Happy Holidays! AND What is New?

Hello everyone!

Happy holidays! Hope everyone has been enjoying a wonderful holiday!

We've got about 60 days until the start of the race!

I'd enjoy hearing what you have been doing to get your students ready to follow the race! I'm looking for stories about what you've done with your rookie mushers and about any classroom lessons you've done or plan to do....

Please share!

(PS... sharing about what you've been doing personally would be great, too! How are you?)

Diane

Please ask your Rookies!

Zuma (the K-9 reporter for Iditarod, click Zuma's Paw Prints if you've never read Zuma.... ) got a GREAT questions today....

Someone asked if the rookies felt 'overwhelmed' especially with so many rookies having signed up for the race... there will be a lot of 'new' mushers on the the trail.

Does anyone have thoughts about this? Has your rookie musher talked about this? Will you be talking or communicating with your rookies soon? If so, this is a great question to discuss!

Diane

Information Please! Rookie Reports!

Hello everyone!

If you've read Zuma lately, you'll notice we've some new things going on in that department. Zuma is now a blog format. Zuma's responsibilities are fully in the Ed. Department now and authored by the Iditarod Ed. Department. If you are interested in assisting with that, let me know. I'll send you more information!

Zuma is also looking for some information about what our rookie mushers are doing right now.

This is a request for information and pictures of your rookie! If you have a current update--- or a report you never sent to me, I'd appreciate your emailing me this week. Zuma would like to write about the rookies and some 'inside' information that you may have....

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Diane

Quilts for Alaska......

Jane (Sister) this is for you.........

Here are our quilts from Tn. This is one of my classes with me , my mother and my oldest daughter as she is a part of the class. Mother brought them because she and my aunt sewed them for us.

My kids were really proud of "their" quilt. We are going to hang them in the school for everyone to see them and then send them to Alaska when the time comes.

Hope you can see the quilts.

Tee

About 90 Days!

About 90 days from now, the 2008 Iditarod mushers will be on the trail. Can you believe it?

Reading the blog, I know that each of you are well underway in planning your units and many of you have begun your activities! PLEASE supply updates to the blog to tell us about your teaching adventures. We want to read all about it!

Send me articles about your rookie musher, your lessons/activities, and your teaching adventures. I'd appreciate being able to share them at our website or with others. As you communicate with your rookie, let us know what is going on! As you have guest speakers or your students complete projects, tell us about them. Take digitals! Send them, too!

I hope by now each of you has signed up for the FREE Iditarod Eductor's Newsletter. If not, go right now to www.iditarod.com and click For Teachers. Then, click Education Newsletter. Subscribe and you'll be on the list for our next newsletter which will be out in early December. TELL ALL OF YOUR TEACHER FRIENDS to sign up, too. We want you to be in the Idita-know--- so don't forget to do this!

I'd also like you to read Zuma's Paw Prints. Zuma has been updated to a blog format and we hope to provide more stories, articles, and better communications with our readers. Check out Zuma's Paw Prints.

Have you looked at the NOAA curriculum at For Teachers or read the recent articles we've posted? So much to do--- and about 90 days until we are racing to Nome!

I spent about a week in Anchorage in October and presented at the state math and science conference. I had a great time! It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with Alaska teachers and see some of our friends, like Sara, Gail, and Sally!

One final 'thing', if you have extra time on your hands and would like some 'volunteer' projects from now until the race, let me know. I have a few tasks I'm happy to provide to anyone interested. You can email me if you are interested. Thanks!

I hope this finds you having a great school year and excited about your classroom activities.

Enjoy!

Diane

Books and Authors!!!

We just had Scholastic's bookfair at school and there is a new Jan Brett book, The Three Snow Bears which is an Inuit version of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. My bookshelf is bursting with all the books I brought home this summer, but of course there is always room for one more (well, 2 - I had to have "Knut" which is a true story of a polar bear cub).

My school district has booked Teri Sloat for a visit in early March - actually during the race!!!(author of Berry Magic, an Inuit tale of how the berries came to be in Alaska - and the book I used to motivate the students for our reading challenge last year - with the principal eating the agutaq - Eskimo ice cream - recipe is in the book - when they met the challenge. I'm so excited - Teri spent time living in the villages of Alaska and has written several books. I think she will even be staying with me for one night. The connections we make.....how incredible!

If I didn't send you the bibliography I put together, let me know and I'll get it to you. Have a great holiday season. Debbie

Happy Thanksgiving

First let me start by wishing everyone who view are blog a very blessed Thanksgiving.
I hope each enjoy their time with family and friends..

Now the other reason I am posting is I found a great website (my kids did) while researching the Iditarod for a class project. It is http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/ . There are all kinds of things on this website that can be helpful to those of us who are beginning to introduce the Iditarod in our classes. So having completed task 2 I am again wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving from Tennessee.

Rookie Project Rolling Along!

Hi Fellow Iditanuts,

I hope this finds everyone well!
I wanted to share some exciting events in my classroom. My rookie musher is Ken Kaltenbacher from Knik, Alaska. Kent is a retired teacher who has been very generous with his time and resources.

I have been in contact with Kent via telephone calls and emails. He and his wife Susie are featured on my class website. On October 5th, my math students got to ask Kent math questions via a conference call. I set it up ahead of time, it was a surprise for the students. I challenged them to think of questions they would ask Kent and then they had to be more specific and come up with a second question that would have a math answer. I went on with the lesson after they had their questions written down. Ten minutes later, the phone rang and it was Kent! They were so excited! Each student got to ask Kent his or her math question. We made a musher math poster with all of their questions and Kent's answers on it. It was a great day!

