Embarking in Infographics 101: Presentation Station

I kicked off the summer in "presentation mode."  There was certainly a level of "no rest for the weary" with that game plan!  But the good thing about starting the summer that way is that relaxation follows along with the bulk of the summer.  As I ponder that (from a pool floaty), I'm pretty happy with the timing!

As I mentioned before, my school offers an optional "Summer Institute" to it's PS--12th grade faculty and staff during the summer.  A place to come, to learn, to build & enhance our craft as educators, to strengthen our teaching skills while following the trends of current education.  As we pursue the "love of learning" and the "pursuit of knowledge," our teachers are our colleagues, and in turn they become both our mentors and our learning mates.

This summer, I got the opportunity to co-teach the Summer Institute class "iMovie for iPads" and solo-teach "Infographics" the first week of this summer. As I prepared for my "Infographics 101" class, I got the chance to massively grow my infographics Pinterest board, investigate 5 online infographic creators along with the iPad app "Pic Collage." I also got to be energized by my learning colleagues in class.  One day (6.5 hours) and I got to witness so many great ideas, so much electric energy and enthusiasm!

Along the way, I found a slew of environmental (and other) infographics to share my message. There's a lot you can do in your classroom, both teaching with infographics, as well as creating your own. I look forward to sharing them with you!

Check out my presentation below or at Slideshare.



Slideshare "Infographics 101" presentation created by me, at http://www.slideshare.net/thirdgrade/infographics-for-the-classroom-elemhs; image from http://libresources.lrei.org/content.php?pid=436135

#10 Reasons (+11 More) Why LEGOs Are Eco Awesome

If you are a parent of builders, or a builder yourself, you don't have to be convinced of the magic of LEGOs. But in case you do, here are #10 reasons (+11 more) why LEGOs most certainly are awesome! Eco & otherwise!

1. Lego is Pursuing a Move Away from Plastic:  

At the tune of $150 million, LEGO is hot on the pursuit of a sustainable, bio-based material to replace of the iconic plastic block.  After 65+ years of parents stepping on carpet-hidden plastic blocks, it's hard to imagine LEGO stepping away from the 6,000 tons of plastic they use annually in production. Their goal is to make this move by 2030.

2.  Female Scientists Make the Mini figure List:

For the 2nd year in a row, female scientists have made the roster of notable minis.  This year's biggie on the list honors oceanographer Sylvia Earle.  Other key female players include veterinarians, aerospace engineers, mechanics, & members of a pit crew.  In 2013, the first female lab scientist surfaced; and in 2014 a female paleontologist, astronomer, & chemist cropped up.  More female kits and sets are in the works (including a proposed Jane Goodall)! 

3.  "Big Bang Theory" makes the LEGO Set & Mini figure List:

Additionally, there's an August 1st release next month of the cast/set of Big Bang Theory.  In addition to Sheldon & Leonard [the male theoretical physicists], Raj [astrophysicist], & Wolowitz [aerospace engineer], there's also some pretty sharp ladies in the mix.  There's Penny [who has risen from actress/waitress to pharmaceutical salesperson], microbiologist Bernadette, & neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler.  Bazinga!

4.  LEGO Says Adios to Shell Oil:

Greenpeace put the pressure on with their 2014 video showing a plasticized Lego arctic being buried under oil.  This outrage against the continued Shell Oil drilling of the arctic is what cause LEGO to quit their long-time ties with Shell.

5.  LEGO Rental & Reuse Sites Are On the Rise:

Sites such as Pley and Rebrickable are on the forefront of acknowledging that LEGOs, though great, aren't cheap.  So, rather the purchase them all at a minor mint, these rental & reuse sites bring about the green cycle of "reduce, reuse, recycle."

6.  There's a LEGO world out there, possibly bigger than LegoLand:

MOCpages.com is a major LEGO fan community."MOC" (or "My Own Creation") pages is where you can go to record images of what you have made via your LEGOs, and it serves as a great digital show and tell. Founded by LEGO artist & aficionado, Sean Kenney, it's a free community, available to and for all.

7.  LEGO Itself Knows How to Do Education:

Where MOCpages is not affiliated with LEGO, this LEGO Education portal is.  Here you can find the most recent online catalog, any late breaking news & events, check out LEGO education, and also dive into LEGO Education Global. Find also grade level resources, specialty kits, after school programs and more.

