Bird Spying

For Father's Day, my crew got their dad a smart bird feeder. There are several brands out there: Bird Buddy,Birdify, Chirp Cam, Kiwibit, Birdkiss....just to name a few.

If you aren't sure what a smart bird feeder is, it is somewhat like a regular bird feeder, but on steroids. It typically has a solar panel which powers the camera feature. They typically also are tied to an app which alerts you to the fact that you have a feathered friends at the feeder. Many have both video recording and AI elements to help you both monitor and identify your chirping visitors.

I've got to say--since having ours up in the yard the last few weeks, it completely makes me smile to get these chirpy, little notifications. Our app saves ten second videos of our little feeding flyers, identifying the birds if it can. (Sometimes, based on the length of time or the angle, it'll get marked as "unidentified bird.") 

We have had visits from House Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, House Finches, Blue Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, and even a Willow Flycatcher, Carolina Chickadee, Brown-headed Cowbird, and a Morning Dove or two. I get downright giddy when we get a notification that a brand new-to-us bird has stopped by for a visit. 

This bird spying that I've been doing has been a secret win to my summer these past few weeks. I get a little dopamine hit when my phone alerts me that our bird café is busy getting visitors. One day I got 200 notifications--my phone was literally blowing up! Given that, I turned off the notifications for a few days. While I could go into the app and see it whenever I wanted, it wasn't the same. My notifications are now back on again.

In talking with some friends of mine who have their own smart feeders in their yards, the addiction is real. (As is that "you become a birder in your 50s" stereotype.) But apparently what also can be real is the squirrel invasion that follows. Our feeder has a baffle so squirrels have been kept at bay from it. [However, don't get me started on the teething squirrels done to our new Polywood chairs. That's apparently another thing that can be real. That and car hoses and a myriad of other things that squirrels can destroy.... But I digress.]

Part of summer is for basking in the great outdoors and soaking up all sorts of nature adventures. Bird spying is now newly added to my summer joy list. Thanks to our new smart feeder, I’ve got a front‑row seat to all of this happening just beyond my back door.

Images & videos from our back yard, either our Kiwibit camera or my own.

Hopescrolling Over Doomscrolling

I've been pretty agitated about my social media algorithms lately. Particularly my Facebook account, which has been my preferred go-to social media platform. My FB thread seems to have every third post some advertisement that I'm completely not interested in. It seems like serious changes have happened, and my unscientific survey of my friends reveals they think the same. 

Add in the heaviness of the world these days, via politics, economics, nightly news, and medical updates from friends and family, social media isn't bringing me the same curated joy that it once was. My Facebook brain breaks have definitely become an exercise in doomscrolling these days. I'm not a fan--like  I said, the world is heavy enough. I don't need more doom and gloom.

It was in a recent doomscrolling moment that I ran across this post at 1 Million Women on Facebook. The caption really spoke to me. "Hopescroll." Yes! We need more hopescrolling. 

What I didn't realize is that hopescrolling, just like doomscrolling, is indeed a verb, at least in this smart phone, hand-help-computer era. Apparently it's been around for a couple of years. From UrbanDictionary.com, it is the distinct opposite of it's negative scrolling counterpart:

So where, oh where, can we find more of this? 

• Look up what you can find under the following hashtags: #Hopescrolling or #GoodNews

• This Healthline article has a few great ideas including how to best curate your social media feed with positive or inspirational accounts based on your interests, whether they are foodie-centric, carry travel vibes, or flower-filled gardens.

• Make more mindful choices--unsubscribing accounts that don't fill you up, set time limits, etc. 

• I have started a gratitude journal using the Orca Journaling app. Maybe that's where my #hopescrolling is best to start!

• Concepts like Nat Geo's 33 Changemakers and Jane Goodall Day also apply in the #hopescrolling department!

• Some Facebook pages that might serve as hopescrolling for you include:
• The Hope Scrolling private group
• The Nature Conservancy FB page
• Power of Positivity FB Page
• EarthDay.org's FB Page
• Any of the 10 listed in this Becoming Minimalist article: "10 Facebook Pages to Encourage Simplicity in Life"

We definitely need more messages of hope, good news, and inspiration in the world. Anyone have some great ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/20531316728/posts/10154009990506729/ and http://hopescrolling.urbanup.com/17895640

"Culpability" by Bruce Holsinger

I'm a reader, and I typically have one book on my Kindle, an audio book for when I'm in the car or doing chores, and sometimes even a real book to read by the pool or when tech reading devices won't suffice.

