Spooky Season is Here! Make It Interactive

Ahh, the Spooky Season approach-eth! Time for ghosts, goblins, and ghouls to appear during this pumpkin carving, costume donning, trick-or-treating time of the year. 

In taking advantage of the season and the needs of my 4th grade teachers and their classes, I concocted these two seasonal interactives using Canva Code. Starting with simple prompts (and about 2 dozen revisions, modifications, and versions later), I made these two 4th grade-friendly Halloween activities centered around nouns, verbs, and adjectives! Fun fun for everyone!

Here's how my first interactive started in Canva Code:

Create an interactive game for 4th graders to help them learn and identify nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Include front matter to instruct the difference between the parts of speech. Do not use helping verbs, but do include verbs in present and past form. Include common versus proper nouns. Identify the difference between the two of these in the instructional front matter.  Have the sentences focused around kid-friendly fun Halloween sentences when the student must identify the part of the speech within the sentence. Create 20 sentences to provide opportunity for them to learn. Put each sentence on its own slide so that the game presents in a slide deck. Provide feedback if students make a mistake so that it is both self grading and a learning tool. Add graphics that fit the sentence.

From there, my directives helped tweak the activity and double the questions. Then, it inspired a secondary activity along the lines of magnetic poetry. Feel free to play or share with your students!

Halloween Parts of Speech Interactive Game for 4th Graders by Dabrowka, Ms. Vicki

Halloween Magnetic Poetry Game: Nouns, Verbs & Adjectives for 4th Grade by Dabrowka, Ms. Vicki

Image created at Canva.com; Interactives created using Canva Coding & found here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG1rf-ggmM/4aUtUZrydJDlTfcFZdbn0g/edit?utm_content=DAG1rf-ggmM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton and https://www.canva.com/design/DAG1rqGMrrM/GGcja46E7fit5uYufcaEfA/edit?utm_content=DAG1rqGMrrM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Fashion's Footprint

Fashion, particularly "fast fashion" (you know the stuff--the cheap and easy quickie clothing purchases at the department or box stores) has a significant footprint when it comes to global impact, manufacturing, resources, synthetic fibers, microplastics, carbon footprint, and more. 

I landed on this graphic from 1 Million Women's Facebook page which details what makes up our clothing. The numbers are striking, and it may make you rethink your wardrobe, where your purchasing dollars are going, and if you truly need that next new "flavor of the month" outfit (which may really only be an impulse buy). Also, worth consideration as you are planning your Halloween costume!!

As I was reading their post, 1 Million Women mentioned their source for the image as Fashion Revolution. A few clicks let me to both their Facebook page and their website.

Fashion Revolution is an organization that began in 2013 by people in the fashion industry who are sustainably-minded, valuing "people over growth and profit." Knowing that human and environmental exploitation can be a part of the fast fashion industry, their aim is to create safe and humane working condition on the supply side, conserving resources & moving away from a throw-away mentality on the environmental side, and living wages for the workers on the economic side. 

Here is a video from their website. Additionally, they have loads of resources there where you can learn more.

Image from https://www.facebook.com/1MillionWomen/posts/pfbid023aLQXZvyfa5dhtjuMUrjCunZrkHWLk9gTT4fejR1oK6rvUaD8BoAQ2rsTjujKJxHl, Video from https://www.fashionrevolution.org/fashion-transparency-index/

Still Thinking About Jane & Her "Famous Last Words"

I'm still thinking about Jane Goodall, here well over a week since her passing. I ran across this art from Eco With Em's Facebook Page and it felt powerful in this day and age. I'm already missing Jane's courage of her convictions and the fight backed by hope that she always led with.

If you like Eco with Em's style, check out Emily Ehler's website and her book: Hope is a Verb: 6 Steps to Radical Optimism when the World Seems Broken.  I wrote about this book my February 9, 2022 post A Trio of Messengers of Hope. This post also includes mention of Dr. Jane Goodall's book: The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide For Trying Times.

Also timely, last weekend, Netflix released their first episode of "Famous Last Words," a show concept where many famous people are interviewed individually, with the conversations kept under wraps until the event of their passing, at which point Netflix will air the interview postumously and as a celebration of the life of a cultural icon. Their first episode: Dr. Jane Goodall. Conceptually, this program stems from a similarly named show in Denmark “Det Sidste Ord” (“The Last Word”), created by Mikael Bertelsen.

For more on Netflix's first episode from Variety Magazine, click here. To watch the 55 minute documentary "Famous Last Words: Dr. Jane Goodall," check it out on Netflix. Watch this two minute trailer--which will leave you wanting more for sure! 

I found myself wanting for a world where there was more time for this amazing, compassionate, wise, optimistic, wonderful woman.