Last Thursday, October 24th, my homeroom class received a box with dog harnesses and booties from Knik, one for each student. The kids were so pumped! Kent has challenged the students to write a report about everything they have learned about Alaska after the race is over. If every student writes a report he has promised them a surprise! I'm hoping he is not going to send 19 dogs to Nebraska! He is going to downsize his kennel after the race! Oh no, this could be bad Ha! Ha!


Kent has shared his knowledge about the Native American culture, Alaska, and the Iditarod. His willingness to connect with my students has brought the great state of Alaska to my eager little landlocked, Nebraska students. Connecting with students and kids never truly leave an educator's heart. His Alaskan hospitality reminded me of the summer of conference. We had the best of the best, people who were willing to share their knowledge of Alaska, their adventures and their love of the Iditarod. It was a great experience that I will never forget.

Thank you Diane Johnson and the Iditarod Trail Committee for providing this wonderful rookie learning opportunity for students and teachers!


Have a great week!

Quilts, rookie reports, and "large"times

Hi, all--
I can't draw worth a lick (Tee will understand that phrase), so I was really worried about making my quilt square for our school's quilts. My sister, a teacher elsewhere in NC, told me about quilt squares that will go through the computer printer. It's sold in the quilting department of craft/fabric stores, and has a peel-off paper backing. I printed wordart, photographs, an outline map, and text on my square.

Last week my 6th graders were working with 3rd and 1st person point of view and needed more practice changing 3rd person to 1st person. I thought of my rookie report on Rohn Buser. Kids got copies of it, were interested in it, I popped it up on the screen via projector to my computer, used the Track Changes tool to edit it as they told me the changes to make Rohn the narrator of his report. (Make the font larger so they can easily see it.) I printed wallet size color photos of the pic I had taken of Rohn and his dad, and each student got one to keep. They noticed Martin's finger, so I had them predict why part of it was missing, asked them what clues and prior knowledge they used to make the prediction, told them the story of the accident, and then we talked about revising predictions.

Tee and everyone--last Friday night I was at our high school football game, our town's main entertainment, and a friend asked me if my college sophomore daughter was having at large time at NC State. Thought of you, Tee! And yes, she is having a large time! Go, Wolfpack!

Martha

Read-a-thon

Hi, to all my summer conference friends! The school year has gotten off to a good start for Crickett and myself, except that, even though her room is only 4 doors away, and the teacher's lounge is across the hall - I almost never see her during the day! Crazy busy!

I have had to decide to scale back some of my overly ambitious plans for the year. I've had some heavy-duty family responsibilities come up, so the quilt and dolls for the Susan Butcher Family Center have been pushed to the back burner. I have come up with another idea, however, and I'm hoping that maybe some of you will want to join me in this worthy cause.

I am hoping to organize a read-a-thon during the Iditarod. The plan is that students collect pledges for every minute or page (haven't decided yet) they read during the race. The money collected would be donated to the center. I have heard from Shelley Gill (through a friend of hers) that the center is needing cash donations. One of the elementary schools in our district did a read-a-thon last year just to raise funds for their bookroom and they made $10,000. That's pretty powerful cash for an elementary school. I don't know that our school would be that successful, but I would hope that we could raise some decent money. I will be putting together pledge kits with information about the family center and the race. I will be happy to share anything I put together. I think it is so important to teach our kids to be giving and I think the kids will be motivated by the race and the cause.

If you have ideas about how this might work or any other ideas to help out the center, please e-mail me or post here. I'll post more info as it becomes available.

Hope your year is going well - we're almost at midquarter - can't believe it. My kids have almost finished their quilt squares for Jane's project. They are so excited to have that connection with Alaska (their eyes get so big when they talk about Alaska!).

Into the Wild

Hey Iditarod Friends,
Have any of you read the book Into the Wild? It is coming out as a movie in the next week or so or maybe the weekend. I think it is going to be awesome as it is about a young man who dropped everthing to go to Alaska by way of foot. He made it and nearly survived but died. I hope you can catch the movie I am or read the true story.
Hope all is well with everyone.

Tee

Spelling Words

Hello everyone,

I'm sharing a list of spelling words I brainstormed for my colleagues at school to use this year. It certainly isn't comprehensive, but it's a start. The way they'll fit into my spelling program is I will use them as examples of words that use certain spelling patterns.

Is everyone having a good year? Quilt contact information will be coming soon. Go ahead and get started on those squares!

Jane


Alaska, Iditarod, musher, husky, huskies, checkpoint, checker, volunteer, veterinarian, bootie, hypothermia, , rookie, veteran, Anchorage, Nome, start, finish, champion, sled, frostbite, Arctic, temperature, headquarters, village, native, moose, caribou, musk ox, seal, polar, microchip, entry, handler, bib, spectator, coast, interior, gulf, sound (water body), bay, Denali, Athabaskan, (people group), Aleutian (people group), nupiat (people group), Tlingit (people group), Haida (people group)

Welcome back to School!

Pictures: Vern and a pup, Walking with Pups, and a Pup in a Hole.

Hello everyone!

Just a quick note to welcome everyone back to school! (Yes, I know, not all of you are officially 'back', but welcome back in advance to those of you who are still on VACATION!)

I have just returned from a week long trip to Alaska for some meetings. I took a day off and visited Vern and Susan at the Dream a Dream Dog Farm. I wanted to share pictures from the puppy walk that I took with some tourists, Vern, and Susan. The pups have really grown and are so healthy, happy, full of energy, and VERY FAST and powerful. Vern, Susan, and Misha have been working on another trail through the woods for dog and puppy walks, so I got to hike along that trail. It is a bit rugged but the pups love attempting this trail, jumping over tree roots, climbing hills, and crossing little streams. At the end of the trail, perhaps a mile and a half long, you get to sit on a log bench that Vern made and watch the pups climb up and down a very steep hill. I was amazed that the pups can handle such a climb and was glad I didn't have to climb with them!

Vern and Susan send you their greetings.

I am also attaching a couple of pictures that I took--- to share some of the sights I enjoyed.

I hope this finds you having a GREAT week! I look forward to hearing all about your Idita-school year!

Diane


Susan's flowers and Fire Weed

Jean from Ohio

It has been so fantastic reading everyone's emails and updates. I start school tomorrow, students on Tuesday. My welcome door is a musher being pulled by 25 sled dogs, all namesd for my new students. I used a "bubble" and quotes from Jon VanZele's book to inspire my "team." I haven't been very successful in sending pictures, which I have tried, so I'll wait until I return to school and get a "geek" to show me how.

Honestly, I can't stop thinking about Alaska, YOU and the iditarod. I was watching Discovery Channel last night and "SurvivorMan" was going across Labrador with a dog team. No need to say I was envious.

I have also just (3weeks ago) accepted a 4th grade magnet position, changing from 6th grade. I was in need of a change and this came along at just the right time. I'm very excited about teaching the "little" ones and using all my new experiences and art background. Plus I'll be team teaching with a really cool guy who is the 5th grade magnet teacher. This should prove to be an awesome year.

I hope everyone has a great year, too. Soooooooooooo much to do....and so inspired.
Take care...enjoy...be safe .... and dance wildly
Jean

The last two blogs were posted by Cindy Kuperus (NJ)

Hello Friends!

I've been enjoying the recent postings. I remember back to the first day of the conference and how some of us had been out of school for almost a month, but that Georgia and I (and some others) had just gotten out for summer that week (or the day before the summer conference, for Georgia).

Now the tables have turned...some of you are back to school already! We have meetings next week, but our first day with kids is September 6.

Yesterday I had an iditarod party with last year's class (only 10 were able to make it). I shared with them all my souvenirs. There were "oohs and aahs and You're so lucky!"'s heard. When I gave them their musher's autographs, it was as though they had a Hollywood star's autograph!

Then we played an iditarod simulation in the park across the street. Some neighborhood kids were using the space, but were willing to let us use it for awhile; one of them even joined our game as a dog.

The mushers had to put on Alaska clothing (my winter coat, scarf, hat, boots). Fortunately, we've had unusually cool weather this week. They followed their dog (child holding a stuffed dog--bootied by the musher)and sled (wagon) from checkpoint to checkpoint--I only had 4 checkpoints set up. At each, the musher picked a situation out of a bag that either added or took time away from their total race time: i.e. You were caught in a blizzard. Add 24 hours[2 minutes]. At Anvik, instead of an 8-course meal, the first musher received gift certificates to McDonalds. At Unalakleet, instead of gold nuggets, the first musher received gold-covered chocoalte coins. Each team had to declare a 24-hour rest [2 minutes]. It was crazy...but fun!

I took only a few pictures, but they were not worth sending (or even keeping)!

Hello Friends!

Great Website to Share

http://dl1.yukoncollege.yk.ca/yukonquest/


Here is a website someone at my school passed on to me. It is a great source.
Hope you can use it in your schools. Hope all is well with everyone I am now
in my 3rd full week of school.

Tee

Hi, everyone! Today was our kiddos' first day - such excitement! We have a new principal and our whole building is buzzing with optimism. Teachers keep coming by my room to see all the great stuff I brought back from Alaska. I am so ready to start on my quilt, but since my classes are "special" (reading support), I won't actually start them until after Labor Day. I am going to use the star saying that was on the bookmarks this summer for the theme. I've designed the center square and I'll have some of my older students design other squares. I'll have all my younger students put their names on fabric squares to scatter around the edges. The whole star theme is how I'm going to start the year.

Jane, my youngest daughter started high school this year, too. She had a great first day yesterday - thanks in huge part to a teacher who made a huge deal over her - he had "heard" that she made varsity softball as a pitcher. (Tee, tell your daughter that all the hard work will pay off).

I hope everyone is as excited about the new year as I am. I'd love to hear how all of you are doing.

Debbie

More quilts

Jane and everyone,
Yesterday I talked with my two teammates about making the quilts. We really wanted all our students to participate, but with 70-some kids, the trick was how to do it. My partner who teaches science and social studies said she wants to do them through her 3 classes, so 3 quilts will come from my middle school. She's talking about tying this in with the 5 themes of geography. Just let me know to whom to send the additional 2 quilts.

Debbie, your quilt instructions and tips are great and will guide us through this. Also, "churning" butter with the heavy cream worked! I was so excited!! I'll be doing this all day this Saturday for a Girl Scout event.

Hot, hot, hot here in NC and drier than a bone. Our area is enacting water restrictions, and we're surrounded by various shades of brown as plants and crops wither.