8.  LEGO Artists & Sculpturists Showcase the Magic of Making
Nathan Sawaya & Sean Kenney are a mere two who prove that LEGO's aren't just for kids anymore.  These two artists have taken LEGOs to new heights, taking designing and LEGO artistic engineering to new heights. I wrote about Nathan Sawaya this past Earth Day when I used his Philadelphia Franklin Institute Exhibit "Art of the Brick" to a kindergarten LEGO activity with our Earth Day Maker Night & iPads. Sean Kenney also has internationally touring exhibits, 8 best-selling children's books, & many original designs for sale. His "Nature Connects" series (currently at a number of arena's in North America) puts 1.6 million LEGO's to work creating life sized nature-oriented sculptures, many life-sized or larger, bringing "nature's beauty & whimsy to life."

9.  And in Honor of the 4th of July...

... and through this September, you can see Old Glory, waving her LEGOs & her red, white, and blue.  At the Smithsonian American History Museum in DC, our American flag is being built from the ground up.  Super-sized.  I wonder how many people can actually walk by and NOT take part!

10. The 2015 Academy Awards

It's not often you see not only a LEGO animated movie, but a live-actioned replica of the movie.  But that's exactly what the Academy Awards did during their Oscar's presentation.  "Tegan & Sara" sang their "Everything Is Awesome" LEGO Movie theme song, with real life singers and dancers bringing the music and Movie to life.  Add in that Nathan Sawaya created golden LEGO Oscar Statuettes.  Outstanding!

LASTLY....
#11--21.  But Wait! There's More!
+11 Awesome LEGO Facts That Will Make You Want to Break Out the Bricks Again from The Huffington Post.

Do you have a favorite way LEGO has made your day--

eco-wise, or any other way?

Images from https://bostongazette.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/lego-movie-everything-is-awesome-lyrics-a-critique-of-obama-administration/; Big Bang Theory LEGO set  & Sylvia Earl set from http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2015/06/29/lego_toy_maker_puts_feminist_message_in_new_line_of_characters.html? ; Greenpeace pic from http://inhabitat.com/lego-dumps-partnership-with-shell-oil-in-wake-of-greenpeace-campaign/; Pley image from http://layngo.com/blog/pley-com-brings-the-sharing-economy-to-kids-and-lego-sets-to-your-door/; Rebrickable image from http://technabob.com/blog/2011/09/10/rebrickable-lego-website/; Oscar statues 2015 pic from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-2015-lego-statuettes-explained-777074/

Summer Time Is Professional Development Time

Anyone who is a teacher knows two things:

1.  Summer is a long awaited gift.  A time of decompression, reflection, & rejuvenation.

2.  Summer in NOT totally relaxation & time off.  Minds are a-whirling for the year ahead almost before decompression truly sets in.

It is in that gift of summertime (where 12 months have been jammed packed into 9-10 months of late night paper grading and weekend lesson planning) that a bounty of professional development can occur. Likewise, some amazing summer opportunities of workshops, conferences, continuing education classes, professional development, and books on bed stands or in Kindles, waiting to be read.

At my school, each summer we have a "Summer Institute" of optional all day professional development educational opportunities, with a complete course selection set up throughout the summer.  The main reason is to help PS--12th grade teachers at our school grow in our craft and stay in touch with educational trends.  (More on that later!)

Here's some of the #EdTech professional greats that have been happening out there already this summer.  Even if you missed them on the front end, you can catch up on the learning that happened here:

iPadPalooza:
When & where was it:  June 23rd--25th at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas
Ways to learn, after-the-fact:
     --iPadPalooza Presenter Resource Page
     --Creativity is Key" post at ZigZagging Through Education & Technology
     --Check out @iPadpalooza or #iplza15 on Twitter

ISTE 2015:
When & where was it:  June 27th--July 1st in Philadelphia, PA
Ways to learn, after-the-fact:
     --Google Doc of Session Notes
          (tons of links!)
     --#NotAtISTE2015 Livebinder 
          (again, tons of curated content)
     --TeacherCast video of ISTE 2015
           Pre-Show Podcast
     --Check out #ISTE2015 and
           #NotAtISTE2015 on Twitter

EdCamps 2015:
When & where:  ongoing in many locations, just check the website of upcoming free one-day camps to find one near you.

Educational Trend Websites:
     --Mindshift  (Future of Learning)
     --Edutopia  (K-12 Tips & Strategies)
     --The Learning Network (from NY Times)
     --Educdemic  (Connecting Education & Technology)
     --Education Closet  (Arts Integration & STEAM)
     --Education World  (Ed resources spanning the disciplines)
     --Make Magazine  (Maker Movement)
     --Brain Pickings  (Cross Disciplinary Treasure Trove)

Podcasts & Webcasts:
      --TeacherCast University
      --SparkChasers
      --ISTE
      --Michael Hyatt (not related to #EdTech, but more to leadership,
           and fabulous with every listen!)

