tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25051230396605959902024-03-27T16:09:06.099-04:00Green Team Gazette1 teacher. 1 world. Eco-friendly. EdTech-friendly. Classroom-friendly.Teacher-friendly. Kid-friendly. Parent-friendly. Planet-friendly. Sustainability. Innovation. What can we do to increase the likelihood that this one li'l world will be here eons from now? Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or just someone who firmly believes that every tiny bit helps, let's all be part of the solution rather than adding to the problem, knowing that innovation along the way is the way to make that happen!Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.comBlogger1647125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-54120404940036038982024-03-27T01:00:00.001-04:002024-03-27T01:00:00.130-04:00The Power of ParkletsFunny....sometimes when you run across something for the first time, the next thing you know is that you are seeing it everywhere. This is what happened to me regarding parklets.A parklet is a little do-it-yorself mini park, which urban areas and city dwellers are creating more and more of to counter green up the space, cutting down on the concrete jungles of urban areas. They help soothe Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-26186570660311625362024-03-23T13:31:00.008-04:002024-03-23T14:19:35.169-04:00Earth Hour Is Here: Tonight, March 23 ~ 8:30 -- 9:30 pm What are you doing tonight, Saturday, March 23 from 8:30-9:30 pm?Earth Hour is here, during that hour, in your time zone. Want to learn more--check out my recent post on Earth Hour.Best part of being a part of Earth Hour is the highlight of how important one set 60 minutes for one person is when it is multiplied out by hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, globally. It shows the importance Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-88771774336599081552024-03-20T01:00:00.007-04:002024-03-21T12:43:02.292-04:00The Beauty of Each Season: SpringSpring is my season! The warming of the days. The daylight getting longer. The freshness and color that starts sparking the world. The winter hibernation coming to the end. It is the season I wake up. The first day of spring this year happened on March 19th. I'm always curious why sometimes it's the 21st or the 23rd, and know it has to do with the rotation of the planet and it's Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-7972911073083188192024-03-16T13:04:00.002-04:002024-03-16T13:04:31.062-04:00United Nations International Day of Happiness: March 20th"Happiness" is a concept that has popped up a lot lately. Most recently when my daughter was on an academic spring break trip in Spain, and mentioned that everyone, everywhere she visited, seemed happier than we do here in America. With school, we are currently just starting our spring break, which of course is the epitome of happiness for teachers and students alike. Moreover, after break, Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-86021926125022467022024-03-13T03:00:00.023-04:002024-03-13T17:35:55.491-04:00Earth Hour 2024 Is On It's Way--Mark Your Calendar for March 23Earth Hour is one of my favorite "environmental days."This year is our 18th one, and I've been writing about it for a lot of those years.By turning off your lights and/or doing something during the hours of 8:30 to 9:30 pm in your time zone on this Saturday, March 23, you can place a vote toward the betterment of our planet.To learn more, check out any of the links above, watch the video below, Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-21505060456259088512024-03-06T05:00:00.002-05:002024-03-06T05:00:00.233-05:00Positive Environmental News for 2023OneTreePlanted is a great place to go for good environmental news. After landing on their article "Good Environmental Stories From 2023," I was inspired to create the world map infographic below, showcasing some of the great news that includes plastic and paper bans, rejuvenated species, ocean clean ups, activism, biodiversity, and other great eco news. Click the poster to see an enlarged versionVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-57490697012898524652024-03-02T11:48:00.003-05:002024-03-03T17:28:45.837-05:00World Wildlife Day ~ March 3rdMarch 3rd: The day in 1931 that the United States adopted "Star Spangled Banner" as it's national anthem.Additionally, March 3 is also the annual date of World Wildlife Day, voted on December 20, 2013 by the United Nations to be an annual environmental date of honor and celebration of wildlife.. This date is significant as it ties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-49722821219477359762024-02-28T01:30:00.009-05:002024-02-28T01:30:00.134-05:00Things To Love This February: Leap YearLast but not least, this February we get to love Leap Year. A bonus day! An occurrence that happens only once every 4 years, it's a fun to have it be a "leap year" year!! And with a presidential election ahead