Problem Solving

Barriers to Entry

I’ve been wrapping presents this week and, as a busy mom, that sometimes includes wrapping my own gifts. While sorting and organizing it became clear that the theme of my holiday is “winter weather gear.”  I wrapped, and will unwrap, liner gloves, Smartwool socks, three sets of base layer long underwear, two mid layer wool …

Welcome to Debski’s Diner: Lesson Ideas from the I.C.E. Cohort

Our first Iditarod Certified Educator’s cohort is off and running down the trail! Their first challenge was to develop a quick lesson idea based on the theme of Debski’s Diner. Debski is the amazing cook for all of the volunteers in Nome. She serves as a kind of den mom for all of the volunteers …

Dog Team Hitches and Math

Paws Along the Trail with Hitches and Math Most of us picture a dog sled team harnessed in tandem along a gangline, pulling a sled.  For the Iditarod teams, this formation keeps the dogs closer together which is good for narrow, wooded trails.  Pulling power is  concentrated.  Dog teams can also be hitched into a fan formation where the …

Zoom Lens: 4-Runner Sled

Musher and musher mentor Vern Halter is into making a better sled, a 4-runner sled. Toyota makes a 4Runner SUV but I’m sure it wasn’t Vern’s inspiration. Halter who operates Dream-a-Dream Dog Farm and Training Center is always considering ways to make sleds faster, steer better and more agile. Thus He designed and built a …