2024 FFT Fellow - PBL

John and I arrived at the Sonoma Botanical Garden after my second day attending the PBL World 2024 conference. The botanical garden is northwest of Sonoma in Glen Ellen. Having arrived right at closing time, we did not have a lot of time to explore the gardens. I wandered through the Asian Woodlands area and saw several unfamiliar trees with the exception of a dogwood tree. I can imagine how peaceful it would be to take an afternoon and wander through the grounds. The quiet sounds of nature and the gentle fountain bring such a sense of peace, calmness, and well-being. The Sonoma Botanical Garden offers a special event called Acoustic Sunsets on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. Each week it hosts a different musician and a different sponsor. On June 26, Clay Bell played both the acoustic guitar and ukele as Aaron Durr accompanied him on the keyboard. I loved the songs and wanted to sing along with them. Some of my favorite songs included "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved B

On Monday, I discovered my dream job. Someday, I am going to become an e-bike tour guide. Although I don't see that happening any time soon, it was so much fun that I honestly can't think of a better job. I was outside enjoying nature, meeting and chatting with people from all over the world, eating a delicious lunch from Bichon Bakery, visiting two wineries, and biking. Can you think of a more perfect way to spend a day? We started our Napa Valley Bike Tour in Yountville, California. Our tour guide, Don, led Georgian guests Tara and Brian and my husband, John, and me on a six-hour tour. Don was very knowledgeable about the history of the area. He also shared interesting facts about the flora and fauna. We rode Specialized Electric Bikes, which are equipped with different levels of pedal-assist (Turbo, Sport, and Eco) and a system to help you ride on flat stretches and hills. This was our first e-biking experience, and we both loved it! This might be the way to get John out

"Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day!" Boy, do I ever feel like busting out in song right now. However, maybe I should change the song from Oklahoma! by Rodgers and Hammerstein to Lavender's Blue by Benjamin Britten since I was at a lavender farm. No matter which song you choose, though, it was a delightful morning at Charsaw Farms , located in Napa, California. This 3.5-acre farm is owned by Doug and Julie Thompson. Here I participated in a lavender wreath class along with nine other women. We first met our lovely host, Julie Thompson, in the lavender fields where she briefly described the lavender operation. Twenty-six varieties of lavender are grown right here on the farm. Some of the varieties are ideal for essential oils. Others are better for baking. I picked two different varieties of English lavender for my wreath - Grosso and Super. Lavender grows best in sandy, nutrient-poor, well-drained soil that is mounded to keep the roots from s

Five years ago, I wrote and received a professional development grant through Fund for Teachers (FFT) and became a 2019 FFT Fellow. Through this experience, I traveled to Costa Rica and studied for a full month! It was a truly life-changing experience. If you are interested in learning about my past fellowship as well, you can read my Costa Rica blog .  I wanted to use another FFT Fellowship to build my knowledge of life science and incorporate my learning and teaching through multiple STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) fields. So in January 2024, I applied to become a FFT Fellow. I am so excited to announce that I am a 2024 Fund for Teacher Fellow !  My fellowship goal is to “Attend the PBL World 2024 conference in Napa, California, while deepening my knowledge of Project Based Learning. This would help me to incorporate multiple STEAM subjects through PBL, fully engaging students while also introducing them to potential STEAM careers.” During my amaz