Verizon Innovative Learning HQ

We know about Verizon TV and Internet and Verizon Wireless for phones....but there's more.

Teachers need to be sure to check out Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.

Verizon Innovative Learning HQ is a free, online portal for teachers. There, teachers will find free, standards-aligned lessons and classroom tools centered around innovation. Lesson topics include:

• African American History
• Art History
• Artificial Intelligence
  
• Arts
• Augmented Reality
• Biology
• Design Thinking
• Engineering
• English
• eSports
• Game Design
• Gaming
• Geography 
• History
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Technology
• US History
• Virtual Reality

Additionally, there are professional development resources that help teachers acquire microcredentials on the following topics:

• Digital Collaboration
• Blended Learning
• Coaching
• Learner Variability
• Leadership
• Augmented Reality
• Student Engagement

Login is free and the resources are plenty. You can filter by grade level or topics. You can learn more at these two resources:

• Verizon's Innovative Learning HQ About Page
• Check out an article highlighting a sample Verizon lesson on Emoji creation at We Are Teachers

Video from https://youtu.be/8uv4_769t7E?si=m4hSTiVtyrx8jOeF and logo from https://www.verizon.com/about/news/media-resources/attachment?fid=60f5a056b3aed30fade8a813

Mapping Out Your Quest for Fall Foliage

No matter what your favorite season is, fall is undeniably one of the most colorful seasons. Daily, the colors of the leaves shift and change and bring on the seasonal beauty.

Given it's Fall Foliage Week (annually, beginning the week starting the last Sunday of September), it's a good time to be investigating when it's time to make a trip to go do some color hunting.

Both of these websites have great visuals to highlight how the foliage is predicted to change. They can help you on your quest to center yourself in the middle of the explosion of nature's colors!

• Almanac.com's Fall Foliage Color Map: When Is Peak Foliage--This map marks projected daily changes on the map.

• The Smokey Mountains 2023 Fall Foliage Prediction Map --Here you can slide the marker to jump to see the projected weekly change.

And as an added bonus, I've gotta say, I love The Pioneer Woman's Video "Instagram Captions for Cozy Autumn Vibes." at the start of her Fall Foliage post (which points to the Smokey Mountains map page.) Might get you and your camera geared up to go leaf peeping.

Images from https://www.almanac.com/fall-foliage-color-map-when-peak-foliage and https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/just-for-fun/a45081187/fall-foliage-map-2023/

Fall Equinox

This weekend marks the first day of Fall. The Autumnal Equinox.

Derived from the Latin, "equinox" comes from "aequi" and "nox"... meaning "equal" + "night." Based on the tilt of the Earth's axis in relation to its orbiting around the sun, day and night time are equal. That annual event that only happens twice a year--spring and fall. 

So days in the Northern Hemisphere where I am will be getting cooler, getting shorter, and the leaves will start their colorful change.

You can track the daylight hours here to check out the time of sunrise and sunset here at Time & Date. 

And you can learn more about the science behind the fall equinox here at Space.com.

Images from https://www.facebook.com/Frograces/posts/pfbid0jzPDLiKPTFhcGkQzyBVG2ojqeEGLH9FzmbeYx7XTDPyh3CRxTzNqB6KuhvdaSVbul and graphic organizer is from https://slowoutdoors.substack.com/p/hello-autumn-equinox?fbclid=IwAR0xJUmlJ8w78WslvulMivsr7Hcr3wPjPVSsYvBugO3eabivn3H5d-ZJcro

Rethinking Architecture

Up to now, for the most part, building materials for construction projects come in 4 varieties: concrete, steel, brickwork, and wood. In his February 2023 TED Talk, architect Michael Green suggests a fifth, more sustainable material he calls FIVE. By taking the concept of natures structures plus biotechnology plus computerized structural modeling, there's a much more organic, cost-effective method of building.

To find out more, watch Michael's The Natural Building Blocks of Sustainable Architecture.

Then go check out Michael Green's website to learn more about FIVE and his innovative ideas on sustainable architecture.

