Hi Reader,

Recently, my students traveled (virtually!) to one of the most incredible places on Earth: the Galápagos Islands. These islands are bursting with wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else, making them the perfect destination to spark curiosity and wonder in kids.

I have to admit, before we started, I wasn’t sure if my class was going to burst out laughing at the name “blue-footed boobies.” But surprisingly, not one giggled! They just accepted it as the name of a bird, and we moved right along.

Sometimes, kids will remind you how naturally curious and open-minded they can be when learning about the world.

🐾 The Galápagos “Big 5” We Studied

Here are the five animals we focused on and a few fun facts they loved learning!

🦭 Galápagos Sea Lions – They love to nap in the sun and play in the water. You can often see them lounging right on park benches and docks!

💙Blue-Footed Boobies – Those bright blue feet aren’t just for show. Males lift them up and dance to attract a mate — the bluer, the better!

🐢 Giant Tortoises – These slow-moving giants can live over 100 years and weigh more than 500 pounds. They even helped name the islands — Galápagos means “tortoise” in Spanish.

🦎 Marine Iguanas – The world’s only sea-swimming iguana! They dive into the ocean to eat algae, then bask on the rocks to warm up afterward.

🐧 Galápagos Penguins – The only penguins that live north of the equator! They stay cool by swimming in the cold currents around the islands.

🎨 Bringing the Galápagos to Life in Our Classroom

After learning about each animal, I showed my students how to sea lions, flamingos, and blue footed boobies using crayons and chalk pastels.

We turned their artwork into a mini “Galápagos Gallery” by setting up small areas around the room for each habitat. Students could walk around and admire each other’s work like they were visiting the islands themselves.

To make it even more fun, students brought in stuffed animals from home to add to our display. We had flamingos and sea turtles, joining our island adventure!

🏝️ Extend the Adventure

If you’d like to bring the Galápagos Islands to your classroom, I’m offering 10% off my lesson “Passport Adventures: The Galápagos Islands.”
It includes engaging videos, hands-on art ideas, a drawing activity, and 29 slides of information.

👉 Use the code: PASSPORT10 at checkout. Get the lesson HERE.

🍂 November Celebrations to Note

November is filled with moments to pause, reflect, and celebrate:

• World Kindness Day – November 13 (What is something kind your students could do for someone at school?)
• Thanksgiving (U.S.) – November 27
• National STEM/STEAM Day – November 8
• Native American Heritage Month – a great opportunity to connect geography and culture lessons.

As we head into this season of gratitude, I just want to say:

Teachers, you make the world feel a little bigger, and a lot more connected for your students every single day. 🌍❤️

If you try the Galápagos lesson or have your own creative twist, I’d love to hear from you! Just hit reply and share your classroom adventure.

Have a wonderful week!

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