100+ Awesome Tips for Long-Haul Road Trips

One day, assuming we retire before we become decrepit, hubby and I are planning a bunch of long road trips across the U.S.  We’re looking forward to experiencing all the usual things: national and state parks, historical sites, cultural sites, ballparks, roadside attractions.

I’m guessing our mode of travel is probably fairly ordinary: we’ll be staying at hotels vs. going in on an RV or roughing it at campgrounds or hostels.

And I’m guessing our priorities are similar to the priorities of most road trippers: convenience, safety, saving money, sustainability (reducing waste).

When I started researching road trip hack websites, however, I kept stumbling upon the same  40-50 tips, some of them useful, some of them silly (cupcake papers to line your car cupholders? seriously?), some of the little more than product endorsements. Frustrating! So I decided to start aggregating my own list, keeping track of the tips that seem genuinely useful and adding additional ideas culled from related websites.

Am sharing that list here, in hopes that my research proves useful for others. Not every tip will be applicable to every journey, but there ought to be something relevant here for most long-haul car travelers – and if you have tips I haven’t thought of, please feel free to share them below!

Convenience & sustainability

1. Pack at least one mildew-resistant towel to use in the car for cleanups, drying things off after rainstorms, swimming/wading, etc.
2. While you’re at it, pack a larger multipurpose blanket as well. Useful for extra warmth in your car or hotel, and it can double as a picnic blanket for concerts or events.
3. Bring reusable, collapsible bags of various sizes, to use for on-the-fly storage and shopping.
4. Change your phone’s lock screen to display your emergency contact info, so folks can contact you if you lose your phone
5. Bring change for random “off-grid” tollbooths and those old-school parking meters you’ll still find in older towns
6. Between GPS, internet searches, and photos, cellphones get heavier than usual usage on road trips. Pack multiple battery packs (+charging cables) for recharging your phone on the fly.
7. For longer trips that will require doing laundry, it will be more convenient – and less expensive – to bring your own supplies: pods, dryer sheets, quarters, hangers (for drying), stain pens. Save room by bringing only the quantity you’ll need.
1. To avoid schlepping dirty laundry in and out of hotel rooms, bring a large collapsible laundry bag to store dirty clothes in the car until laundry day

Ways to save money on hotels

1. Skip hotel booking sites and make your reservations directly. Hotels would rather not pay travel site commissions if they can help it, so they will usually match or beat travel site prices if you ask – and they may even throw in free upgrade like a nicer room or complimentary breakfast.
2. Take advantage of discounts offered to veterans, AAA members, seniors (often through AARP), government employees, and/or students, which are often applied on top of other discounts.
3. Take advantage of hotel and travel website “frequent guest” programs to earn free nights. Better yet, use both in tandem. FYI, the points aren’t just good for free nights; often, they can be used to score steep discounts on rooms in expensive destinations, which may end up being even more useful. If you’re loyal to a particular chain, you might check to see if they offer discounted gift cards.
4. Use those hotel coupons books found at state-run interstate rest stops to locate good hotel room deals. Often these coupon books will list motels that don't show up on online booking sites, an extra bonus. (Give me a great mom-and-pop motel over a chain hotel any day!) 
5. Don't be taken by surprise by hotel add-ons like parking fees,wifi fees, or resort fees. Ironically, the more expensive the hotel, the more likely they are to charge for extras. If in doubt, call the hotel and ask them to disclose any add-ons. 
6. If you can live with a little risk, wait to book your room until the day you need it – preferably after 4pm – to take advantage of the desperation of hotels to fill any remaining empty rooms. You can do this yourself or through the website HotelTonight. Just one caveat: in high-demand destinations, where there’s more demand than supply, hotels may raise same-day prices to exploit the anxiety of last-minute guests. 
7. Be mindful that hotel pricing is event-driven. If local hotel prices are likely to be inflated, it may be more cost-effective to stay further away than you’d usually consider and drive in.
8. If you’re okay with trading no-frills for price, consider booking a hostel instead of a hotel. The Hostelworld website can help you find a place. Another option: Cabins in state and national parks can be an affordable alternative to hotels, though they may lack certain amenities
9. Don’t be afraid to constantly reassess your priorities. Location, free breakfast, laundry room, swimming pool – sometimes these will be worth paying for; other times, it may make more financial sense to temporarily compromise on one or more of your “inflexibles”

Ways to save money on food

1. Tips for saving money on destination restaurants
1. Lunch menus are usually cheaper than dinner menus
2. Some restaurants offer discounts on food at happy hour
3. Search Groupon for discounts
4. Check to see if the restaurant offers discounts for military, seniors, first responders, or other special groups
5. Unless beverages are part of the experience (iconic cocktails at a historic bar, for instance), stick to water and save your money for the food you’re there to enjoy
6. If you’re just there for the ambiance, consider limiting yourself to an appetizer or dessert
2. Avoid the constant expense of fast food by taking advantage of free hotel breakfasts. (Also, if appropriate, snag a yogurt, oatmeal packages, or fruit for the road; it’s included in your hotel room costs)
3. Consider preparing some of your meals in your hotel room. Almost all hotel rooms these days feature fridges and microwaves, suitable for preparing simple meals. (If there’s no microwave in your room, there’s often a communal microwave available in the lobby.)  If you’re feeling especially ambitious, you can even pack a George Foreman grill or mini-crockpot for expanding your hotel meal options. If you're going to eat in the room, here are some things you may want to pack: 
1. A set of basic dinnerware for each person: plate, knife, fork, spoon. 
2. Basic condiments: salt, pepper, catsup.
3. Tupperware containers to use as microwave containers, bowls for eating, and storage
4. A basic food prep kit: paring knife, cutting board, spatula, spoon
5. Dishwashing liquid and a sponge
4. Keep a cooler and hamper stocked with food for eating in the car. Coolers also come in handy for storing leftovers from restaurants or hotel cooking. (FYI, they now have coolers that plug into your car's electrical system.)
5. Buy your road trip food and meals at grocery stores, avoiding inflated convenience store prices
6. Bring your own reusable water bottles & coffee containers, to cut down on trash and costs. Handy for taking your hotel coffee on the road, and you can refill your water bottle throughout the day as opportunities arise. (TIP: additives like powdered mixes or Mio are easy to transport and mask odd aftertastes).

