Beargrease Sled Dog Race - Hartley Nature Preschool

Beargrease Sled Dog Race
Head out to cheer for the
mushers and dogs!
Sing-a-long
Songs
pg. 2
Winter
Weather
Closure
Reminders
pg. 3
Language
Immersion
Kindergarten
pg. 4
The Allure of Dog Sledding
by Kaitlin Erpestad
I loved dog sledding and sled dogs as a child as
well as reading stories about dog sledding and
pretending to be a musher. There was
something about the challenge of working
through day and night through the wilderness
in bitter temperatures with only the companionship of loyal dogs that appealed to my
imagination. A highlight of the year was snowshoeing into the woods not to far from home to
cheer on the mushers and dogs as they came silently flying through the woods soon after the
start of the Beargrease. It was a special time in the woods with my family and it fueled my
imagination and love of dog sledding.
This year the Beargrease will start in Two Harbors at the HWY 2 Gravel Pit (9.6 miles from HWY
61 on Lake County 2). It will be a bit of a drive, but I encourage all of you to head to the start, or
head further up the trail to cheer at a check point, and experience the magic of dog sled racing
right here in our own backyard. See the website http://www.beargrease.com/ for more
information about the race and for a race map where you can find other good spots to watch the
race if you want to go to a spot other than the start.
Other Beargrease Events
Be sure to take advantage of all of the Beargrease
events!
Cutest Puppy Contest — Sat, Jan. 23 @ Fitger’s
Cub Run Kid’s Mushing Run — