Brave New Words: Sal Khan's Take on AI

Like I mentioned a few posts back, I'm knee deep in books lately. Here's another one that really got my teacher brain thinking.

Salman Khan, creator of Khan Academy, released "Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (And Why That's a Good Thing)" at the start of this year. I really enjoyed this one as an audiobook given that it was read by author Sal Khan. In a lot of ways, it was like listening to him detail one of his Khan Academy videos.

I've read a number of books and articles on artificial intelligence as well as attended several webinars since the release of ChatGP--exactly 2 years ago on November 30th, 2022. Not to mention, I've used AI quite a bit and written about it a number of times (see here and here). Similarly, I love the "Magic Tools" of Canva. I've also played around a bit with Khanmigo, (which is free to teachers), and which Sal Khan discusses quite a bit in Brave New Words. The Khanmigo for Educators tutorial to learn how to maximize Khanmigo as a digital teacher assistant is excellent.

It's no question that AI is here to stay, and I've heard it said that the AI of today is the slowest you will ever experience. Anyone who has used artificial intelligence in the last 2 years would probably NOT use the word "slow" to describe it.

In Brave New Words, Sal Khan continues the conversation that Richard Culotta had in his book Digital For Good: we can maximize technology in so many ways. Khan discusses the importance of using AI for personal learning that's available 24-7 for people. Through Khanmigo, the AI has been set up to ask questions along the way to build engagement and deepen the learning through the chat--where the chat asks questions as a way to have the user grow on their own knowledge. Yes, AI has limitations in that there are risk biases built into the data sets, and it can create over-reliance on a machine (which lacks emotional intelligence) versus human connection. Then there is the thought that many students have learned how to use it to shortcut their learning and thinking process because they essentially are using it to cheat. 

But Sal Khan's conversations in the book focuses on how to use AI as a tool. It is our role as educators to teach our students to use it in a way that can have real meaning. It can serve valuable purposes in automating repetitive tasks and upping one's productivity. AI can also be used to accelerate certain skills like brainstorming which in turn helps people deepen their own learning. In his book, Khan details several exchanges with AI in Khanmigo where the user can have interactive conversations when the AI assumes a role as a historic figure such as Harriet Tubman or Abraham Lincoln, or literary character Jay Gatsby. The AI is programmed to continually remind the user that it is, in fact, generative AI. Yet it also creates a power of engagement and enhancement for the learner. His book is excellent for leading teachers to think about ways to innovate in the classroom and re-think education and our role in it.

Check out Sal Khan's article "What Khan Academy’s Founder Thinks About AI in Education" in Next Big Ideas Club to learn more about his book. 

Or, see what Bill Gates has to say in his article "Sal Khan is Pioneering Innovation in Education…Again: 'Brave New Words' Paints an Inspiring Picture of AI in the Classroom" in Gates Notes. 

Or watch his 15 minute TED Talk here.

Image from https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-Words-Revolutionize-Education-ebook/dp/B0CFPJ2FB1/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZL4f2k-1SGJYHfHGBQCC8Z8ItW_iE0UX2NuoMU62WIp93s378Jxhu27cQz-gee1pFSsJj1FBeGR0EGCL4kTP2T1NSe1AYdmjVVl56QElfLtKzhDA1oBckIkp-Ls2HR8rtAaNtF6RhSo-XpLeoAR_uWigEtWrlFeMbtNcPHfgGyVz2RdNF9WfOR2G_qQ6m1jxmMlN9u26iLxRT0wjwzo2nRAeJzNif3VFXTtlAWYo_mE.3jD5ENMNIk2ZMJMIE9D67H2fz8_z_x4Q4I_G0RnONxA&dib_tag=se&keywords=Salman+Khan&qid=1732370616&sr=8-1 and https://excelined.org/2023/09/20/sal-khan-returns-to-eie23-artificial-intelligence-the-future-of-education/video from https://youtu.be/hJP5GqnTrNo?si=VNecyD_CMwLq2NSF

Happy Thanksgiving 2024

 Image created at canva.com

"Digital For Good" When It Comes to Digital Decision Making

This year, I've been devouring books. Mostly on my Kindle app on my phone. (I know, it's crazy, my husband makes fun of me.) This year, though, I have also started consuming a lot of audiobooks--especially while I'm driving. Always one to soak up knowledge, I seemed to have replaced my podcast-listening during my car radio time the last 6 months or so with e-books.

Nonfiction books are good ones for me to listen to in the car. (That and mysteries, not sure why.) I think it's my podcast Pavlovian response: I'm in the car, I must be an info-junkie. Regardless, I happened on a really good one recently that ties into school, written by Richard Culotta--the CEO of ASCD* and ISTE.* His book: Digital for Good: Raising Kids Thriving in an Online World.

Digital For Good is indeed a good book, and it makes for excellent reading for all educators in today's world. Parents too. The title is spot on, and matches his theme about how we need to be using digital for good in today's world. I found the book also paralleled many of the concepts I teach at school through The Social Institute (a digital decision making curriculum platform created by Laura Tierney). The focus is on the positives, on making high character choices, and "the do's" versus "the don'ts" of digital citizenship. You can see the parallels in Digital for Good's 5 themes versus the 7 standards of "The Social Institute" in the images below. (Additionally, there's a lot of overlap between both of them with Google's Digital Citizenship Curriculum: "Be Internet Awesome.)

I found it interesting too, listening to many of Richard Culotta's points about digital democracy and the urgency toward building a civil digital world--especially so in the aftermath of the 2024 election. His emphasis on the importance of improving lives is striking: through digital government commitments in order to build a sustainable virtual world that is focused on humanity, democracy, and civility over profits from platforms and the spread of misinformation.

Looking at the publication date, I saw that Digital For Good came out July 21, 2021. This places us a year after the height of the pandemic, yet before former-president Donald Trump's Truth Social posted it's first post on February 16, 2022 and also before Twitter (now X) was acquired in October 2022 by Elon Musk.

It made me wonder "What would Richard Culotta Think About where we are today?" How would he write this book differently, addressing where we are, a mere 3 years later? 

Richard Culotta is still a strident defender of digital democracy for all here in 2024. In his current role as ASCD and ISTE CEO, he still emphasizes the importance of:

• Teaching self-control and accountability for balanced and healthy tech use;
• Building skills to identify the difference between true and misleading information;
• Being inclusive to all by way of respect, empathy, compassion, kindness, and equality in digital spaces;
• Using tech in a way that builds and enhances family, community, and relational connections;
• Operating with caution and privacy in mind to stay alert in order to keep ourselves and our information safe.

Just as with voting, it's up to us. We need to use our voice as educators, as parents, as citizens to speak up to create the world we want for ourselves and our children. Using our digital impact for good is a great place to start. So is reading this book!

*ASCD stands for Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and ISTE for International Society for Technology in Education.

Image from https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Good-Raising-Thrive-Online-ebook/dp/B08CGWJZR1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36BEXRZTWKTJA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sVoOtIHTD0AaXDP3n5DPr0xnZ-RQUA7v12PLJm93aynGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.c8k9IUzEyVM1ObefAnFKrH4YyDZngsUnR24hjA-KFnU&dib_tag=se&keywords=digital+for+good+richard+culatta&qid=1732293174&sprefix=digital+for+good%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-1, https://thesocialinstitute.com/blog/the-social-institute-launches-student-led-social-emotional-remote-program-to-address-challenges-facing-schools-and-students/, and 5 standards from the book created by me at canva.com using their Magic Media tools.

Plan a Green Scene This Thanksgiving

Feasting season is swiftly approaching with Thanksgiving. With that in mind, here's an infographic I created to getting you thinking about ways to green your scene for your Thanksgiving celebration ahead. Ideas were inspired from Green Business Benchmark's article 15 Sustainable Tips for a Green Thanksgiving Celebration and The Junklugger's article Guide to a Green Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Infographic by Vicki Dabrowka &created using Canva.com

"Are Bioplastics Really Better?" Quiz & America Recycles Day: November 15th

Time to test your knowledge friends? What do you know about bioplastics....and are they really better? Take the quiz from the Story of Stuff Project. Even if you are a tad test-averse, these 6 questions aren't too frightening...though you might be surprised by some of the answers. Once you get your results, you can watch a 2 minute video and learn even more about bioplastics: what they are and how they impact our world. Likewise, you can check your answers and learn from your mistakes.

All of this gears you up and gets you ready for America Recycles Day -- annually on November 15th. To learn more:

• Check out the America Recycles Day website.
• Take the Recycles Reality Check Quiz.
• Check out the "Do Beautiful Things" podcast.
• Find a multitude of resources at the EPA's America Recycles Day website.

Images screenshot from https://action.storyofstuff.org/survey/bioplastics-quiz and https://kab.org/our-signature-programs/america-recycles-day/.

NOAA's 2024 Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters

Just like my Leaf Peeping Maryland map I ran across last week, I happened upon another interesting graphic on Justin Berk, Meteorologist's Facebook page. This one from NOAA detailing the 2024 Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters. The data on this map, which goes through October 2024, is more than striking!

I decided to look up NOAA's website on that subjects and found a wealth of interactives covering 45 years of data: from 1980--2024. Clearly different than the visual I have included here, just from this year. But during that 45 year time period, there have been 400 events, with the cost in damages surpassing $2.785 trillion. On the website, clickable tabs will take through an overview, to disaster mapping by type, risk mapping, climate date, statistics, FAQs, and more. The wealth of date here is immense and you can spend a lot of time researching and analyzing the many climate events we have had--both from an overview stance and by year.

This database of interactives for Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters is only one part of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. Other data-centric tools they have available include:

• Resources for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
• Frost Protected Shallow Foundations
• Climate Monitoring Tools
• Climate at a Glance
• Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI)
• Launch Crop Moisture Stress Index (CMSI)

Environmental data nerds (like me)--go forth and get lost in all the info!

Image from: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0dpQ3jqgtjkAfxSoz3WPYhUiYzmbhydq9qYZGTx8hd2Zf3y1tJ39XccFKhpXNhuDql&id=100044454488732

Happy Halloween!

Linus is not wrong! Even in 1966 when "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" came out on TV, and even in 1959 when Charles Schulz introduced it in the comic strips. Little did they even know the world ahead in 2024 during a pretty wild election year!

This year, may you have a wonderfully joyous and safe Halloween, with more treats than tricks. And, may we all survive the craziness of this year's Election Season--peacefully, respectfully, and honoring the power and privilege of a voting democracy. 

Linus Image & quote from https://dcbarroco.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/linus-van-pelt-on-life/, Happy Halloween image created at Canva.com

Leaf Peeping 2024

The beauty of fall abounds. I'm underneath a gorgeously brilliant yellow-turning tree as I sit outside typing this morning. Not only is the weather amazing today, but so is the view. These glowing yellow leaves and the fire red trees of fall may be my favorite! I just love the subtlety of change with the colors every day during this time of year.

I ran across this image on Facebook from a meteorologist in my home state of Maryland, marking peak days across the state. Looks like we are hitting the prime "leaf peeping" days as the fall foliage color changes abound. 

Marylanders, you can get the Fall Foliage Report week-by-week here.

If you are like me and can't get enough of the beauty of the changing leaves, here are some resources to check out:

• My own GTG's "Mapping Out Your Quest for Fall Foliage" from last year -- Here there are 2 links to data visualization websites to track nationwide how the leaves look this year on given dates. You can also glean some science along the way.

• GTG's "Fall Foliage 2021" -- Here you can find a link to the Farmer's Almanac and a state-by-state list of when peak colors have peaked, or soon will.

• If you are wondering how climate change affects the leaves, check out this PBS article from September 2023 entitled "How Climate Change is Making Fall Foliage Less Colorful.

In the meantime, get yourself outside and check out some leaves of your own. Watch them fall for a little while--for it IS... FALL! Shuffle your feet and take advantage of hearing the crunch underfoot. Make it be ones of the treats of Halloween Season!

Fall tree image from my camera, map from Justin Berk, Meteorologist's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02v5eMZ4SBdbGJLcjB54RtreEC7L5E33LgmgGVCx8cLgxzrHw1w7x7h2iqhesGu2DAl&id=100044454488732, original image from https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2024/10/24/fall-foliage-report-for-october-24-2024/

Climate Change Course Comes to College

According to the Education Data Initiative's website, approximately 19 million people went to college this fall in some capacity: full or part time, freshman through senior. undergraduate or graduate status. 

As a parent of "big kids," I know a few of those 19 million people.

The purpose of college follows this quote of Oprah Winfrey:

“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” 

Additionally....

• Education is a lantern that lights up our mind, illuminating knowledge. 
• It's a compass that guides us to navigate through fact, fiction, mis- and disinformation, understanding, and perspective. 
• College is a bridge to new ideas, an avenue to insight, and a doorway to the future. 

This year, one college is opening that door even further for their new first-year students. UC San Diego has added the Jane Teranes Climate Change Education Requirement. This new course requirement was named for a long time professor of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in November of 2023.

Beginning this fall, student schedules over their college tenure will need to have a one-quarter class on the subject of climate change. (UC San Diego runs on a quarter system.) Students have a choice of selecting one of many classes from a range of many cross-disciplinary options. Why? Being a school that has had long ties to climate research, UC San Diego and its administration solidified this commitment to broaden global awareness and create a mindset of environmental problem solvers. This change in their college requirements does not affect the total number of requirements as this class will overlap with the current general education/diversity requirements.

Click here to see the approved courses, nearly 50 classes ranging from Climate Justice, Religion & Ecology, Climate Ethics, Ocean Studies, Literature and the environment, and more.

Imagine a world where 19 million people heightened their awareness by taking a class in eco-stewardship.  Think about where we our world would be.

If this has gotten you curious to expand your own climate change knowledge, check out UC San Diego's Scripps Institute of Oceanography Climate Change Resources page.

Image created in Canva.com using a quote from UC San Diego's website: https://undergrad.ucsd.edu/programs/jtccer.html#For-Students--JTCCER-Course-Off, Oprah quote from https://www.cosmopolitan.com/college/a33261416/best-college-quotes/, Problem solver image from https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/er-2021-0040

25 years

I recently celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary. Here's a condensed version of what I shared among friends regarding this milestone...

25: What a weird number when you start looking at it in the context of your life. Mainly--How are we "that" old? How have we been with ONE person "that" long? I mean, seriously, we don't feel that old! 

25: That's XXV in Roman Numerals, 5 squared, two & a half dozen, the sum of the first five consecutive odd natural numbers: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9, & a quarter of a century. (Back to that weird number thing.)