Ways to save money on travel

1. Select “no tolls” on your GPS guidance to avoid toll roads. (Besides, who knows what wonders might you stumble upon once you leave interstates behind?)
2. Look for deals on gasoline
1. Consider gas station credit cards & programs that offer rewards
2. Use apps like gasbuddy.com to find the cheapest gas prices
3. If you belong to one of those national warehouse chains (Costco, Sam’s Club), consider buying your gas there
3. When visiting cities or major attraction, parking can be inconvenient and expensive. Consider whether it makes sense to leave your car at the hotel and use local public transportation

Ways to save money on attractions

1. Look for Groupons or city passes that may save you money on the attractions you're interested in
2. If it makes sense to do so, buy national or state park passes. Often they pay for themselves in just 2-3 admissions.  (By the way, you may qualify for free park passes if you are military, a gold star family, or a senior citizen.) 
3. Find free events & attractions
1. Look for free guided tours offered by tourist bureaus or docents
2. Google “free things to do in ____________” (or “Cheap things to do in ____”) to find attractions you may not have considered
3. Get acquainted with the local subreddits for the cities you'll be passing through. Members can often direct you towards the best cheap eats and “off the beaten track” destinations
4. Keep track of all your expenses as you go, to help identify areas where you might be spending more than you think.

Fitness & Health

1. Pack a comfort kit with basic toiletries you might need while in the car: hairbrush, lotion, fingernail clippers, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, toothbrush/paste/wash, wet wipes. Then make sure to locate your pack someplace accessible.
2. Pack a pharmacy bag with meds you might need on the road for basic comfort (pain relievers, antacids, etc.). Include basic first aid items, but don’t go overboard, because – realistically - even in the remotest parts of the U.S. you’re probably only a short drive or a phone call away from medical assistance. Focus on treating immediate needs: Bandaids, aspirin (for heart issues), medical tape, tweezers, eyewash, etc.
3. Bring workout clothes for hotel gyms
4. Consider joining a gym with locations nationwide, so that you can stop in at various cities to avail yourself of the facilities
5. If all else fails, bring your own exercise equipment: an aerobics video, resistance cords, a jump rope.

Safety

1. Bring basic car repair kit – especially if you’ll be travelling through remote areas (tire inflation kit, battery cords/recharger)
2. Bring car and travel insurance information (ex: AAA membership; also, some cars come with travel assistance)
3. Pack a flashlight or headlamp for after-dark emergencies
4. Pack paper maps or a road atlas for navigating in areas that don't have wifi access. (Happens more often than you may think.) 
5. Always gas up your car when it hits 1/2 empty – especially if you’re in a remote area. Nothing’s worse than worrying you’re going to run out of gas!  Also remember to gas up during daylight hours if you are going to have to travel at night.
6. Use window screens or shades to conceal what’s in your car from thieves.
7. Keep an extra key to your car in your wallet, to prevent being locked out. (If your car has a manual keypad, program it.) 
8. If you're worried about staying safe in your hotel, consider investing in a door alarm that will sound if someone tries to open your door. 
9. Consider travelling with a can of pepper spray that you can quickly access if you feel unsafe.

Packing tips

1. Use packing cubes to organize and store your clothes, coats, and shoes. Not only do they keep your things sorted, folded, and clean, but packing cubes make packing/repacking a breeze: just throw them into the suitcase, zip, and leave. 
2. Maintain an “overnight bag” that contains the things you need for the night (ex: PJs, toilettries, meds). Then throw in the clothes you'll need for the morning. So much easier than shlepping your suitcase into/out of hotels every evening & morning! 
3. “There’s a duffle for that.” Create a separate duffle for each special needs/event/activity (ex: cooking, swimming, hiking, exercising, inclement weather), so you can quickly grab what you need without having to unpack/repack.
1. Consider jettisoning suitcases entirely and storing your stuff (sorted into duffles or packing cubes) in open laundry baskets in the back of your car. Place the stuff you won't need every day in the more remote baskets. 
4. Bring an accordion file for organizing and storing brochures, maps and other paperwork  you may collect on the way
5. Remember that temps can be 20-30 degrees colder at elevation or underground - so pack some layers if you are going to be driving through mountains or taking cave tours