Image from:  https://www.facebook.com/ecowithem/posts/pfbid0YjqDLzNF5BTA6HpfNMVjjXLtDqiXr2n3RKBrzJoT4P9yi2cxppdeuCEjVhGJT6ksl, Dr. Jane Goodall "Famous Last Words" image and video clip from https://youtu.be/1BZ0je7I90E?si=HT6TdQbL4Iiy5ha4

Saying Goodbye to Dr. Jane Goodall

As a person who has curated their Facebook to have a plethora of environmental education sites, I feel like every other post I am seeing since Wednesday is paying tribute to the amazing Dr. Jane Goodall. A brilliant woman ahead of her time, a primatologist, conservationalist, environmentalist, and global advocate for the planet… Her loss hits hard.

I got the opportunity to meet her at my former “green school” school (Gibson Island Country School) in 2008 at the culmination of our Bay Week. How we managed to secure such an incredible speaker still is beyond me. As luck would have it, her visit was a day—one side or another—from her 74th birthday. 17 yrs ago. Jane Goodall and her sense of environmental hope have been a guiding light in my life. Upon news of her death on Wednesday almost all folks in my house (including my children) were like “noooooooo!” Jane Goodall most certainly is a global treasure whose expertise, guidance, and wisdom will be missed.  We thank you Dr. Goodall for your service.

Here are the 10 articles I have written about Jane Goodall here in GTG over the years, detailing her books, her philosophy, her grace, her wisdom, and her role as a leader. May we all be more like her in our pursuit for the betterment of our planet and society.

• Happy 91st Birthday, Dr. Jane Goodall  (Apr. 5, 2025)
  
• Presidential Medals of Freedom  (Jan. 15, 2025)
• Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion  (Apr. 24, 2024)
  
• A Trio of Messengers of Hope  (Feb. 9, 2022)
  
• Women's History Month, Environmental Style  (Mar. 24, 2021)
  
• 60 Seconds with Jane Goodall  (May 16, 2020)
  
• 3 Decades of Time, On Either Side  (Oct. 9, 2019)
  
• Jimmy & Jane (Fallon & Goodall, That is!)  (Sept. 23, 2017)
  
• The Love of Books... And Jane Goodall  (Aug. 29, 2015)
• Happy 80th Bday Jane Goodall!!  (Apr. 2, 2014)
  

Jane Goodall duo pic from https://deadline.com/2025/10/jane-goodall-dead-1236567674/; Collage created using Pic Collage and my photos.

The Symbiosis of Agrivoltaics

Today's post is brought to you by Environmental Math. Why? Because there's a high usage of "+" and "=" ahead to land on environmental science.

Here's the breakdown:

• Agrivoltaics = “agriculture” + “photovoltaics” = where the same land is used for both agricultural reasons and solar energy

• Photovoltaics = solar powered technology

• Symbiosis = an interactive relationship between 2 species (typically, but not always beneficial to both)  
• Examples:
• Bees and flowers = pollination + nectar
• Clownfish and sea anemones = protection + cleaning
• Oxpeckers birds and large mammals (ex: rhinos & zebras) = tick and parasite eating + tick and parasite removal 
• Acacia trees and ants = tree thorns protect the tree + provide shelter/feed the ants
  

• Mutualism = A form of symbiosis where 2 species benefit off each other

Given all of the above, here's this math:

Agrivoltaics = symbiosis = win + win

This image is a great example of the win, win of the symbiotic relationship between humans, land, and livestock:

Check out how the land is being used in a multitude of ways: grazing grass, growing crops, housing solar panels for generating energy which, in turn, have the panels creating shade for the animals. 

Additionally...

• The shade can also reduce water loss from the land. This, in turn, helps grow and support plants (the food source for animals) while simultaneously creating less need for irrigation.
• Overall soil moisture helps increase biodiversity on the land. 
• As the sheep, goats, cows, etc graze the land, the grass is kept trimmed, reducing the need to mow.

It showcases a sharing of the land versus a competition on how to use the land. It provides a man-made version of symbiosis and mutualism. It's teamwork at its finest. Win, win, win!

Playing around with my new best friend, Canva Code, I created this upper elementary/middle school level interactive which can further help the concepts of agrivoltaics sink in. To go directly to the site to see it screen-sized or to link to it in your own classroom, click here.

Teaching Agrivoltaics and Natural Symbiosis by Vicki Dabrowka, created using Canva Code.

Eager to learn more about agrivoltaics? Here are some excellent resources:

• University of Illinois' ‘My Agrivoltaic Farm’ Game: Learning, Fun, and Sustainability — All in One or download My Agrivoltaic Farm from either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store to play a simulation game foccused on "the interaction between crops and solar panels, supporeted by the scientific research" from the U of  I to "discover how sustainable agriculture and renewable energy can work together to create a greener future."  

