Hi Reader,

There is always a little sadness when summer starts winding down. The slower mornings, the extra time, and the freedom to travel and explore are hard to leave behind. But there is also something exciting about a new school year. There is a new group of students, new memories waiting to be made, and new things to discover together.

Every school year is a fresh adventure, and I hope you are feeling ready for all the good things that are ahead. ❤️

Before I jump back into the classroom, I want to share one of my favorite places we visited this summer!

🐈 Welcome to "Cat Town"

If you visit Kotor, Montenegro, you might notice something unusual as you explore the city.

There are LOTS of cats.

Kotor is affectionately nicknamed "Cat Town" because of the many stray cats that roam its historic streets. You'll find them resting on steps, wandering through alleyways, and lounging in sunny spots around the Old Town.

But what I love most about Kotor's cats isn't just that they are everywhere. It's the way the community has come together to care for them.

Kotor is port city. Cats are highly respected here simply because they catch vermin such mice, rats, and snakes brought in by trading ships.

Locals and animal lovers help provide food, shelter, and care for the cats that call Kotor home. There is even a Cat Museum dedicated to our feline friends!

The museum celebrates the relationship between cats and humans through artwork, postcards, and historical pieces. It's a sweet example of how a community can come together around a cause they care about.

💡 A Lesson Kids Can Learn

Kotor is a great place to teach children that sometimes a city can come together to support something that matters to them.

You can ask your students:

"What is something in our school or community that we could work together to care for?"

Maybe it's helping animals, keeping a park clean, collecting food for families, or helping someone who needs extra support.

Children can brainstorm a cause they care about and then create a plan for how their class could help.

The lesson isn't just about cats. It's about compassion, teamwork, and recognizing that even small acts of kindness can make a difference when people work together.

🏔️ Does Kotor Look Familiar?

As I walked through Kotor, I couldn't help but think about Norway.

The mountains rising straight up from the water, the narrow bay, and the winding roads along the coastline reminded me so much of Norway's famous fjords.

Kotor is located at the edge of the Bay of Kotor and surrounded by steep mountains. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. It's a great place to show kids that you don't have to travel to the exact same country to find similar geographical features.

This could lead to a great classroom conversation about fjords and how they are formed.

Students can compare the landscapes of Kotor and Norway. What do they have in common? What is different? Why do both places have steep mountains next to the water?

You could even have students draw their own fjord landscape and label the features they see.

Kotor is a reminder that geography isn't just about memorizing names on a map. It's about noticing patterns and connections all around the world.

🎒 Passport Adventures Giveaway!

And because a new school year should always come with a little excitement, I'm giving one teacher a Passport Adventures: Machu Picchu lesson! 🎉

This is a 2-day Passport Adventures lesson that takes your students on an adventure to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Your lesson includes:

🌎 55 slides
🎥 15 videos
✏️ 4 drawing and writing pages
📚 Teacher Guide
📌 Bulletin board idea
🎒 Student packing list

And the best part?

Your students get to pretend to hike around your campus as if they are hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

They'll learn about the incredible ancient city, explore the geography and history surrounding it, and experience what it might feel like to take an adventure through the Andes.

How to Enter:

Reply to this email with the name of one place in the world you would love to take your students someday.

That's it!

I'll randomly choose one teacher to receive the Machu Picchu Passport Adventures lesson.

Giveaway closes on Wednesday, and the winner will be contacted by email.

Whether you're still soaking up your last days of summer or already setting up your classroom, I hope this new school year brings you plenty of moments that remind you why you became a teacher in the first place.

Let's make this year an adventure. 🌎✈️

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