Car comfort

1. Clean out your glove box before you leave so that you can use the space to store important papers & receipts
2. Use padding to make your seat belt more comfortable
3. Consider purchasing a lumbar support device to keep your back from aching
4. Your car seats are going to get a lot of wear! Consider whether you want to cover them in some sort of protective padding. 
5. Pack clothing layers for temperature changes (& a headscarf for blowing hair)
6. Pack a travel pillow for napping
7. Make a plan for how passengers will store and recharge their phones while in the car. (Tip: There are some simple elastic-based systems for turning sun visors into accessible and convenient storage.  Another option may be suction cup organizers that can be affixed to windows)
8. Prepare audiobooks, podcasts, and playlists to keep you entertained on the road, and be sure to download content for portions of the trip without wireless service
9. Create road trip mental games & challenges (Ex: pick a category & ID examples starting with A-Z)
10. Bring a basic car cleaning kit for maintenance & spills
11. Optimize your back-of-seat storage space with hanging shoe holders or carbiners (for hanging things, like purses or bags full of supplies)
12. Keep a trash can (lined to store fluids) for storing trash between stops
13. Small, simple hard-plastic caddies are actually pretty great for staging meals in the car. The ones with three compartments accommodate the traditional sandwich/side/drink combo.
14. 
    Grocery store & hotel bathrooms are cleaner/safer than gas stations (and less awkward than restaurants)
15. If you have to sleep in your car, pick the parking lot of a 24hr restaurant so you have access to a toilet
1. Lock your seat belt through the handle of the door for extra security

Hotel comfort

1. Pack a duffle of things that may come in handy: disposable kitchen trash bags, Ziploc bags (for storing wet/messy things), carbiners (for hanging things), extension cord/power strip, multi-recharger, portable fan (for hotel rooms with inadequate A/C), noise machine, febreeze (for stinky rooms), nightlight, curtain clips (to prevent curtain gap)
2. A bit of a germophobe? Hotel room linens aren't necessarily changed every day. If this bothers you, you might consider bringing a lightweight sleeping bag insert and your own pillowcase to layer over whatever the hotel provides
3. Options for optimizing hotel entertainment:
1. Bring cables to hook your streaming device up to the TV
2. Bring wireless speakers to stream entertainment or amp your streaming volume
3. Bring a selection of games, card games & puzzles. (FYI, if you just love jigsaw puzzles but can't count on hotel tables that are large enough, one of those 3-panel "science fair" cardboard displays can be laid over 2 yardsticks to enlarge your surface area without taking up much car space.)

Day trips

1. Bring a variety of light, collapsible storage options - backpack, crossbody water bottle carrier, fanny pack, passport wallet - to accommodate a variety of day trips. 
2. Consider bringing collapsible chairs for attending spontaneous concerts or theater-in-the-park
3. Hit bigger cities on weekends, when there are more likely to be special events and tourist venues will have extended hours
4. For each attraction you are visiting, research not just Groupons and free days, but also hours and whether reservations are required. Nothing's more frustrating than arriving at an attraction, only to find out that you've arrived on the one day of the week that they're closed or that you need a timed ticket for admission
5. Bring a memory card (or two) to offload photos from your phone so you don’t run out of memory

Apps to improve your experience

1. Roadtrippers – A popular app for planning your route and destinations in advance
2. Google Maps – Can be used to plan your route and destinations in advance; can also be used to ID local restaurants/gas/attractions
3.  iExit – Tells you what amenities are located at each interstate exit
4. Gasbuddy – Helps locate gas stations & compare prices
5. Flush – Locates the nearest bathroom
6. Hotel Tonight- Specializes in last-minute (same day) hotel deals
7. Hostelworld – App for locating hostels
8. Momandpopmotels.com - Specializes in identifying hotels/motels that aren't listed by the usual hotel booking websites
9. Rentalcars.com – App for finding rental car deals at the last minute
10. Plugshare – App for locating EV charging stations
11. Spothero – Allows you to reserve parking spaces in advance (useful for locations/events with constrained parking)
12. PowWow – Drops a pin on a Google Map to help you remember where you parked your car
13. Libby – App that allows you to download audiobooks
14. Spotify – App that allows you to download podcasts and/or playlists
15. Groupon – App that offers coupons and discounts for restaurants, attractions, and experiences
16. NARMAssociation - An association of museums that that offers discounted admissions 
17. Roadside America/Roadside Attractions – Helps locate quirky roadside attractions
18. BringFido – Helps locate dog-friendly places to stay/eat/visit
19. Alltrails – App for locating hiking trails
20. iNaturalist – App for identifying plants
21. Merlin Bird ID – App for identifying birds
22. Sky guide – App for identifying stars

45+ Times When Life Becomes a Meme

You know how most of the time life is pretty mundane, but every once in a while the fates align and suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a meme?  Here are some examples my friends and I recently brainstormed (which, I realize, explains why so many of these are girly): 