• Learn more at NREL's "Lighting the Way for Agrivoltaics: How NREL Empowers Communities To Capture the Benefits of Solar Energy, Agriculture, and Ecosystems" (NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for energy systems.)

• Check out Agrovoltaics 101 from the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center. 

Images from Sesame Street Meme created at https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/386226374/Today-brought-to-you-by, https://www.nrel.gov/news/detail/program/2024/clean-energy-to-communities-agrivoltaics-101-resources-provide-a-guide-toward-implementation, Interactive created Using Canva Code: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGtbRufnz0/_issmFJHlqeFlQnyj4Wikg/view?utm_content=DAGtbRufnz0&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=embeds&utm_source=link

Outdoor Groups Supporting & Celebrating Diversity

I am a firm believer of "representation matters." 

I ran across this Field Mag article on the Children & Nature Facebook page, and felt it was the perfect follow up to my pride Month post: "Pride Month: Out In the Wild." In the article, aptly named "28 LGBTQ+ Outdoor Groups Supporting & Celebrating Diversity in Nature," you get the location, mission, structure, Instagram page, and a donation link to 28 LGBTQ+ friendly organizations. The list is divided into both national organizations and regional groups.

Additionally, from Children & Nature's "LGBTQIA+ Youth & The Importance of Safe, Outdoor Spaces Stat Sheet" (see the side bar on this page), these statistics further emphasize why both representation and finding affinity groups is important: 

• 5% US high school teens are questioning their gender identity.
• 9.5% US teens (aged 13-17) identify as gay, bisexual, or transgender
• LGBTQ+ teens are twice as likely to feel sad, depressed, or a sense of hopelessness than their straight peers.
• 52% people aged 14-24 identified spending time in nature as improving their sense of calm and overal mental health.
• Suicide attempts are 2.5 times higher among LGBTQ+ teens who do NOT feel they are respected for their identity and pronouns than their LGBTQ peers who are.

So what are you into? Hiking? Camping? Adventure trips? Surfing? Snowboarding? Skateboarding? Climbing? Outdoor education? Communing with nature? Connection with a view? Community with a social justice slant? Environmental stewardship? If you are in LGBTQ+ and in need of finding "your people," definitely check out Field Mag's article "28 LGBTQ+ Outdoor Groups Supporting & Celebrating Diversity in Nature." 

Honoring & supporting pride should not be merely one month!

Image from https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/lgbtq-outdoor-groups-nonprofits

Plastic-Eating Microbes to the Rescue!

Not all heroes wear capes... nor are they all "larger than life." 

They may in fact be microscopic... and they maybe bit-sized bacteria. Bioengineered to eat their way through problems, these mini-sized superheroes are environmental problem solvers.... designed to digest plastic waste!

In an innovative twist, there is a growing field of science dedicated to the microscopic solution to a major problem: plastic pollution. Scientists are working to "genetically train" minuscule bacteria (called microbes) to break down PET plastic, which is the plastic used in soda bottles, clam-shell style plastic food containers, and synthetic fibered fabrics. 

Yes, it sounds more like science-fiction than science. 

But it is not new, and dates back to over two decades:

• In 2001, Japanese scientists led by Kohei Oda discovered a collection of bacteria at a garbage area that were degrading plastic. "Eating" it, if you will. As they consumed this plastic trash, it led to the bacteria to grow and multiply. 
• Scientific research over time led to the 2016 discovery by Kohei Oda and Kazumi Hiraga that the microbe Ideonella sakaiensis' enzymes could break down PET plastic. This in turn served as energy for the microbes.

Working in labs through research like this, scientists have discovered that they could help fast-track this process through genetic engineering. This "superpower" of science, combined with technology, helps speed up the process, helping to power through the plastic pollution problem. Of course, "speeding up" is all relative as it is currently still a rather slow process.

There's a name for this: biorecycling. It also could potentially help turn the plastic waste into new products, which ultimately saves resources down the line. Biorecycling is an emerging and growing field, so it not an overnight solution, Yet, it does open up possibilities of cleaning up oil spills, eliminating microplastics from water sources, and helping tackle hard-to-recycle materials. Additionally, with it being a new-technology, there are a lot of unknowns. Last thing anyone wants is for a solution to create new problems. Especially environmentally. (We've all seen the damage invasive species can do. Take Kudzu, Spotted Lanternflies, and Asian Carp for example.)

But it's hopeful to see a shift in the idea of "waste" as an end product. Rather than a dead end, it shifts to a "circular economy" model, transforming an item into something new rather than ending it in waste and pollution. Kind of nice to have a clean up crew of nature's tiny microbes!

Check out the clickable interactive below to learn more about how microbes can eat their way to our environmental solutions. I like the idea of having a shrinky-dink-sized clean up crew of nature's superheroes!

