During Writer's Workshop this morning my students were focused like never before. Here is an exact quote from one of my reluctant writers while we were on the playground, "Ms. Wold can we go back inside. I want to write some more, " Not only did he write a terrific piece on being a musher, but for the first time he was able to read everything he wrote. He navigated the Alaska word wall to spell words and demonstrated that he'd been listening to the volume of fiction and non-fiction Alaska books we've been sharing. Being immersed in a topic creates a greater understanding of the material....I am sold on it. The Iditarod is a natural fit for students. Children love animals and adventure and The Iditarod brings both to life in a unique way. We've started something here and I hope it continues for many years. When my students come in singing "The Iditarod Trail" song Mr. Towne taught them and beg me to turn on the GPS tracker and read another dog story I know we've hit on some magic. A giant thank you to all who made this experience happen.
During Writer's Workshop this morning my students were focused like never before. Here is an exact quote from one of my reluctant writers while we were on the playground, "Ms. Wold can we go back inside. I want to write some more, " Not only did he write a terrific piece on being a musher, but for the first time he was able to read everything he wrote. He navigated the Alaska word wall to spell words and demonstrated that he'd been listening to the volume of fiction and non-fiction Alaska books we've been sharing. Being immersed in a topic creates a greater understanding of the material....I am sold on it. The Iditarod is a natural fit for students. Children love animals and adventure and The Iditarod brings both to life in a unique way. We've started something here and I hope it continues for many years. When my students come in singing "The Iditarod Trail" song Mr. Towne taught them and beg me to turn on the GPS tracker and read another dog story I know we've hit on some magic. A giant thank you to all who made this experience happen.
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As our adventure comes to a close I cannot begin to express how fortunate I feel for this opportunity. Educationally, I picked up several tips for creating more engaging lessons across all subjects. I have a much greater understanding of the Iditarod in terms of the race and all its many facets, but also in the way it can be used to inspire students to learn about themselves and the world around them. Personally, I have enjoyed not only the opportunity to explore the uniqueness of Alaska, but the chance to bond with my fellow teachers. I am traveling with a wealth of teaching experience and having a 24/7 opportunity to exchange resources, opinions, philosophies and just plain fun has been the greatest reward.
As we prepare for the ceremonial start today and the official start tomorrow I will be limited in time. Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Jodie Villemaire, Terri Butler, our amazing PTO, the wonderful kinder team, Karen Lopez, my delightful class and their supportive parents. We have made the most of every minute and can't wait to share our enthusiasm. Stayed tuned for some funny photos of our moose encounter, the dumping of snow onto the snowless streets of Anchorage and our very own M A gyre is a swirling vortex. The surface circulation of our oceans is dominated by gyres that may be hundreds to thousands of miles in diameter. It is these gyres that re-distribute and aggregate debris in our oceans. Alaska's shores are the northern fringe of the North Pole Pacific Gyre. The five major gyres around the world. A team of scientists and artists explored the coast of Alaska and collected plastics most likely deposited from the North Pacific Gyre. This expedition and exhibition explores the relationship between humans and our oceans. While some of the artwork was incredible I was overwhelmed with despair at the amount of plastic debris in our oceans. The environmental impact of plastics is staggering. I so hope this exhibit comes to the Austin area. I look forward to using some of the exhibits resources for a recycling unit. Just one example of plastics found in our oceans. Plastic is one of the main types of OCEAN TRASH found in our oceans. The Anchorage Museum was wonderful. One floor was devoted to the history of Alaska as a whole and another floor was dedicated to the history of native Alaskans. A bonus was viewing a brand new exhibit called Gyre: The Plastic Ocean. This inspiring exhibit will travel across the country beginning in September. It should be required viewing for all humans! Another bonus was viewing the delightful artwork of Alaskan school children that was on display throughout the museum. We boarded a bus in downtown Anchorage and drove about 50 miles to the Iditarod Headquarters in Willow. In Willow we observed several truckloads of dogs come in for vet checks. Every single dog is examined top to bottom. The vets use the H.A.W. & L system which stands for heart, hydration, appetite, weight and lungs. Each dog is microchipped and receives an ECG as well as a comprehensive examination of their joints, teeth, paws and coat. Each musher is required to keep a vet check notebook and check in at all 24 checkpoints along the route. Dogs can be randomly drug tested at any point during the race. Their urine and blood will be checked for both performance enhancement drugs and drugs that mask pain. In the 15 years since drug testing began not a single dog has tested positive. I cannot stress enough how well these dogs are cared for. Since I included so many dog pictures in my last post I will share a few shots from headquarters.
Hamsters aren't the only ones who need exercise. This giant wheel is a favorite of the dogs at the Van Zyles' kennel. Ruth Van Zyles told me their cat likes to run it as well and that their dogs will stay on the wheel for hours chasing the cat. Sadly, it wasn't working the evening we visited. They will get it fixed as soon as the weather warms up. We've had the wonderful opportunity to visit several kennels. The treatment these dogs receive is second to none. I am constantly amazed by how the owners know the names and distinct personalities of every single dog. Some of these kennels have between 50-100 dogs and each dog is treated as if he was the number one dog. They receive exceptional treatment and love the attention offered them.
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Jane Tomick Wold
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