

ATASC Newsletter
January 2025

Science Council Announcements
Happy New Year! And Stay Tuned for the Next Conference!
Happy New Year! We hope you all had a fantastic January!
Thank you all for coming to the ATA Science Council Conference in November! Our Two-Eyed Seeing: Looking at Science Through Western and Indigenous Perspectives ATA Science Council Conference in Canmore was a huge success! We heard great feedback about it and we were excited to see everyone having great conversations, sharing ideas, and being energized about creating richer learning experiences for students.
It was so nice to see everyone, and we hope to see you at our next conference, which will be held on April 24-25, 2026, at the Banff Centre in Banff, in collaboration with GEOC. Save the date, and stay tuned for registration details!
A Conference Highlight With A Trivia Question!
At our November Conference, delegates gathered for a Conference Reception and participated in a Science and Indigenous Knowledge Quiz Night! Teams answered 30 questions from Quizmaster and Conference Director Tara Draper. The trivia night ended in an exciting 4-way tie with Team Cosmos coming out on top! Winners Lila Berg and Sylvie Tissandier walked away with a coveted beaker mug as the prize.
Can you answer the tie-breaking question: The International Astronomical Union held a naming contest for a star and an exoplanet in 2019. Wilfred Buck (opening keynote) and Amanda Green (Science Executive member) won the contest with what names?
Where Diversity Sparks Discovery
Featuring Wilfred Buck
Wilfred Buck, a Cree educator, scientist, and knowledge keeper from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, grew up immersed in the storytelling traditions and star knowledge of his ancestors. He holds a Bachelor of Education and a postbaccalaureate diploma from the University of Manitoba. In 2008, Buck began working as a science facilitator at the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre, where his mandate was to “put the First Nations perspective into science.” After consulting with elders, he realized that he needed instead to put science into a First Nations perspective. This led him to use the stars—"atchakosuk" in Cree—as a way to explore and share the scientific knowledge of the Ininewuk (Cree), Lakota, and Anishinaabe (Ojibway) peoples.
As the keynote speaker at our November 2024 conference, Buck captivated audiences with insights from his work, where he created planetarium programs that introduce Cree constellations, legends, and teachings about the night sky to audiences across Canada. His approach combines Indigenous wisdom with scientific inquiry, fostering a broader, more inclusive view of astronomy. By bringing ancient stories and Indigenous perspectives into mainstream education, he shows how cultural diversity can inspire new insights and deepen our understanding of the universe. His work beautifully demonstrates that “Diversity Sparks Discovery” by enriching science and education for everyone.
Science Educator Spotlight
Featuring Science Educator: Kyle Johnston
Hi there, my name is Kyle Johnston and I am honoured to share about my experience as a Science Teacher at Centre High Campus.
I am relatively new to teaching, I completed my Bachelor of Education After Degree from the University of Alberta in 2022. Prior to entering the education field I did a Bachelor of Science at the University of Alberta majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. I chose to go into Science because I loved learning about how the physical world works and diving into Science felt like an endless well of fascinating discoveries. While I was attending University I got a job working with a local youth group with high school and junior high aged students. I decided to pursue education in order to marry my love for Science with the joy I found of working with young people.
This is my second year at Centre High Campus and it has been such a privilege to share my passion for learning Science with students and work alongside a collaborative staff that strongly shows their commitment to making life better for the students they work with. We have an incredibly diverse student population at Centre High Campus and several students are reattempting a course for the second or sometimes third time. For many of these students, they have a negative preconception of their abilities with science and struggle to enjoy the content of the course because of the weight of their previous performance.
One of the most rewarding experiences I have found as a Science educator is to watch the joy on a student’s face as a concept they have struggled to understand “clicks” for them or when a concept is related to a real-world context that is significant to them. Few things excite me as much as watching students who have struggled through figuring out a problem get excited to share their new knowledge with their classmates. I have two quick examples of these “eureka” moments from my recent experience....
Notes from A Colleague - Inspirations and Musings
Thoughts from the Two Eyed Seeing Conference
Did You Know? Resources, Books, and More - Oh My!
Click on the following to learn more about any of these!
Google Arts and Culture - Science Edition
Government of Canada - Science Educational Resources
Did you know that the Government of Canada offers science Educational resources for elementary and secondary students?
From science activity books to science activities/Experiments to even a 'Ask a Scientist," these are resources that can help inspire you!
Book Review - A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle: Revelations of Indigenous Wisdom, Healing Plants, Practices, and Stories
A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle: Revelations of Indigenous Wisdom, Healing Plants, Practices, and Stories" explores perspectives on health and wellness, the cultural significance of the medicine bundle, and the role it plays in Cree healing traditions from Cree Medicine Man named Russell Willier. Check out the book reviews to learn more.
Book of the Month - Braiding Sweetgrass
In Braiding Sweetgrass, Potawatomi professor, Robin Wall Kimmerer, discusses the role of Indigenous knowledge as an alternative or complementary approach as she weaves together science, storytelling, and traditional knowledge to explore the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature. Check out the book reviews to learn more.
Answer to the Trivia Question!
Thanks for reading this far in the newsletter! Here's the answer to the Trivia Question above!
Answer: nikâwiy (mother in Cree) for the star and awâsis (child in Cree) for the exoplanet.
Share Your Ideas or Story and Enter to Win!
Have an educator you want to feature? Or do you want to share your favorite stories, ideas, lesson plans, or activities with us?
Share your ideas through this Google Form for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter and win exciting prizes. Draws will occur up to 3 times a year, and winners will be contacted through email and announced on social media.