Stars, Stripes, and Sustainable Strides

July 4th, 2026 marks a memorable day: 

America's 250th birthday. 

We've all seen the snippets coming our way regarding this semiquincentennial birthday & American anniversary: patriotic parades ahead, firework events, festivals & celebrations.... and even down to sales galore at all the stores, with decor red ♥️, white 🤍, and blue 💙, and discount signs everywhere!  

I've been around long enough to lightly remember the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. "Lightly" because I was not quite 7 years old. And now here we are.... 50 years later. 😱 If 50 is a lot, what about 1/4 of a millennium?!

Yes, 250 years is a big deal! 

Imagining back to 1776 and the era of quills, cannons, and candlelight, we've come a long way, baby! Can you imagine our forefathers even trying to fathom televisions, computers or live-streamed shows on smartphones? Then think about all that goes with all of that: from microchips to electricity to Google (or Amazon or Best Buy) to drones to satellites to AI. They wouldn't even be able to wrap their head around a fraction of all that. 

250 years of inventions and innovations have carried us far! A LOT has changed since that very first Independence Day.

Since the very beginning, we have been a nation that "shoots for the stars ⭐️." In 1776, that looked like freedom and the birth of a nation. It was centered around ordinary people breaking free from a king (or other ruler), with the idea of equality and voting for folks to shape their own future. From its inception, democracy has counted on the dynamic balance of the the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the government. 

From there, our country soared by the way of life-changing innovations: railroads and telegraphs, light bulbs and airplanes, radios and televisions, rockets and moon landings, computers and the internet. Each invention launched us into a brighter, shinier future of possibility. 

Much like the stripes on our national flag, with each decade we see the stripes of history and the timeline of change progressing us forward. Advances in agriculture, transportation, energy, production, communication, and more moved us forward in a multitude of ways. 

Not surprisingly, along with these new solutions came some environmental and social issues that needed to be solved. Air/water/land pollution, overcrowded cities, climate challenges, and other issues became the next problems to solve. Yet again, we made strides to solve those new problems. A sweeping stripe of environmental stewardship took place with the first Earth Day in 1970 and other environmental and health protections getting put into practice, policy, and law. We see these layering stripes of progress, advancement, enlightenment, and future success sometimes layered with the dark stripes of history where we aren't always proud of our past choices. This right here is in part the philosophy backing why I became a teacher: we need to learn from our past mistakes in history in order to not repeat it. 

So as we go forward with our democracy, our nation, and all the inevitable inventions and innovations ahead, we need to make sure our future strides are sustainable ones. I tell my students all the time: we are problem solvers. So it is part of our jobs as American citizens, global citizens, digital citizens and decision makers, and future changemakers to factor in forward thinking as we go. Maybe that is in the future of hybrid or electric cars. Perhaps it is in alternative energy such as wind, solar, hydropower, or geothermal. Maybe our throwaway-culture will grab hold of a model more focused around circular design to reuse and reinvest materials. Perhaps communities could be designed with the climate in mind to help create flood-resistant cities and build in protections to help offset our warming planet in areas that are prone to heat-waves and droughts.

I'm a big proponent of small acts making a big impact. As we think about new shining star innovations as we continue to move forward in the stripes of the future, let's factor in those sustainable strides. In doing so, we can truly celebrate the longevity of our history and the distance we have traveled as a nation. Likewise, we can proudly take on an inspiring future. In doing so, it will set the precedent for our kids to watch our country grow stronger each step of the way, where one day they will take on that same challenge as adults! Let's create a fireworks-worthy celebration as we craft the best possible answer to the question: Where do we want our country to be in 50, 100, 250 years from now?

For more information about America's 250th birthday, click the first link above or go to: https://america250.org/

Images from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:America250_flag.svg, 1976 image (A float during the American Bicentennial Grand Parade in Washington, D.C. Photo via National Archives) from https://www.reuters.com/pictures/how-america-celebrated-its-200th-birthday-1976-2026-06-03/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

1776 first 4th graphic created using Perplexity.com and using this prompt: "Create a graphic image of what the 1st 4th of July might have looked like in 1776, showing the simplicity of the times. Include stars in the sky, and make sure to show the flag at the time." American Innovation graphic created using Perplexity.com and the following prompt: "Make an interesting graphic showing the progress of time with these inventions, with stars in a flag blue sky: railroads and telegraphs, light bulbs and airplanes, radios and televisions, rockets and moon landings, computers and the internet." The future "Circle City" graphic created on Perplexity.com using the bulk of the next-to-last paragraph. The Independence Day/4th of July banner created at canva.com

From Freedom to Future: Juneteenth, Father's Day, and the Obama Presidential Center

What do fathers, freedom, financial planners, and forward thinking spaces like Obama's Presidential Center have in common?