Our students come on the 27th. We just finished the schedule pickup which is a scary time for the 6th graders and their parents. I'm "Iditaroding" now, too. Our team decided to call our list of materials that students bring to class "Mandatory Gear" and my "Materials on Desk" list on the white board now is titled "Gear on Desk". That list tells the kids what items to have on their desk that we're using that day in class. Our 6th grade will walk to Nome again this year for our Healthy Active Child activity.

Have a good school year.
Martha

Wildly Successful Thanks to YOU!

Greetings from the desert! I know you all are having particularly hot summers this year. I feel sorry for you; we're used to it.

School started for me last Wednesday. I have a class full of leaders - so my challenge is to keep them engaged. We've already used the Iditarod every day. It's so easy to stick in. My oldest daughter started high school last Monday and after praying for her ALL day, when I picked her up I got the first day report. She loves her school and teachers. She has actually become a different person altogether - very animated, outgoing, and happy.

I remember some of you start later, some of you have started, some of you start soon...I'm excited for you all. Set all of those notes you took at conference right in front of you so you remember to utilize your ideas. And please keep communicating. We have so much to share and learn from each other.

OK, here's the big news. As of today, I have quilt commitments for every village on the trail after Anchorage. Isn't that exciting? I'm sharing the list with you.

Anchorage
Nikolai - Jennifer, CA
McGrath - Martha, NC
Takotna - Tee, TN
Ruby - Jean, OH
Galena - Judi, NE
Nulato - Nancy, NJ
Kaltag - Judi, NE
Unalakleet - Debbie, MO
Shaktoolik - Judi, NE
Koyuk - Judi, NE
Elim - Judi, NE
Golovin - Bonnie, FL
White Mountain - Judi, NE
Nome - Jane, AZ

As you can see, Judi R. has committed her entire 4th grade team! Now, just because every village has one commitment, it doesn't mean we can't use more. Did any of you meet Gail from Anchorage? She would be thrilled to receive a quilt. Also, I know of 3 teachers in the Mat-Su valley who would like to receive one as well. So, please don't say, "I don't need to do one." We'd love to have more. If we have to double up donations to villages, we might do that.

I never dreamed it would be this easy to get the quilts dedicated. Thanks to you, the awesome teachers of the summer conference (and a few others), it will happen. That means so much to me.

Susan Butcher Information

There are video clips and interviews with Susan Butcher on Insider as well. They are in the 2006 segments. Some are in the Behind the Scenes section and some are in the daily segments. During 2006 she was out at some checkpoints. Terrie Hanke saw her in Ruby. Check it out.
Jane

Does anyone know how....

Hi, again.

I found some great videos on Susan Butcher's website but can't seem to download them. Is there anyone who might know if this is possible? They are links from her site, so I don't know if it's possible, but I'd sure like to try! You can find them by going to SusanButcher.com and selecting videos from the menu across the top of the page. One is an interview from Good Morning America she did after she was diagnosed with Luekemia and the other is from the Alaska.org site that is a "promo" for Alaska that features her and the race. Any help/advice would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Debbie

Hello Again!

All of these messages and connections are wonderful! Debbie, thanks so much for the quilt tips. Sounds great! I'm going to try them. Martha, I've been looking for language help for a year now. That's great information.

I've truly enjoyed hearing about all of your summer adventures, some extended Alaskan adventures for sure! My post-Alaska experience was a trip "home" to St. Louis, MO. It was great, but I picked up some ticks while hiking and am slowly recovering from "tick fever". ICKY TICKY!!! So, I'm a little behind on the news.

The best part to me is seeing all of the enthusiasm you have to use your new experiences with your students. They are gifted to have teachers like you! I'd love to see you all at work in your classrooms - I'm sure it's truly dynamic.

Check my August edition of Teacher Times for new lessons. I could still use a few more quilts - although I'm overwhelmed at everyone's participation already. Thank you so much! These villages will be honored at your efforts.

Happy back to school. Keep in touch! Keep blogging!
Wag more, bark less,
Jane

Jane's Quilt Project

Hi to all summer conference friends! I started working on my plans for Jane's quilt project and wanted to share a couple of tips.
If you are going to use the men's handkerchief squares (available in pkg. of 12 at Wal-Mart for about $6 or $7), wash them before doing any artwork on them. The ink/paint will take to the fabric better.

If you iron the fabric to a piece of freezer paper it will be easier to color. Be sure to have the glossy side of paper face up and it will very lightly adhere to the fabric, giving it more stability. It won't stick tight, so will need to be handled gently. Then you can staple or tape the fabric and paper to a piece of posterboard for a smooth surface for the kids to work on.

Sharpie markers will color nicely on the fabric, but you will need to use a very light touch. The ink will spread slightly on the fabric, so a fine point marker works best for outlining, then fill in with the broader points. It is also helpful to allow some drying time between outlining and filling in.

To prevent smearing, keep a tissue or piece of paper under the heel of your hand while coloring (so your hand doesn't rub on the fabric).

You can buy fabric markers that are water-soluble in the quilt/fabric section of a craft store. This would be a good way for kids to draw their designs onto the fabric. I was able to print my design on a computer and by using a light box I could see through to trace it - even through the freezer paper. If you don't have a light box, designs could be taped to a window and the freezer paper/fabric taped over it for tracing.

Hope these ideas help. Have fun!
Debbie

Susan Butcher Interview

I found a great interview of Susan Butcher on this website:

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pagegen/index.html

It's pretty long, and written before she had children, but there are some great real-life stories of her experiences on the trail.