1. Climbing to the top of a hill and suddenly you’re Maria Von Trapp, preparing to burst out into song
2. Wrapping yourself in a shawl or blanket and suddenly you’re Catherine in Wuthering Heights, wandering the moors in search of Heathcliff
3. Resting a laundry basket on your hip and suddenly you’re a peasant woman fetching food back from the market for your family
4. Hitching your long skirt up as you come down the stairs and suddenly you’re a character in a Jane Austen novel making your grand entrance at the ball
5. Walking out into a snowstorm, bundled in layers of coats, and suddenly you’re an indigenous Alaskan off to hunt seals and slay polar bears
6. Wearing red heels and suddenly you’re Dorothy following a yellow brick road through Oz
7. Pulling your hoodie over your head and suddenly you’re a stealthy assassin ready to stalk your unsuspecting human prey
8. Collecting flowers in your garden and suddenly you’re a character from a British pastoral novel, preparing for a visit from the vicar
9. Setting off on a walk, walking stick in hand, and suddenly you’re Frodo off to Rivendell with the one ring safely stowed in your pocket
10. Dipping your bread into your soup and suddenly you’re a peasant grabbing sustenance between long hours of grueling labor
11. Building a fire using twigs and kindling and suddenly you’re a cowboy out on the prairie, ready to warm up some beans and then fall asleep beneath the stars
12. Tying a scarf over your hair and suddenly you’re a 1950s Hollywood starlet off on a trip down the Pacific Coast in your sporty convertible
13. Jogging up a hill or set of stairs and suddenly you’re Rocky Balboa training for the big fight
14. Picking up something fragile and suddenly you’re Indiana Jones finessing a golden idol from a pedestal without triggering the booby traps
15. A freak breeze stirs your skirt and suddenly you’re Marilyn Monroe walking across a subway vent in the Seven Year Itch
16. Playing with glowsticks and suddenly you’re an airport technician, guiding incoming aircraft across dark runways to safe refuge
17. Piloting an RC car or drone and suddenly you’re a member of the NASA team responsible for deploying the latest rover over the perilous surface of Mars
18. Trying to figure out which child committed a specific act of destruction and suddenly you’re a forensic scientist, collecting evidence preparatory to announcing the prime suspect
19. Participating in your favorite sport and suddenly you’re a pro athlete, surrounded by adoring crowds cheering you on
20. Preparing to chop raw meat, cleaver in hand, and suddenly you’re Michael Myers in a Halloween movie, ready to horrifically murder your next victim
21. Snorkling in a shallow area and suddenly you’re Jacques Cousteau, delving into the mysteries of the Mariana Trench
22. Singing along with the car radio and suddenly you’re a professional performer, stunning adoring crowds of fans with your virtuosity and talent
23. Throwing leftovers together in hopes of creating something edible and suddenly you’re a chef creating astonishing new recipes
24. Walking out the ocean surf, water dripping off your suit, and suddenly you’re channeling your inner Bond Girl or Daniel Craig.
25. Casually admiring flocks of birds on a plaza and suddenly you’re Tippi Hedren in a Hitchcock thriller, scanning the area for cover in case they suddenly decide to attack
26. Standing in the rain and suddenly you’re Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption, emerging from the sewer to freedom
27. Rearranging the furniture in your room and suddenly you’re on one of those HGTV reality shows, staging your home for the cameras
28. Throwing together an outfit from leftovers in your closet and suddenly you’re a TikTok influencer, about to debut a new look that’s sure to become a cultural sensation
29. Bouncing around in a bouncy house and suddenly you’re an astronaut propelling yourself across the surface of the moon
30. Successfully navigating a bit of twisty road and suddenly you’re a stunt driver filming a television commercial for a sports car manufacturer
31. Commenting on the quality of the food at a restaurant and suddenly you’re a restaurant critic preparing what you’ll say in the review you’ll be including in tomorrow’s column
32. Taking photos as you hike through a national park and suddenly you’re Ansel Adams, capturing the wonders of nature so that you can share them with the rest of the world
33. Playing catch with your child and suddenly you’re Ray Kinsella having a catch with Shoeless Joe Jackson
34. Jumping your bike over an obstacle in the path and suddenly you’re Evil Knievel jumping a vast and perilous gorge over a roiling river
35. Eating spaghetti, surreptitiously slurping up a bit of dangling pasta, and suddenly you’re in a Disney movie sharing a plate of pasta with Lady or the Tramp
36. Walking outside on a windy autumn evening, listening to the leaves rustle over the pavement, and suddenly you’re listening for the sound of hoofbeats in case the Headless Horseman is preparing to pursue you
37. Removing your shoes as you walk into the house and suddenly you’re in Japan, being invited to enter a temple or tea house
38. On your hands and knees scrubbing schmutz off the floor and suddenly you’re Cinderella being persecuted by evil stepsisters
39. Eating at a diner at night and suddenly you’re in a noir film, waiting for gangsters with tommy guns – or possibly a femme fatale carrying a mysterious package - to burst through the front door
40. Picking up any sort of stick, pole, or tube and suddenly you’re a famous swordsman (or Jedi) about to engage in an epic battle
41. Taking a shower, just minding your business, when you hear the sound of someone entering the room and suddenly you’re convinced someone’s going to stab you a la that scene in Psycho
42. Rising to your feet after a long session of weeding, your back aching, and suddenly you’re a peasant laboring in the fields for the overseer
43. Sipping a cup of tea and suddenly you’re a character in a British novel of manners
44. Walking along the beach, the wind catching your clothes, and suddenly you’re the ingenue in a romance novel, waiting for your sailor to return from the sea
45. Boarding a train and suddenly you’re a character in a thriller, surrounded by fellow passengers who are almost certainly spies, celebrities in disguise, or international jewel thieves
46. Plopping yourself down at the counter of a restaurant and suddenly you’re a 1950s teen decked out in saddle shoes and a poodle skirt, preparing to order a burger and a malted.

40+ Earth Day Activities for Middle Schoolers

Earth Day (April 22) is a great opportunity to introduce kids to the idea of environmental stewardship.  And there are, in fact, a number of environmental stewardship projects that lend themselves to school-wide initiatives. I haven't bothered to add a lot of detail to this list of project ideas, because I'm sensitive to the fact that every school will have unique social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors that will impact how projects can realistically be implemented. Never fear: you'll find any missing information out there on the web, waiting to be useful. 

So, why even bother to compile yet another list of Earth Day projects?  Because while good ideas are out there, too many of the lists I kept finding during my teaching career were what you might call "stewardship-adjacent." While they might teach kids about nature or science, or involve generating non-specific "Save the World" messages, they're not designed to actually help the Earth (or teach the kids how to help the Earth) in any authentic way.  To the extent possible, I've tried to keep this list focused on realistic, actionable initiatives.  

Hope there's something here that you'll find helpful! 