They all are tied to this weekend ahead, at least here in our house. Simultaneously, they all point to the same big question: What will we leave behind?

Here at home, my husband and I started the weekend with a Zoom call with our financial planner. This has become a relatively regular occurrence every month or two. Looking at longevity, legacy, and long-term care ultimately has us staring at that “someday” end date. 

We all have one, and no one gets out of this life without landing on one. Of course, we all hope it's later versus sooner. Add in the reality of parenting near-adult kids, and Father’s Day starts to feel a little different too. Aging, watching medical concerns trickle into our friend groups, and quietly wondering how on earth we got here so soon!

Then add in all the news of our first African American President, Barack Obama, unveiling his beautiful Presidential Center. More than a library, this community-centered campus includes outdoor green spaces for learning, playing, organizing, and creating together. It's a place to learn about civic engagement and democracy, serving as a place to honor the stories of those behind us as well as a springboard to build and imagine a future greater than the world in which we live. As I watched the speeches and unveiling, I felt the hope and optimism of building a collectively great place. That for me completely memorializes the power of our 250 years here in America.

It also highlights the vision and importance of Juneteenth, and feels powerful that the Center's opening was on June 18th. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when the last group of enslaved Black people were finally told they were free in Galveston, Texas. This happened more than 2 years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation that put an end to slavery on January 1, 1963. Juneteenth became an official national holiday in 2021. It is seen as the "second Independence Day," celebrating freedom, equality, resilience, and social justice.

This weekend invites us to reflect on legacy in different ways. As we pay tribute to the history of Juneteenth, honor our dads and grandfathers here on Father’s Day, and celebrate the Obama Presidential Center and its focus to the future, we can feel the swirling power of "legacy." It feels living. It feels like a verb. It certainly feels like a hope for what's to come next.

We feel the stories of our own family histories as we celebrate our fathers, the stories of our country's history, and the stories we hope to build going forward. Much like the community gardens that are a part of the Obama Center, legacy is a place to go together. A place to grow together. It is through history and community that we do indeed grow. Perhaps that is the truest meaning of "legacy."

To all who celebrate:

• May Juneteenth be a day of remembrance, history, and renewed commitment to freedom; 
• May your Father’s Day be filled with gratitude, stories, and time together; 
• And may the Obama Presidential Center stand for a vision of hope, serving as an inspiring gathering place to many... keeping us learning, leading, and leaving a better world behind.

Images from https://www.businessbackpacker.com/how-to-build-your-personal-legacy-and-share-it-with-the-world/, https://www.instagram.com/p/DZvTQMpkxzj/, https://justicerevival.org/juneteenth-anti-racism-christian-prayer-reflections/, https://wesleychoice.org/12-interesting-facts-about-fathers-day/

Earth Day: Gamified

My students are major fans of Blooket.com, a website dedicated to the gamification of learning new information. Given that, here's my Earth Day Blooket I created to add some Earth Day knowledge to your classrooms! Perfect to play this April, leading up to Earth Day: April 22nd!

Teachers, create a free login at Blooket.com. 

Then invite students to go to the website https://play.blooket.com/ and log in with the game code Blooket generates for you.

Blooket game created by me and can be found here: https://dashboard.blooket.com/set/69baacc06b519e9ae3abb824

Earth Day: April 22, 2026

It's April which means Earth Day is on it's way! For some, it's a day to honor and celebrate the Earth. For others, it's a week. For others still it's a month-long celebration....while for others it's a daily mindset.

I always like to think about "darkening my shade of green" when it come to environmentalism and Earth Day, so here are some great resources to check out to make this Earth Day a memorable one!

