Hour of Code 2023: December 4-10

In January of 2013, Hadi & Ali Partovi (two Iranian-American brothers) started Code.org with the intention of making computer programming more accessible to people of all ages. They launched the first Hour of Code in sync with Computer Science Education Week that December 2013--5 years after Computer Science Education's first week, which was December 6-12, 2009.

Computer Science Education Week takes place during the full week that encompasses Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper's birthday. Grace Hopper was born December 9, 1906. She was a woman ahead of her time: a Vassar graduate, a naval officer, a mathematician with her PhD from Yale in that and mathematical physics, a World War II veteran, a computer programmer, a software developer, and one of the developers of the programming language COBOL. She's credited with literally "debugging" the first computer infiltrated by a moth, coining a term we still use today. She was the first individual woman to receive our country's highest technology award: the National Medal of Technology in 1991 and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by President Obama.

Code.org's Hour of Code is December 4th through 10th this year--making this the 11th year of highlighting that anyone can learn to code. Now a global movement across 180 countries, Hour of Code inspires people of all ages to take on some coding activities for at least an hour. In my K-5th grade tech classes, we'll all be coding this week!

Looking for some ways to host your own Hour of Code, check out these activities:

• Hour of Code's Library of Activities -- You can filter by activity, device, age, and more.

• Create & Learn's Hour of Code Free Activities  -- Curriculum is designed by Google, Stanford, MIT and more.

• Promotional resources and videos from Hour of Code

• Tie it in with your librarian using Shannon McClintock Miller's idea of linking library books about coding from her blog The Library Voice. I was fortunate enough to take a FETC workshop from Shannon years ago. She's a phenomenal edtech educator, leader, and author and I love this tie in between classes.

Image from  http://twofifthsfudge.blogspot.com/2012/12/amazing-grace.html (posted December 9, 2012), https://hourofcode.com/us/learn, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2014/12/22/honoring-grace-hopper#:~:text=Grace%20Hopper%20was%20born%20in,a%20woman%20during%20that%20era), and https://goglobalways.com/blog/benefits-online-coding-classes-kids-2021/; videos from https://youtu.be/Fg82iV-L8ZY?si=aJn97UyePKWMEn0T and https://youtu.be/ybBUd9-0ZJQ?si=doqsuS-veK8v1NYd

Simple Acts of Kindness

This felt like a natural follow up to my last post. How can you send kindness into the world--both to people and the environment? Use this Sketchnote created by Dr. Hayley Lewis as a springboard to come up with even more ideas to brighten both your and others' day!

Image from https://www.facebook.com/MindShift.KQED/posts/pfbid035wPaR5AyrLVRwvjneaiG5AT5dWpViPcoyZska4A47JyFPizaDubu1XGUvbACa94cl

From One Holiday to the Next

The frenzy is upon us. That super tight window of time between Thanksgiving and the December holidays. In our house, that holiday is Christmas. Of course, in the retail world, the aisles were rivaling each other with the trifecta at the end of October. In a few stores I went to, the Christmas goods were far outnumbering the Halloween items!

I'm definitely a fan of one holiday at a time. When my daughter was younger I had to enforce the "no Christmas music before Thanksgiving" ruling. Some years that was harder than others. This year, for Thanksgiving, we had a table set for 18, making it very necessary to stay singularly-focused on Thanksgiving. Works that way when you are hosting! But now that Thanksgiving has now passed, the table has been stripped, the fall autumnal colors have been replaced, the tree is now up in a bit of a whirlwind. As a teacher with a 5-day Thanksgiving break and the supreme gift of time, the timing just seems to work out well to transform the house into the winter wonderland. [Though, even with that, I am always keen on making it so that all the decorations can go up (and ultimately come down at the end of the season) in roughly a 24-hour time period.]

I've long had a complicated relationship with Christmas. I suspect many parents do. The memories of the seasonal childhood magic gives you a definite eye-opening when you see how much work goes into making all that magic happen for children. There's a lot of moving parts, changing wish list items, shopping, decorating, outings, shopping, spending, more shopping, and "extras" that come during this time of the year. I can get exhausted and/or overwhelmed pretty darn easily. (Doubly harsh when I'm not a born shopper or spender.) I'd imagine I'm not alone. I think as an elementary teacher (where classrooms and bulletin boards also rotate seasonally, and kids' eyes sparkle in the hopes of all that's ahead), it adds to the tight timetable and the magical demands of this time of the year.