Planting Things. (Keep in mind that gardens don't have to be dug into the ground; rooftops, raised beds, and containers can offer more flexible alternatives for planting.) 

1. Challenge students to identify keystone plant species in their community and use the information to plan and participate in planting projects
2. Have students research and plant fruits, vegetables, or spices, to reduce the quantity of goods that must be trucked across long distances. (Bonus: implement a plan for growing the foodstuffs organically)
3. Have students make and deploy seed bombs (utilizing seeds from native species, of course)
4. Have students raise native plant seedlings and give them away. 

Helping Animals.

1. Arrange for students to build and install bird or bat houses
2. Arrange for students to build bee or bug hotels (ex: dead wood habitats)
3. Have students plant a pollinator garden to support the health of local pollinators (bees, moths/butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, etc.) 
4. Challenge students to create mini-ecosystems to restore/promote biodiversity (ex: dead wood habitat, water garden habitat) in their community 
5. Have students create wildlife feeding stations (birdseed, peanuts, salt)
6. Arrange for students to raise and release native ladybugs or butterflies
7. Arrange for students to raise and distribute worms for people who would like to use them for composting
8. Challenge students to select a specific endangered species, conduct research to become familiar with the factors that are threatening them, and then brainstorm actions that they can take to help address those threats 

Helping the Earth

1. Help students organizes and participate in a watershed or roadway cleanup
2. Have students protect and/or repair an area that is experiencing erosion. (Most campuses have areas of grass loss due to high traffic - the perfect place to start)
3. Arrange for students to label local storm drains with "anti-dumping" reminders
4. Help students educate themselves about invasive species and then provide an opportunity for them to remove them
5. Have students research local community environmental issues (ex: erosion, water/air/soil/noise/light pollution, overuse of fertilizers, destruction of habitats, flood plain destruction, sustainable development) and then write letters to their local legislators advocating for realistic solutions
6. Help students write letters to their local legislators suggesting solutions for to a legislator about an environmental issue in your community 
7. Arrange for students to participate in a citizen science initiative, gathering data that will inform environmental stewardship initiatives
8. With storms expected to increase in severity, challenge students to identify potential local flooding issues and brainstorm solutions 
9. Encourage students to identify an environmental cause that they feel passionate about and organize a fundraiser to support their chosen activity.   

Educating Themselves & Others

1. Challenge students to create an activity that will educate members of their community (school or beyond) about an environmental issues and what needs to be done to address the issue
2. Arrange for students to research a specific environmental issue (ideally something an issue that's nuances, with multiple stakeholders) and then organize a class-wide or school-wide debate 
3. Encourage students to calculate their family's carbon footprint and, based on the results, brainstorm ways to reduce their family's greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Encourage students to calculate their family's water footprint and, based on the results, brainstorm ways to reduce their family's water usage. 
5. Organize a school-wide book club focusing on books with environmental themes. Challenge students to brainstorm actions that could address the issues presented. 
6. Host a school-wide watch party of an environmental documentary then, afterwards, challenge students to brainstorm actions that could address the issues presented. 
7. Have students research local community environmental issues and brainstorm actions that could address the issues presented (or, better yet, identify actions that they can personally take to address problem)
8. Arrange to have a speaker talk to your class or school about an environmental issue that requires addressing, then challenge your students to brainstorm actions that need to be taken to address the issues

Living a More Sustainable Life

1. Have students research stewardship ideas, choose one, and sign a pledge committing to implementing the practice in their personal lives
2. Have students create reusable bags that they can use for shopping 
3. Arrange for students to build composting bins and/or implement a compositing program at school or home
4. Arrange for students to upcycle items that would otherwise be destined for a landfill
5. Challenge students to make a plan for sustainable buying. (Ex: have kids list everything they're planning to buy in the coming month and then brainstorm ways to find more sustainable sources or alternatives)
6. Challenge students to keep track of all the trash they generate in a day and then brainstorm changes they can make to generate less trash in future. 
7. Challenge students to brainstorm ways to reduce food waste at home or school
8. Arrange for students to research vegetarian recipes and/or create a collaborative vegetarian cookbook
9. Challenge students to create a plan to reduce energy use in the classroom or at home 
10. Challenge students to create a plan to reduce water usage in school or at home
11. Organize a "bike or bus to school" day with the object of limiting individual car trips
12. Have students sponsor an "e-waste collection" event and appropriately dispose of the waste they collect

The 20 Types of Readers You Meet on Facebook

I follow at least a half dozen Facebook pages catering to people who enjoy reading. Over time, I've come to assign names to certain types of contributors, which I've organized into the following list. Some of these are sincere, others more than a touch snarky, but I'm betting anyone who reads the same Facebook pages I do would agree that each of these is an authentic archetypes!

 