Click here for a screen-sized version of Microbes and How Microbes Eat Waste Digestion: Evolution and Engineering Concepts by Vicki Dabrowka

To do a deep dive into a some of the scientific research, check out these articles:

• Guardian's ‘We Are Just Getting Started’: The Plastic-Eating Bacteria That Could Change the World (9/23/2023)
• Eco-bees' Engineered Microorganisms (2025)
• University of Edinburgh's Microbes Transform Plastic Waste Into Paracetamol (6/23/2025)
• Nature Biotechnology's Plastic-Eating Bacteria Boost Growing Business of Bioremediation (9/23/2024)

Image created at Canva.com using the Magic Media tools; Interactive created in Canva.com using Canva Coding on June 23, 2025 with the following prompt: "Create an interactive HTML concept map showing how microbes evolved or were engineered to "digest" waste at a 5th grade reading level.Let students click each part of the images to reveal a short explanation." Circular vs linear economy image from https://www.facebook.com/storyofstuff/posts/pfbid0Gk9nmV5yx7vqS7jATiTxoL3arLuJo1aq7pBnPWZSdvggdUcqcwyHSWs8VQwG183Fl

Animal Habitats Matching Game

Canva is my go-to place for making all things beautiful: presentations, class signs, image creation, graphic organizers, and more. I've written about it time and again.

With the influx of AI and the integration of AI tools in so many educational platforms over the last two years, Canva has done a great job of keeping pace. They've added to their "magic tools" in many ways, and it has been fun exploring them--especially the Canva Code--to see what potential they have. It's been a good way to learn along the way how to make tools that could be useful in the classroom. (See these posts for other interactives I've created this summer using Canva Coding: Independence Day & The Declaration of Interdependence and Plastic Eating Microbes to the Rescue one.)

This Animal Habitats Matching game is my latest adventure. Geared to the 4th or 5th grade level, this game was created using their "Canva Coding" tool. It started with the prompt: "Design an interactive matching game for 4th or 5th graders about animal habitats, with images of animals and their natural environments. Provide immediate feedback for correct and incorrect answers." Of course, it took a lot of tweaking, at least 6 versions, and hundreds of line of code for this game to pop out. I'm pleased with the outcome! The beauty of this drag-and-drop game is that it does all of the following:

• teaches animal habitats in a hands-on, interactive fashion;
• provides instant feedback for both correct and incorrect answers--while also keeping score of correct matches and attempts;
• provides hints when needed and positive reinforcement for learning;
• saves teachers time in creation of materials.

Make sure to take time to play. To see a larger version for an easier play, click here.

Animal Habitats Matching Game Design by Vicki Dabrowka, using Canva.com's Canva Code element.

Image from https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/canva-create-2025-canva-code/

Rick Steves Classroom

I ran across this gem on Rick Steves' Facebook Page. 

Seeing it, I knew it was something I needed to check out.

The Rick Steves Classroom Europe is a free library that has over 400 video clips, arranged by themes (over 30!), historical eras (8), countries, his television program, and art. But the best place for newbies to start is at their upper right hand links of FAQ and Playlists. At FAQ's you'll get an overview of Rick's intention, including a short "how to" video of how to maximize your experience in this portal. At Playlists, you can search pre-created public playlists (listed by title/topic with some listing the grade levels they work best for) or log in to save your own playlists.

What a wonderful resource to bring the travel, experience, and knowledge of Rick Steves to your classroom... the perfect "apple for the teacher" during back to school season!

Facebook post from https://www.facebook.com/ricksteves/posts/pfbid02K9rNDzqW3RZR9dWBHR7NtgDGyV3RytFnU9WMUucracExdhfD6gNZqADFg1kucfzZl, photo from https://classroom.ricksteves.com/introduction

YouTube: A Teacher's Best Friend

As an educator, I'm always looking for go-to resources. I happened on this graphic about the bounty of teaching channels on YouTube at Educators Technology the other day. (Educators Technology is a resource in and of itself. I wrote about it in early June. I learn something from their Facebook page almost every day!) 

I love how this infographic divides the channels by subject area. Likewise, I love how many of my tried and true favorites are listed, which makes this a super one-stop-shopping teacher resource! Just in time for back-to-school! 

Click to enlarge or print.

Graphic from https://www.facebook.com/Edtechandmobilelearning/posts/pfbid0HFK1ybboprxHkdppMnVqoGn6X2wunxJ4qjqfAHfUxfECJHeGJpf21UrGn5K9WpD9l

New Year, New Mindset: A Garden of Ideas

Summer always feels like an invitation to breathe differently. It's a good respite after 10 long months of teaching. It's a time and space to create life differently, reset, and refresh.

