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Posts by Herb Brambley

Herb Brambley: Target 2010 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail

Herb’s Lessons

Date: November 14, 2009

This section of the website will be added to periodically, so check back for new lessons and updates.

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, Science; This lesson uses computer skills such as cutting, pasting, and saving a Word document as a vehicle to learn the unique characteristics of the Alaskan Husky. 

Lesson 3: Making Electricity from the Sun; Grades 4-12; Science, Technology, Geography, Environmental Education; In this hands on lesson students see how the angle of a solar panel in relationship to the sun’s rays directly effects voltage output.  The Internet is used to research the average hours of sunlight per day for locations across the globe.    

Lesson 4: Wilderness Survival; Grades 4-8; Social Studies, Environmental Education; Students actually build a debris shelter(or model) as they study the hierarchy of survival priorities.  Read Iditarod stories of survival from the book More Iditarod Classics.

Lesson 5: The Reason for the Seasons; Grades 2 -6;  Science, Environmental Education; Students learn about the tilt of the earth and the angle of incidents of the sun’s rays and explain the causes of seasonal change.

Lesson 6: Are We There Yet; Grades 5-12; Technology, Geography; Find out how far it is from your house to Alaska and how long it will take to get there driving, walking, or using public transportation.

Lesson 7: Why is Iditarod a Ghost Town ; Grades 4-12; Environmental Education, Social Studies; Students determine the best place to locate a village by evaluating several locations for available water resources, type of soil, signs of wildlife, and ease of travel.

Lesson 8: The Cold Hard Facts; Grades 4 and above; Technology, Science, Math;In this lesson students use an Excel spreadsheet to record temperature data from their local area and a location in Alaska.  They also use the graphing capability of Excel to create a graph that compares the 2 locations.

Posted by herb in 2010 Herb's Lessons, Environmental Ed, Geography, Lessons, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology

Saving Toner, Money and Trees

Date: November 9, 2009

Our school is in the process of starting a recycling program.  I’m sure there are many schools out there that have been recycling for several years, but living in a rural area presents some unique challenges when it comes to recycling.  Many of the trash haulers still do not provide a means to recycle.  People in our area who wish to recycle have to haul their own recyclables to a central location where there is a roll off container.  Many companies will not even supply a container or wish to be involved in recycling because it ends up costing them money due to the distance they have to travel.  It is actually costing our school district more to change haulers so that we can start a recycling program!!!  But, in the long run, our students will be better off by becoming educated about the process, by becoming part of doing something to help our planet, and by reducing their carbon footprint.

Not only is recycling a great idea, but what about reducing the amount of printing done at the school so that less paper is used?  If you want some motivation to reduce, get a hold of your school district’s paper budget.  Sit down first though before you look at it. And, if you want to create a visual for others to see the need to cut back on paper use, borrow the gym and create a pile of boxes big enough to hold the number of reams of paper your school uses in a year.  If you want another shock, figure out how many trees it would take to make that amount of paper.  Not a pretty site.

So, I’ve come up with a number of ways to use less paper and to save money on printing.

1. Have students do assignments in the computer lab and save them to a folder on a drive so that you can down load them to a flash drive.  It is a lot easier to carry a flash drive home in your pocket than a bag full of papers.

2.  Use one of the free test makers on the internet rather than printing your tests out.  http://www.teach-nology.com/downloads/test/

3.  Make worksheets on the computer and save them to a drive that is accessable to your students.  If you go to Tools in the tool bar, and then come down to Protect Document in the drop down menu, you can lock your document so the questions can’t be changed.  You can also provide fields for the students to type their answers.

4.  Only print one copy on your computer printer.  Use a potocopier to make multiple copies.  Copier costs are much less than printer costs.

5.  Some printers are capable of printing duplex. Suggest to your purchasing department that they buy printers of this type.

6. Print to a laser printer instead of an inkjet printer.

7. Make sure students are not printing things they shouldn’t be printing.

8. To save toner, change your printer default to draft mode.

9. Always do a Print Preview before printing to verify that you are only printing pages that you need.

10. For color printers, only print color if needed.

Each one of the above suggestions by itself is no great savings, but if we all follow them, and make them a habit, together we can make a difference.  Live lightly!!!

Posted by herb in Environmental Ed, Messages

Introduction to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Date: August 23, 2009

Introduction to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Developed by: Herb Brambley
Discipline / Subject: Geography/Social Studies/Science
Topic: Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Grade Level: 1 and above
Resources / References / Materials Teacher Needs:Movie – Nanook of the NorthMovie – Alone in the Wilderness

Book – Enchantment of America:Alaska

Book – Balto by Natalie Standiford

Globe

Flashlight

Internet site with animation of earth’s orbit:

http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/energy/earth_sun_relations_seasons.html

Lesson Summary: This lesson introduces Alaska and the Iditarod to the students.  It is also a lesson on why we experience the change in seasons.
Standard’s Addressed: (Local, State, or National)1. NSES 6.4 Earth and Space Science2. PA S&T 3.4D Explain and illustrate the cause of seasonal change.