this fall, we know that they also happen on leap years too.But why? Why do we have Leap Years? Well, here's why....and it's all about math!Looking for some last minute lesson plans forVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-34859000634986969722024-02-24T02:30:00.001-05:002024-02-24T02:30:00.125-05:00Things To Love This February: FETC Follow UpI love me a good conference. I mean, only if it is a REALLY good conference. One filled with loads of workshops by engaging presenters, with ideas that you can put into place the very next day.Two annual conferences fit that bill for me: MAEOE (my environmental Superbowl) and FETC (an edtech extravaganza). January 23-26, 2024 they held the 44th annual Future of Education Technology Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-68575141143704152902024-02-21T01:30:00.001-05:002024-02-21T01:30:00.128-05:00Things To Love This February: World Thinking Day World Thinking Day is celebrated annually on February 22nd in the arena of Girl Scouts, and has been for 98 years--since 1926. Officially "Girl Scouts" falls in the more largely named "World Association of Girl Guides & Girls Scouts." This is an organization that touches 10 million girls in over 150 countries.World Thinking Day is a day dedicated to international friendship, and thinking Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-30472992070379771112024-02-17T01:00:00.001-05:002024-02-17T01:00:00.136-05:00Things To Love This February: Black History Month ResourcesWith February being Black History Month, mid-month is a good time to check in with where you are with educating both your students and yourself about the importance of black history The Center for Racial Justice in Education has a treasure trove with at least 80 links on these subjects:How Do We Celebrate Black History Month? Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources for EducatorsDo We Need Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-3388263971485638752024-02-14T02:00:00.009-05:002024-02-14T02:00:00.131-05:00Things To Love This February: Valentine's DayThe literal and figurative heart of February is Valentine's Day. Smack dab in the center of the month (as well as in the center of Random Acts of Kindness Week--this year: Feb 11-17), it's a day centered around the heart and cherishing our loved ones.In case you need a little history lesson, here's a kid-friendly video on the history of St. Valentine's Day.Given the tie in between Valentine's DayVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-91505404906318884462024-02-10T11:59:00.001-05:002024-02-10T14:04:41.609-05:00Things To Love This February: February Environmental DaysWe all know about your standard February days of Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, and Leap Year this year. Well that's not all that's in store this month. There's also a slew of Environmental Days as well!Click below to learn a little bit more about each of these February Environmental Days :February Environmental DaysWorld Wetlands Day: Feb. 2ndWorld Ostrich Day: Feb 2nd (not endangered or Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-64537319966578704152024-02-07T12:00:00.004-05:002024-02-10T14:05:10.025-05:00Things To Love This February: Super Bowl Sunday & President's Day Unless you are living under a rock and have missed all the hubbub about Taylor Swift & Travis Chelsea, you probably know that this weekend is Super Bowl Sunday. Time honored tradition, and always ripe for classroom resources...whether you go to watch the game or the commercials.Clutter Free Classroom's "Super Bowl Classroom Activities for Elementary Students in 2024"A multitude over at Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-24293752384810594092024-02-03T02:00:00.004-05:002024-02-03T12:49:18.651-05:00Things to Love This February: #FeedTheBirdsDay & The Great Backyard Bird CountIt's that chilly time of year where some parts of the country are blanketed with either white, cold, or a combination of both. This is the time that animals who have stockpiled their food supply may be running low. It's that time of the year where our neighboring nature creatures are start really having a hard time finding find food. This is especially true for our feathered friends. Given Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-13115673170733721162024-01-31T08:30:00.001-05:002024-02-01T20:02:17.649-05:00Nature is the Best TeacherJust as art sometimes imitates life, the environment can inspire technology.In these 4 minutes by Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, we can see just how in many ways. Nature and the environment tend to be the best inspiration for tech and innovation--and likewise, innovation will help solve our environmental issues.Video from https://youtu.be/BYCI8SYngR8?si=G72oVHSboIOFdNQQVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-17853676334996588452024-01-27T02:00:00.003-05:002024-01-27T02:00:00.128-05:00Using Environmental Education As