This time of year, teachers everywhere are doing what I am: reflecting on their summer, readying for the racetrack ahead. We all are taking in how the summer went, making mental notes of how we want to shape the school year ahead.

So, looking back: did I dabble in some back to school techno-babble, digging into the world of AI, lesson planning, sharpening skills through some professional development over summer? Of course I did... because that's what we teachers do. We grow our skills. 

But I'm happy to say it certainly wasn't a summer of "all work and no play." I made plenty of time for reading, pool-lounging, sleeping in, running around with my family, working out, road-tripping, appreciating my husband's gardening and the fruits his labor (or rather: vegetables), and more. 3 cheers for sun & fun, and R & R!

Stepping away from structure and slipping into the slower side of summer definitely includes travel, as I mentioned last week. Travel is the ultimate teacher:

• In Quebec City, I could see the connectedness of both history and people as I stood in this fortified city, gazing upon centuries-old walls that were originally designed to protect, but now serving as an embrace of the many who gather in this multicultural city. 

• In Montreal, I stood amongst the 1976 Olympic Park, now reimagined & "repurposed" through innovation to bring joy to visitors by way of the Biodome and surrounding sights that are now a concert stadium, a pool, a planetarium, and more. The same could be said of my experience at Bota Bota Day Spa, a former ferry boat turned health and wellness oasis.

• In the Midwest, I drove stretches of highway from Chicago to the center of the state to reunite with family... much in the same way I walked stretches of beach in Ocean City, Maryland. This opened time and space to think about pace: in life, in the moment, and even ultimately thinking forward to this fall's school year and how I want to run my classes.

The destinations changed, but the throughline stayed the same: 

Connection. Curiosity. Perspective.

These 3 guiding principles are the same things I want to bring back with me to the upcoming school year and to my classroom. 

Teaching, like traveling, is not about the destination, but rather the journey. It's about what grows and happens in between. It's what we take in when we slow down and let the unexpected shape us. Teaching too is like gardening. It is the roots that anchor everything down. They support the growth and harvest ahead.

Connection, curiosity, and perspective do all of this.

Before the first school bell rings, here are some nature-centric points to ponder while putting up bulletin boards, unpacking boxes, and setting up shop. Plant these questions like seeds in your mind. Growth comes from steady care and the courage to nurture what matters. 

🌱 How can I "grow forward" this school year ahead?

🌱 What connections can I make (to both people, students, and ideas)?

🌱 Where can I grow in my curiosity and shift my perspective?

🌱 How can I innovate and create when needed, shooting and rooting for potential not perfection?

🌱 How can I remind myself that "letting go" is part of growth: letting go of expectations, self limitations, fear of failure, control (always a hard one), the past and "how things have always been done." One thing I’m letting go of this year… 

🌱 How can I make it a year to stretch, branch, and bloom....as a person, as a teacher, as a global citizen in a partisan world, as an educator navigating this ever-expanding edtech world?

🌱 How can I teach smarter not harder, always aligning with these values?

🌱 This year, I want to feel more ______ in my teaching.

🌱 A student strength I want to notice (or encourage) more this year… 

🌱 A space in my classroom I want to reimagine or make more alive… 

🌱 One edtech tool I’m excited to try (or try differently)… 

🌱 One way I’ll bring more nature, climate awareness, or global acceptance into my classroom…

Images created at Canva.com

Unpacked: Summer's Travel Souvenirs

This summer I've been very fortunate. I've been able to see....

• The beach & waves of the Atlantic Ocean
• The small towns and coastal sights of the Eastern Shore of Maryland
• The mountains and quaint towns of New England
• The traffic of New York City and the New Jersey Turnpike via rental car
• The majesty of Canada's Montmorency Falls while hiking about
• The skyline of Old Montreal from the top of the La Grande Roue de Montréal (ferris wheel)
• The view of historic Vieux-Québec City & across-the-river Lévis by ferry, funicular, and foot 
• The quaint homes and busy life of DC's Dupont Circle neighborhood
• The Chicago skyline from the air, flying into Midway airport
• The flat farmlands of the Midwest prairie 

It's been a summer of planes, (metro)trains, and automobiles...not to mention ferries, boats, bikes, funiculars, foot traffic, Ubers, and pool floaties. I've been fortunate to have a teacher "summer off" of a variety of long and short trips, getting the opportunity to see a lot of unique sights and eat some amazing food along the way. I also got to try out my fr'anglais in Canada--which even after 4.5 years of high school and college French, it was not pretty. 

I'm finding in my reflection that my summer travel souvenirs tie in both with the richness of our trip to Spain over spring break and my recent read: Rick Steves' book Travel as a Political Act. The benefits from travel go on and on: it gets you out of your comfort zone, allows for greater understanding of the world, provides opportunities to interact with locals and embrace different cultures, changes your perspective, challenges preconceived ideas, gets you out of your routine, and gives you new insights to yourself while you see all these places out of the ordinary. I especially love that it shows you how many people and how many unique places are out there in this great big world. Feeling small on a big planet every now and then is a very good thing. 