3. USNGS 6 How Culture and Experience Influence People’s Perceptions of Places and Regions

4. NCSS 3 People Places and Environments
Learning Objectives:1. Students will describe the movement of the earth in relationship to the sun.2. Students will explain how the tilt of the earth relates to the change in seasons.

3. Students will identify differences between our culture and that of people from the artic regions.

 Method of assessment for learning

  1. Students will draw the tilt of the earth and its relationship to the sun in each of the 4 seasons.
  2. Students will demonstrate the movement and tilt of the earth in relationship to the sun.
  3. Students will list differences between their culture and Nanook’s culture.
Procedural Activities

  1. Using the globe and solar system model, describe the orbit of the earth around the sun.
  2. Use the flashlight and globe to show how the tilt of the earth causes parts of the earth to receive less sunlight certain times of the year.
  3. Show students the Internet site with the animation of earth’s orbit.
  4. Since we receive heat and light energy from the sun, parts of the earth get less heat and light during some months and are therefore colder.
  5. Relate lifestyle and culture to climate.
  6. Show students the movie Nanook of the North.
  7. Have students list differences and similarities in culture they observed.
Materials Students Need:Worksheet page with picture of the sun and earth’s orbit.
Technology Utilized to Enhance Learning:Computer with internet access to show animation of earth’s orbit.
Other Information:Preview Nanook before showing it to your class. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Modifications for Special Learners/ Enrichment Opportunities:This is a great hands-on lesson for learning the orbit and tilt of the earth.Students who understand the concept of earth’s tilt may describe in their journals the affect there would be on the seasons if earth had no tilt.

Posted by herb in Lessons, Science, Social Studies Tagged ,

“A Trail to Every Classroom”

Date: August 12, 2009

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA I recently attended the National Park Service Teacher Conference called A Trail to Every Classroom. The 2009 cohort included 49 participants from Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. In addition to teachers from the above mentioned states which the Appalachian Trail traverses, there was staff from three other trails; Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, the proposed Mississippi River Trail, and yes, you guessed it, the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

So, what is this Trail to Every Classroom? TEC is a workshop administered by the National Park Service which helps teachers develop a curriculum for their school using the Appalachian Trail as a recreational, environmental and educational resource. The Trail to Every Classroom curriculum has several functions, 1) to get students outside, experiencing the environment, 2) to get them actively involved in their community performing a needed service, and 3) to teach students the unique history of their community so that they know why and how their community originated. These goals are accomplished by using two teachings methods; Service Learning and Placed Based Education.

Who benefits from TEC? Everyone! That’s the great thing about using these methods to teach students. The students aren’t learning in a vacuum. They are actively participating in their learning as active members of their community. Students also benefit by using all of the content areas during their involvement. The very nature of TEC lends itself easily to a multidisciplinary approach. As an example of this, during the TEC summer workshop, teachers could attend a technology session where they learned to use a GPS as a teaching tool in their classroom. They also had the opportunity to attend a science oriented environmental quality monitoring session where they were learning about the effects of air pollution on vegetation and soil, doing a macroinvertebrate study in water and in the soil.


And what was I doing there? Other than playing a lot of music every night and eating the fantastic meals prepared by the kitchen staff at the National Conservation Training Center, where the conference was held, I did a presentation on the Iditarod Race and I worked on developing a TEC program for Alaska with 3 wonderful people; 2 from the United States Forest Service and 1 from Alaska Geographic. As many of you already know, especially those that attended the winter conference, I love to play my guitar and I use a lot of music in my classroom. At the conference, I met someone from Vermont who had a mandolin and an accordion, and another person from Missouri who played the harmonica, and it wasn’t long before we had a 3 man band. You should have been there!!!

Posted by herb in Messages, Trail to Every Classroom

The National Guard Can Provide a Unique Drug Education Program at Your School

Date: August 11, 2009

As mentioned in my previous blog posting, I want to write specifically about the programs provided by the National Guard in the area of drug, alcohol, and substance abuse. There are several programs available through the National Guard designed to suit your specific needs in the areas of leadership training and drug education. Even if your school currently has a drug education program, I believe it would be advantageous to research available programs through the National Guard. Perhaps your school has been doing the same drug education presentation to your students for several years and your students are becoming a little bored with the repetition. Maybe the teachers are too. Check out the National Guard Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) program. It will provide a fresh approach to drug education for your school.