What are some of your favorite summertime professional development offerings?


Images:  Summertime: pic from my camera, created using the Motivational Poster app; ISTE by Numbers infographic from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=475&category=ISTE-Connects-blog&article=Infographic%3a+ISTE+2015+by+the+numbers

Freedoms, Flags, & the Fourth

No, I'm not bellowing "Braveheart's" iconic sound byte: "Freeeeeeeeedom!"

But, that being said, the 4th of July is upon us, and it brings about thoughts of our freedoms.

It's been a week and change here in the grand ole U.S. of A. A week+ OF change!  "Freedom" has taken new heights.  Unless you have been living under a rock the last 7--10 days, the Supreme Court has aok'ed and authorized gay marriage in all 50 of the United States.  Rainbow flags are a-flying.  As they should be.  Let's vote in honor of "happy."  ALL people are entitled to the right to be happy! We all deserve to be happy, especially as life is hard enough.

There's also the counter-flags, the ones that are NOT a-flying. The move to bring down the Confederate flags in the aftermath of the Charleston church massacre is a good one.  President Obama excelled as an orator during his eulogy at Rev. Clementa Pickney's funeral.

"It's true, the flag did not cause these murders... but we all have to acknowledge the flag has always represented more than just ancestral pride. For many, black and white, that flag was a reminder of systemic oppression and racial subjugation. We see that now....By taking down that flag, we express God's grace." ~Pres. Obama

There's even the new freedom to take pics at the White House.

Then, there's the "green" flag that was flown symbolically by way of The Pope's Encyclical!!  Way to go, Pope Francis, defender of our planet!

Yes, freedoms abound.  
And with that comes responsibility.

As a long-time liberal, I have always been in favor of "happy." I see the "freedom of happy" as extensive.  I think of conversations I've had with people who feel others "should" & "could" be doing things differently--for reason A, B, C, X, Y, Z. Given the very recent history of the US, it causes me to ponder: "Why do we all care what others are doing or what others are caring about?  Does it matter to us?"

The answer is no--others' lives are theirs. Our business is ours.  

We all have the right to be free, to go forth, and to...

• love one another,
• love ourselves,
• help our planet,
• refuse,
• reduce,
• reuse,
• recycle,
• take responsibility,
• take action,
• make a move, 
• make a motion,
• fight for what we believe in,
• share what's good,
• not get sucked into the vortex,
• turn on our minds,
• turn off the social media influences,
• fill ourselves with the power of good versus the power of evil,
• make healthy choices,
• share our messages,
• pursue happiness,
• take part in incremental change,
• learn something new,
• be true to our friends, family, and selves,
• be innovative, be creative, be inspiring, and be connected.

This 4th....go forth & be happy.  

Embrace love, embrace each other, embrace what surrounds you.  

What makes you happy, and what freedoms inspire you?!

Freedom Wordle:  http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-freedom-word-cloud-image13269107 ;  flags: http://www.truthrevolt.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_full_width/public/field/image/articles/gay_marriage_81102178.jpg?itok=67iw93y3; freedom & happiness: http://www.liveluvcreate.com/image/freedom_and_happiness-290909.html, Sparkler heart: http://4theloveofyoga.com/yoga-sequences/4th-of-july-freedom-yoga-flow-celebrate-being-free/

Say It Loud, Say it Proud: Plastic Bag Free Day 7/3/2015

'Tis the season, in good ole USA to be readying for that red-white-and-blue day, Independence Day. A day of freedom...as well as festivities, BBQ's, pool time & picnics, fun, frivolity, and fireworks. Hamburgers, hotdogs, & apple pie.

In order to plan for such yummy kind of fun, you need to go shopping.  Grocery stores do well, no doubt, here in this week before the 4th of July.  Think about your 4th fun prep, or even your last supermarket run.  If you are like me, you came home with a bunch of bags of food and a sundry of other household goods.

Ask yourself:  Are you a paper, plastic, or reusable bag kind of person?

Well, the push this week, especially Friday, July 3rd, to go plastic bag free.  Grab your reusable bags and get thee to the store, loaded and ready to go shopping.  Why?  The reasons are numerous (many of which are detailed in the infographic below, as well over at the International Bag Free Day website.  My favorite plastic bag fact happens to be that plastic bags, which take potentially 1000 years to biodegrade, have a typical life span of about 25 minutes of use--from store to door.  That's a lot of lifetime of waste for the minutes of convenience they provide.

