I’ve had the opportunity this month to take a little trip down memory lane. Two years ago I attended the 2006 Iditarod Summer Conference for Educators in Wasilla, Alaska. During the conference Diane Johnson, the Iditarod Education Director, gave each conference participant a large, square, white handkerchief and asked us to design a square by the end of the week. The square was to reflect the week in some manner: character education, Alaska, the race, the dogs, the mushers, the conference, or the people attending the conference. At the end of the week our squares were to be given to the lovely Carol Helmke, a conference attendee, who volunteered to take all the squares and turn them into a quilt. Carol finished the project by the end of August 2006 and the quilt began its travels. The 2006 Quilt has been to Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Washington, and North Carolina. At each stop it has been displayed, photographed, and loved. Teachers have used the quilt as a teaching tool to inspire the writing of stories and poetry. Others have used the quilt as a spin off for discussions. Why did the artist/author say or write what they did? Is there a message in the square or in the quilt?
I gave my square to Carol in June of 2006. My square is designed like a license plate. There is a cartoon husky running through the mountains of Alaska. It states “Alaska,” “RUN4IT” and the funny thing is I’ve been doing just that for two years. Could this have been a foreshadowing of things to come? Who knows? Finally, two years later and as 2009 Teacher on the Trail, I have seen the completed quilt for the first time, and it is now being displayed in my school. The quilt has been on a remarkable journey, and so have I. I had no idea how that conference would impact my life and the adventure that would unfold. The quilt has brought back a flood of wonderful memories from that first visit to Alaska. It is a vehicle for teachers to inspire their students just as the Iditarod conferences inspire teachers. I have since used the quilt in directing my students to make individual quilts about Alaska and in working together to make a quilt about North Carolina.
This has given us the opportunity to compare the notable features of both states. It seems there is no end to the lessons learned and spawned by this quilt that began over two years ago in Wasilla, Alaska. It is further confirmation of the rich lessons and fresh ideas offered by the Iditarod educational initiative. (Lesson plans for the 12″ x 12″ Alaska quilt can be found here.)
Summary: Students will create their own 12″ x 12″ Alaskan quilt.
Summary: Readers Theater is the reading of a text in a play-like fashion. I have written two scripts. The first script is geared towards pre-readers. The teacher reads the portion of the script that movesthe story, and students respond with a refrain or simple lines that are repetitive and easy to learn. The second script is for written for first and second grade students. Although props and costumes can be involved in an elaborate Readers Theater, most involve the children simply reading the text with good fluency. By performing a Readers Theater, students are given an excellent reason to read, reread, and reread a text; they are practicing for a performance.
Summary: After reading Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons students will complete an ABC or 123 dot-to-dot of a polar bear. The teacher will read the Polar Bear Fact sheet and students willpoint to the corresponding physical feature on their completed dot-to-dot polar bear. For example, when the teacher reads the fact, “Polar bears have small ears so they won’t freeze.” Students point to the ear on their picture. After all the facts have been read, students watch the National Geographic Video. The teacher then introduces the polar bear song to the children.
