Hull Prairie Intermediate, Perrysburg OH
Document the diverse geological features of Iceland's untouched wilderness to enhance climate and earth science instruction that excites and engages elementary through high school students.
As a science teacher, my main goal was experiencing geological aspects of the country. I geeked out when I saw examples of rocks right where they formed! Look how excited I am to find Breccia in the wild!
Diamond black beach in Vatnajokull National Park. At the foot of a glacier field, the chunks of glacial ice pass through a lagoon before heading out to the North Atlantic Ocean. The ice chunks wash up onto the black beach and looks like diamonds refl
This sign represents so many aspects of my trip to Iceland! Learning a new language, trying new foods, learning about Icelandic culture, hiking beautiful and stunning countryside, and staying in local guest houses allowed me to experience it all!
White tailed bumble bee on Angelica in Thingvaliir National Park. I went to Iceland to study geological features, but was pleasantly stunned by the beautiful wildflowers and minimal wildlife that grow and thrive in lava fields!
Snorkeling between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates in 2°C water! The two plates converge in Iceland and this is the only place in the world to snorkel between two continental plates.
Are we on Mars or in Iceland? Scientists from the Netherlands and Sweden were researching early signs of life in the very volatile mud-pots in Skutustaoahreppur. Comparing what they discovered in Iceland with Mars Rover discoveries!
Before my fellowship to Iceland, I recognized that I lacked concrete examples for teaching many of my Earth Science concepts. Through immersive, real-world experiences, I gained a deeper understanding of plate tectonics, igneous rock formation and weathering, and climate change, which will allow me to bring greater authenticity and relevance into the classroom through photos, stories, and research I experienced in Iceland.
Traveling through Iceland showed me how dramatically the environment can change—from glaciers to volcanic fields—in just a few hours. Experiencing these landscapes firsthand, and hearing the stories of the warm, welcoming Icelandic people, gave me authentic examples to bring to my students. This fellowship filled a gap between textbook learning and lived experience, allowing me to teach environmental and cultural concepts with greater depth, accuracy, and global perspective.
I expected to learn about Iceland’s landscapes, but I didn’t anticipate how deeply the Icelandic people would welcome me into their lives, sharing stories and traditions that brought the environment to life in a human way. I was also surprised by how dramatically the scenery could transform in a single drive—shifts that will help me teach environmental systems as living, changing forces rather than static facts.
In Iceland, I watched the landscape shift in the span of a day—from shimmering glaciers to steaming volcanic fields, from black sand beaches to green valleys. Each place told its own story and history. This fellowship turned abstract concepts into lived experiences I can now share with my students through vivid stories, photographs, and inquiry-based projects connect science to real places and cultures, sparking both curiosity and a broader view of the world.
Students will engage in a series of hands-on, inquiry-based projects inspired by my travels through Iceland’s diverse landscapes. Using my photographs, field notes, and recorded interviews with Icelandic people, they will compare and contrast volcanic, glacial, coastal, and geothermal environments, analyzing how geography shapes ecosystems and human life around the world and in our own neighborhoods.
While in Iceland and upon returning, we collaborated with fellow educators from around the world! This collaboration will help us assimilate new knowledge into our teaching practices and improve the relevance and impact of our lessons. Beyond our own classrooms, we plan to jointly present at both state and national level STEM conferences to further the impact of our experience.