🌏 EarthDay.org's official 2026 website is always a go-to source of information. This year's theme: Our Power, Our Planet. Here you can find an event, register your event, or find a wealth of resources at their Earth Hub. You'll find toolkits, ways to take action, online quizzes, news/stories, and fact sheets to take your Earth Day knowledge to the next level.

🌍 Population Education is always one of my favorite websites. I love the way climate, population, energy economy, global interests, and more all intersect to build integrated learning opportunities. Their Earth Day Lesson Plans & Resources are top notch for kids grades K to 12 and are divided along grade level bands.

🌎 Check out the Almanac online for some basic information on Earth Day. Plus, you'll find a short quiz to see just how dark your shade of green is to begin with! Additionally there's 10 suggestions of ways to make Earth Day your own in the way you honor it.

🌏 National Geographics Kids also has a wealth on Earth Day at their site, geared directly for elementary students on a wealth of topics.

Image created at canva.com

The Four Winds of Change: Connecting the 1930s Dust Bowl & the 2020 Pandemic

A few months ago I listened to the audio book The Four Winds: A Novel by Kristin Hannah. It details the ten-year time period during the Depression and 1930s of the American Dust Bowl. Devastation hit farmers as drought and years of poor farming protocols let the topsoil to just literally go "flying in the wind." Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico all felt the ravaging devastation of this environmental crisis.

Having grown up in the Midwest, I know of those flat lands. Those farmlands. Perhaps that is why I was haunted by this book. I'm sure Kristin Hannah's powerful storytelling ability was also at play. She has a remarkable way of creating characters who rise through the resilience during hardship.

I also was struck by the similarities I noticed on the human impact of both the Dust Bowl (a major environmental issue nearly a century ago) and the COVID-19 pandemic (just 6 years ago in 2020): 

• There was economic fallout as people lost their jobs. Likewise, the ability to find and finance food was an issue due to supply and demand and availability issues, not to mention the logistical issues of transporting food. 

• Governmentally, policies needed to be shifted or newly put into place. This often came in both situations with push back and concerns.

• There were health, physical, and medical ramifications as as the air around us had the capability of making people ill. People needed to wear masks (or wet bandanas) to assist with breathing during the "black blizzards" of the Dust Bowl, just as we had to wear masks to protect ourselves from the germs of the virus in 2020. "Dust pneumonia" was a medical side effect based on the poor air quality of dust-filled air in the 1930s. Both epidemics resulted in respiratory health issues. Both epidemics resulted in thousands of people losing their lives. Both were certainly a time of a lot of stress.

• Socially, people were impacted in many ways, based on their decisions on how best to stay safe. Community gatherings couldn't happen in the same ways as before. This included schooling. Isolation was an issue. At times in both situations, people may have needed to move due to their circumstances. 

• Prejudice too was a parallel issue during both historic events: the "Okies" on the move to find work during the Depression were greatly looked down upon. Depending on your political slant during the COVID pandemic, you could get grief from friends, family, or neighbors based on how cautious you were or were not: Did you wear a mask? Did you wear it well or haphazardly? Did you scoff at the vaccine and the science that shifted as people learned more? The government leaders chose to make it a political, divisive issue, which created additional grief. 

From an agricultural sense, we have done a lot since the 1930s to farm smarter to maintain soil health over time. Purposely planting windbreaks and cover crops, promoting contour plowing, reducing over-tillage, and improving soil's water retention has made for a healthier culture of agriculture. But we can also see where if funding is reduced in any of these areas or if people use poor farming procedures, we can fall victim to Mother Nature when the rain ceases to fall. Droughts happen. Wind happens. Heat waves happen. Because of all of that, we need to be proactive with environmental policies. Climate change has significantly intensified all of that, and sadly the environment over the last decade or more has become political. 

Sitting here, nearly a century beyond the Dust Bowl, Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds reminds us that history’s lessons are never far behind. Environmental crises (whether dust storms or global pandemics) share a common truth: resilience begins when communities pull together and adapt with empathy, foresight, and innovation. Kristin Hannah's story and the insights we all gleaned in 2020 show us the importance of taking care of each other, honoring science, adapting as needed with resilience. These are some of the same essential traits we need to tackle global issues like climate change, biodiversity, food insecurity, pollution, environmental injustice and more. 