For more resources, check out Plastic Bag Free's Resources.

So your challenge:  can you embrace the freedom of the Fourth of July, and go plastic bag free this holiday?  I think you can!  So, armed with knowledge, your next stop should be your grocery store.  Shop 'til you drop for your Independence Day extravaganza, bringing in your own bags, so you can come out without the additional plastic waste!  Then picnic and party on in style!

For more resources as to how to have an additionally eco-friendly 4th of July, check out Sprout's 2014 post on the subject.

Images from:  http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/12/independence-day-parade-P.jpeg; http://blog.sproutwatches.com/index.php/2014/06/how-to-have-a-eco-friendly-4th-of-july/; infographic from http://newhope360.com/blog/infographic-cost-plastic-bag; Bag Free World Logo http://www.plasticbagfreeday.org/

Bill Nye, Emojis, & Climate Change! Oh My!!

It really doesn't get much better than this:  It's like the über Reese's Peanut Butter cup where a whole lot of great tastes taste great together!!

Working with GE, Bill Nye (yes, "the Science Guy") has begun a web science series.... with a little help from his Emoji friends. First tackle: holograms. Second tackle:  Climate Change.  (It's real, we can use those words, Florida & Wisconsin & other climate denier states.  Just because you don't want to believe it doesn't mean it goes away!)



This is all a part of the bigger idea that Bill Nye & GE have co-constructed.  #EmojiScience is a 5-part series that will (as Jeff Beer says in his Fast Company article) "hit on topics like energy efficiency, mapping the mind, and materials science, in which recent discoveries show serious potential to impact the world."

Also featured on the EmojiScience website is the "Emoji Table of Experiments."  Might just be what the doctor ordered to spice up your child's summer for those blissful moments of boredom when true creativity & exploration happen!

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPqd20tdncg and can also be found at http://emojiscience.com/; 
Emoji Periodic Table from 
http://www.fastcocreate.com/3039715/ge-drops-some-social-science-with-the-periodic-table-of-emojis

The States of Climate Change Denial

I thought only Florida & Wisconsin were the bad guys.  The ne'er-do-well states that this year have forbidden the words "climate change" and "global warning."

My new realization:  But wait!  There's more!

What the....?!?

While Florida is definitely getting the bad rap in the news this year, Wisconsin has followed along--but it hasn't gotten as much media attention as Florida did.  (For a humorous, but not fully appropriate video for the kiddos in the room, check out Jon Stewart's very snarky mocking of Florida's banning of the terminology.)

As this infographic shows, Florida & Wisconsin aren't alone:

Luckily for the climate change deniers and politicians out there:  

Only 97% of climate scientists agree:

"Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 percent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree: Climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities. In addition, most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position." ~Quoted directly from NASA.gov

It's leaving me to want to make some snarky, mocking comments of my own!!

Calvin & Hobbes Image from http://jokideo.com/its-not-denial/; States map from http://www.vocativ.com/usa/us-politics/places-that-would-like-to-ban-the-phrase-climate-change/; Jon Stewart pic from http://bluenationreview.com/daily-show-climate-change/ 

Happy Summer Solstice

There's something magical about that first day of summer  The longest day of the year.  "Longest," of course theoretically given it's the day of most daylight in the Northern Hemisphere.  Coming right after school gets out for the summer, it's well at the beginning of all there is ahead for those lazy days of summer!

Here's an interesting map from USA Today of just how many hours of sunlight we had in a variety of American cities last year, Summer Solstice 2014:

To learn a little bit more about Summer Solstice, check out these links:

• BBC's mini-video explaining the science behind it 
• USA Today's map from above
• Summer Solstice Facts & Fun from Kidz World
• BrainPop's movie on Solstice & Equinox

Summer Solstice Pic from  http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/47F5/production/_83712481_summersolstice.jpg; Map from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/06/20/summer-solstice-explained-sun-earth/10887737/

Today: That Time to be Reflective in TeacherLandia

There are always a few pivotal times of the year when we humans tend to get introspective and reflective.

• Birthdays (especially the decades & milestones ones!)
• New Years ("Old Lang Syne" can always do that to you.)
• And for the student and teacher:  the end of the school year!

Today was my last day of school (which means last day of teacher meetings, packing up, and end of the year luncheon).  It was a lovely day (with amazing food) paying humorous homage and honored tributes to those folks who are retiring or moving on.

