Join us for a one-of-a-kind learning experience!
Cost: $100 per class, $20 per Homeschool Family
Time: February 22nd-March 4th 2010
Class Time: 5 Required Days, flexible scheduling over the 2 week period, "endless" enrichment opportunities!

Grades: 2 divisions: 1st thru 3rd, and 4th thru 8th

Race your virtual sleddogs against students from around the country!

Whether you have been planning curriculum around the Iditarod for years, or never before used sled dogs as a teaching tool, our Virtual Sled Dog Race will blow your mind for it’s outstanding ability to motivate your students learning!

But what is it?

Simply put, it is an online curriculum game (a simulation on the web) that places students in the role of real life Iditarod mushers!  But not just during the race.  After all, that’s just 10 – 12 days out of the entire year, and the real beauty of mushing is the year-round dedication, planning and training, that mushers dedicate to their animals!  

What’s included?

For the teacher/parent
*Complete, standards-based curriculum with assessments
*Step-by-step video tutorials on using the curriculum
*Flexible timeline allowing for individual classroom pacing of curriculum
*Secure online classroom for teacher collaboration and dialog  
*ModificatiOn guidelines for grade level adaptations
*Job lists for multiple student group sizes (students can compete as individuals or as groups)

For students:
*Secure online-classroom
*Tons of online video and photographic resources
*Musher Blog
*Direct web-based communication with an Iditarod and Jr. Iditarod musher
*Live web-streamed events from a working Alaskan racing kennel
*Real-time updates of Virtual Race standings
*Prizes for the top ten finishing teams

For more information view the race framework. 

or watch this short video.

Concepts Covered/ Primary Standards Covered

General Objectives:

Acquire the motivation for learning through the active exploration of a unique lifestyle.
Acquire general skills in animal husbandry.
Acquire critical and higher order thinking skills.
Acquire problem-solving skills that require the connection to consequences and a recognition of a variety of real-life solutions that all serve as a basis for learning.

Each lesson plan will consist of standards, objectives (purpose and essential questions), some form of direct instruction(quickitme videos or online lessons), resource materials, activity directions, and rubric/ scoring guide for assessment, followed by the student handouts. (To see an example of this look at the sample lessons).In addition the following content matter will be focused on as well:

Reading/ Writing

• NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills: Students use a variety of technological and information resources to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Math

• NM-NUM.6-8.3: Computer fluently and make reasonable estimates. 
• NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.2:Communication: Communicate their mathematical thinking coherrently and clearly to peers, teachers and others;
• NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.3: Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics. 
• NM-DATA.6-8.4Data analysis & Probability: Use proportionality and basic understanding of probability to make and test conjectures about the results of experiments and simulations. 
• NM-DATA.6-8.4Data analysis & Probability:Compute probabilities for simple compound event, using such methods as organized lists, tree diagrams, and area models. 
• NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.1 Create and use representations to organize, record and communicate mathematical ideas. 

Technology:

• NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools: Students use technology to locate , evaluate, and collect information from a variety of scources.
• NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools: Students use technology tools to process data and report results. 

Science

• NS.5-8.3 LIFE SCIENCE: Reproduction and herediy;
• NS.5-8.3 LIFE SCIENCE: Diversity and adaptations of organisms

Social Science/ History/Geography:

• Nss-G.K-12.1 Places and Regions: Understand how culture and experience influence peoples perception of places and regions.
• NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society: Understand how physical systems affect human systems.  
• NSS-G.K-12.1 Understand how to use mapes and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to aquire , process, and report information from a spatial persepctive. 

For more information view the race framework.

Assessment:

Each lesson plan will consist of standards, objectives (purpose and essential questions), some form of direct instruction(quickitme videos or online lessons), resource materials, activity directions, and rubric/ scoring guide for assessment, followed by the student handouts. (To see an example of this please contact us).

Prior-Knowledge:

What students should know prior to project:

Students should be familiar with basic computer operation.
Students should be able to navigate the Internet.
Students should know Videoconference, chat and discussion board etiquette.
Students should be familiar with a budget and adding/ subtracting to manage a budget.
Students shouldbe familair with multiplying and rounding.

Resources: Teacher/ Student

Teachers and students alike will need access to the Internet, videoconference equipment is optional. Basic middle school laboratory equipment (i.e. string, rulers, simple glassware, etc…) should be available though may not be required. All other teaching resource materials will be provided via the Internet or faxed if required. All other resources, including multimedia, will be provided via the internet, as well as live coverage of the race trail.