Dust Bowl, montage compiled by Vicki Dabrowka

In addition to reading Kristin Hannah's book The Four Winds: A Novel, you can learn more about the Dust Bowl here:

• Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl (PBS)
• Ducksters: Dust Bowl History
• The Dust Bowl | National Drought Mitigation Center​AAAS: Dust Bowl Wake Up Call for Environmental Practices
• Global Health Now: Covid-19 and Dust Bowl Parallels
• KidsKonnect: Dust Bowl Facts

Kristin Hannah's book cover The Four Winds from https://www.amazon.com/Four-Winds-Novel-Kristin-Hannah/dp/1250178614/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZHk86GYtgb-Hz7mRQwjXx8OAIGc0VfaIf9tRRJg7KSH5JthzBNBP98Ii1BC8ar-XMWnqYVsq2TCTQI2nYmC6-mD-i2fXx8T03JvX4wd7OOxR27a_Lbp68ftKLGfTyW_ZuHCjC0re_6JBQVDTn4_wym4nJdMj0fBhL2qlHEZfvzJikdojYCFFi4PfXUon9hNpAeXok-MJ6BqKntAtUZxMWDpTbykS5rXW31e5pF1omSA.vQXQoncK9PexFwWoI_s42GHVUSqkc10acC67DGn7d4U&qid=1770577790&sr=8-1

Video created at Canva.com using images from TimelineTheatre's Instagram carousel post from April 14, 2024 https://www.instagram.com/p/C5v6pCzrD8C/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Story of Stuff & Their Endless Pursuit on Sustainability

I've been a long time fan of The Story of Stuff Project and their many documentaries. Their very first one came out in 2007, and I've been writing about them for awhile.

They have a few new features out in their Movies page of their website. "Reuse Revolution" is fairly new, and their first movie details Okapi Coffee and it's circular economy solution to keep waste out of landfills by encouraging patrons to use reusable cups:

Go to Okapi's website to learn more about where to find participating cafes that are in their network.

I'm eager to see what else Story of Stuff comes up with for their Reuse Revolution series!

In the mean time, here are more of their educational movies you can check out.

• Their 13 video set of their "Story of ..." Movies.
• Their 6 video collection of their plastic pollution documentaries.
• Their 3 video series "Exposed" about Coca-Cola Company's attempts & advertising campaigns, all of which essentially shut down recycling their glass bottles. 
• "Burning Injustice" about incinerators in California and the toxic air pollution they create.
• Their 10 video set on plastic solutions in "Solving Plastics."
• Their set of 5 videos entitled "The World We Need" showcasing activists standing up to make a difference.
• Their 15 video collection "The Good Stuff" where they look at some pollution problems and some potential sustainable solutions that would benefit us all.
• Their 3 video set of "Water Documentaries" about clean water and bottle water sources.
• Their 11 episode series "The Shift" on the coronavirus epidemic of 2020.

With 67 video shorts (as of this writing) over the last 19 years, this is a powerhouse collection of environmental and sustability resources... all just a click away! What a bounty!

Video from https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/reuse-revolution-coffee-without-the-waste/, image from https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/the-reuse-revolution/

Control Alt Achieve's Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines and Frameworks

Eric Curts from Control Alt Achieve is one of my go-to edtech gurus. Not only is Control Alt Achieve an amazing resource for teachers, he was a dynamic speaker at FETC last year and one of my favorite follows. 

Eric had a recent post entitled Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines, & Frameworks from January 20th, 2026. NotebookLM is an amazing tool for using AI to synthesize information. I learned about it last year at the 2025 FETC: The Future of Educational Technology Conference. It's known as a "thinking partner" where you are upload your own documents to use as your data set and you can interact directly with your own set of sources. You can learn more about NotebookLM here.

With his post, Eric included 40 resources (at this time of writing) in his AI Public NotebookLM. Additionaly, he has provided public access to that digital collection. Once inside this NotebookLM, you you can interview the resources through AI to answer specific AI-related edtech questions you may have based on your specific AI-centric goals or guidelines you'd like to create. He's included some of the Studio features of NotebookLM, including an informative podcast created to detail the givven information.

Be sure to click this link to get to his Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines and Frameworks. Here you will get his details post that includes the link to get you to this robust resource. You can then ask your own questions and create your own tools to help create what you need for your own school or district. 