1. The Classicists. Only read classics; can often be found arguing over their favorite Russian writer or discussing the merits of various translations.
2. The Instagrammers. It’s not clear if they actually read books, but they do love posting “shelfies” of their bookstore hauls or current read, often artfully posed next to a trendy mug or witty coffee cup.
3. The Competitors. Rarely miss an opportunity to reference the number of books they've own or have read.
4. The Literati. Post in-depth reviews of books fresh from the latest Pulitzer, Booker, or Pen/Faulkner short list that incorporate words like “theme” and “motif.”
5.  The Scholars. Take pleasure in contributing relevant historical context, biographical insights, or academic insights.
6. The Snobs. Eager to share info about their obscure reading choices, which often turn out to be selections from “1001 Things to Read Before You Die”.
7.  The Populists. Ready at any time to discuss their love of serial fiction; will give one star reviews to books with protagonists they didn’t like.
8. The Nit Pickers. Eager for any opportunity to draw attention to printing/grammar errors, flaws in research, or anachronisms.
9. The Cultural Warriors. Post reviews of books that focus on their political or cultural correctness; fond of words such as “offensive” and “woke”.
10. The High School Hypesters. Love the idea of books but haven’t actually read much since high school, which is why their favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and/or Great Expectations.
11. The Attention Seekers. No qualifications or clarifications, just “What book should I read next?” or “Share your list of 20 books everyone should read!”
12. The Instigators. Enjoy stirring the pot with reading-adjacent posts like “Is it okay to write in books?” “Best movie adaptation of a novel?” or “Kindle or paper?”
13. The Emos. The books they recommend will have titles that you never heard of, cover art that looks like it was drawn by a middle schooler, and typos. Big fans of steam punk, fantasy, fan fiction, alternative histories, and video game serializations.
14. The Bandwagons. Spamming the chat with such meaningful insights as “I loved it!” or “DNF”
15. The Misers. Respond to requests for book recommendations with a title and maybe an author, but zero info about the book itself or why it’s worthy of recommendation.
16. The Hit-and-Runs.  Offer a provocative/controversial opinion, then disable comments so no one can respond.
17. The Listophiles. Love making and sharing book-related lists. (Yes, like this one …. I’m owning it.)
18. The Deplorables. Posting comments that inadvertently reveal that they’ve not actually read the book they’re commenting on. (Ex: “Last of the Mohicans” was such a great book – so romantic!”)
19. The Students. Post weirdly specific requests (ex: “How do you think Hawthorne employs symbolism in A Scarlet Letter?”), apparently in hopes of soliciting answers for upcoming essays or tests. 
20. The Writers. Will inevitably find a way to turn any chat into an opportunity to discuss their own writer’s journey or share extracts of their own writing/poetry.

20 Novels, Described Poorly

How many of these famous tales can you identify based on these extremely inept summaries? 

1.       There are men and several rabbits but, puzzlingly, no mice.

2.       A girl learns never to run around in the woods dressed as a ham

3.       A boy goes off to a wizard school where he becomes a jock

4.       It’s the best of times because the two lovers get to live happily ever after, but it’s the worst of times because a lot of people get their heads chopped off

5.       A guy inherits a ring that brings people really bad luck

6.       A gold-digging Southern belle spends the Civil War marrying up

7.       A guy buys a painting that doesn’t age well. At all.

8.       A white whale tries to escape from an obsessive stalker

9.       A guy throws parties for friends but never attends them himself because I guess he’s an introvert?

10.   A psychotic candymaker uses his chocolate factory to lure children to their death

11.   Four sisters find ways to keep themselves busy until they land husbands

12.   A town decides to assign each female a letter, which they have to wear sewn to their dress, but they never get past the letter ‘A’

13.   A guy who’s just trying to live his best life in an African village gets dragged away by a nosy sailor

14.   Society finally achieves a utopia where everyone owns large screen televisions, but some guys who likes books can’t stop complaining

15.   A successful capitalist is tormented by communists ghosts until he agrees to share his wealth

16.   A group of mean girls create drama in a Puritan community (hint: rhymes with “bitches”)

17.   People travelling on a luxury train have their vacation ruined by a murder

18.   A group of kids on an island survive by hunting pigs

19.   An old fisherman refuses to adopt modern fishing practices

20.   A house that is already architecturally unsound finally collapses due to the added weight of a woman who has risen from the grave

____________________

1. Of Mice and Men; 2. To Kill a Mockingbird; 3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; 4. A Tale of Two Cities; 5. The Lord of the Rings; 6. Gone With the Wind; 7. The Picture of Dorian Gray; 8. Moby Dick; 9. The Great Gatsby; 10. Charlie & the Chocolate Factory; 11. Little Women; 12. The Scarlett Letter; 13. Heart of Darkness; 14. Fahrenheit 451; 15. A Christmas Carol; 16. The Crucible; 17. Murder on the Orient Express; 18. The Lord of the Flies; 19. The Old Man and the Sea; 20. Fall of the House of Usher

NOVA Gothic -A list of 20 creepy/weird/terrifying things about life in Northern Virginia

 

Like many other states, Virginia has a split identity. The Western and Southern regions are largely rural and agricultural, but the Northern regions have been overrun by suburbs of  Washington DC. Which may sound innocuous, but as someone who's lived in the NOVA area for most of their lives, I can attest to the fact that it's not all wine and roses, man-made lakes and big box stores. Here's a partial list of some of the unnerving aspects of living in NOVA - some a little silly, otherwise legitimately terrifying:  

1. You’ve never seen a bear/wolf/bobcat in your neighborhood, but you know someone who has.
2. Suiting up like Mad Max for a trip to the grocery store before any snowstorm expected to deposit more than 2.”
3. Local radio stations run ads for global weapons systems.
4. No one questions your 60-minute daily commute to the adjacent suburb.
5. That guy throwing something into a trash at the local park could be discarding harmless picnic scraps ... or they could be a spy making a dead drop.
6. Paying as much for a house as other people might spend to purchase their own private Caribbean Island.
7. Helicopters have been circling for over an hour. No one notices.
8. Neighbor down the way, when asked what they do for a living, answers in the vaguest way: “I’m a civil servant.”
9. Potentially living next to (or on top of) the unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers.
10. Our most insidious invasive species isn’t kudzu, it’s McMansions.
11. Government shutdowns are existential crises.
12. Fire drills? Earthquake drills? Try nuclear attack drills.
13. Is it a road improvement project, or are they installing yet another secret underground bunker? 
14. HOAs with more power than some third-world governments.
15. Every day, the data server farms creep a little closer to your home.
16. Our local competitive sport isn’t high school football … it’s school board meetings.
17. Pairing business suits with tennis shoes or flip flops is socially acceptable.
18. Local roads with 10 lanes.
19. Helicopter dog parents.
20. Stars? Apparently they’re a real thing, but no one’s ever actually seen them thanks to the 24/7 glare of traffic lights, LED-illuminated retail signage, and office buildings with all the lights left on overnight.