EmpowermentAs the perfect follow up from my last post about the history of environmental education...In this TED Talk from May 2023, Arvolyn Hill speaks out about her experiences as a black woman tying together environmental awareness with racial justice. She also talks about her nature programs at the New York Botanical Gardens and how these programs can help black and brown kids see themselves out in Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-7309910306299592502024-01-24T01:30:00.001-05:002024-01-24T01:30:00.124-05:00History of EE: Environmental EducationOctober 14-26, 1977, in Tbilisi--now in the country (not state) of Georgia in what was once part of the USSR--there was the First Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education. Created by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the Tbilisi conference was one of the first of its kind to place emphasis on educating others about the perseveration and Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-55912144302043797282024-01-20T02:00:00.005-05:002024-01-20T02:00:00.133-05:00Population Education's: A Quick Trip to 8 BillionPopulation Education is an amazing website that brings together a lot of globally important factors: numbers, demographics, and human impact on each other, economics, and our planet. In the many. years of Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education conferences I've attended, I always try to catch any workshops presented by Population Education. They have a wealth of lesson plans Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-24235034249021577742024-01-17T01:30:00.023-05:002024-01-17T01:30:00.121-05:00The Beauty of Each Season: WinterWinter is probably the hardest season for me to be outside. I do love the crackling of the fireplace, the hibernation, and the coziness of blankets or snuggly warm clothing. However, it's the outdoor stuff that's hard for me. I'm not a fan of the cold, the wet, the snow in my boots, the ultimate turn to the slushy mushy mess, and the super dry skin. (The latter, this year, more than ever before!)Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-10400250040161552182024-01-13T16:36:00.001-05:002024-01-15T16:42:09.115-05:00Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.With this weekend being Martin Luther King Day I've been doing a lot of thinking about all that 39 year old Dr. King accomplished in his life.Monday (MLD Day) is seen as a Day of Service, one the only holidays we have dedicated as that. A day "on" versus a day "off." Of course, people are free to use it as they wish. As a teacher, even though we are newly back to school after Winter break, the 3 Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-19175873560758720732024-01-10T01:30:00.001-05:002024-01-10T01:30:00.129-05:00Riding the Line Between Snow And RainThis past weekend we were trying to time a flexible yet sizable drive based on the weather. It would have us going westward through the mountains of Western Maryland while a weather system was traveling eastbound. Mountains and higher elevations tend to complicated life when it comes to potential snow storms, inclines, ice, and road preparedness for all of the above. Add to that the two day Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-69865831758578697832024-01-06T02:00:00.003-05:002024-01-06T02:00:00.129-05:00The Endangered Species Act: Looking Good at 50!Thursday, December 28th, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. With all the hubbub of the holidays, this li'l snippet of information might have gotten lost by many. (I know I personally was losing track of what day of the week it was, while traveling, home on break, and partaking in far too many festive feasts.)But 50th birthdays/anniversaries are meant to be celebrated.Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-30307186697908627882024-01-03T02:00:00.001-05:002024-01-03T15:34:28.189-05:00Goals for the New YearWith the turn of the calendar, as I mentioned in the last post, 'tis the season for goals and resolutions. Among my logistical travels, it gave me extra time for social medial scrolling travel, and I landed on these 4 images and infographics...all of which speak to living the year with new, green goals. Maybe there'll be a few ideas here to visually inspire you to start your year off right.&Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505123039660595990.post-80982100959089645182023-12-31T19:00:00.000-05:002023-12-31T19:00:00.141-05:00Happy New Year 2024A new year is is ahead. 2024. 52 weeks of new are right here with the flip of the calendar page. Using ChatGPT, I created this ABC list of environmental well-wishes for your year ahead. May it serve as an inspirational checklist of 26 ways you can green your routine and your 2024.Afforestation adventures await! Plant some trees or visit some new forests to check out their flourishing Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892492608797640057noreply@blogger.com0