I know AI can still be so scary to people out there, but there are so many features about it that can really help you ramp up your productivity. Every teacher out there knows the saying "teach harder, not smarter." This is a classic example of using the tools that are there to help you level up and do just that, maximizing your time in the smartest way possible. Eric's post and public NotebookLM are great for doing just that!

Image from https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/01/notebooklm-ai-guidance.html

Google Takeout for Graduating Seniors & Moving Teachers

Moving schools (either as a graduating student or a teacher moving on to another school) comes with a lot. Especially if you are a Google School and you have created a lot of digital files.

I've fallen victim to this: realizing too late that my email/Google Drive was ending sooner than I thought and lost files. This happened to me when Eagle Cove closed down. Realizing a little too late that part of the packing includes those digital files and creations I made along the way! 

For that reason, I got pretty excited when I saw Chromebook Classroom's Facebook post about "Google Takeout" for graduating seniors (and leaving teachers) being able to transfer school documents to a personal account.

This video from John Sowash walks you through how to do it. (Note: As he details in the video, it can take a week or so to process the transfer....so definitely pay attention to timing!)

Video from https://youtu.be/LVF-qyRoKeQ?si=WgpFn1uSRayp3eEK and image created at Canva.com

What Was Lost Is Now Found

If you read my last post, you saw reference to my title above. It falls in the category of "A funny thing happened on the way to writing my next GTG blog post."

You know that feeling of déjà vu you get when you've done something before, but you go back to where you did it and there is absolutely no sign you've done it? But you know you did itA You are absolutely, certainly, 100% positive. Maybe it's akin to trying to find a now-lost item, or it's you, retracing your steps in a not-so-successful way.

That was me this weekend. I came to write my next blog post and was like: "Wait a minute!?! It's gone?!? My last post is gone! I wrote it last weekend, it was here, and now it's gone." Serious disappearing act. It starts to give you a distinct "I'm losing my mind" sensation. I've not been getting a lot of sleep lately, but could I legitimately have been so brainfogged that I dreamed I wrote about SpoGomi? That's a random dream!!

I looked everywhere--drafts, trash, did I post it on another date, is it hiding in my website history? Nope! No where to be found. I have absolutely no clue what I did, but into thin air that post went. Brain cells, blood, sweat, tears--gone! Perhaps that's a smidge dramatic, but I did NOT want to reinvent the wheel and spend the time rewriting the whole thing. Anyone who grew up in the late 1980s & 1990s who has ever lost a paper due to lack of saving it (before the excellent era of auto-save we all live in now), knows of this excruciating pain.

So I did what is becoming the natural new step in this modern-day life--I took it to the wonderful world of AI and asked if it could help. 

My AI of choice in this scenario was Gemini--figuring I'd score the best there since GTG is housed on Blogger, a Google product. When in the Googlesphere, let's stay in the Googlesphere, I thought. 

Well, guess what?! Gemini saved the day! I can't tell you how relieved I was when (after a couple queries back and forth) it popped out this:

I appreciated the confirmation both mentally and emotionally from Gemini that my mind was indeed intact. *Insert BIG sigh of relief here.*

But it really leveled up to me the power of AI. This was an amazing use of it for me! Recently a person dear to me passed and their executor went to AI to compile a list of things an executor needs to do for a person and their accounts--presto, quicko: an 11-point checklist of solid points spit out. Another good friend ran a series of AI exchanges in the form of a mock interview to prepare for a job interview coming up. Brilliant! Sharpening and leveling up resumes? Another amazing use. I've personally planned trips, designed flavor-compatible dinner companion sides and deserts, and created classroom curriculum and interactive games....among other things, all using AI. The scope of it's productivity and assistance in taking us to the next level is endless.

One of the things I always tell my elementary students is that our role in lives--as students, as people, as citizens of the world--is to be problem solvers. So here is an amazing tool that took what was lost in cyberspace and now it is found. Thank you, AI. Thank you for helping me solve my problems! Thank you for opening my eye to how endless the scope truly is!

Image created on Canva.com and the other one a screenshot from my exchange with Gemini.google.com

Redefining Holiday Gifting: Making It Merry & Light

This is a piggyback post to my last one. While thinking about ways to be more smart and sustainable in our shopping approach, maybe it's time to consider what it is we are shopping for. 

