Literacy

Literacy: The ability to read and write.   Preschool/reading readiness, Kindergarten – Elementary Level Literacy Connections- are essential elements in the Teacher on the Trail™ program and in 21st century learning.

The Teacher on the Trail™ program recognizes the importance of literacy. Being able to read, write, and communicate are essential skills.  These skills are at the foundation of learning in all other content areas.

Early childhood literacy begins when children are very young and in preschool/kindergarten.  The picture books, nursery rhymes, movement activities, and songs are foundation in the developmental process of learning to read and write.

Iditarod and the Teacher on the Trail™ program help teachers meet the challenges of literacy and developing life-long readers and writers.

Examples:

• Teacher on the Trail messages
• Lesson plans for teachers to use with students
• Idita Tunes - brain based movement and songs for readiness skills
  
• Zuma’s Paw Prints articles written in 3 reading levels – preschool/lower elementary, elementary, secondary/adult.
  
• Suggested book list
• Reading enhancement programs:  IditaReads™, Read Along the Iditarod Trail
• Books to the Trail
• Partnership with Anchorage Public Library, Books to the Trail partnership, and other library or reading programs (The Big Read)
  
• Reading, writing, and communication projects
• Connections with Iditarod Mushers who inspire students to read and learn.
  
• Connections with authors
  

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* Thanks to Sally Javier for the IditaRead photos of mushers!

Quotes about Reading and Books

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” ^{by Groucho Marx}

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”  ^{– Harry S. Truman}

“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations–something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.” ^{– Katherine Patterson}