Enjoy!
Debbie

At the Van Zyles'

Jean from Ohio

Can't believe it's been a month since we were all heading North. I continue to review my pictures and DREAM.
I just went through my Iditarod folder from school (now 10 years old) and found a copy of an article on Finney who was being featured as the first TOTT. I guess I've been hooked on sled dogs and the race longer than I remembered. Also has some quilt information from Terri.

I hope everyone is well. I feel so lucky to have been among the 1st Dream Team!!!...
I'll try to figure out how to send photos on my next update. Still not sure how to do all that web stuff...but I'm learning.
I just celebrated my birthday - 5? something!!!... Will be planning my daughters wedding next weekend when I fly to St. Petersburg. She also has informed us that she is pregnant and will be due in March. Two happies at one time. What could be better???? Twins?????.
I so enjoy reading about everyone, your thoughts and viewing your photos. I feel it keeps us connected.
Keep dreaming....Love You Guys!!!
Jeanie from Ohio

Hi All:

This is my first posting with a photo (my brother-in-law is sitting right next to me).

How many idita-educators does it take to change a car tire?
You can do the counting yourself!

Hope you are all well.
Cindy Kuperus

Names for Snow

Hi all,
I was working on my Iditarod Jeopardy questions and discovered a couple of sites you might be interested in. The first one is in the North Slope Borough School District which includes Barrow. The particular page of interest is www.nsbsd.org/anep/public/index.cfm/14,504,html.
The next site is www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/eskimonames.htm. You'll find Inupiaq names for oodles of English words and an explanation of different types of snow and its importance to Alaskan survival.
Martha

Hello Everyone, from Strawberry Land in West Tennessee

WOW! This is my first blog, and as I said to Cindy, my favorite teacher (Tee) is setting here by my side. Yes, it is scary for me,
just like it was putting booties on Wells, but what an accomplishment. What can we say, but God is good all the time. All the time God is good. Thank you all for making the conference so great and so much fun, but when you have great leaders like Diane, and Vern and Susan, and all the others who shared so much, it just couldn't be better. Thanks again, be blessed and be well.

Jo Ann
Iditarod Teacher Mom

And more pics

The 28 inch pizza - YUM
Crickett's rookie??? This one's for Martha!
Demonstration at the Native Heritage Center - Eskimo Olympics

Apparently you can only post about 5 pics to a single post, so here are some more - and remember, I will be happy to send you the files with lots more pictures!

The Picnic

Here are some pics of the picnic - we obviously all enjoyed this day tremendously!

Back to reality!

I had to leave the cool weather and beautiful landscapes and wild life behind for the 98+ temps and humidity of the midwest, which are best enjoyed while seated on aluminum bleachers in a dusty, treeless softball complex. I've squeezed in a little time to enjoy my pictures, and thought I'd post a few here. If you want me to send you my whole files so you can pick and choose any you might want to print, let me know and I'll be happy to e-mail them to you. For now, here are a few for you to peruse... Enjoy! Debbie

A first for me (without the help of Tee!)

I'm writing my first ever blog entry. I am excited and hope that it reaches all of you. If it does, then I'll try to import a picture or two...

After I returned from Alaska, I had to finish up at school. My last meeting was on July 5. Then I got ready for my birthday on 7-7-7 (same as Sally's). Lots of 7's on that day.

Now I'm finally feeling like summer is beginning.

I read all your blog entries and I, also, had an experience in Alaska that was a "forever" one. My hope is to make a power point presentation that I can share with my former students at a picnic in the end of summer (when I will present half of them with their Iditarod musher's autograph!) and my students in Spetember. Making a power point will also be a new experience for me.

In a few days, I'm off to spend several weeks with my family in Michigan. Then I'll go to yet another conference (this is my fourth since March 2007) in Massachusetts because we are implementing Investigations math this September. Does anyone use this curriculum? Do you like it or dislike it? Why?

I'll read the blog every now and then this summer. My mother has never sat at a computer or owned a computer, so while I'm staying with her, it doesn't happen. But now and then I stay with a sister or brother who does have a computer...and then I catch up.

Again, I am so happy to have experienced Alaska and the Iditarod with all of you. Thank you, Diane, for such a great time.

Cindy Kuperus

Home again...

While I am physically back here in Phil. doing laundry, weeding and watering, dusting, and dreading the 3 weeks of mail that should be dropped off this afternoon - I feel a little disoriented, I definitely left a little bit of my heart in Alaska. In 25 years of teaching and 20 following the Idiarod- this certainly was a 'teachers' conference' like no other. Some conferences have given me great ideas and inspired me in my work with kids but no other conference has, at the same time, tapped into my personal interests and passions so completely. As many of you have stated so well, Diane (and her team) artfully pulled together the many different aspects and responsibiliies involved with this race. No facet of the race was left unexplored and so, she not only trained teachers to share the race with their students with clarity and with joy - she let loose on the world freshly trained ambassadors for the sport! I know that at the B and B's I visited in Fairbanks and Anchorage, every breakfast evolved into a Q and A about the Iditarod, every one wanted to know more about it. And how exciting was it to be chatting with Mary Shields and have her mention that she had just come from Anch. visiting the VanZyle's, and when I said that we had been there, she said, "I know, I heard all about you all!" So many inspiring connections and wonderful memories, thank you Diane!
By now I guess that almost everyone is home, savoring summer but eager to share this experience with colleagues and kids. I bumped into Bonnie at the Open-air Market in Anchorage on Sunday and Karen in the airport Tuesday, we were on the same flight! (Hope you made your connection, Karen - made mine by the skin of my teeth!) Big state - small world! I enjoyed meeting you all and feel certain that the summer class of '07 will stay connected, creative, and supportive of each other's new ideas. I'm looking forward to pulling together my char. ed. curriculum with the addition of the many mushers' pictures I took with our school stripes. I'll post it when it's done and would love your feedback/suggestions.
Again, many thanks to Diane, Terri, Finney, Sarah, and Jane and to all of you for your unique contributions to this experience. Am definitely returning in '08 for the race..... and to see what 'dark' looks like in Anchorage.... and to look for that little piece of my heart I left behind.

