Category Archives: Curriculum

It All Starts as a Rookie

Posted on August 18, 2011 by

The champions of the Iditarod are true icons.  They embody the enormous accomplishment that we aspire to within our own individual passions.  We look at them and we see success.  Although these amazing examples inspire us, we often feel very … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Art, Art, Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Blynne, Middle School, Skills for Healthy Living

Books to the Trail

Posted on July 6, 2011 by

 The Iditarod Books the Trail program has been running for several years now.  Schools in the lower 48 and others team up with sister schools along the race trail to deliver much needed books to these remote schools.  Recently the … Continue reading →

Posted in An Approach to Literacy, Messages from Blynne, PreSchool & Kindergarten, Reading

Finding What Works in the Classroom 2.24.11

Posted on February 24, 2011 by

Temperature in Wasilla, late morning, 20°F, little wind Teachers want to know what works in the classroom to facilitate student learning and to achieve growth in their learning. The research-based document,What Works in Classroom Instruction by Robert Marzano, Barbara Gaddy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Art, Art, Curriculum, Elementary, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Geography, Geography, Geography, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Math, Math, Math, Math, Messages from Martha, Middle School, PreSchool & Kindergarten, Reading, Science, Science, Science, Social Studies, Social Studies, Social Studies, Technology, Technology, Technology

Iditarod Inspired Poetry

Posted on February 1, 2011 by

In my classroom, our study of poetry falls at the end of March. To ease the transition from the Iditarod and Alaska to poetry, I start with The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service. “There are strange things done … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Art, Curriculum, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School

Honest Dogs

Posted on January 30, 2011 by

Honest dogs—I first came across those words in Gary Paulsen’s book, Woodsong, used to describe one of his dogs, Storm. Paulsen defined Storm as a dog who always worked, always pulled, ran many miles, and taught Gary many things about … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School

Something to Do While You Follow Me!

Posted on January 1, 2011 by

When I arrive in Alaska around February 22, I’ll post often to keep you in the loop about what I am doing and what is going on with the race. And, when the race starts March 6, I’ll post daily … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Math, Math, Math, Messages from Martha, Middle School, Science, Science, Science

Iditarod is Coming! Fill Your Sled Now!

Posted on January 1, 2011 by

(Keep on reading to find some ideas of activities for your students to do.) Mushers carry the following mandatory items in their sleds during the race. I bet you can make this list relevant to what students need to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Math, Math, Math, Math, Messages from Martha, Middle School, PreSchool & Kindergarten, Reading, Science, Science, Science, Technology, Technology, Technology

Snow!

Posted on December 16, 2010 by

North Carolina, my home, is a state with very different regions—the Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the state; the rolling land of the Piedmont where I live; the flat coastal farmland edging to the Atlantic Ocean. Snow frequently visits … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, PreSchool & Kindergarten, Reading, Science

Iditarod Math for Elementary & Middle Grades

Posted on December 6, 2010 by

The Iditarod and its race statistics make math real-life situations for students, helping them understand how math is used in everyday life. Use these math problems for practice, homework, extra credit, review, or in middle school at the beginning of … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, Elementary, Math, Math, Math, Messages from Martha, Middle School, PreSchool & Kindergarten

Sled Dog Genetics

Posted on November 14, 2010 by

Breeding dogs to achieve the desired characteristics is a science for mushers. They breed dogs with these characteristics, looking at the dogs’ backgrounds of their “ancestors”. One line, descended from Togo and Leonhard Seppala’s Siberian huskys who ran the Serum Run of … Continue reading →

Posted in Messages from Martha, Middle School, Science

Brochures, Research, Cite Your Sources!