During the teacher’s conference this past summer, I had the privilege of experiencing first hand several of the activities that are used in their lessons. To say the least, I was extremely impressed with the activities and how the lessons are tied in to drug education and leadership training. Before one of the lessons, we were told that we could learn a lot from a rubber chicken. Well, I was very skeptical. But, as it turns out, rubber chickens are very, very intelligent. Rubber chickens can teach you the importance of communication. Really!!! If you want to learn how, check out your local National Guard DDR program.

Another lesson which was done on a low ropes course required our group to work together as a team to complete the course from one end to the other. It was virtually impossible for one person to complete the course alone. In order to maintain balance on the cable we were walking on, an overhead rope had to be swung to you so that you could hold on. As you progressed to the next section, another overhead rope was swung to you by the person in front of you. In this way, you were able to make your way along the entire course. Almost like swinging through the trees with Tarzan, Jane and Cheetah.


Our final activities were on the high ropes. When I say high, I mean about 40 feet high. Talk about a different perspective on things. High ropes require trust. Trust in yourself, trust in the people on the ground, and trust in your partner on the ropes. They also require confidence and the ability to overcome obstacles. Not just physical obstacles, but emotional and mental as well. I don’t believe there is any way to prepare yourself for the mental challenge of a high ropes course. The feelings and challenges that are created on the high ropes are completely different from anything else most people experience in life. It is a unique feeling that almost overwhelms you as you work with your partner to exchange places as you walk a telephone pole 40 feet above the ground. There is nothing like a high ropes course when you want to build confidence, problem solving skills, and the ability to overcome new challenges one might face in any aspect of their life. In Pennsylvania where I live, the high ropes are done at Fort Indiantown Gap as a residence program.

Don’t let me scare you away from these programs with my stories of the high ropes. The National Guard has a variety of programs available.

Posted by herb in Messages, Stay on Track: Drug Education

Summer Teacher’s Camp – Don’t let another summer go by without attending this conference!!!

Date: July 13, 2009

This year’s Summer Teacher’s Camp was another gem among many. Starting off with 4 days and 3 nights at Vern Halter’s “Dream A Dream Dog Farm,” we got right in to the mushing and dog care aspect of the teacher conference. With Vern at the wheel (literally), we bounced over hill and dale, and Vern guided us through the twist and turns of developing a run/rest schedule for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

We met authors such as Pam Flowers and Rod Perry. Pam Flowers was the first and only woman to traverse the arctic alone by dog sled. What an eye popping story! Pam’s books are available at http://www.pamflowers.com. Rod Perry recently completed a book about the history of the Iditarod Trail called Trail Breakers, available at http://rodperry.com. Rod is an experienced back-country musher who has been charged by grizzly bears no less than 3 times, and has indulged in milk from a mother moose at least 2 times, once in a life or death situation to ward off starvation. Rod was a champion wrestler in college so he must have used some fancy wrestling hold to complete that task.

The Iditarod sign up on Saturday was a great opportunity to meet and talk with world famous mushers like Lance Mackey and Dee Dee Jonrowe. We had the privilege of visiting the beautiful home of artists Jon and Jona Van Zyle. One of the conference days was an open day to visit a site of our choosing as we completed a fun challenge project. Our final experience was an introduction to the National Guard’s Drug and Alcohol Reduction program, which is available for your school through your state’s National Guard. I will write more on this later.

This conference, my friends, is not your average teacher’s conference. It provides once in a life time experiences and refreshes the soul to prepare you for a fresh start next school year. It is a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas with teachers from across the country. If you haven’t attended this conference, start making plans to include the Iditarod Summer Teacher’s Camp in your schedule for next year. I will be looking forward to seeing you there.

Top 10 ways to plan for this conference next summer.
1. Open a vacation account at your local credit union.
2. Spend some of that moldy money you have socked away in your secret Swiss Bank account.
3. Save all your pocket change in a 5 gallon water cooler jug.
4. Put 20 dollars in a bank account every week for the next year.
5. Stop at laundry mats and check the washer, dryers and coin returns in soda machines for change.
6. Play the lottery.
7. Don’t go on that stupid family vacation that everyone hates.
8. Don’t waste your time and money going to the beach and renting that condo.
9. Run the family station wagon with the bald tires and muffler dragging the ground for one more year. (Be like Uncle Buck. He’s cool. You can be cool also!)
10. Just do it!!!!!!! You’ll be glad you did.
11. And one more thing, when making reservations, remember United breaks guitars!!! http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=united+breaks+guitars&search_type=&aq=f

Posted by herb in Messages, Teacher Training: Workshops