Looking back... 
...We have seen a hurricane reroute our wedding in 24-hour window, followed up by a flight-induced sinus infection which sidetracked our honeymoon. A layover, an ER trip, and steroids got us back on track to our desired honeymoon destination.

....We wrestled the roller coaster ride of having a premature baby 8 weeks early at 32 weeks versus the typical 40. During my 2-week hospital hangout prior to our wee one's arrival, I attended my brother's wedding by phone, long before Zoom days. Then 6 days later we welcomed a very tiny baby at a whopping 3 lb 1.3 oz. I came home first, then our wee one stayed in the NICU for 5 weeks, but grew solid, strong, and healthy, and we all never looked back.

....We welcomed Baby #2 into our family 3 years later, who always kept us on our toes when young. Now, that one is on the cusp of adulthood, tackling college, serious-minded, working hard, and pointed toward their own goals.

In these 25 years, we...

• have lived in 2 different states with at least 6 addresses to call home;
• have had 6-7 jobs between us, owned a handful of cars, & had 3 crazy canines;
• survived surgeries and replacement parts and are both officially "new and improved;"
• made lifelong friendships, lost loved ones, and grown stronger together in so many ways;
• endured all the parts of parenting: taking family vacations, watching countless soccer/sport games/kid concerts/more, tackling intensive homework projects, teaching kids to drive, getting wisdom teeth out, watching our kids walk high school graduation stages, and the list goes on.

9,131 days is a lot of days!

In thinking about 25 years of "my" days, I mentally shifted to what else has changed in these 25 years of days. Newsworthy events which will make the history books. We've seen...

• 
  The Y2K roll over to 2000 and all lived to tell the tale.

• The election of the first African-American President in 2008: Barack Obama.

• The legalization of same sex marriage in 2015.

• The NASA confirmation of water on Mars in 2015.

• The #MeToo movement of 2017 and the #BlackLivesMatter movement of 2020 to strengthen both women's rights when it comes to sexual harassment and abuse and greater equality and justice for Black Americans.

• The rise of technology in so many ways--from the development of the first iPhone in 2007 by Steve Jobs which catapulted tech innovation to include the pros and cons of such things as social media, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence to new levels.

• The COVD-19 Pandemic, a year of shutdown (including 2020 Zoom-style graduations & weddings & at home, online learning, though luckily with the swift move of science and modern medicine we were able to create vaccines and come out from behind our medical masks.

• The shifts in the British Royal Family with the death of Queen Mother in 2002 at age 101, the marriage of Prince William & Kate Middleton in 2011 and Prince Henry & Meghan Markle 2018,  the lengthy 70 reign of Queen Elizabeth II with her death 2022 which led to the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

And environmentally, we've seen many major environmental strides these past 25 years with...

• The Paris Climate Agreement was adopted in 2015 where only nearly every country in the world (minus Syria & Nicaragua) united to fight climate change. Likewise that same year, the UN Sustainable Development Goals were created.

• A rise in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power as well as electric vehicles.

• Conservation strides such as growth in Marine Protected areas, the Trillion Tree Initiative to aid in reforestation, and endangered species recovery, downgrading their status from endangered to vulnerable for the giant panda and the American eagle, among others. 

• Shifts and advances in sustainable agriculture which have helped biodiversity and grown organic farming.

• Efforts to ban single use plastics and create more biodegradable materials while also increasing efforts on a company level for circular economy practices.

• Forward movement with green technology such as carbon capture and greater energy-efficient home appliances. 

• Steps toward greater environmental justice and awareness with movements working toward Indigenous land rights and louder voices from youth activists such as Greta Thunberg.

All of this goes to show us that even though sometimes while we feel like "the more things change, the more they stay the same," we actually CAN see and feel the forward movement. 

This level of awareness makes 25 years definitely worth celebrating!

Images created at Canva.com

Once Again...Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season

This year's hurricane season is shaping up to be a doozy.

We've already seen the wallop and carnage that Hurricane Helene left in her wake from September 24--29, 2024. Making landfall as a Category 4 storm, Helene had major hits in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. In the Big Bend region of Florida, this was the 3rd major storm in 13 months. The Tampa Bay Area was hit with record breaking storm surges. Major roads, bridges, buildings, and homes were washed out along with damaged electrical lines. Georgia's farming industry took a major hit, knocking out 1/3 of both the cotton and peanut crops, over 200 poultry house, and more than 40,000 acres of pecans. Flooding deeply affectect North Carolina, leaving some roads slated to remain in disrepair until March of 2025. People throughout the region are still without power, without drinkable water, people are still missing, 230+ people died, and entire communities are devastated. 

Estimated damage: Somewhere between $145 -- $165 billion.