Posted on November 14, 2010 by

This lesson plan addresses several different skills for students. It’s written for sixth graders, but can easily move up in grade levels. Most eighth graders write a term paper, and this lesson introduces younger students to doing research both on … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School, Technology, Technology

Word Processing and Iditarod

Posted on October 20, 2010 by

As a sixth grade English/language arts teacher, one of my responsibilities is to teach students word processing. By sixth grade, most students are familiar with the mouse, the delete button on the keyboard, and have a general idea of where … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School, Technology

Taking Care of the Iditarod Dogs, Writing, and Sequencing

Posted on October 16, 2010 by

The dogs of the Iditarod are athletes and get the kind of training and health care human professional athletes get. Volunteer vets man the race’s checkpoints to examine teams as they arrive throughout the race. These dogs have been cleared … Continue reading →

Posted in An Approach to Literacy, Curriculum, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School

Coordinates for Your Sled–The Math Trail

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

GPS—how did we get anywhere without it! Enter your destination and drive to it! No map unfolding and refolding—map refolding is challenging—it never ends up the way it looked before it was used. GPS directs us to locations using coordinates … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, Elementary, Math, Math, Messages from Martha, Middle School

I Knew I Could Do It! Write a Personal Narrative

Posted on September 12, 2010 by

This lesson plan for grades three through high school uses the book Big-Enough Anna to spark students’ thinking. The book, by Pam Flowers, is a true story about how a little sled dog was big enough to learn to lead … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School

September Ideas for Your Sled

Posted on September 12, 2010 by

 It’s after Labor Day and we’re all back in school. I hope you’ve found ways to use the clipart and bookmarks in your classrooms or you have plans to use them during the year. I‘ve had another remarkable Iditarod experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Art, Art, Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School, Reading, Technology, Technology, Technology

Bookmarks and Activities for Students and Teachers

Posted on August 16, 2010 by

Use the bookmark for your classes. They can be rewards for students who achieve reading goals, everyone can have one for themselves, or use them for end of the year gifts for your students. Print them on card stock so … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Curriculum, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School

More Lessons & Ideas to Fill Your Sled!

Posted on August 7, 2010 by

August is upon us, and we teachers know the clock is ticking towards that first day of school. In July, I posted clip art to help you with bulletin boards, room decorations, and more. You got a great start with … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Language Arts, Language Arts, Messages from Martha, Middle School, Science, Science, Science, Social Studies, Social Studies, Social Studies

Big-Enough Anna

Posted on July 19, 2010 by

This lesson was written with fifth grade standards, but easily moves up or down grade levels. Students use foldables to analyze the book. The book can be ordered from the author’s web site below. This book is a biography for children. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in An Approach to Literacy, Curriculum, Elementary, Language Arts, Language Arts, Middle School

Fill Your Sled!

Posted on July 19, 2010 by

This sled is filled with book titles students read in one quarter. Fill Your Sled! is the theme for my year as the Target® 2011 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  I plan to give you ideas, lessons, activities, photographs, and messages … Continue reading →

Posted in An Approach to Literacy, Curriculum

Iditarod as a Teaching Tool

Posted on June 20, 2010 by

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race™ as a teaching tool in the classroom captures students’ interest and maintains that interest so that the teacher has the opportunity to teach skills and objectives to engaged students. Teachers know that engaged students … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum

Lessons From Herb Brambley

Posted on November 29, 2009 by

(Under construction.  Links to be added soon.) Lesson 1: Introduction to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race; Grades 2-8; Geography, Social Studies, and Science; This lesson introduces how climate relates to lifestyle and culture. Lesson 2: The Alaskan Husky; Grades 4-8; Technology, … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum, Elementary, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Environmental Education, High School, Math, Math, Math, Middle School, Science, Science, Science, Social Studies, Social Studies, Social Studies, Technology, Technology, Technology

Meet Target® 2010 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™Herb Brambley

Posted on June 22, 2009 by

Herb, along with his wife Jamie, who is a librarian, live in a log home they built and now share with 3 huskies, 5 cats, and a mule.  Herb is a K-6 environmental education and technology teacher at Southern Fulton … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Geography, Geography, Geography, News

Literacy Lessons by Cathy Walters, Target® 2009 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™

Posted on November 16, 2008 by

Literacy Lessons by Cathy Walters, Target® 2009 Teacher on the Trail™ * These lessons support literacy goals. The lessons are brain based and often encourage students to move through music or be physically active.  The lessons can be easily integrated … Continue reading →

Posted in An Approach to Literacy, Elementary, Language Arts, PreSchool & Kindergarten, Reading