"He's a 10, but ...": literary edition!

A while ago, my students became obsessed by some sort of Tik Tok trend which involved trying to guess the identity of a classmate or famous person based on a phrase that begins with the words "He's/She's a 10, but ..." and culminates in some sort of coded clue to their identity. 

Not long thereafter, I was brainstorming games for an upcoming gathering of literary friends and decided to repurpose the trend into a literary challenge. 

How many of the following fictional characters can you identify based on the clues provided? 

1. He's a 10, but frankly he doesn't give a damn
2. He's a 10, but he has far, far better things to do
3. He's a 10, but he hasn't figured out what to be or not to be
4. He's a 10, and he's got some Great Game
5. He's a 10, but pictures don't do him justice
6. She's a 10, but you'd always be Wondering where she wandered off to
7. He's a 10; the twist is that he's a little dodgy
8. She's a 10, and she's already got her own wedding dress
9. He's a 10, and he's got a personality as big as a whale
10. He's a 10, but sometimes clever women leave him feeling a bit Adled
11. He's a 10, but he refuses to grow up 
12. She's a 10; in fact, you could say she's earned an A
13. He's a 10, and his love for you will never die
14. He's a 10, but he may end up bugging out on you
15. He's a 10, but he's a bit of a swinger
16. He's a 10, but he tilts at windmills
17. He's a 10, and he's willing to grant you his affection even though he holds your family in low regard
18. He's a 10, but his business trips are epically long
19. He's a 10, but all the king's men may not be able to save his soul
20. He's a 10, but you can see right through him
21. She's a 10, but don't make the Eyrer of comparing her to a bird in a cage

ANSWERS:

1/Rhett Butler, Gone With The Wind; 2/Syndey Carton, Tale of Two Cities; 3/Hamlet, Hamlet; 4/Kim, Kim; 5/Dorian Gray, The Picture of Dorian Gray; 6/Alice, Through the Looking Glass; 7/The Artful Dodger, Oliver Twist; 8/Mrs. Haversham, Great Expectations; 9/Ahab, Moby Dick; 10/Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; 11/Peter Pan, Peter Pan; 12/Hester Prynn, The Scarlet Letter; 13/Dracula, Dracula; 14/Gregor, The Metamorphosis; 15/Tarzan, Tarzan of the Apes; 16/Don Quixote, Don Quixote; 17/Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice; 18/Odysseus, The Odyssey; 19/Willie Stark, All The King's Men; 20/Griffin, The Invisible Man; 21/Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre

50+ Things that Teachers in the 1980s Never Had to Say

 

I'm almost old enough to have taught in the 1980s, but not so old that I don't still remember what the educational experience was like for my classmates and I during that excruciating decade of chalkboards and bookbags, overhead projectors and filmstrips, textbooks and typewriters, gym uniforms, analog clocks, snacks containing peanuts, selling candy bars door to door, writing in cursive, sneaking cigarettes in the bathrooms, books by a variety of exclusively European authors, and unchecked bullying.  There was good. There was bad. And there was a lot of ugly. 

40 years later and here we are, still teaching students basically the same content - English, math, history, science. But the way in which teachers interact with students has certainly undergone enormous technical, cultural, and ethical changes.  Some of the items in this list are factual, some snarky, and yes, some are probably not PC, but they all reference legitimate transformations that have occurred since my math teacher back in 1981 memorably rebuked: "You need to be able to do calculations in your head because it's not like you're going to be carrying a calculator in your pocket everywhere you go!" 

Spoiler alert: there's still plenty of good, bad, and ugly to go around. :-(

THINGS THAT TEACHERS IN THE 1980s NEVER HAD TO SAY: 

1.       Put your phones/airpods away!

2.       Did you use AI/ChatGPT/Google Translate to help you with this?

3.       Anyone caught accessing the computer code to identify the correct answers on today’s online quiz will automatically receive an F.

4.       Don't make me block that webpage.

5.       You seem upset - do you need some time to de-escalate?

6.       You didn’t do the assignment! I'm afraid I have no choice but to record it in the gradebook as a 50.

7.       We've gathered here in this conference room to talk about how we work as a team to support ___ to make better choices.

8.       What’s your preferred pronoun?

9.       What’s your parents’ last name?

10.   There will be a school-wide active shooter drill after lunch.

11.   No, you may not film TikTok videos in school.

12.   Guys, you need to remember to recharge your computer at home, not at school.

13.   Pull those pants up over your hips! 

14.   No, the Earth is not flat and the moon landing was not a conspiracy. Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true.

15.   Yes, you are still considered tardy even if your parents dropped you off late because there was a line at Starbucks.