Hello to all

Just a note to tell you all that it was a pleasure to meet you, and to spend time with you in such a beautiful place. We miss you. We are still in AK, and will leave on July 11 to go back to NJ.
It was great to see Jane's beautiful picture, and to see T's cute daughters. I wish that the conference had been longer. It was the experience of a life time.Thankyou Diane for all of the hard work, and for allowing us to register late.
We are going on a Glacier Cruise from Whittier today, and it is raining cats and dogs.....
I am hoping we will all stay in touch through the blog..I have to lear how to post pictures on the blog.
Keith and Georgia

Fellow participants,

This picture I took while in AK reminds me of you. It is a field of beautiful wild irises. You all showed your beauty as teachers and people, as well as your "wild" a.k.a. creative side. I can't thank you enough for sharing your ideas; I truly believe it is through other teachers that I gain the most that I can use to be better myself. Enjoy what time you have this summer, keep those ideas you've brought back with you milling around in your mind - ruminate on them, if you will. Rest, relax, refresh, and rejuvinate. I can't wait to hear from you all and what "Idita"ideas you have for school next fall.

Wag more, bark less,

Jane

California Stop for the Roach Family (REVISED!!)

Hi fellow Iditanuts! I just realized when I viewed the blog, that this blog had posted! I thought I had just saved it in drafts. Sooooo! I needed to make some changes, number one being there was not a picture in the original and now there is!!! Yosemite was incredible. The Roach Family; Gary, Judi, Ryan, and Brenan (Whitni had work obligations) had a great time exploring Yosemite National Park. WOW!!! Talk about HUGE TREES and beautiful monoliths! We hiked about 6 miles in the Mariposa Grove! That is my kind of summer workout, enjoying the great outdoors! It was a great follow up to the breathtaking scenery and information packed Iditarod Conference.
I hope everyone is doing well and had, or is having (Georgia & Keith) safe travels. Once again, it was great meeting all of you!

Hi Iditarod Teacher's Conference friends. This is a picture of my husband Gary and my sons Ryan & Brenan. As you can see we have joined up in San Francicso, CA. I just want to reiterate what Tee said, it was great experiencing the Last Great Race Adventure with all of you. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had with a group of talented and energetic educators. Thanks Diane Johnson for an experiential packed learning experience. We had exposure to the "who's who" of Iditarod. The speakers and experiences gave us first hand exposure to the race and provided information that we would have probably never known if it weren't for this conference. The next step is to make it to the race. Let's go for it everyone! Wouldn't it be great to have a winter reunion! A special thanks to all of the past and current TOTT's. Terrie, Finney, and Kim thank you for sharing your experiences and good luck Jane. I wish you the best and know you will do a great job in 2008. Let's keep in touch fellow Iditanuts!

Home Safe in Tn

Well fellow participants I just wanted to tell each of you how much I enjoyed our time together . Please know that I am sincere when I say come stay with me when your near we will have a large time. My door is open. I just wanted to share what I really drive and who my favorite passengers are. Again I just wanted to let each of you how that you have truely made my life fuller. See ya again and e whenever you can.

Tee Hutton

Tn Vol

Vern's shirt

I spent Saturday night back at Vern's, and he has put his t-shirt on the wall in the meeting room downstairs. It's on the back wall to the left of the door. I have been in Talkeetna today, not without a little adventure. I have something in common with Tee now, a flat tire, and my hosts at the Swiss-Alaska Inn here most graciously changed it for me and found a place on Sunday that could fix the tire. Then, I met my sixteen year old friend who lives fourteen miles out of town and we visited. As we discovered all last week, it's small world, and Debbie and Crickett were in town,too. We met for pizza supper with my friend, Amanda, and her mom. Amanda has run the junior Iditarod twice. Martha

Adventures at the Dream a Dream Kennel

Our 2007 Iditarod Summer Conference was held at Susan Whiton and Vern Halter's Dream a Dream Dog Kennel from Sunday, June 24 - Wednesday morning, June 27, and then moved to other locations. Our time a the kennel allowed teachers to be involved in a number of activities, including daily dog chores.

Each morning at about 7:30, workshop participants would go on a puppy walk. Nine little puppies guided the teachers through the woods winning the race to the end of the hiking trail and raced back to the puppy kennel. Puppy walks are the start of training for these 'wanna be sled dogs'.

After the puppy walk, it was time to hook up a team for a morning run. Teacher campers assisted in harnessing the dogs and hooking up the team to Vern's Dream a Dream wheeled cart. The howl songs sung by the dogs at hook up time made it evident that these dogs were anxioius to go on the run. Teachers climbed on to the Dream a Dream Mobile for exciting rides.

