Arts-In-Education Exploratory Enrichment

Dogsledding Virtual Assembly

Presented by The Wilderness Classroom Organization

Our Dogsledding Virtual Assembly combines lessons, images, videos, and equipment accumulated during hundreds of days and thousands of miles exploring the winter wilderness by dogsled. These fast-paced, fun assemblies help students understand what it is like to work with sled dogs and imagine what it feels like to drive their own dog team. Examples of how we work with the dogs to overcome challenges and succeed on our expeditions provide easy to understand lessons that help children grow and thrive at school and at home. A variety of important life skills are woven into each virtual school assembly. They include: communicating effectively, teamwork, trust, kindness, having a positive attitude, and believing in yourself. We call these life skills our Expedition ABCs, which teach children simple, but effective ways to be their best selves. We show students one of our dogsleds and let them meet a sled dog. Students learn about the clothing and equipment we wear to stay warm when it is 40 below zero and how the sled dogs thrive in the cold. We teach students about the different types of sled dogs from the Alaskan huskies that run dogsled races like the Iditarod to the Canadian Inuit dogs of the high Arctic. Students learn how we harness the dogs as well as the commands we use.