Additionally, I know that it can be a difficult time of the year for many in other ways too. The longer we spin on this planet, the more we live, love, and face loss. That can also bring hard emotions upon the season. Memories and merriment at times can counter each other.  Like I said, Christmas can be complicated.

This year, our halls got decked in a timely and patient manner. (I can't always say this.) I did it around naps and with the proper balance of sanity and serenity. I'm hoping to approach the entire season semi-holding on to this sentiment. One way I'm hoping to go about this mindset is through this advent calendar that I purchased from Sharing Kindness--one for me, one for a friend. We can be in sync with each other, and hopefully too it will soothe my tendency toward Christmas chaos during this in between season.

Hopefully you are managing the flip from one holiday to the next with the right energy and joy levels.  May you share kindness, compassion, and warm spirits along the way...even when the lines are long, the nerves are frazzled, and your over-packed schedule starts tipping your scales. 

Video from https://youtu.be/eJkGzsLUhRI?si=ZJ2wWUN2KDEEb6Fn and pics from my home.

Happy Thanksgiving

Having a little fun with the Canva Magic Tools, I created this graphic as a sticker for some candles I'll be placing around my house for Thanksgiving this year when we host our family gathering. Seemed also like the perfect one to share here today too.

Here's a little poem, in honor of the season, that ChatGPT crafted and I modified to round out my full sentiments of the season. 

In the amber glow of autumn's embrace, 

Hearts gather together, full of love and grace. 

A tapestry of love, woven tight and strong, 

A symphony of gratitude, a heartfelt song.

Nature's palette, a canvas so divine, 

Golden hues in the autumn sunshine. 

Beneath the boughs where the leaves surrender, 

Friends and family, a bond to remember. 

Grateful hearts, like leaves in the wind, 

A celebration of love, where memories begin.

Laughter dances in the crisp, cool air, 

A harvest of blessings, more than a feast we share.

So on this day of thanks, let's raise a cheer, 

For the bonds we cherish and hold dear;

In the company of family and our friends,

A Thanksgiving bounty that knows no end.

May you all have warm memories of Thanksgivings past, hearts full of love for friends and family, and loads to be thankful about this year. 

Image created on Canva.com using their Magic Media tools.

Thanksgiving Tech 2023

It feels like it was just summer and Labor Day, but already Halloween is in our rear-view mirror and Thanksgiving is ahead in a week.

Might be time for a little bit of Thanksgiving Tech. Especially if you are struggling to try to come up with what to do the short week of school, right prior to Thanksgiving. (Those days sometimes are the longest days of the school year.

Here are some great edtech finds:

• Turkey Templates for Thanksgiving Creativity and Writing--From 2017, but this is a perennial favorite that never gets old. Eric Curts of Control Alt Achieve shares some great Thanksgiving Google Slides template activities including these two: Build a Turkey & Disguise a Turkey. Fun creativity for your younger Google-friendly students.

• Build a "What I Am Thankful For" Turkey with Google Slides --Eric Curts was back at it again in 2021 with another Google Slide Template full of fun

• TCEA's 11 Thanksgiving Activities for Joy & Learning--Written by Peggy Reimers here in 2023, this TCEA Tech Notes blog post. It includes Thanksgiving trivia & "Would You Rather" games, along with links to story starter spinners, giving thanks word walls, a Gobble Gobble break out room, Wheel of Thanksgiving, Thankgiving Madness Bracket, and more. It is a somewhat updated version of her 2020 post, with some new ideas and some repeats.

• Best Free Thanksgiving Lessons and Activities--This Tech Learning 2023 article by Diana Restifo has focused lessons on perspective (taking us away from the long ago Pilgrim-centric "first Thanksgiving" stories to look at all of the parties involved--including the indigenous people. Looking at history through the lens of multiple perspectives is vital for building compassion and empathy AND learning the past. Here you will find lessons and links to about 18 different learning websites to enrich student knowledge on the history of Thanksgiving. 

• Elementary Nest's Ideas for Digital Thanksgiving Activities--Lots of links connected to Elementary Nest creator's resources at both Teachers Pay Teachers and her own website. Most items here are her creations and can be purchased.

• This Wixie board of Ideas for Thanksgiving has a multitude of cross curricular ideas for the season. It includes some design thinking activities in addition to digital ways to bring gratitude, creativity, and more together.

• For a compilation of just about anything else you can think of, check out this Thanksgiving Tech Activities Board from All Saints Episcopal School. It's definitely a cornucopia of computer activities for all grades.

From the looks of all of these activities, no one will go bored while they are getting their Thanksgiving tech activities all in order!!