It was a day of happy dance ("Woohoo! Summer ahead!") and a day of reflection.

Today was the last day of my 22nd and a half year of teaching. (Yes, there's a "half" and it's a story for another day.  Along those lines, this whole 22.5 thing elicits the punch-in-the-gut feeling of "How on God's green Earth have I been teaching that long!")

Today was the last day of the first year at my current school.  I survived being a newbie!  I never would have been here had my previous school not closed.

Today was the last day of the first year I have ever been "a special" versus "a homeroom teacher."  (There are definite things I miss in setting up the routines and camaraderie of my own classroom, but definitely perks as well.)

Today marks my last day of school, after teaching in 6 schools total, in 3 different states.

Today is my official start to summer.  Complete with goals of both relaxation, accomplishment, parenting, blogging, learning, environmental visions, and health on the horizon.  And pool time.  Definitely pool time!

Today I reflect over my years of teaching, and my many schools, and I feel an enormous sense of gratitude. I have been fortunate enough to be in 6 truly dynamic schools.  Public and private, with mentors every step of the way. People I love, adore, and treasure. Amazing teachers, amazing people.  I have learned and grown and made incredible friends along the way.  I have refined my craft, found new interests, and sharpened new talents as I have trekked along.  I have met phenomenal people.  This year I was in a situation to have many of my former colleagues embarking upon "the new," and I have seen how lucky I really truly am. Public & private & then some.

Today I am blessed.

Today I sit at the cusp of 2 and a half months of summer ahead.  What I do with it is up to me!

May you be faced with the same challenge, whether you work or not, whether you are a teacher or not, whether you have the summer off or not....it's still your summer.  Go forth and make it amazing.

Champagne pic from my camera; "Sometimes our lives..." quote from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/18/a5/86/18a5860a2bc72384fcba13075fb7755c.jpg; being blessed pic: https://runningthriver.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/blessed-life1.jpg 

Glass: Where Sand, Limestone, Soda Ash, & Heat Unite = Glass Is Life

In my reflections on seeing Celine Cousteau speak earlier this spring, I started bouncing around internet--which is where moments of magical connection often happens.  From there I found the "Glass is Life" website and Celine Cousteau's PSA for them as spokesperson.  I was instantly washed back to seeing her in person, as so much of this message is her message.

Fitting that I am writing this on what would be her grandfather, Jacques Cousteau's 105th birthday!  (born: June 11, 1910)



In a world where waterways seem to become more polluted daily by plastic waste, and containers seem chemical-bound through the BPA-leaching of plastic, glass (along with stainless steel) is a viable and vital option.  Glass Is Life is glass manufacturer's O-I Inc's 4-pronged environmental and health platform of the merits of glass:  taste, quality, sustainability, and health.  Each prong on the Glass Is Life website has a short video like Cousteau's above that sing glass' praises as the purest packaging material, made only from sand, limestone, soda ash & heat unite.

Be sure to check out O-I's 5 minute video on the making of glass.

Then go raise your glass, feeling good about what you are reusing and what resources you are saving.

"Glass says quality all by itself. It’s the only packaging material that people are inspired to save, re-use, collect and display. Smooth or rough, blue, green, black, or iridescent, glass comes in a wide variety of textures, shapes and colors. It’s beautiful. It’s memorable. It’s iconic."   ~From the Glass Is Life website.

Video from http://www.glassislife.com/caseforglass/sustainability

Celine Cousteau pic from http://www.glassislife.com/

Infographic from http://bloginabottle.com/uncategorized/a-taste-of-glass.html 

Casting Away with Celine Cousteau on World Environment Day

June 5th annually is World Environment Day.  Given that, this post seemed to be ideally timed!

In the middle of April, we were privileged to get an early Earth Day present--Celine Cousteau was part of a lecture series at our school--a free presentation for the greater community.

Cousteau, you may be asking yourself--gee, that sounds familiar. Of course it does.  Granddaughter to the infamous oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau & daughter to filmmaker/ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, Celine comes from quite the aquatic family line.  An explorer and communicator herself, Celine spoke about bringing the stories from the field and being the megaphone who put the message into story form--a form that people can truly here and understand.

In the hour that she spoke, to the oldest in the room, and in stories even my 3rd grader could relate to, there were many take-aways.  My favorites (written as quotes, but mainly paraphrased as I was writing fast and furiously) are here below.  As you can tell, there were a lot of take-aways.  Things I'm still thinking of more than a month and change later.

• "I'm a communicator, it's what I do.  I do 'storytelling.'"