Now, not even two weeks later, Hurricane Milton is lined up to take a hit as a potential Category 3 hurricane. Again on Florida's western coast, again coming across the Gulf of Mexico. This time, it is tracking further south than the Big Bend area of Florida where Helene hit, with the Tampa Bay Area being a potential point of landfall this Wednesday, October 9th. The path additionally is currently projected to cross Central Florida. The good news of this is that it hopefully will track south of the Helene-saturated states just north of Florida. The bad news is that the Tampa area is still heavily in clean up mode from Helene. Schools in that area are already closed from Monday to Wednesday to allow time to plan boarding up and evacuations.

We lived in Florida for 6 years. Hurricane preparation is no fun. It's nowhere near as benign as a northern snow day off of school.

With ocean water temperatures on the rise, we are having more and more "once in a lifetime hurricanes." In fact, they are coming at a frequency of 3 times more often than 100 years ago, and with numbers doubling since 1980. 

They definitely show us that Mother Nature is in charge--we aren't!

What you can do to offer hurricane relief and assistance?

1. Watch out for misinformation. This season, potentially with the US election ahead and political agendas, rumors abound. Check out the facts here: FEMA's Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response. 

2. Donate to trustworthy agencies and organizations. The American Red Cross and UNICEF are doing a lot for hurricane relief.

3. Volunteer when and where it is safe. If your local community is affected, or one near you, look to see if, when, and where you can volunteer. To learn more, check out FEMA's hurricane relief webpage.

4. If you are in the path of a hurricane, follow the local recommendations for evacuation and safety measures.

Data about Hurricane Helene from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/05/us/hurricane-helene-damage-deaths.html, Hurricane Helene radar map from https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/09/27/hurricane-helene-damage-map/75408113007/, Hurricane Milton projection map from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tropical-storm-milton-forms-gulf-of-mexico-florida/, FEMA Hurricane relief image: https://www.fema.gov/blog/4-ways-help-hurricane-helene-survivors

Election Connection

T-40-some-odd days from now, here in the US, we have an election ahead. As has been the case over the last decade or so, politics, partisanship, & noise go hand in hand. As with anything these days, social media is a little something that has only made the noise, opinions, & emotions stronger (if not worse). 

But, civics and civil discourse and the importance of voting are all elements that should be taught. If you are looking for some ways to have these conversations in class in a non-candidate, non partisan way, here are some resources that may come in handy for you. No doubt, there is something here for everyone.

Pre-Created Units/Collections Online:

Scholastic.com’s Election 2024

• Topics include:
• How America Votes
• The Road to the White House
• What is the Electoral College
• Race to 270: Interactive game
• This Year’s Other Big Races (beyond presidency)
• Online Quiz: Election Words to Know
• Newsie’s Challenge Videos: Earn dog Newsie a treat with these game show style videos on:
• What It Takes to Be President
• The Job of the US President

Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government

• This online resource has several topics concerning the U.S. Government, including the elections process. Age bands: 4-8, 9-13, 14_
• For all ages, the topics vary in depth, but largely include: 
• Federally Recognized Tribes of US
• Federal versus State Government
• Branches of Government
• How Laws are Made: The Language of the Law
• Election Process: The History and Process of Voting 
• General, not specific to candidates/campaigns or political parties
• Symbols, Songs, & Structure (Buildings & Monuments) of US Government
• Historical Documents that shaped the US
• The Declaration of Independence: 1776
• The Articles of Confederation: 1777 - 1789
• The U.S. Constitution: 1789
• The Bill of Rights: 1789 - 91
• The Emancipation Proclamation: 1863
• The Gettysburg Address: 1863

iCivics Election Headquarters

• This link includes a variety of lessons, online thematic games, videos all about the election process
• Activities Grade leveled: K-5, 6-8, 9-12 – most are grade 6 and up–with exception of videos

PBS Election Central

• Collection of grade level lessons: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
• Broken into following topics:
• Civics & Democracy
• Election Basics
• How Voting Works
• Voting Rights
• News & Current Issues
• Media & Elections
• Civic Participation

• Also affiliated with PBS:
• Your Vote Counts: Understanding the Voting Process–downloadable/printable packet for grades 4-6 to go with this 12 minute video
• Graphic on last page of packet is a good infographic on “How to Become the President”
• Also can be found here as a one page document

BrainPop (This is a subscription site.)

• Topics included:
• Presidential Election
• Primaries and Caucuses
• Political Beliefs
• Democracy
• Political Parties
• Women's Suffrage
• Voting Rights
• Presidential Powers
• Branches of Government
• Voting
• Political Party Origins
• Barack Obama
• Parliamentary System

Individual Websites/Activities:

Electoral College: 

• TED-ED video: “Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained” (2012)
• PBS’s Electoral Decoder – Interactive timeline to see past presidential elections by electoral college votes and you can do different scenarios by clicking on states to get to the necessary 270 votes
• 270 to Win website: Interactive map
• Ducksters’ Electoral College page
• Kids Discover Free Download

Infographic for 3 Branches of Government from Kid.Gov

We Are Teachers: 26 Books about Elections for Future Voters

Image from https://www.rawpixel.com/image/6266241/png-vintage-public-domain

Fall Bucket Lists

Today is Fall Equinox here in the US. That day of exact equals between daylight and darkness. The official start to autumn, and the day that days start getting shorter than the dark of night, as we go careening into cooler temperatures, making our way toward winter. 