I believe it's an important distinction to realize we are shopping for our loved ones, not "shopping for Christmas," "shopping to get done with shopping," "shopping to get the best gifts ever," or "shopping to keep up with Aunt Sue or Uncle Joe." 

We are shopping for our loved ones: to bring them joy, to show we care, to make them smile with delight because we know them. We know what makes them tick and makes their heart sing.

Unless we are a bazillionaires, our wallets need some consideration. So do our homes. The sentiment should be the sweetness and love of the season, not just of buying the shiniest, fanciest, most expensive thing on the list. Money ≠ love. There's no point if a week after gift giving season, the gift lays there collecting dust, in our house over-stuffed with stuff, while our wallets-credit cards-banks are over-strapped without cash.

Maybe making it a season centered around meaning and connection is just what you need this year--a year for some that's been hard economically. Here are some "merry & light" gifts to consider:

• Focus on Experiences Over Stuff: Create gifts of adventure by gifting classes (local or online), museum memberships, nature hikes, streamed concerts, or shared outings that create memories rather than clutter. Get creative by crafting an at-home “movie marathon” day, a kitchen cooking crazy day or gourmet event, an at home craft day make-a-thon, self-created scavenger hunts, or and indoor camping adventure. Creative coupons, countdown calendars, and mystery envelopes to reveal these future extravaganzas can even inspire kids to grab the magic and excitement in the novelty and togetherness of a planned day ahead. Think of all the ways you can creatively spark excitement and spread the magic in these gifts. 

• DIY and Upcycled Gifts: Encourage handmade presents by way of baked goods, knitted scarves, crafted ornaments, or scrapbooks of memorable moments. This is a great way to get creative using reclaimed or natural materials.

• Zero-Waste Products: Use some of the links from the last post to search out beauty, wellness, or kitchen goods with packaging made from compostable or recycled items. A gift that can keep giving could come from an eco-conscious brands that offers refillable or package-free options.

• Digital Gifts: We live in a digital world. Opt for e-books, audio books, or digital subscriptions. These gifts require no shipping and work with what your loved ones already have.

• Swap or Secondhand Celebrations: Organize a “give what you have” exchanges or a regifting party. I'm sure you have some great barely-used items in your closet, drawers, or basements that someone else would love. Lighten your load and makes someone's day. You can also take advantage of online tools like Bunz, Freecycle, or Facebook "Buy Nothing" groups to share-forward your items in search of something else.

• Donation Gifts & Gifts That Give Back: Give a charitable donation in your recipient's name. Make it a gift that pays it forward. These companies include a small gift for the recipient that accompanies the larger gift of the donation.

💠 World Wildlife Fund​

💠 Women for Women International ​

💠 Best Friends Animal Society​

💠 Heifer International​

💠 World Vision 

💠 Because International (with the mission to alleviate poverty)

💠 St. Jude Gift Shop

The benefits of going "merry & light" are many:

💝 The environmental payoff is significant through less packaging, landfill waste, and shipping costs and emissions. You can support local artisans and green businesses.

💝 Emotionally, you can land on a deeper sense of gratitude and meaning in the season. Likewise, it can lead to less stress and stronger bonds--things that last longer than the momentary excitement of the latest, greatest, bright & shiny, pricy gizmo.​

💝 Perhaps it builds new traditions in your family, having you craft "Santa Workshop" weekends, candlelight storytime, treasure hunts, baking for neighbors and loved ones, making pinecone bird feeders for your backyard friends. Think of the memories made by these! Plus, think of the warmth that comes from giving sustainable gifts of stewardship and family togetherness...and the gift on no over-spending anxiety when it comes to January's bills!

💝 Showcase the magic in less by wrapped gifts with extra flair, written clues, or puns and poetry. Make the presentation part of the surprise to make your gift unforgettable.

Downsizing doesn't have to be a downer. Lightening the load might also lighten our spirits. The magic isn't lost, but it is what you make it. It's a shift in perspective and discovering your own ways to make the season shine. THAT is the true gift for your people.