16.   If it snows tomorrow, we’ll be doing a virtual school day, so be sure to log in at the usual time.

17.   Why aren't you wearing a mask? 

18.   Who’s wearing that awful perfume? Oh, wait, that's probably Axe body spray. 

19.   Yes, racism is still happening, and yes, it’s a bad thing.

20.   Remember not to bring anything metal so you don’t set off the metal detectors.

21.   Of course you can retake that quiz/test to bring up your grade.

22.   Of course we’ll accept work late without any sort of penalty.

23.   All textbooks will be online this year.

24.   Now remember that this assignment is differentiated, so there will be different expectations for each student.

25.   Do I need to email your parents?

26.   I’ll be posting the homework to our class website.

27.   Bottled water is fine, but no Starbucks drinks in the classroom.

28.   Should we hold ___ back a grade, just because they failed all their classes? Don’t be silly.

29.   No, you may not use my Lysol wipes to clean the mud off your sneakers.

30.   No, I will not loan you a cord to recharge your phone.

31.   Completing homework won’t actually count towards your grade.

32.   Has that app been approved for use on the school network?

33.   We’ll be streaming today’s movie from my personal Netflix account.

34.   Are you wearing your pajamas right now?

35.   You may pull out your books or Kindles after the test.

36.   Whatever you do, don’t sell those fundraising items door to door! It’s too dangerous.

37.   Our choral/orchestra concert will be composed of works representing diverse cultures.

38.   Some of the books we’ll be reading will be by diverse authors.

39.   We’ll use the onboard bus cameras to review what actually happened.

40.   Remember not to bring anything that contains peanuts to the class party.  

41.   No, you may not listen to music on your cellphone while you work.

42.   Maybe you're gay, or maybe it's just a phase you're going through ... but you probably want to keep this to yourself unless you want to get bullied.  

43.   Marijuana’s okay, but watch out for opioids because the fentanyl may kill you.

44.   No rapping or beatboxing in class!

45.   What if I don’t want to use my cellphone to download authentication codes to access required school apps?

46.   No, we are not going to give you admin privileges for your school computer so that you can download games

47.   No fidget spinners or glitter slime in the classroom!

48.   No, your hamster does not count as an emotional support animal. 

49.   I'm afraid that book isn't available to be checked out; it's been banned by the school board. 

50.   Fortunately our field is artificial turf, so we’ll still be able to have PE after last night’s rains.

51.   Be sure to separate your trash into the appropriate recycling bins!

52.   Don’t worry - the cafeteria always offers at least one vegetarian option.

53.   What do you mean, you don’t know how to sign your name in cursive?

54.   What do you mean, you don’t know how to tell time on an analog clock?

55.   I am not now, nor will I ever be, your “bruh.”

100+ Things That Scare Us - an Alphabetical List of All Things Creepy, Spooky, and Horrible

In honor of Halloween, thought I'd assemble the following list of things that are generally considered to be unnerving or terrifying. Had to draw a line somewhere, so have left off weird phobias and gag answers - like "taxes." What follows is, I think, a fairly comprehensive list of the impedimenta that horror story/horror movie writers use to give us goosebumps. What have I missed? 

A- Abandoned buildings/places, acid, AI/sentient robots, aliens, alligators, amnesia, anthropomorphized objects, apocalypse, Armageddon, asteroids, asylums, attics, axes

B- Banshees, bats, bears, bedbugs, bees/killer bees, black cats, bloods, boogiemen, bridges, buried alive

C- Cannibalism, catacombs, cellars/basements, cemeteries/crypts, chain saws, chupacabras, circuses/carnivals, clowns, cobwebs, corpses, creepy children, crossroads, cults/secret societies, curses

D- Danse macabre, darkness, death/Grim Reaper, decapitation, decomposition, deja vu, demonic possession, demons/devils, dentists, dinosaurs, dolls, doppelgangers, dungeons

E- Earthquakes, enclosed spaces, eternity, evil eyes, exorcisms

F- Fires, flesh-eating bacteria, flying monkeys, fog/mist, fortunetellers/psychics, freezing, full moons, furries

G- Gargoyles, ghosts/poltergeists, ghost stories, ghouls, gnomes, goblins, golems, gravediggers/grave robbers

H- Hags/crones, Halloween/All Hallow's Eve/Samhain, hallucinations, hanging trees, haunted places (houses, castles, forests ....), hearses, heights/falling, Hell, hitchhikers, horror movies, human sacrifice

I- Icepicks, imaginary friends, insanity/mania, insects/bugs, insomnia

J- Jump scares (unexpected noises ....)

K- Knives, krakens, Krampus

L- Labyrinths/mazes (corn, topiary ...), leeches, leprechauns, levitation, locked-in syndrome

M- Mad scientists/doctors, magicians/illusionists, mannequins, masquerades, mirrors, monsters, mummies, mutations

N- Needles, nightfall, nightmares

O- Obsession/fanaticism, occult, ossuaries, oubliettes, Ouija boards

P- Paranoia, paranormal abilities (telekinesis ...), parasites, peeping Toms, pigs, pipe organs, piranha, pits/fissures, plagues/diseases, psychosis, puppets/marionettes, purgatory, pyromania

Q- Quicksand

R- Radiation/nuclear disaster, reincarnation, religious orders (monks, nuns ...), rodents, Russian roulette

S- Sacrilege, scalpals/razors, scarecrows, scorpions, seances, serial killers, shadows, sharks, skeletons/skulls, skin-changers, sleepwalking, space, spiders, spiritualists/mediums, snakes, stalkers, submarines, supernatural objects (monkey's paws, amulets, books, photographs ...), supervillains, swamps/bogs

T- Tarot cards, taxidermized animals, thunderstorms/thunder/lightning, tommyknockers, tornadoes, torture

U- Uncanny zone

V- Vampires, ventriloquist dummies, volcanoes/lava, voodoo, voodoo dolls, vultures

W- Wax dummies/wax museums, wells, wendigos, werewolves, witchdoctors, witches/warlocks, worms

Z- Zombies