Main photo created in Canva.com. Other Photos screenshot from https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2017/11/turkey-templates.html, https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2021/11/thankful.html, and https://blog.tcea.org/11-thanksgiving-classroom-activities/

Happy Veterans Day 2023

Veterans Day has been a major ceremonial event at both my current school and my previous one. I've spent at least the last 17 years honoring the men and women who have served our country and the gratitude we have as Americans. I've annually shared that moment with school children and our school community. Highlighting the importance of those who have served for our American freedoms to our youngsters is wonderful way to showcase the beauty of that sacrifice. It truly is a uniting holiday... and one divisive politicians should honor more often.

Earlier in the week, I shared this video with our 5th grade students who were our Lower School leaders for Veterans Day school community assembly. For the last month these students had been compiling research on the 6 branches of military and the history of Veterans Day to be our resident experts. By the time we'd watched this video, they were already well-schooled in the information so it served as a reinforcement for all that they had already learned. For those of you who might need to brush up on your Veterans Day history, today's a good day to do it. 

Thank you to those who have fought for our freedoms. 

Video from https://youtu.be/mWD4Oy6fKlo?si=jUPO4jHg6Y3ghxjl, image from https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/

Animal Loving

Who doesn't love animals? 

I ran across the website Switchzoo while looking for some elementary STEM activities for my Tech/Maker Lab classes. This website ended up being a Mecca of all sorts of free online activities and teacher resources, all related to Animals. While not a new website (it's been around in different degrees since 1999), it was new to me and has some valuable resources and some striking reviews.

Some of the great finds you will find there:

• Go to the Animal List & Profiles and click any one of over 130 animals to get its bio and find out more about it. 
• Be creative and design new animals by switching up animal body parts
• Learn about birds by playing Words of a Feather and matching the feathers.
• Learn about the animals and habitats of the 6 major biomes by playing Build a Biome.
• Play the Where Do I Live game to match animals to their habitats.
• Discover music performed by animals and their natural sounds at Animal Music.
• Investigate other games such as the Scavenger Hunt game and Please DO Feed the Animals.
• Visit the teacher resources, which include cross curricular lesson plans.

Logo from https://www.switchzoo.com/

Nature Journaling

This weekend has been a pretty one. Sunny leaves all a rainbow of crisp fall colors. A little warmer than normal for the first weekend of November. Downright idyllic.

For our house, we have a big playoff ahead and will be spending the day outdoors. Couldn't have asked for a better day for it.


While I'll be knee deep rooting for the home team, others will be taking advantage of the beautiful day in other ways. Some will be meandering in downtowns, weaving in and out of cute shops. Some will be hitting up apple, pumpkin, or other fall festivals. Still others might be hiking about in the woods, watching squirrels frolic in the leaves or searching for nuts.

And others might be following in Eriko Kobayashi's footsteps. Encouraging others to grab paper and pens and bond with nature in another way. Eriko Kobayashi is Japan's sole nature journaling instructor. She encourages folks (largely those who busily live in the city) to get outside and connect with both themselves and nature by guiding them to journal and take notice of what surrounds them in the great outdoors. 

The practice of nature journaling started in the United States, and gained popularity during the pandemic. Not only was it a way to create space outdoors during social distancing times of Covid, but it is also a great way to decompress--an outdoor meditation time with surrounding nature sounds. Additionally, it stimulates your brain through observation and concentration, while also adding a hands-on component with the journaling.

Nature journaling is credited to Clare Walker Leslie, a self-taught naturalist from the United States. "Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You," one of the nearly dozen books written by Clare Walker Leslie (this one in 2003). Over the years, nature journaling clubs have gained momentum world-wide. Kobayashi has stated that there are more than 140 that span the glob.

To read more about Eriko Kobayashi's nature leadership through journalling, check out this article in The Japan Times: "How a Notebook and Some Pens Can 'Connect Yourself to Nature' by Niko Nojima. Likewise, check out Clare Walker Leslie's website.

To find a Nature Journaling Club, check out these links:

• John Muir Laws: Find (or start) a Nature Journal Club Near You!
  
• International Nature Journaling Week's Website
  
• Educating Children Outdoors' Nature Journal Club page
  
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Nature Journaling Page

Images from canva.com & my neighborhood tree picture and https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/11/02/travel/travel-nature-journal/ 

The Beauty of Each Season: Fall

I've had the opportunity to be outside quite a bit this fall. A couple of festivals. Walks in the park with friend. A hike or two. And just being out and about and paying attention on pretty days.