So, it's no surprise that I happened upon Bruce Holsinger’s Culpability. A 2025 release, this book is about what happens with the family who owns an AI-powered car that is involved in a crash. It is very current conceptually, and it easily drew me in from the AI/tech standpoint alone. The book had elements of artificial intelligence in many places (more than just this car), and it definitely aroused (purposely, for sure) the questions of ethics and responsibility. "Computational morality." Culpability... you could say.

Given the fact that the settings for the story are in and around the Chesapeake Bay and DC area, where I am from, there was an added pull to the book for me. A fairly quick read, it draws you in, in many ways. Elements that would have been seen as science-fiction a decade or two ago (ex: self driving cars, drones, heavy tech-saturation in everyday life), it feels a lot more like every day 2026. Especially when you are reading the book as someone who uses Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Alexa, Siri, a Roomba, and so on.

The book gives you a lot to think about in this burgeoning world of tech innovation and AI. Especially when it comes to responsibility. Namely, who IS responsible and where exactly is that line? Not to mention, with some of these new systems, "smart devices," and "intelligent machines" out there, it somewhat begs the question of "how safe is safe enough?"

All of this makes it "not quite a beach read!" But a good read, indeed.

It left me thinking about AI policies (both for schools [given I'm a teacher] and for life, especially with our teens and preteens--but adults as well). It made me think about the iGeneration over the last 19 years with all of this tech at our disposal and what is it doing to our social side of life, our anxiety levels, our distractability, our cultural fiber. We are nearly at 2 decades of this human experiment since the iPhone's inception in 2007. I know my life is more distracted for sure! We all are enmeshed in this tech lifestyle, surrounded by these devices and systems, often putting the cart before the horse. Dependent on them yet not fully understanding the depth and breadth of how they fully impact us or how reliant we are on them. 

All of which, as with many things in life, showcases that life is not black or white... but the gray that lies between.

The last two years I've been teaching my 4th and 5th graders about machine learning and how it works. How it is reliant on the data sets that are used to train them, and how the way it works is solely dependent on the data that trains them. And there in lies the problem because we don't often have a full disclosure on what exactly the training sources are/were... and we don't know the level of bias that could be built in. 

Ethics and morality are a whole next-level conversation! My adult daughter has told me she's very glad she grew up and went to school in an era after AI. 

Culpability is a good read that definitely leaves you thinking a lot about the world in which we live. It left me thinking about the quote that often comes with AI these days: "Today's AI is the worst you will ever experience." Why? Because it is always growing, advancing, and improving--for better or for worse. AI certainly is faster and far more advanced now than the November 2022 release of ChatGPT. AI also is frequently now included and built into existing platforms (both in and out of education) and that inclusion has exploded. No one sees that stopping anytime soon. 

So....what are the governing policies going to be? What are the implications? The ramifications if anything goes wrong? Are we working with ethics, morality, and responsibility as we are building up and improving these systems (and inventing new ones). What is the culpability of all parties involved? All good questions to ask!

Images from https://www.amazon.com/Culpability-Novel-Bruce-Holsinger/dp/1954118961, https://itchronicles.com/artificial-intelligence/where-is-ai-used-today/, and https://techvidvan.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-applications/

Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment

I've seen "it" slated as "Social Media's 'Big Tobacco' Moment" in at least a half dozen locations.

What is the "it?" The "it" is the fact that social media court cases are starting to loudly prove that yes, social media is an addiction, and it can cause harm to kids. 

Two landmark trials have been in the news in the past six weeks. Earlier this year on March 24th Meta (parent company to Facebook) was ordered by a jury in New Mexico to pay $375 million due to violating state consumer protection laws, viewing both the Facebook and Instagram platforms to be "a breeding ground for predators." The very next day, March 25th, a lawsuit in California sided with a 20-year-old female who was suing Meta & Google (who owns YouTube), awarding her $6 million for causing years of mental health issues. The endless scrolling, algorithms, and purposeful addictive nature created by social media companies were ruled to be the blame for endangering children. And while tech companies are appealing these verdicts, multiple additional lawsuits are cropping up. The very loud message: tech companies knew the dangers in these devices, platforms, and programs... and sold them to our kids anyway.

So the table is turning when it comes to technology, apps, doomscrolling, and more. 

For those who don't get the "Big Tobacco Moment" reference, here's the backstory. Smoking, which long goes back in our historic timeline, really became glamorized throughout society from the 1920s to 1960s. Seemingly everyone smoked. Despite growing scientific studies over time that this is not a healthy habit, smoking had been pitched as "It's all on the person, and it is a personal choice." Awareness and science began leaning more heavily to "The product is the problem, and we need to pitch the product as such." Tobacco companies put a lot of money into advertising and debunking these claims. The tide slowly began turning in 1965 when a Congressional ruling stated that cigarette packages need mandatory warning labels. Then, TV and radio ads were banned in 1970. But despite all of this, smoking continued to be a large part of global culture, with people viewing it as "cool," relaxing, and socially acceptable, regardless of what science had to say. 