There's still some summer ahead. Likewise, fall, winter, and spring. The beauty of travel is that it isn't season specific, and there's no time limit. Where it's out in nature or a version of (what I call) "urban hiking," you can go near or far, be extravagent or go on the cheap, and experience something new. Go find somewhere new to explore!

Images from https://www.adventureinyou.com/travel-inspiration/best-travel-quotes/ and my own camera compiled at https://www.canva.com/design/DAGuwRFlXdk/spkLrRbLBRagSQIXgO4mNw/view

Coral In Crisis

Right now, coral reefs across the globe are undergoing the most severe bleaching event in recorded history. Warming oceans are to blame for pushing our already fragile corals to their limits. As the warming occurs, so does the bleaching: a loss of color, life, and balance to our ecosystems. 

Here are three tools to build your toolkit to help you learn more about coral in crisis:

1. Real-Time Coral Bleaching Tools

You don’t need to be a marine biologist to witness what’s happening. Use these free, open-source platforms to explore reef health and bleaching alerts across the planet. By zooming in and tracing lines on these mapping tools, you can explore the reefs to get a bigger picture on what is happening with coral communities.

• Allen Coral Atlas--this website tracks real-time satellite data on bleaching risk, reef habitat, and human stressors.

• NOAA Coral Reef Watch--this website shows weekly heat stress maps, temperature anomalies, and historical comparisons.

Want to take your coral curiosity further? Become a Citizen Scientist by using one of the following platforms to contribute live data:

• Reef Check – Participate in global reef monitoring efforts.

• iNaturalist – Record marine species sightings, tag reef health, and connect with a global community of observers.

• Marine Debris Tracker – Document plastic waste near coastal and reef areas.

2. Read Up on the Topic

Here are some good articles to show the concern, brought about by climate change.

• NBC News' article: 84% of the World’s Coral Reefs Hit by Worst Bleaching Event on Record
  
• The Guardian's article: ‘Catastrophic’: Great Barrier Reef hit by its most widespread coral bleaching, study finds
• Scientific American's article: Coral Crisis: Great Barrier Reef Bleaching Is "The Worst We've Ever Seen"

3. Play Coral Reef Jeopardy

Gamify your knowledge base with this coral-oriented Jeopardy-style game on Factile.com to learn more.

To go to a larger screen version, click here.

Explore more at Playfactile.
Jeopardy-style game, created by me at factile.com: https://www.playfactile.com/jeopardy-game/mcce2bax7w, Image from https://ejfoundation.org/news-media/corals-and-communities-ejf-report-highlights-devastating-impacts-of-climate-crisis-on-reefs

Easy Actions You Can Do To Tend Our Planet

"What can one person do?"

An environmental question for the ages. If you find yourself asking these same questions, here's a compilation I created from the visuals I found on 1 Million Women's Facebook page. Just as titled, they are "10 easy actions you can do to look after the planet this week." Click through to see all the slides.

Easy to do, and necessary to share. 

As you are going into the week ahead, which of the 10 can you do? 

1. Be a flexitarian 
2. Rethink your modes of transportation
3. Chill out your laundry
4. Go LED
5. Take action with your local/national leaders
6. Shop & use less
7. Eat why you buy--fridge-wise
8. Push away plastic
9. Eco-invest when it comes to your banking
10. Come up with your own solutions and share!

10 Easy Actions You Can Do to Look After the Planet this Week by Vicki Dabrowka--Slideshow created on Canva.com using the visual slides created using the social media visuals from the“1 Million Women” Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1MillionWomen/posts/pfbid01T91VUhM715k5WQswHhVHJ7XawfKgSoUdeUZCiJiSXVjEuokxD1G2MEZwApiBfu1l

Wonderful Ways to Embrace the Summer

The heat and humidity are here, and we are knee deep in the middle of summer. I've already mentioned how this is my time to rebalance my equilibrium. I landed on the amazing Facebook page of Ordinary & Happy, where they have created a lot of lists on a myriad of subjects. I found my favorite 10 of their nature-minded, summer-centric, outdoors-oriented lists. These will help anyone who is starting to get into a summer rut by helping you figure out creative ways to beat the heat and embrace the outdoors, living in the moment with the chunk of summer we have left. I interspersed the lists with some classic summer imagry to give digital viewers a little eco-meditation between lists. How many creative ways can you still get outdoors these last 2 months of summer.

