This week we have been learning about the Iditarod, which is held each year in Alaska. The race began last Saturday and it starts the first Saturday of March. The Iditarod, aka " The Last Great Race" is a sled dog race honoring the time in history that mushers had to deliver special medicine to help people sick with Diphtheria. all the way from Anchorage to Nome. These towns are more than 1,000 miles away from each other and the weather was so treacherous that dog sled was the only way to make the delivery. If it were not for the heroic mushers and their dogs, many people could have passed away.
Not just anyone can enter into the Iditarod. You must qualify and only 70 teams can compete each year. A musher can have a maximum of 16 dogs but a minimum of 12 dogs at the starting line. To finish the race the musher must have at least 6 dogs still pulling the sled. The Ididitrod is 1,180 miles long and usually takes at least 9 days to finish.
A musher must bring their own supplies such as dog food, a propane stove, a headlamp, a sleeping bag, an axe, and 8 pairs of booties for each dog. Each team must complete an 8 hour rest stop and a 24 hour rest stop, but it is their choice when they do it.
There is also a shorter version of the Iditarod for people ages 14-17 called the Junior Iditarod. This competition is 158 miles long and takes more than 14 hours to complete. All mushers have to worry about moose because they are very territorial animals and are known to attack the teams.
BY: Averi, Callia, Alex, and David K.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Amazing Angles
Lately we have been working with angles and using tools called protractors. One of the protractors is called a full circle protractor, it goes from 0 to 360 degrees around the perimeter of the circle. Also there is another measuring tool called the half circle protractor, it measures from 0 to 180 degrees. It is different because when there is an angle to measure that is bigger than 180 degrees, you have to just measure the smaller angle and subtract it from 360 to get your answer.
An angle is a figure that is made by two line segments or rays that make up an acute angle, obtuse angle,straight angle, right angle or a reflex angle. An acute angle is between 1 and 89 degrees, an obtuse angle is more than 90 but less than 180 degrees. A straight angle is exactly 180 degrees and is 1/2 of a circle. Finally, a reflex angle is more than 180 and less than 360 degrees.
We also have been playing a game called "Angle Tangle". Player #1 draws an angle of their choice and player #2 estimates the measure in degrees. Then Player #1 uses a protractor to get the exact measure. Then, using subtraction, the team finds the difference between the two.
The difference is how many points Player 2 earns, so you want to make your best estimate. Player 1 and 2 keep switching positions and at the end of the round, they add up their scores and whoever gets the LOWEST score, wins!
In closing, we feel that since we have spent time measuring, drawing, naming, and estimating angles, we have improved a lot in our understanding.
By: Nick and Troy
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Iditarod, From Cape Cod ; )
Thank you to all families that were able to send in materials for our Edward Toulane Project. If anyone is able to donate any additional emergency snacks or boxes of tissues, it would be greatly appreciated!
In writing workshop, we have been working on narrative writing with a focus on "Showing, Not Telling" to produce strong, detailed writing full of high quality vocabulary and literary devices such as: similes, hyperboles, and onomatopoeias. A gentle reminder that we have our "Long Composition" on March 18th.
Please continue to also follow our school BLOG @:http://qsmashpee.blogspot.com/
~Katie :)
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