• My grandfather, Jacques Cousteau, is known for his time on the Calypso.  Yet he was a smart leader.  He surrounded himself with people who enabled him to be who was.  It takes a whole group of people to make it happen so that he could do what he did.  He was the front man, but by no means the only one."

• "Be excellent at what you are and what you can do."

• "What we do with and for our children stays with them.  You don't know what inspires them and leads them to who they will ultimately become."

• "You do need the bad to appreciate the good.  Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of pollution around the world. What can we individually do to help it."

• "Change only comes with action and action comes from the heart."

• "Education is responsibility, and you can't take that knowledge away. Likewise, once you have the knowledge, you cannot ignore it.  It is part of your life."" 

• "Change your mindset by changing the way you see yourself in the world.  We are all connected.  Once you see that, it's hard to not care about what's going on around you."

• "You are not apart from nature, you are 'A PART' of nature."

• "We need to be rethinking what we think.  Pause amidst the automaticity."

• "I can't save the world, but I can do my part."

• "I want to live a life with purpose, not just merely exist."

• "We are all part of the human tribe.  Over time, we are losing a sense of community--but also building it in other ways, through social media."My tribe is my family.   My 3 year old son deserves to have a mom who says I did everything I could do.  But we all also need balance. How much good can I do if I'm not there?  What are we sacrificing? I need to be there for my son and my family too."

Portrait Image from http://yachtworldheroes.com/?p=725; group photo from my camera (April 2015).

Putting An End to Poverty Infographic

As I mentioned last time, infographics are embedded in my world at every turn these days.  Here's an interesting one that invites you to take a stand, and raise your hand, and take a hard look at what you can do to power down poverty.

Infographic from http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/10/10/ending-poverty-is-within-our-reach?CID=EXT_TWBN_D_EXT

African Endangered Species Infographic

I've been doing some research as of late on infographics for a summer professional workshop I'll be presenting at school.  There are some really amazing ones out there.  Here's a great one I found on Endangered Species over at Pinfographics.

Infographic from http://visual.ly/endangered-species

Earth Day Family Maker Night 2015

A few weeks ago, at the start of May, I went to a Maryland Educational Technology retreat.  While there, one of the Keynotes, Danielle Martin, shared this image in her presentation which served as a wonderful wrap up to the conference where so much of the focus was on "The Maker Movement."

At our school, we are not new to the "Maker Movement," as it has been a theme for our year.  We have been inspiring creativity and innovation with STEM & STEAM challenges.  Our "Computer Lab" has been transformed with new furniture in invite a more open, new mindset; it is now known as "The Maker Lab."  No longer are students merely learning how to format Word documents, create Power Points, and learn keyboarding.  Yes, that is a part, but much of that integration is happening in the classroom (and why I have my current position).  They are also learning introductory coding, how to create multi-dimensional objects through 123D Design for the 3D printer, and how conductive playdoh works.  Yes, these are elementary students.

This Earth Day, we combined the Maker Movement with a slice of environmentalism.  The task put forth to the children was to use the Design Process to create an at-home, "Family Maker Night" creation (as a family team), making something with Earth Day in mind, through creativity and upcycling. Then, students were to bring both their project in as well as their reflection sheet of how their family worked through the challenge.

The results?  Pretty fabulous.  The tables were filled with a sundry of homemade items.  Class projects were also displayed:  3rd graders had a table of pioneer settlements. 5th graders created interactive games using MaKey Makeys, where they programmed cardboard creations to perform with the help of laptops & the online programming website Scratch).  Kindergartners used iPads & the ReadWriteThink app Timeline to document the Lego building of world structures in the vision of Lego Sculpturist Nathan Sawaya.

To get a taste of what Earth Day looked like in our neck of the woods, check out this Smilebox. Additionally, click here for the Flickr Page of even more--78 more--marvelous pictures from our Earth Day Maker Night.

Free digital slideshow customized with Smilebox

"I am a Maker" photo from a snapshot of my conference, but also found here: http://philippe.ameline.free.fr/wordpress/?p=1215

Additional pictures from my own camera and put into a Smilebox video presentation. http://play.smilebox.com/SpreadMoreHappy/4e4449314f4459344e5442384f4459334d5459784e773d3d0d0a

Happy World Turtle Day 2015

You say "to-may-toe," I say "to-mah-toe."
You say "turtle," I say "chelonian" (which sounds remarkably like "colonian").

I don't, but I could.   Especially on World Turtle Day:  May 23rd annually.