Wonderful Ways to Get Outside this Summer by Vicki Dabrowka

Images created at Canva.com, using Canva images and Ordinary & Happy's Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/ordinaryandhappy Presentation link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGrdlXbb1A/ubmcu_vGl5V24clXE88-mg/view?utm_content=DAGrdlXbb1A&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hb8637527c4

Plastic Free July

Stop. 🛑 

Set a timer for 60 seconds. 

Watch that minute count down. 

In that minute (not to mention every other minute), the equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic finds its way into the ocean. With 525,600 minutes in a year, that amounts to over 8 million TONS of plastic pollution created each year. 

But that's just what ends up in our waterways. Compare that to the approximately 400 million metric tons of plastic humans globally produce each year. And of that, 91% is often still not recycled--hard to believe when recycling has been "a thing" for decades. 

Not to mention, a majority of this is single use plastic--used once, then tossed. 

We need to be "once bitten, twice shy" instead! And July is a great time to flip this script. Plastic Free July is the perfect time to ditch disposables, rethink packaging, and demonstrate that "plastic is not fantastic." 

Small behavior shifts can make a a difference in our consumption, our landfills, & our values. 

Grab your stainless steel straw, your reusable tumbler, your tote bag of tote bags to make moves to step away from plastic.

Here's an oldie but goodie--It's not me, it's you:

Places to check out:

• Plastic Free July's website:
• To learn, go to their Ideas & solutions 
• For inspiration from others, check out their What Others Do page
• Take their Plastic Free pledge where you can get inspired by their visual gallery of pledge cards
• The Story of Stuff's "Fight Plastic Pollution" page
• Plastic Bank's Facebook page

Videos from https://youtu.be/ByayHG5CscE?si=0WkLH0_YXsmmRhHA and https://youtu.be/-DEc16dEMns?si=SIOjks5X-RLzQHk1, images from https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/resources/assets/ and https://123timer.com/60-second

Independence Day & The Declaration of Interdependence

The summer is clipping along and the 4th of July is here. Our nation's birthday. Next year on this date, it will be our country's 250th anniversary of our country's birth.

Where are you on your Civics education? When was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence, written July 4, 1776? If it's been awhile, you can read it here at the National Archives. 

The 4th of July brings with it all the celebration of a national holiday and a day off of work: parades, pools, barbeques, and fireworks. Bigger than that though, it brings with it the ideas central to our nation: freedom, autonomy, self-determination. 

But, in a world growing more complex by the year with digital advancements, AI, social media, innovation, technological growth, environmental issues, climate change, and more--perhaps we're also on the cusp of needing more. Yes, we're celebrating our independence, but maybe there's also a need to celebrate our interdependence. Ways that we are all connected to each other and our planet, requiring not only life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but perhaps also an approach and vision toward shared responsibility. 

In doing so, we take note on how local actions ripple outwardly to our global community. How our stewardship of the Earth is tied not only to our greater purpose but also our greater connection. A vision toward sustainability and how caring for our shared home will impact everyone with the cleanliness of the water, air, the soil that grows our food, and the energy that powers this planet of ours. 

Knowing and understanding this interdependence is what environmental literacy is all about. 

Maybe this holiday as we are thinking about flags, fireworks, and freedom, maybe its time to think about freedom not about standing alone, but standing together. Maybe its worth create your own Declaration of Interdependence by filling in the blanks below, in the style of the Declaration of Independence's Preamble:

Creating a Personal Declaration of Interdependence by Vicki Dabrowka at Canva.com using Canva Code; Top image created in canva.com

The Environmental Cost of AI

I have been embracing AI and trying out a multitude of platforms: ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, Claude, Google Gemini, Canva's "Magic Media Tools," and more. Increasingly, AI is integrated into existing platforms for teachers, students, everyone. I've used it for planning a trip to Spain, for the scrapbook commentary of my pics from that trip, for recipes, for lesson planning, for photo creation, for revising & summarizing, and  on and on more. Additionally, I'm planning a one-day teacher professional development workshop for one day this summer--so I've been living in it a lot!

Along my research travels, I ran across this infographic from Educators Technology that Med Kharbach, PhD. It describes the environmental impacts of AI. With us all on our computers all the time, we don't think that one more website might have as big of an impact as it does. But clearly, as it shows below, it's not just the website. There's the energy consumptions, carbon footprint, mineral mining & resource depletion, multiple levels of pollution, and transporation costs. It's a lot to consider here while technology's innovation solves many of our problems, it also creates new ones too... all of which highlights the importance of addressing environmental issues and making it a planetary priority!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1092111519614816&set=a.558590699633570

Pride Month: Out In the Wild

June. Pride Month. A time to honor our right to joy, resilience, and a reminder

that we all have the right to be free and to be our own personal selves. 

Nothing in nature asks for permission to grow--nor should we feel like

we have to ask for similar permission.

