Schooled

On Tuesday, I spent all day being schooled. Literally not figuratively.  The Iditarod Education Department in partnership with ExxonMobil have an amazing teacher conference. So Mrs B. and I spent most of the day in class and then we went on a field trip.

Being in school is hard work!

First, we heard Shannon Wyckoff from Ohio, yep, all the way from Ohio, taught us about how her high school students with special needs teach others about the Iditarod. They make these really cool videos.

Next, was Mrs. B's friend, Susan Smith, from Oklahoma. She taught us about how dog hair is a great insulator. Duh! Why do you think we wear it? Just kidding. Her students do a great experiment with different materials wrapped around a cup of ice to see which one keeps the ice from melting the longest.   Susan passed around different slides of dog hair. (A slide that you can look at under a microscope.) The teachers studied the slides and recorded their observations by sketching.  (I noticed Mrs. B had trouble paying attention, but I think it is because she sees/wears dog hair all the time.)

Look out Mrs. B's class I think we will being doing this experiment when we get home. Be thinking about what kinds of materials, people and animals use to insulate their bodies.

Lucky last, was Jen Reiter from Maryland. She teaches 3rd at an all BOYS school in Baltimore. Wow, can you imagine being at an all boys school? The all girls school is across the street. Her students have been doing some really cool things, too. At the beginning of the year, they make a glyph to get to know each other.

Photo by Jen Reiter

Jen's class also does this really cool project with National Parks. Did you know you can become a Junior Ranger at National Parks all over the United States? Wouldn't that be cool? You can even become a Junior Ranger without traveling to the park. Check out all the parks that do this!
This is all the badges her class has earned.

Photo by Jen Reiter