EDUCATOR +
EXPLORER
+
DIGITAL STORYTELLER

ABOUT ME

EDUCATION

Classroom Activities and Resources

Read Your World: Rock Music Activism and Asian Reappropriation

Non-fiction narratives in particular can inspire children by highlighting the accomplishments of historically oppressed groups. As an Asian-American, I enjoyed the inspiring true underdog story We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court by Mia Wenjen, from Red Comet Press. It tells an empowering story of reappropriation through a punk rock First Amendment legal battle.

Read Your World: Bilingualism as a Benefit

Read Your World is a non-profit that supports multicultural children’s literature. Parents and educators understand that multilingualism is an asset for young learners. This year, I was gifted the bilingual Mandarin-English book Ge Ge and Di Di's Big Day with Elephant by Karen Yee, from Green Cows Books. It is an excellent resource to introduce young children to Chinese language.

Multicultural Children's Book Day: Increasing Representation in Literature

Multicultural Children’s Book Day raises awareness for representation in children’s literature. As a part of their annual celebration, this year I reviewed Tofu Takes Time. Its central message is patience and relishing time together, while exploring intergenerational customs and making food from scratch.

Tomatosphere: Pairing Plant Lifecycles with Space Exploration

Students participated in an interdisciplinary citizen science experiment by planting two sets of tomato seeds: one that had traveled on the International Space Station and one that had stayed earthbound.

Engaging Students with History Mysteries

By sharing unsolved, unlikely, or controversial stories of our past, students can deepen their understanding of history and record-keeping. These memorable history mysteries invite them to contribute to our collective body of knowledge.

Hands-on and Feet-on Geography with Giant Maps

Create whole-body immersive experiences for your students by increasing the scale of your lesson and materials! Use National Geographic giant maps, sidewalk chalk, shower curtains, butcher paper, and more to create engaging, active learning experiences.

Building Student Engagement Outdoors

Bringing teaching outdoors increases student engagement, employs multiple learning modalities, and builds connections. In the spring of 2018, students wrote nature-inspired poems and practiced math in the fresh air.

Multimedia Research Rotations in the Elementary Classroom

Students can learn about a topic using videos, texts, online databases, and virtual “field” research. By rotating in groups, you can break away from whole group instruction and stretch a smaller number of resources.

Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship: Pre-Expedition Workshop

And so begins my Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship! With two months left in the school year and five months left before my Galápagos voyage, I'm armed with new geographic tools to try in my classroom!

Virtual Reality Field Trips for Young Learners

Create immersive virtual reality experiences within your classroom through three easy steps. This will connect students of all ages to the places you teach about in an engaging, personal way.

EXPEDITIONS

2018 Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship: Galapagos (student-friendly)

What is the Equator?

What is the equator? Where is it? Why is it important? What is it like there?

What is a Hotspot?

How were the Galapagos Islands made? Do the volcanoes still erupt? How are the islands different?

How do you get to the Galapagos Islands?

How far away are the Galapagos Islands? How do you get there? How long does it take?

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

Why are the islands in the middle of the ocean? What continent and country are they a part of? What makes their location special?

Why go on an Expedition?

Why is Ms. Travis going? What will she learn? What will she bring back? What will she share?

What is an Expedition?

What is an expedition? Who is sending Ms. Travis on her expedition? Where is she going?

2021 Cultural Immersion

The Authenticity and Natural Beauty of Ireland

Irish culture is warm and earnest in the best possible way. Our month was full of sheep, pubs, potatoes and beautiful views. We just scratched the surface of the small but mighty Emerald Isle.

Simple and Sustainable Scandinavian Life in Denmark

Hygge is a way of life baked into the culture and society of Denmark at all levels. We had a chance to slow down and enjoy nature and history on the island of Als in the early fall.

Tech and Gear for Long-Term Travel in Cities

What we are bringing to make the most of 6 months of flashpacking. Our goal is to bring enough with us to be safe, engaged, and unencumbered all at once.

Packing Light for Extended Fall Travel in European Cities

The clothes we started with for 4-6 months of autumn weather. We wanted to keep it light and versatile while traveling through European towns and cities.

Relationship Lessons for Traveling Together

Over ten years and four continents, we’ve developed a solid travel dynamic and picked up a few lessons that help us get the most out of our trips and our marriage!

Extended Slow Travel Following Fall Weather

Why and how we are chasing mild weather through 6 months of slow travel and living in Europe, Oceania, and beyond.

EXPLORATION

Exploration

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Some places are not as they first appear. Great Sand Dunes and the surrounding San Luis Valley and Sangre de Cristo mountains will puzzle and challenge with hidden visual feats.

Volunteering in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The Junior Ranger program is in almost every National Park. It helps rangers and volunteers interpret ecological resources in a fun, kid-friendly way. I got a firsthand look at how the National Park Service creates young stewards of our protected lands.

Exploring Utah's Mighty Five National Parks

The earth is not a static thing being acted upon; it is changing on its own all the time. After a week driving through the “Mighty Five,” I’m reminded that water, second only to time, is one of nature's most powerful forces.

Wildlife Safari in Maasai Mara, Kenya

I was fortunate to go on an eye-opening safari that filled me with deep respect for these wild animals. Many are critically endangered and I have renewed hope for ongoing wildlife conservation efforts.