 

Pride month is a month of identity. It's biodiversity in human form. It's a good time to grapple with deeper questions like: Who gets to feel safe? Who gets to be seen? Who gets to belong? The answer is--we all deserve that right. 

The waving rainbow flags are pretty and the parades and events can be entertaining. But more importantly, they are empowering. Just as the planet needs biodiversity to thrive, so do we as humans. There's no thriving in nature on sameness. We need the richness of diversity to keep our food webs and habitats healthy; in doing so, we keep our plants and animal species from becoming endangered or extinct. Our wild variety is what maintains our environmental resilience. Our communities and cultures, like our ecosystems, are the healthiest and most vibrant when varied and diverse. Skin colors, sexual/gender orientations, religious beliefs, and all the differences in between. 

Nature seemingly is neutral--and yet, that isn't always the reality. Politics have creeped into environmental issues in more ways than one--and with the onset of social media, there's certainly way too much politics.

Additionally, the outdoor world isn't as gender-non-specific as you'd imagine. A lot of the outdoor industry is geared to straight, white males. That can make it hard for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) folks to feel comfortable out in nature. Instead, they can feel more "outsiders" than "out in nature-ers." Outdoor spaces may not always feel safe--both physically and as a place to feel emotionally safe to be out and openly queer. Hate crimes are real, and sadly, LGBTQ+ people are at a higher risk of being victims of these.  People not only deserve safe places, but they want and need to feel included, represented, and like they are a part of a community of like-minded individuals...where they are surrounded by connection versus limitations, segregation, or exclusion.

Along those lines, representation and seeing yourself in certain circumstances matter. People matter. Everyone's uniqueness matters. The right to feel comfortable in spaces where you want to be...they matter. Everyone is entitled to the right to be comfortable in their own skin, living a life that works for them, being treated with kindness and respected for who they are. Outdoors or environmental education affinity groups can help to build a more inclusive outdoors, as can the knowledge, the acceptance, and the intersection of LGBTQ+ pride along with racial or environmental justice and outdoor recreation too.

There’s a growing field of study known as Queer Ecology.  Queer Ecology counters the assumption that nature is rigid or binary. There's a lot of fluidity out there in nature: species that change sex (clownfish and slipper limpets) and same-sex partner paired animals (penguins, bonobos monkeys), and male-birthing seahorses. Imagine if we had that level of openness in our human species and greater communities.

So maybe for the remainder of this Pride Month, now that schools are out and kids, teens, and grown-ups alike are all out and about, playing outside more than before, we can celebrate not only the healthiness of nature's biodiveristy but that of our human kind too. Inviting anyone to climb trees, hike trails, and find their space and place in nature, in a safe way, in a welcoming way, in an everyday way!

For more resources that embrace the intersection of pride, planet, environmental & social justice, check out the following:

• National Forest Foundations' article: These LGBTQIA+ Leaders are Creating Space for Pride Outdoors

• Sierra Club's article:  Out, Proud, & Outdoors: 5 Organizations that Help Members of the Queer Community Experience the Outdoors 

• Pride Outside's resource page: Organizations and Initiatives Connecting the LGBTQ Community and the Outdoors

• National Park Foundation's article: Finding Pride Outside: The LGBTQ Community is Overcoming Barriers, Finding Joy, Sharing History, and Creating Space Outdoors

• Children & Nature's Celebrating Pride Month (which includes links to many resources, organizations, and inspirational stories)

• Muddy Paddle Club's post: Why We Need Pride in Outdoor Learning

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Postscript:

This Pride Month post was already in the works when this past Wednesday's decision came out that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is closing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program, effective July 17, 2025 (30 days after the announcement).

Timing, as they say, is always everything.

Given this, please take note if you or a loved one need these of a crisis lifeline service, the Trevor Project is here for you. The Trevor Project provides advocacy, affirmation, eduation, and crisis support 24/7 for LGBTQ+ youth. Crisis services include:  

• Lifeline—The only national 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ+ young people under age 25, available at 1-866-488-7386.

• Chat—A 24/7 free instant messaging service for LGBTQ+ youth that provides live help from trained counselors, open daily.

• Text—A 24/7 free service through which LGBTQ+ young people can text a trained counselor of The Trevor Project for support and crisis intervention, available daily by texting START to 678678.

• To learn more, go to the Trevor Project's website.

"Biodiversity" image from https://www.muddypuddleclub.co.uk/post/why-we-need-pride-in-outdoor-learning; "Our Minds Matter" from https://ourmindsmatter.org/2022/05/31/lgbtq-minds-matter/, "It's Pride Month" image from https://www.nathab.com/blog/wild-about-pride-the-nature-of-belonging; Trevor Project logo from https://www.thetrevorproject.org/; Pride Month quote picture created at www.canva.com using their Magic Media tools