSD Board of Trustees at the Wednesday, September 2 Board Meeting.
"Our focus is equipping our teachers and schools with materials and resources that foster the conditions where students move beyond memorizing information, to developing a deeper understanding of concepts and being able to use their learning in new situations," said Caroline Roberts, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services.
As an example, the Curriculum Design Team developed The Amazing Race Canada: Time Machine Edition, which frames Grade 4 social studies as a year-long adventure in the style of the popular TV show. This engaging resource supports deep and transferable learning. Working in collaborative teams, students "travel through time" to explore how geography, economics, diverse perspectives, and historical events shaped Canada. As they complete the various "challenges" in the race, students repeatedly engage in complex problem-solving tasks involving decision-making, citizenship, and a consideration of the geographical and cultural contexts of historical events. They also have the opportunity to make connections to their own experiences, reflect on rights and responsibilities, consider diverse perspectives, work collaboratively, evaluate their choices, and recognize how communities are shaped by people's actions.
Throughout the design process, the team prioritized resources that are clear, practical, and accessible, that also incorporate several learning outcomes and priorities while giving space for teachers to customize the learning that best suits their style and students. The team also developed learning sequences and supports that help teachers confidently implement new curriculum while keeping student engagement, support, and success at the centre of the learning experience.
FSD Teachers will have ongoing support in the 2026-2027 school year from the curriculum design team. Ms. Penny and Ms. Hanson will be continuing their efforts alongside Shelley Read to continue designing engaging curriculum resources and tools, focusing on new grades 7 to 9 Career Education & Financial Literacy and Physical Education & Wellness curriculum. FSD’s learning services team works directly alongside teachers and school staff in classrooms, professional learning communities, and divisional learning days to create conditions for students to flourish. Opportunities for teachers to share their own resources across the division will further enhance collaboration and effective learning strategies.
Foothills School Division is also exploring how technology can support student learning. Several schools are collaborating with the Division’s Director of Organization Innovation and Technology Services to explore tools within the Division’s secure system that are informed by the Division’s resources, including the Learning that Transfers guidelines and resources from Alberta Education and Childcare. A part of this innovative work is piloting FSD’s Microsoft 365 Copilot to examine how automation and artificial intelligence tools can assist as an administrative and thought-partner tool, to make space for the critical human work in the classroom: positive relationships, targeted supports, and safe spaces for learning.
Through collaboration, ongoing professional learning, and wrap-around supports, FSD is creating the conditions where students experience meaningful, engaging learning that prepares them for success today and in their future.