When the team returned to the dog yard, each dog was given a bowl of fresh water. After their water bowl was empty, each dog was released from the gangline and allowed to go 'home' to their house and circle, where their breakfast bowl awaited them.

While the teachers went into the dog born to being their classes, the dogs began their own daily routine which included climbing on their dog house roof and napping beneath the warm sunshine filled day.

Conference on Sunday! Hello Teacher Campers!

Hello from the Dream a Dream Dog Farm!

The participants met at Iditarod HQ this afternoon. Special guest speaker was "Finney", the first Teacher on the Trail. Teachers also had a ride on the dog sled, which is a wheeled cart because there is no snow in Alaska right now!

After our first session, we traveled to the Mat Su Family Restaurant. After our meal, we drove to Willow and the Dream a Dream Dog Farm. We met Vern and Susan and had a quick tour of the facility. Then, the workshop participants hauled their gear into the building and found sleeping spots. We then began our first conference activity designed to introduce each participant to each other and sharing information about where we are from and who we are!

As it nears 11:00 PM, some people are calling it a night and others are on their lap tops checking email, checking websites, and working on blog projects.

Our Iditarod Summer Conference has begun!

My First Blogg

This is my first blogg...I am scared to death. It is 10:43 I just ate reindeer and it is so light outside...I am not sure why I am still up. But Tee as begun to teach me to blog how fun.

That was so fun........... Bye for now....

Z.........

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WELCOME TO ALASKA!

Hello everyone! We are about 24 hours away from our first session at Iditarod Headquarters!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

A Package for WFTOTT Jane

Mail Call!

A package arrive at ITC HQ on Friday from WFTOTT Kim Slade. Although my name was on the package, we knew that what was in side the box was for the 2008 WFTOTT Jane. Jane opened the package and removed the Official Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail sleeping bag.

Each year, the WFTOTT takes this sleeping bag with on Iditarod Trail. It is a special sleeping bag because each of the previous WFTOTT'S have designed and placed a patch on the sleeping bag to represent their particular year as Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail.

During the next few months, Jane will be creating her patch and placing it on the sleeping bag. At the 2008 Iditarod Teacher Conference right before the next race, those at the conference will see her design and 'meet' the sleeping bag.

Gray Sky on Friday

Notice the difference in the sky on Friday?

As I got ito my car to drive to HQ on Friday morning, my first thought on this 'cloudy' day was that I could smell someone buring a fireplace. When I arrived at HQ, I noticed the smell again. I suddenly realized that the sky was as it was not due to the threat of rain, but due to the forest fires north of Willow. Throughout the day the smoke smell lingered. There are several forest fires in Alaska right now.

Friday, June 22, 2007

WFTOTT Jane arrived on Wednesday evening. By the way, she has already started to put messages on the WFTOTT section of the website. Check out www.iditarod.com and Click Teacher Resouces. Then click Teacher on the Trail. Jane has two sections to her part of the website, the lessons and the messages.

We spent most of yesterday at Iditarod Headquarters where teachers from the Anchorage and Wasilla area joined us for a curricululm writing class. The class continues today. The class is a great opportunity for educators to collaborate about using the race

in the classroom.

As I type this, I know that several of you are busy with last minute preparations. Take my cell number with so should you need anything, I can assist.

Have a great day!.
Diane

Alaska on Wednesday!

Good morning from Iditarod Headquarters! I took a picture of the headquarters building again this morning so you can see the blue sky. This picture was taken about two hours earlier in the day than the picture I took yesterday. There is also a vehicle on the front yard, a Dodge Truck that will be raffled off this year. You can also see that the sidewalk is wet, not from rain, but from the lawn sprinkler. It is very dry here and rain is very much needed. I know, the picture looks a lot like the one I posted yesterday, but it goes to show you, it is another beautiful day in Wasilla, Alaska!

There is hardly even a wisp of a cloud to be seen this morning.

It is about 60 degrees and a near perfect Idita-day in June! Soon, you'll all be here!

Our 2008 WFTOTT Jane will arrive in Alaska today. Some of you are here and some of you have started your journey while others are figuring out how to zip that suitcase shut! Soon, we'll all be in the great state of Alaska. I look forward to seeing you! Let me just say in advance, "Welcome to Alaska and our conference!" We are going to have a great adventure!

Off to Conference

Hi all,

I'm heading to Anchorage today, too, and like Debbie, I'm glad it will be light long so my drive to Wasilla isn't in the dark!

I just finished Pam Flowers' book Alone Across the Arctic last night. I recommend it to everyone. It's easy to read, short, and most importantly, an incredible story! I found Pam's story inspiring.

I've brought Libby Riddles' book with me - which I will probably finish with no problems given the airplane/airport time I have today.

See you all soon!

Jane

Heading North TODAY!

Hi everyone - the day has finally arrived and I have only about 4 hours until I leave for the n airport (still lots of packing to do, though, and one last Wal-Mart trip!) My son in Girdwood reported yesterday that it was almost 80 degrees and beautiful weather. I won't arrive in Achorage until 11:30 tonight, but at least it won't be completely dark and I can enjoy the views on the trip to Girdwood. I'll be closing the laptop and packing it up now... see you all soon!

Dog chores

Thanks for the confirmation that we do need dog chore clothes. I'd been thinking about that, and considering what to bring for those jobs. I am supposing that we'll be working our way from the ground up, literally, and be assigned poop scooping as a job. As long as it's balanced out with puppy cuddling, that's ok. I'm thinking that a waterproof, smellproof bag might be handy for the dog chore clothes, too.
Martha in NC

Jean From Ohio

Hope everyone is getting ready for our wonderful Summer Conference. I have enjoyed reading about everyone and now look forward to having faces to go with these BLOGs.