Things significantly began changing in 1994 when several cigarette company CEOs came before Congress to say that nicotine was not addictive nor dangerous to your health (despite scientific evidence proving otherwise). The downfalls continued to come with multiple lawsuits. In 1998 there was a Master Settlement Agreement for over $206 billion, covering 46 states and making it the largest settlement in US history. This loudly emphasized that yes, smoking causes serious health risks, diseases, and cancer. This led to a 2-3 decade decline in smoking, where now in 2025 less than 10% of American adults smoke. Clearly the pendulum has swung and a majority of Americans now outwardly see the perils of this habit.

Which now takes us back to "Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment." With the first iPhone coming out in 2007, we are now nearly 2 decades into this "social experiment" of allowing handheld mini-computers into our daily lives. Not just adults, but kids and teens too. Throw in iPads, tablets, and ready-to-use laptops at every age, where are we now? Many of us (grownups and kids alike) are completely sucked into our devices:

• autoplaying the next video,
• scrolling scrolling down the suggested path created by stronger and more stringent algorithms than even a decade ago,
• fearing the loss of our "streaks"which brings us repeatedly back every day,
• riding the comparison mentality, stuck in social media with FOMO (fear of missing out),
• neglecting those around us while being addicted to what our online friends have to say,

Then insert AI in here, which makes everything even more complicated, addicted, and fuzzy as to where the blended line separating reality and "fake news" actually exists. All of which leads to an overwhelming state of loneliness and disconnectedness despited the moniker of "social" media.

And none of these features came by accident. Designers and programmers built these devices to act exacty in this way: holding our focus, bringing money to the company through our hijacked attention, and profiting off our clicks. 

And I must admit: I fall just as victim to it as all the rest! I am no better than any of the rest of us. Despit my "tech teacher, book reading" self! It makes us feel weak for getting sucked into the vortex and having no self control. And I'm an adult. What about our kids and our teens and our young adults?

But maybe... just maybe... it's all in the addictive nature of the dopamine-hitting design versus our own willpower. Just like the addictive nature of tobacco. Souds like it's not a fair fight. How are we ever to win? Perhaps though more guardrails that tech companies clearly need to help protect us all, old and small.

What that means is that we all need to both become informed citizens, and then start behaving like them. Advocate for safer design and legislation--especially those that protect our kids. That might look like taking action, signing petitions, or voicing your concerns to your community.

Additionally, we the parents, educators, and consumers all need to step up and fight the addictive nature and parent both ourselves and our children. This can also do include:

• Turning off all non-essential notifications to help us become less connected to our devices.
• Eliminating "tech-grazing time" by building in more boundaries in our homes and schools. This could look like "no-phone-zones" or windows of time where we don't use tech. (For example: before bedtime, right when we get up, less multi-tasking on multiple devices).
• Removing the apps on our phones that suck us in the quickest: games, social media, and other ones that get our most addictive attention. We need to break our own bad habits.
• Carefully curating your feed. Make it a space of inspiration, not gloomy news or topics that lend toward depression or anxiety, pulling you deeper into doomscrolling.
• Building in time limits on your kids devices, and creating opportunities where you "tech together" then play or learn together in no-tech ways too. 

The pull is hard. But it's not just us. The game IS rigged. And now by way of social media's 'Big Tobacco Moment," courts, doctors, researchers, educators, parents, and even some platform designers are saying what maybe we have already felt for a long time: The problems isn't just us or our willpower. The product is flawed by designed to keep us stuck. 

So it's up to all citizens to keep up the noise, the lawsuits, the conversations, the advocating for better guardrails, and the protection of our kids. It's also our role as parents and educators to really speak about how these tools work our brains, hearts, and emotions. Tech is a tool... but it isn't our everything or even a fraction of what is important. People are. That is certainly worth fighting for.

Images from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/march-30-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment-newslitproject-xf2ac/ and https://highschool.latimes.com/news/a-big-tobacco-moment-for-big-tech-the-cost-of-addictive-design/ and Time Magazine cover screenshot from https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/sellingsmoke/page/big-tobacco--big-lawsuits and https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/social-media-addiction-lawsuit-tiktok-meta-mark-zuckerberg-5q2mbkmsn

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

20th Anniversary Earth Hour ~ March 28, 2026: Choose Your Studio, Make Your Pledge

Earth Hour is March 2026, 8:30--9:30 pm in your time zone. This year commemorates the 20th Anniversary. What began as the inaugural event in 2007 in Sydney, Australia is now marking two decades as a global, environmental movement.