Video from https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_the_natural_building_blocks_of_sustainable_architecture?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare & Image from https://nuvomagazine.com/magazine/winter-2021/architect-michael-green

Zero Waste Week

I'm a week late. 

In part, it's because I didn't know that Zero Waste Week was "a thing." 

It is... and it was last week. 

Having begun in 2008 in the United Kingdom, Zero Waste Week was just a UK Zero Waste initiative but is now a global one. This grassroots movement was started by Rachelle Strauss and it is the first full week (including a Monday) of September. This year, it was last week: Sept 4-8, 2023.

From their website:

“ 'Zero Waste' does not have to apply only to individuals who literally produce no waste. Practicing zero waste can simply mean adopting a lifestyle in support of a circular economy that makes the most sustainable use out of our resources."

Shared on the Zero Waste Week website is this short from Sir David Attenborough:

So yes, we may have missed Zero Waste Week by a half dozen days, but perhaps this is in the category of "it's never too late to start." 

What can you do this week to actively reduce your plastic waste to help make this planet a better one?Celebrate every plastic utensil, straw, or take out cup you save along the way

To learn more, check out the following resources:

• Zero Waste Week Resources
• Zero Waste US
• The Educational Resources at Zero Waste International Alliance

And mark your calendar for Zero Waste Week for the next 3 years:

• September 2-6, 2024
• September 1-5, 2025
• September 7-11, 2026

Image from https://www.zerowasteweek.co.uk/about/ and video from https://youtu.be/aTcMPy6L88E?si=UmWnbbBv_iJ2XXkJ

Grist's 50 Fixers for 2023

Grist has annually been creating a list of the 50 top movers and shakers in the environmental realm and climate leader sphere. It's always a wonderful breath of fresh air to see who they list in their Grist 50!

This year is no different with their 50 leaders falling into these categories:

• Science & Energy (yellow background pics)
• Food & Farming (green background pics)
• Business & Tech (blue background pics)
• Arts & Media (pink background pics)
• Policy & Advocacy (purple background pics)

Let's all applaud and thank them for their change maker attitudes and innovative spirit! Definitely go to Grist & read more about each and every one of them!

Images screenshot from https://grist.org/fix/grist-50/2023/#business

Wastewater Gets Recycled

I've mentioned before how beneficial I find Richard Byrne as an educator's resources. Not only does he amaze me by the vast amount of free edtech information he puts out for all of us tech-centered teachers with his Free Tech For Teachers website but also his Practical EdTech website...all while keeping his own teaching day job, presenting, and raising his own family. He's a rockstar in so many ways!

In Richard's August 17th, 2023 entitled "How Wastewater Gets Recycled," he discussed just that: bringing together both the environmental and edtech sides here at GTG. He describes the new TED-Ed lesson How the Water You Flush Becomes the Water You Drink. In it, viewers learn the difference between grey, yellow, and black water. The video also differentiates between direct potable reuse wastewater and indirect potable reuse water. He also shared that lessons and resources are available at  the TED-Ed website.

For more information about wastewater, what it is, and how it gets recycled, check out these resources:

• Metropolitan's Council: Wastewater Treatment for Kids (where you'll find another cute and informative video for students)
• Project WET's Water Reuse Activity Booklet for upper elementary and middle school aged students
• Aquatech's Wastewater: Our Essential Guide to Wastewater Treatment, Management, & Solutions
• Seametrics' 15 Facts About Water Recycling That You Should Know

Video from https://youtu.be/SYia4zqcE4g, Image from https://www.aquatechtrade.com/news/wastewater/wastewater-essential-guide

Happy Labor Day Weekend

For many of us we are just newly back to school, or maybe starting right after Labor Day. Given that, for many it's our first 3 Day weekend in a while. 3 whole days, 72 hours--what, oh what, to do! 

Here are some ideas, inspired by the WeWork article Eight ways to make the most of your three-day weekend.

Art created at Canva.com using ideas from https://www.wework.com/ideas/professional-development/8-ways-to-maximize-your-three-day-weekend