I feel like this may be a life altering experience...and just can't wait to be at the Dream A Dream Camp with the dogs. Thanks Diane for the pictures!!!

See everyone on Sunday.
Have safe trips.
Jean

GOOD MORNING FROM ALASKA!

It is a beautiful Tuesday morning in Wasilla. The sky has a few clouds but is mostly blue. It is 57 degrees right now. I am at Iditarod Headquarters. I just walked outside to take a couple of pictures and thought you'd like to see my discoveries!

As you might guess, even though it is summer, it is pretty busy around here. Tourists are here visiting the museum and getting rides on Ramy Redington's dogsled, a cart with wheels of course!

I also discovered a pile of pups! They were sleeping, so I didn't want to wake them. I am sure they'll be a wake later in the day. You'll get to see these pups when you are here at HQ. I wonder how many times a day they have their pictures taken!

Most of my day today will be spent here at HQ, working on projects, watching the tourists come and go, watching the pups sleep, play, and do their puppy activities. I hope you are having a great day. I am looking forward to seeing you soon!

Hello from Wasilla!

Hello everyone! As you know, I am in Wasilla this week.

Thanks for bringing up the topic of things to do in the 'after conference hours', Tee!

One of the things that Sara and I did today was work on organizing ideas for activities for you to do during your after conference hours. We'll have options, information about where you can go, prices, maps, and general information for you. Please check out the link in Tee's posting, too. At the conference, we'll provide you with the information I have mentioned above on places you can go and things you can do during your stay with us. You can group up with people who have like interests and explore and learn all things Alaska and Iditarod. You will have a GREAT time!

Your 'homework' is to be thinking about the kinds of activities you want to do.

You can also discuss that on this blog.

I'd also like to remind people that if you aren't renting a car and you need to get from Anchorage to Wasilla, remember the shuttle information I posted earlier and/or post a comment or send a group email, so that you can connect with someone so you get to Wasilla. You can also give me a phone call or send me an email.

You need to be at HQ in Wasilla at 3:00 on Sunday and plan to leave there around 5:00. If you are arriving Sunday afternoon, don't worry... we won't leave until you are with us or we at least know where you are. From HQ, we'll be driving to a place where we can grab a bite to eat before heading to the Dream a Dream Dog Farm.

If you are staying at Dream a Dream, make sure you have everything you need for your stay, If you are returning to your lodging elsewhere, you can do that after our Sunday evening session at the Dream a Dream Dog Farm.

ALSO, if you want to bring favorite snacks to the Dog Farm--- I am talking people snacks, you are welcome to do so. We'll have some snacks, sodas, juice, water, and light breakfast for those staying over night, and lunch will be provided for you on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, no matter if you are staying there or not.

I hope everyone is having a great week and that you are all thinking about packing, your journey, your goals, and your after class hours interests.

I look forward to reading what you share and I look forward in seeing you soon!

PS. You'll meet the dog in this picture at the Dream a Dream Dog Farm. How many worries do you think he has in a day? He is a GREAT dog. He is looking forward to meeting you!

Diane

Final Preparations

Hello everyone!

A word for the wise from the wise: Terrie Hanke 2006 Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail (tm) reminded me that we need clothes specifically for the dog yard chores. Thank you, Terrie.

Oh, yes, and rain gear and umbrellas!

See you soon,

Jane

Check these extra things to do.

http://www.grandviewak.com/attractions.htm#local

Click on the above address and look at the extra things to do in our down time.
I came up on this while looking around. These activities appear to be around the Grandview Inn where our conference orginates.
Hope you take a look ....Looking forward to seeing and meeting each of you.

Tee Hutton
Tn Vol

Hello from Utah

My name is Sybil Jemmett. I am from West Point, Utah. I am not familiar with Blogs but here goes. I am excited to be getting ready to come to Alaska! I plan on having my 6th grade classroom all Iditarod all the time this year. I am arriving in Alaska midnight on Sunday June 24. I will be staying with family (I hope) that night then coming to the conference. I would be willing to share expenses to Wasilla on Sunday or share a ride to the Kennels. I have my sharing items ready and am excited to be there soon!

Meet Kristy

Hello everyone...meet Kristy. She is a former Guidedog Puppy (for the Blind)that I raised from 8 weeks old. She did not make the program because of a shyness to loud noises, therefore I was able to select her new family...a teacher in my school. Now she comes to visit us on a regular basis, and is always egar to help the students.

Kristy was raised in the classroom and with me 24/7 where ever I went. She was a significant part of our school environment. Her presence helped so many emotionally needy children, increasing their self-confidence and academics. My love and respect for the working dogs, and reading the story of Balto brought me to Alaska and the sleddogs last summer.

Thanks to Kristy, this year, we were able to produce a life-sized dogsled team as we traced her in a running pose laying on the floor. Many lessons were generated from that experience.

I have produced a 40 min. narrated slideshow using PhotoStory on how I used the topic of the Iditarod in my classroom as a yearlong theme. It shows our activities, bootie production, and statistical data representing academic growth from the beginning of the year to the end.

I don't know if you are interested in viewing it but I will bring it just in case.

This time next week we will be deep in the puppies! and kennels! I can't wait. 6 days to go.