We all should make the time to do all of that!

As the calendar shifts to November, and we dive deeper into fall, and as I look outside my window and see the sun dappling on the leaves that are changing daily, I'm taking a pause. Each season certainly comes with its own beauty. Let's all make time this November to get outside and take notice of the beauty that surrounds!

Image created on Canva.com with my own photos.

Have a Safe & Happy Halloween

Whether you are celebrating Halloween this weekend in your community, or if your trick-or-treating plans are Tuesday on Halloween night, may your evening be filled with memories and merriment!

Image created using the Canva.com Magic Tools™ design elements.

The Magic of Canva When It Comes to Digital Design

Canva is one of my go-to design websites. It recently got even more fun with the addition of a lot of their "Magic" elements. They released their Magic Tools™ a few weeks ago. Just in time for a little magical wonderment for the Halloween season. Take a look at some of the AI generated awesomeness that it can do:

I ran across a post in the Facebook Canva Teachers Community and used a prompt created by teacher & "Canvassador" LaNedra Johnson that had darling pictures she created using the following prompt:

"Magic Media -> Text to Image -> Enter Prompt: Chibi (girl/boy), (color) hair, with glasses books, lap top, desk, professional, ultra realistic, Pixar style, 3d render, photo, anime, illustration"

So I tried my hand at it, as it certainly was an invitation to play. I tweaked the prompt somewhat and came up with the following:

I got 4 images upon my first prompt, and I could regenerate the images and tweak the text as many times as I liked. 

Of course, thinking about the Halloween & Thanksgiving seasons ahead, I had to get creative with that too.

I think we're about to have a lot of fun in my Digital Design class we have for upper elementary. 

(Note: At the start of the year, I did have the students and their parents fill out the Canva Consent form since they are under the age of 13.)

All photos created at canva.com, video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVCRcNlY1yw

Good Environmental News

We all can ALWAYS use some good news. Especially amidst world, national, and political news that sometimes is fraught with such heavy topics. We've seen a lot of that over the past several years, now more so than ever with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the War in Ukraine, the battles in the GOP over the new Speaker of the House, the upcoming noise already for the 2024 US Presidential Election, and more.

So it's time for some good news.  

One Tree Planted's website (which focuses on global reforestation) has been committed to finding that good news, especially on the environmental front. Monthly, it has been posting the top environmental good news. Let's celebrate!

• GOOD NEWS! 6 Positive Environmental News Stories from SEPTEMBER 2023
  
• News focusing on 
• Mini forests
• Formerly extinct tree rediscovered in Brazil
• The success of climate strikes
• Cities working toward tree equity
• School credit for climate action
• New York University divesting from fossil fuels

For previous months for 2023 alone (with the exception of April for some reason), check out these links:

• GOOD NEWS! 6 Positive Environmental News Stories from JANUARY 2023
  
• GOOD NEWS! 6 Positive Environmental News Stories from FEBRUARY 2023
  
• GOOD NEWS! 5 Positive Environmental News Stories from MARCH 2023
  
• GOOD NEWS! 5 Positive Environmental News Stories from MAY 2023
  
• GOOD NEWS! 7 Positive Environmental News Stories from JUNE 2023
  
• GOOD NEWS! 7 Positive Environmental News Stories from JULY 2023 
  
• GOOD NEWS! 6 Positive Environmental News Stories from AUGUST 2023
  

That's 48 pieces of good news for 2023 alone.....that's definitely a lot to celebrate!

One Tree Planted logo from https://onetreeplanted.org/pages/business-assets and other image created at canvas.com

Fall Into Fall Bingo Board

October is a month of color and seasonal fun. It provides lots of opportunities to get out there, enjoy the brisk weather, and have fun with your family and friends. Time to get plenty of Vitamin N: Nature!

Here's a Fall Into Fall Bingo Board. How many can you tackle this fall?

Ideas in part inspired by https://www.mdmountainside.com/blog/post/top-fall-activities-to-cross-off-the-list/; Bingo board created at Canva.com To print more easily, go to: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFvYeU0OTk/d5jTX-xx0fUWmi8muaijTQ/edit?utm_content=DAFvYeU0OTk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton 

DigCit Week: October 16-20, 2023

Welcome to Digital Citizenship Week. October 16-20th this year. This serves as a focused reminder that truly, digital citizenship is an every day topic to address with our youth. 