As sad as that descent is, it is also a time of beauty and color as the leaves shift from dark green to vibrant colors. Festivals abound and there's a beauty in the coming briskness in the air. Good time to go on a quest of autumnal outings and adventures. 

Here are a few Fall Bucket Lists from both Dani DiPirro (creator of the Positively Present Instagram page) and Liz Neiman (author of "Love & Marriage & A Baby Carriage" blog) that will have you finding the perfect way to spend your fall days ahead.

Image from https://loveandmarriageblog.com/realistic-fall-bucket-list/ and https://www.instagram.com/positivelypresent/?hl=en

International Democracy Day & Better World Info Database

During an election year, especially here in the US with the last decade being a politically polar mindset, "Democracy" (with the capital D) has been in the news a lot! No doubt, as the next few months go on, the political noise will only continue to rise during this very unique election year.

Might be a good time to celebrate September 15th International Day of Democracy. The idea started in 1997 with its conception as the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopting a Universal Declaration on Democracy. Six international conferences on new and restored democracies were held from 1998 to 2006, with the first being in the Philippines and the 6th in Qatar. From there, in 2007 the United Nations General Assembly resolved what we now honor on September 15th: the International Day of Democracy. The purpose is to honor, uphold, and promote democracy while also raising awareness that democracy can come in many forms, but it is based on the values universal to all: free-expression of people's ideas and all aspects of life. Democracy happens at the voting box and is the basis of peace, humanity, equality, and a country's constitution of protective rights. Additionally, it involves civility--and hopefully open dialogue.

You can learn more at the UN's page on International Democracy Day.

You also can land on 3 dozen links about International Democracy Day on Better World Info's Database. Additionally, their Democracy page has a wealth of information and resources (over 1700) for teachers, students, & citizens alike on a variety of topics. These include social justice, fundamental human rights, & sustainability in global relations, peace, the economy, & more. Likewise, it includes some of the many challenges to democracy--including political apathy and fake news. There are also excellent resources on civic education & information about checking your bias when it comes to your political leaning, & how to approach that in a more neutral way.

Being new to Better World Info's Database, I did some digging around to learn more about this website. The Better World Info FAQ page had a lot of information! With their tagline of "A unique resource & powerful tool for people who want to make this world a better place," their mission is to provide neutral, unbiased, quality & carefully-curated links while not being paid by contributors. This keeps the links non-partial, non-partisan, not prejudicial, and not religiously affiliated. Along those lines, they are purposely free from advertisers and data mining. They want to be sources to be fact based, providing a "one-stop-shop" experience. Created by a German physician with a multitude of international volunteers and teammates, the authors have listed the most important and current lists top of the list per subject. Their mission is to help people think critically by way of providing fact-based, reliable information. All of this is not always a Google search, a social medial post, or a Wikipedia page away. The website is named to center around their vision of a "better world!" Their plan is to unite through information, not polarize into a filtered silo based on algorithms. 

Additionally, I like this quote in their final FAQ:

"By supporting Better World Info you are supporting truth, honesty, freedom, liberty, kindness, compassion, tolerance, and positivity."

image of Day of Democracy from https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/why-is-september-15-observed-as-international-day-of-democracy-history-and-significance-5952997.html, Rigoberta Menchu Tum from https://www.facebook.com/venicepeaceproject/posts/pfbid036KNveq2JY7FjzPZbshA33iY5HyjJPShM6DXfTpGu9yYHEz5qDkZn4EhzdZeXLs6dl, George Washington quote from https://steemit.com/quote/@kephawalks/quote-of-the-day-president-george-washington-if-freedom-of-speech, Better World Info screenshot from https://www.betterworld.info/

Old Maps Online

I'm always a fan of a great edtech tool--especially at the start of the school year, and especially when it is a tool you can use multiple times throughout the year. 

Richard Byrne, formerly of Free Technology for Teachers (he sold it to Teachermade when he traded his teacher hat for that of law student last fall) created this video on A Cool Historical Maps and Timeline Combination. In it, he describes how Old Maps Online works. 

This website could be the perfect pairing for tons of social studies and history units ahead this year! One of my favorite parts is the ability to zoom in and out, anywhere in the world over a multitude of times in history! Great way to find the pairing of space and place.

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zyDrFeTijM, image from https://www.oldmapsonline.org/en/project

The Art & Science of Going Barefoot

One of my favorites on Instagram to follow is @aesthetic_logophile. The posts are always a pairing of a beautiful scene with an unusual word defined. It's a wonderfully lovely way to pair words and nature, two of my favorite things. 

One I recently came across was "nelipot"--a word I was not at all familiar with (which is the frequent point of this Instagram page and posts).