World Turtle Day originally hatched in 2000 by the American Tortoise Rescue (which itself began in 1990).  Given that turtles and tortoises have a number of threats--mostly human instigated--raising awareness is always a good thing.  Threats include:

• exotic food trade
• illegal pet trade
• habitat destruction
• climate change
• bycatch from fisheries
• consumption of marine debris

According to NOAA, all seven world species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered.

To enhance your inside information about turtles & tortoises:

1.  Watch this 2 and a half minute video from The Guardian.
2. Read a good turtle book. My favorite? Turtles in My Sandbox, by Jennifer Keats Curtis. You will find some engaging activities to go along with this book from the publisher Sylvan Dell

3. Check out ARKive.org to learn more about animals of any species--especially if you are curious about their conservation status (vulnerable, critical, or endangered). Here with these links, you are a mere click away from creating your own archive of chelonian knowledge at ARKive:

• Turtles
• Tortoise
• Terrapins

4. For Lesson Plans, World Turtle Day or any other day, check out the following links:

• From the Sea Turtle Conservancy, developed by Cathy Payne for Elementary Students
• A multitude of lessons for many ages from Sea Turtle Inc.
• Many Teacher Resource links at Save the Turtles.

5. Looking for ways to help out our shelled reptilian friends? Huffington Post's "World Turtle Day" article lists some ideas for what you can do to help.


-World Turtle Day Photos from https://www.facebook.com/WorldTurtleDay
-Chelonian definition a screenshot from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/chelonian
-Video from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2015/may/22/world-turtle-day-barrier-reef-preservation-tourism-queensland-video

Memorial Day Weekend Ahead: Red, White, Blue & Green

Memorial Day:  A solemn day of celebration & remembrance of the many men and women who fought for our freedoms, rights, and American privileges.  We are lucky to have had those people who dedicated their lives to us.

Memorial Day Weekend:  In addition to this day of honoring our soldiers and freedom fighters, it also somewhat serves as the universal start to summer.  Just ask Phineas & Ferb (& then sing it with me):

There's 104 days of summer vacation

And school comes along just to end it

So the annual problem for our generation

Is finding a good way to spend it

(Don't get me started on how we are only a mere matter of weeks away from the June 12th, series finale of possibly the greatest cartoon out there for old and young alike! I'm not sure the world is ready for a world without Phineas & Ferb, but I digress).

So you might not be building a roller coaster in your backyard, and your inner-Doufenshmirtz might not be planning the next -inator....but you might be more knee-deep in graduation season, grabbing a bathing suit for the first weekend of the pool opening, heading out camping, or planning a tasty BBQ.

Believe it or not, you can do it all in a "green" sort of way, without going the way of a mega Phineas & Ferb style creation.  With a little inspiration from TreeHugger's "9 Tips for Zero Waste Entertaining This Summer," here are some thing you can do:

• Invest in some stainless steel straws (check out our Mai Tai welcome to the weekend.  I got mine from Amazon.com).

• Go real & reusable versus paper or plastic (for plates, cups, cutlery, table cloths & more).

• Ditch the single serve sodas & waters.  Especially if you are on your back patio, a pitcher of ice cold water, juice, or sun tea can be quite yummy.

• Make your kabobs with metal skewers, or invest in reusable mini ones to replace your wooden toothpicks.  

• Use evites versus printed invitations.

• Do a beach or campsite clean-up while out and about on your ventures.

• Don't forget to set up your recycling center for anything you may need.  Definitely keep it trash-free if you must branch outside of glass & stainless steel/real!

• Compost your leftovers and food scraps.

• Think outside the box, be creative, and come up with your own eco-friendly ways to go about having a zero-waste celebration.

Images from 
Memorial Day:  http://dfwcore.org/when-is-memorial-day-weekend-2015-date-calendar.html 
Phineas & Ferb: http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/File:104_Days.jpg
Mai Tai pic taken from my back yard, and put in the Motivational Poster app--complete with reusable stainless steel straw.

The Perils of Plastic

Pathetic Plastic & Evil Styrofoam.  Ask my 3rd grader what I hate, and he'll come up with one or the other.

It's amazing too, regarding plastic, as it is everywhere.  A trip to the grocery story will confirm it. I've gone off before on plastic wrapped apples & bananas.

The following video (of the same name) from It's A Plastic World does an interesting and thorough job of showcasing just how prevalent plastic is

 

    It's a plastic world - English from It's a plastic world on Vimeo.