Looking for resources to help your learners be safe, be respectful, and be responsible online...look no further:

Discover Education: My Digital Life

My Digital Life is a resource center created by Discovery Education and Norton as a way to share standards-aligned, ready to use activities about digit citizenship. When you are here you have a variety of resources for grades 3-8 all centered around smart decision making online.

Two of their digital animations are on Misinformation & Being an Oversharer. Educator Guides and classroom activities are included with each of these.

Surf Smart 2.0: Generation Digital

Brought to you by the World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts,
and Norton, Surf Smart 2.0 has five main sections. Working through all of them, students can earn their Surf Smart 2.0 Girl Scout Guide.

Common Sense Education
A leader in helping parents make smart choices for their students, Common Sense education has a multitude of tools that were co-created by the Center of Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education:

• 
  2023 Digital Citizenship Week daily trackers
  
• K-2 Daily Tracker & Gr 3-5
• Middle School
• High School
• New Digital Well-Being Lesson Plans for Middle & High School--these are created to build agency, minimize anxiety, and amplify mindfulness around tech usage.
• MS Lesson Plans
• HS Lesson Plans
• New Device Advice lesson plans for elementary school students--these include care of device, managing distractions, and keeping yourself safe. 
• Family Engagement Toolkit

Image from: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/details/discovery-education-launches-new-digital-citizenship-resources-in-partnership-with-norton/, https://mydigitallife.discoveryeducation.com/pages/de94de58-36c6-478c-8cfe-57f96e733ef6, https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/surf-smart-20/, common sense education digital citizenship, video from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/what-is-digital-citizenship

Podcasts, Podcasts Everywhere

If you've been around awhile, you know I'm a major fan of podcasts.

I happened on this website somewhere on social media and it's a complete treasure trove of classroom podcasts on a variety of subjects over at Jeff Glade Tech. Jeff Glade is a Digital Learning Consultant in Iowa who focuses on literacy instruction through a variety off mediums beyond just traditional texts. He has been compiling monthly curated lists of podcasts on a variety of subjects. Each list is in a google slide (typically 2 pages plus a third with explanation), and each podcast he mentions he lists the grade level range for which each podcast would be appropriate. Lots of supplemental resources for your classroom!!

This link takes you directly to the Hispanic Heritage Month Podcasts. Hispanic Heritage Month is rounding out here as it annually is September 15-October 15. 

Other curated lists of Jeff Glade's include:

• AAPI Podcasts -- Asian American/Pacific Islander Month: May
• Conservation Podcasts -- Think Earth Day: April 22nd
• Women's History Month -- March
• Black History Month -- February
• Native American Heritage Month Podcasts -- November
• Halloween Podcasts 
• Pride Podcasts -- Pride Month: June (Other Pride Related Special Days can be found here)
• Disability Awareness Podcasts -- Disability Awareness Month: March
• At this writing, he also has lists for the following months: February, March, April, Sept, December

He's been compiling current lists since 2019, so you will find multiple clickable lists with the same titles for a true wealth. (They are dated in the bottom right-hand corner.)

He also has some practical ideas about to incorporate these into your lessons with some meaningful activity suggestions and tech integrations that you can easily put into practice in your classroom.

Image created at https://imgflip.com/i/81wa5n

Upping Your Google Doc-Knowledge

Eric Curts of ControlAltAchieve.com has created a dynamic resource entitled "23 Fabulous Features of Google Docs." In it, I'll say I easily doubled (if not tripled) my Google Doc-knowledge!

In the post, he also includes a link so you can easily print out his Fabulous Features!

Up your Google Game with the following topics:

• Voice Typing
• Web Fonts
• Paint Format
• Setting Default Fonts & Styles
• Emojis
• Internal Links
• URL Tricks
• Playing Videos
• Smart Chips
• Creating Dropdowns
• Building Blocks
• Embedded Drawings 
• The Explore Tool
• Google Keep Integration
• Translation
• AI Assistant
• Notifications
• Version History
• Add Ons
• Extnesions
• Apps Script Code
• Templates
• Offline Access

Image from https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2023/09/fabulous-features-of-google-docs.html

Verizon Innovative Learning HQ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mapping Out Your Quest for Fall Foliage

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fall Equinox

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rethinking Architecture

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

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

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

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

Zero Waste Week

I'm a week late. 

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

It is... and it was last week. 

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

From their website:

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

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

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

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

To learn more, check out the following resources:

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

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

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

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

Grist's 50 Fixers for 2023

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

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

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

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

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

Wastewater Gets Recycled

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Labor Day Weekend

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

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

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