Images created using canva.com
​

Online Holiday Helpers for Sustainable Shopping

The shopping season is upon us. Anyone who has been around awhile knows I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Christmas. I was shopping a few weeks ago for some Thanksgiving table decor since we hosted Turkey Day at our house and I swear: Christmas ate Thanksgiving mid November. Probably before. It nearly gave me hives walking into the Christmas explosion within the stores. It threw me back a bit to this scene from one of the many Charlie Brown movies:

I think as we ease from one actual holiday to the next season--and actually being more in the moment of where we actually are--I usually get into the groove. Though I will say, the consumerism, expense, throw-away culture, and the hurry-scurry does get me a tad mental and moody. I don't want to be a Grinch, but sometimes I get sucked into that vortex of overwhelm as it counters the mood and mindset of simpler and less.

So I started pondering and researching some more sustainable choices. In this techno-era, why not utilize online tools to be our own little Santa's elves and holiday helpers to give way to sustainable shopping options. Shop smarter not harder--which truthfully, this is not just a December holiday thing, but an every day assistance. (And yes, I did use a little bit of AI and online tools to help me craft THIS list.)

Harnessing Online Tools for Greener Gifting:

• Giftster: Here you can curate wish lists and share out with family members. I've used this for years. It's great if you are shopping for extended family and everyone gets on board as members can include lists of interests, hobbies, sizes and more. There's also a Secret Santa element in it too for gift exchanges. Gifster has both an app and browser extension too. While this is not necessarily "greener" per se, it may help you streamline your shopping conundrums.

• Good On You: This site uses AI-driven rating system for fashion brands, which allows users to build gift lists with verified ethical and sustainable options.

• Ecosia Browser Shopping Extension: This add-on uses algorithms to highlight eco-friendly vendors and suggest low-impact gifts as users browse shopping sites. Users can filter by eco-certification, carbon offset, and more.

• Giftology Corporate Platform: This site incorporates AI and automation for companies to select sustainable, personalized gifts. This is perfect if you have a want or need to buy in bulk for clients or employees,

• GreenChoice: This is an AI grocery and product suggestion app/website which helps users build zero-waste lists centered around environmental and health concerns.

• The Ethical Shopper: This website helps users find products (especially beauty, home, and personal care items) that are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, with heavy support to brands that are environmentally transparent. 

• Even mainline shopping search engines like Google Shopping & Bing have filters for "sustainable,""eco," or "ethically made so you can narrow your search to your preferences on packaging, recycled materials, low waste shipping, and more.

Other Things to Consider:

• Utilize your smart phone tools by automating reminders within your calendar. Notifications centered around exclusive deals could help get you what you are looking for right when it comes out, putting you in a position of not missing out on items that sell out quickly.

• Focus on experiences instead of things. Tickets to a show or event, shared together builds community, cherished memories, and time together. Likewise, it reduces waste and clutter for those people who seemingly need nothing and serves as a "leave no trace" gift. 

• Always double check any “green” claims. "Greenwashing" is definitely "a thing" and many companies use false or loose advertising to draw you in. It's always good to really do your research--especially if you are using AI to help you out!

As you are entering this holiday season, take advantage of the tools around you. Look for ways to simplify your life so that you can truly enjoy the reason of the season and your time with family and friends. In doing so, may it help you shop with your values in mind and help you feel lighter, smarter, and more joyful this holiday season! 

Charlie Brown image screenshot from ​https://youtu.be/oyUcHxY6aJY?si=ZeVYKX-0cKeZdnws, Other image created in Canva.com

Floating Farms Follow-Up: Build Your Own

While building the interactive for my previous post in Canva Code, I decided to play around with the concept of creating another interactive where you could build your own floating farm. I thought this could be a great way to put sustainability & STEM thinking into action, inviting users to combine resource management mentality along with the ever-real factor of economics in order to figure out some design trade-offs. That's what innovation is all about!

So "diving in," let's get our "feet wet" and get to action building a farm of the future:

💠 Imagine you're the lead designer, with your next project being to create a floating farm. 

💠 Your job: Create a sustainable agriculture system on the water, within budget. 

💠 Your budget: $100,000.

💠 What will you prioritize? Solar panels? Hydroponic beds? Livestock pens? Community learning spaces? Everything comes with both a price tag and a purpose. Where will your eco-choices lead you? What floating farm will you build?

Click here to get a bigger version to design within.

Interactive Floating Farm Activity by Vicki Dabrowka

Build Your Own Floating Farm activity created using Canva Code: https://floaating-farm-interactive.my.canva.site/build-your-own-floating-farm

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

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

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/