Additionally, here's a startling article from One Green Planet I just ran across further indicating the perils of plastic.  It's headline says it all:

700 Marine Species Might Go Extinct Because of Plastic Pollution. Here Are 5 Ways You Can Help!

Some of the highlights:

• The EPA has indicated 32 tons of plastic waste are created a year.          (32 tons?!  Plastic is light, so the vast bulk of that is hard to wrap your mind around!)
• Only 9% of that is recovered.
• All known specials of sea turtles and half the sea bird species have had run-ins with plastic (either entanglement or ingestion).

The upshot...a continued course could lead to extinction of multiple species AND toxicity on our dinner table.  But, I like that this article adds some ideas to help turn that around.  Small things each one of us can do to take action from moving to reusable, non-plastic alternatives, taking our own bags to ward off using items like plastic backs which were created to be discarded, and moving away from both synthetic fibers and microbeaded products.  By using our spending dollar as the decision maker, we can make a difference.  

Just ask Keurig.  

For some more good ideas, check out this "Plastic Detox" poster:

Video from https://vimeo.com/100694882 ; poster from https://hateandanger.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/plastic-detox-deplastify-your-life.jpg, sea turtle pic from http://ecotoysblog.com/2012/05/no-plastic-challenge/

An Infographic Chronicling Our Recycling Habits

I posed the question the other day as to why on Earth (in this day and age) is it that we don't recycle more?

Apparently, there's an infographic on that.  Click here for a zoomable version of this from Good.is.

Bottom line:  It's lack of good knowledge.  So go forth and educate yourself and others so we can go forth and do Anne Arundel County's motto:  "Recycle More Often."

Infographic a screenshot from http://awesome.good.is/infographics/infographic-why-don-t-americans-recycle/351

The Recover Brothers Recycling Videos

It's 2015, and by now it should be a no-brainer to recycle.  Unfortunately, "should" is the operative Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the goal is 50% recycling, yet overall, the county is at 44% (up from years past where it was in the upper 30's percent).  This is somewhat promising, yet ask yourself how you'd feel about a score of 44% or 50% on a test.
word, and it's still not happening.

In a neat interactive over at the AA Co's "Recycle More Often" website shows some of what is still landing over at the landfill.  Along with that is the number 26% --which is the reported amount of what the county citizens could move over to their recycle bins.

Additionally, their Sesame-Street-esque video series of "The Recover Brothers" puts it into plain and simple terms:






Video from http://www.recyclemoreoften.com/video_2014.php and https://youtu.be/CUOW7hqFd-s

The Story of Microbeads

Annie Leonard from the "Story of Stuff" Project does it again,  She and her team of  activists & illustrators from Free Range Studios have created another in her series of "Story of Stuff" videos.

This time, her focus in on the tiniest of pesky tiny things:  microbeads.  What on Earth are microbeads, you ask? The technical term is polyethylene microspheres, but you know them as the little plastic grit in lotions, face cleansers, exfoliants, makeup, toothpaste, and more.  And, much like the other "Story of's..." we learn they were purposely made to go away and be thrown away. Watch here:



After watching "The Story of Microbeads," you can take it a step further and take action to "ban the bead" with the help of their informational website by learning more there, and also by sending (or modifying) their templated letter to your Senator.

For more "Story of'..." videos, be sure to check out all of these:

The Story of Stuff (Dec 2007)

The Story of Cap & Trade (Dec. 2009)

The Story of Bottled Water (March 2010)

The Story of Cosmetics (July 2010)

The Story of Electronics (Nov. 2011)

The Story of Citizens United v. FEC (2011)

The Story of Broke (2011)

The Story of Change (July 2012)

The Story of Solutions (Oct. 2013)

The "Story of Stuff:  Microbeads" video is from http://storyofstuff.org/movies/lets-ban-the-bead/; The penny/microbead pic is from http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/313157701/why-those-tiny-microbeads-in-soap-may-pose-problem-for-great-lakes (another great article, in and of itself!)

PBS's Loop Scoops & the Sphinx Tackle Garbage

It's been around the block awhile now, but PBS's "Loop Scoops" are a series of shorts that are designed to help you think about all of your "stuff" and how it affects both you AND the environment.  Perhaps it's not a surprise that "Story of Stuff" creator Annie Leonard is the Content Director.  She definitely has opinions on "stuff."

Here, the Loop Scoops & the Sphinx tackle "Garbage:"



For some other great kid-friendly, eco-friendly & insightful websites, check out the Loop Scoops resources.



Video from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c5cnM_TdHw;  Loop Scoops banner from http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/lpsc/ (where you can find links to many other great, thought-provoking videos about the "stuff" in your life!