Earth Hour has always been about one powerful, symbolic act: "switching off the lights for 60 minutes to shine a spotlight on our planet." Over the past 20 years (and the last decade in particular), the call has grown bigger to“Give an Hour for Earth.” This call is to highlight that what we do in that one hour can ripple far beyond the glow of an hour of candlelight. 

This year, instead of treating Earth Hour as a one-size-fits-all event, imagine a Choose-Your-Studio Night. Plan and create a 60-minute creative adventure that begins by design and ends with a plan of attack, a creative commitment, and a pledge to go forward making a difference. 

Some studios to consider... pick one, mix or match, and simply find what fits to make the most of your Earth Hour.

The point is not to “do it all” in one night. The point is to start with an entry point that feels and sounds like you. To provide you with some time for reflectionn or creativity. To help you set a realistic pledge and intention. To inspire you to keep going!  

What studio will you choose? What's your pledge going to be? And what will you be doing during Earth Hour 2026?

Earth Hour image from https://x.com/earthhour; Slideshow created by me https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-2PcXE3vsn9dBjjQAGoN4A3hcHtI5qdFRLmnf3ccO-Y/edit?usp=sharing

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

Warm Hearts & Fresh Starts: A Top 10 List To Wrap Up One Year & Lean Into the Next

A lot of people have an extended break or take extra time off while visiting family over the holidays. That week sandwiched between Christmas and New Years might leave you finding yourself reflective with a bit of extra down time during the holiday. If that's the case, here's a Top 10 list ideas to help you wrap up your year. May it help you ring in the new by finding a merry mix of innovation, nature, sustainability, and creativity to get you living in the moment and making some extra holiday memories as you lean into the new year ahead.

1. Tech-Boosted Wildlife Bingo Walk

Hit the trail with apps like Seek by iNaturalist or Merlin Bird ID or Google Lens and then make a game of winter wildlife spotting. Hot cocoa or movie choice for the Bingo winner!!

2. Unplugged Board Game Bash

Declare one night a phone-free zone. Dust off your Scrabble board, grab the Chutes & Ladders or Candyland, deal out the UNO cards, go for a Yahtzee, or find a new found favorite (maybe one that was recently unwrapped during the holidays), or invent your own!

3. Schedule Your Eco-Resolution Reminders

Program recurring “green prompts” into your own or your family's shared digital calendar (whether that's Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple, or more)—for monthly nature walks, tech-free afternoons, or local volunteering.

4. ABC Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Enjoy the fresh air while getting a little exercise, hunting out alphabetical finds as you go. Maybe a snow Angel, Boots, Chimney, Dogs and/or Decorations, Evergreen....

5. Gratitude Graffiti

Cover your fridge, a hallway, or one window in sticky notes with little things that brought you joy this year: holiday memories, summer vacations, fun times with friends, popcorn and movie night, beautiful moonlit nights, roasting marshmallows with family or friends.... OR, turn it digital by creating a photo collage or movie of video clips of these sentiments along with photographic proof of the good memories and grateful moments of the year.

6. Green Garland Challenge
Make a winter garland from foraged pinecones, popcorn, leaves, or scraps, then hang it outside for birds to enjoy. The Audobon Society has some great ideas on just how to make some sweet treats for your backyard on their website.

7. Digital Declutter Dash

Grab your phone, iPad, or computer & set our timer for 15 minutes. Ready, set, go: who can clear the most emails or delete the most blurry holiday photos in 15 minutes. Celebrate by putting on some good music and moving, grooving, and doing a happy dance & getting your moves on!

8. Silent Star-lit Night
Take a moment to be in the moment. Bundle up to take a nighttime walk. Spot constellations, listen for the sounds of silence or the city under the streetlights, reflect and reminisce together or go solo. No need for devices, just take in the awe of the night.

9. Curate Kindness
Use your own brainstorming (and bring in your favorite AI platform if you need to) to generate personalized ideas for small acts of kindness you can sprinkle on friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. Then put them into action, like a secret agent kindness mission. It's a great gift that keeps giving.

10. Digital Dream Board for 2026
Build a solo or shared vision board on Padlet or Canva that collects inspiring eco-quotes, dream destinations, nature wishes, family-personal-or-sustainability goals for the year ahead.

Whatever you do (from this list or from your own imagination), I hope the roll from 2025 to 2026 fills you with both reflection of the past and a ready spirit for what's ahead. 

Image created at Canva.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
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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