Having recently come back from the beach, where toes in the sand are a must, it's no surprise it spoke to me. Maybe too because it's Labor Day Weekend, and the last hurrah of summer. The barefoot days of summer (which are dwindling a bit faster each day) just sing of freedom, comfort, and a state of greater relaxation. But I think it also stayed with me because I like to live life barefoot most of the time. I'd work barefoot if I could get away with it!

There's a science behind this, called "grounding" or "earthing." As both names imply, it is all about getting energy from the earth through physically connecting with the Earth via touch. Typically this is done through bare feet, but it also could come via sitting on the ground and placing your hands on the Earth as well. 

Historically as people on this planet, we were more in touch (literally) with the land. Thinking back to the hunters and gatherers, then later the planters, we used to have more direct contact with the soil, the ground, the earth. Yet we all now have become inside people--complete with all the digital distractions that come with it. Further illustrating our collective Nature Deficit Disorder. 

Research has found that by being in contact with Earth's electrons (and unplugging from your indoor, digital environment), you can get benefits including natural antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, lead to better sleep, lower stress and anxiety levels, & improve blood flow and healing. Furthermore, according to WebMD, a 2020 report indicated the health benefits of grounding to "counteract cardiovascular, respiratory, neurodegenerative, and auto-immune conditions, type 2 diabetes, and cancer." All those benefits? Definitely worth a try!

Thinking about it, it's another part of the full sensation of Vitamin N: Nature in that it is another way to engage all your senses in nature. Sights, smells, and sounds are common connections we think of when we think about the benefits of nature. Additionally, we often think of the Vitamin D we get from the sun; but, we often don't think of how energy can come below us. Ironically, according to WebMD, grounding sometimes is called Vitamin G, which adds to our alphabet soup of eco-vitamins!

There also is a whole level of products you can purchase to bring some of that grounding (and its benefits) indoors, but I like getting Earth's energy from the source--being barefoot outdoors and the beauty of the nelipot concept.

I've written about grounding twice before:

• Barefoot Badminton & Exploring the Idea of Earthing (May 28, 2016)
  
• Footloose & Fancy Free--Sans Shoes (July 3, 2019)
  

So next time you've had a stressful day of work (or maybe even this Labor Day weekend), maybe what you really need is to kick off your shoes and stretch your toes in some backyard grass or some beachy sand, soak energy from beneath your feet while maybe even the sun from above. It literally may make you feel more grounded!

Nelipot photo from https://www.instagram.com/aesthetic_logophile/?hl=en, Grounding/Earthing facts from https://www.webmd.com/balance/grounding-benefits, Health benefits image from https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/consciousness/studies-show-what-happens-to-the-human-body-when-we-walk-barefoot-on-earth-1

Heading Back to School: 2024-2025

There are certain traditions that teachers have during Back to School season. In the past, mine (along with probably millions of other teachers) have always included: 

• shopping for new markers, 
• setting up a fresh planbook, 
• perking up the place with new bulletin boards, 
• readying the classroom for the upcoming year, 
• soaking up all that summer energy I've gained to get back on track for the next 9-10 months ahead with the new crop of students.

One of my GTG traditions also is to be a little reflective while simultaneously trying to sink into that inspirational space for anyone who might be in my same place. Adjusting to that transitional overlap between letting go of the sweet taste of summer in order to settle into the career I chose and love. 

Case and point, Exhibits A-H:  2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2020 - 2019 - 2018 - 2016 - 2015

Given all of that, back to school season can be a little bittersweet for us teachers! Our days of sleeping in are over, along with the relaxed schedules with our own friends and family, reading books, enjoying pool time-naptime-vacation time, sharpening our skills with our own personal development (school or otherwise), recovering from the previous year and resting up for the next. It was a pretty good gig. 

But the days bring us closer to that back to school business. Students and teachers alike have that summer underway, but not every summer is idyllic as the prior paragraph. 

• Sometimes summers can be bumpy with personal situations (whether circumstantial, health, aging, and otherwise for both ourselves, our kids, our parents, and our friends). 
• Some teachers (due to teacher salaries, affordability, and cost of living) have worked all summer to supplement their income. 
• Sometimes there's continuing education classes necessary to keep up teaching credentials and more. 
• Some people also just respond better to life with the consistency of routines in place--sometimes a blessing and a curse of summer when they are absent. 
• Sometimes you get hit hard by the whiplash of not much going on in the summer that harshly contrasts the start of the school year's "exploded calendar syndrome." This really hit hard when my own kids entered high school and I had sports practices, school meetings, social events, and a myriad of everything else in between hitting the calendar in a majorly overwhelming way!
• Not every kid went to amazing camps or on stellar vacations (if any at all). 
• Not all homes are the safest of places. 
• Sometimes it's daunting to come back. I remember my 2nd year of teaching once I'd had kids. Although I was a seasoned teacher, I also now was becoming a seasoned working mom, and it particularly stung that year because I knew full well how hard BOTH jobs were!

All proving the complications of the back to school season. One person's perfect icebreaker may be another person's nightmare question. 

Whether your motivation is in mint condition or still a little on the shaky side going into this next school year, here are some articles that may speak to you one way or another as you are readying yourself for this new year and fresh start ahead.

• Teaching in Blue Jean's "5 Words of Encouragement for Teachers"
• Really good reminders on any hard day of teaching. They are destined to bring you back a little closer to center.

• Engaging Their Minds post by Terri Eichholz "Back to School Inspirational Videos for Teachers"
• Be sure to check out her links to her Pinterest board and also her Wakelet links to catch these videos after reading her article.

• ThoughCo's "7 Back to School Tips for Teachers"
• Good ideas for creating the tone you want for the beginning of the year.

• DISC Insight's "Back to School Motivation for Teachers" 
• This is a post advertising some of DISC Insight's products, but the main points are clear without the products.

One of the biggest things I've read lately was in reference to something else completely, but I feel it holds here to the beginning of the school year--for teachers, parents, and students alike. The biggest (and maybe hardest in this social media oriented world in which we live) is "You Be You." What does that mean?

• 
  Take things at your pace. 
• Do what works for you. 
• Resist the urge to compare to your next door neighbor--whether that's the house next door or the teacher buddy's classroom next door. 
• There are a lot of ways to navigate transitions.
• Ff you are gung ho & gangbusters and all in with energy--super. But it's okay if you are a more filled with trepidation and traveling on tiptoes. 

That level of authenticity will help you find your groove. And once you do, you will soar. As will your adventures ahead for this school year!

Images created on canva.com--images created using Canva's magic tools with back to school classroom prompts.

The Top 40 EdTech Teaching Tools

Back "in the old days" when all we had were radios and maybe a tape recorder or even the earliest Walkman, prior to all the new-fangled things like iPods, iPhones, and the like, I was a big fan of Casey Kasem and the "Weekly Top 40."

Ahh, the 1970s & '80s. Those were the days.

At least that's what all came to mind when I ran across these two related articles talking about the Top 40. Not tied to music, but to the top edtech tools used during the previous school year.

Instructure's "EdTech Top 40: A Look at K-12 EdTech Engagement During the 2023-24 School Year"

Looking back at last year, this report analyzes 9000 of the edtech products used last school year by 492,000 educators and 3,500,000 students. In the report, they address the following:

• The State of K-12 Edtech Engagement
• The EdTech Top 40 
• Edtech Rankings By Solution Purpose 
• The Top 5 Learning Management Systems 
• The Top 10 Courseware Platforms 
• The Top 15 Supplemental Platforms 
• The Top 10 Classroom Response & Assessment Tools 
• The Top 10 Study Tools 
• The Top 10 Sites & Resources
• Takeaways and Action Items 
• Methodology 

Here's their top 40 list as screenshot from the report--but the report is definitely worth reading!

If 25 pages is too long to read, here's the Cliff Notes version at District Administration's "EdTech Top 40: It’s All About Unique Tools and Interoperability."    It is the shortened and condensed article summary. 

With either one, it's kind of fun trying to see how much your own finger is on the pulse. How many of the top 40 are you using?

With the new school year having already started for some and on the horizon for others, may the Top 40 serve you well for inspiration for the year ahead!

Images from https://archive.org/details/CaseyKasemWMGNFMAT4041187MadisonWIApril152018Unscoped and "EdTech Top 40" created at canva.com, Top 40 list from page 8: https://www.instructure.com/resources/research-reports/edtech-top-40-look-k-12-edtech-engagement-during-2023-24-school-year

Canva Design School: Teacher Essentials

A new school year is a-coming, fast and furious! Ready or not, here it comes!

Given that factor, it's always good to start the year fresh--fresh in your classroom design and fresh with new skills.

Canva, one of my go-to favorites when it comes to digital design, has a brand new Canva Design School module called "Teacher Essentials." You can really up your game with your presentations, bulletin boards, forms and classroom printables with their 7 lesson design course, made just for teachers. Even better, Canva knows how busy teachers are, so you can work through the lessons and even build in some Canva practice and play time, and bump up your skills in less than an hour.

Check it out here:  Canva Design School: Teacher Essentials.

Also, if you are a teacher and haven't joined Canva for Education, make time to check out my post on that. It opens up a wealth of additional tools in Canva for you--always free for teachers.

And as you are trekking down the rabbit hole of amazing things over at Canva for teachers, be sure to check out this amazing collection of Graphic Organizers for classroom use, designed by Canva creators and curated by the San Antonio Independent School District. Tons of amazing graphic organizers on all of the following, pictured here.

Screenshot from https://www.canva.com/designschool/courses/teacher-essentials/?lesson=boost-creativity-magic-studio and https://www.canva.com/design/DAFMyLVL8e0/VFXNoPFq27ppbHjVlnRYtg/view?website#4:menu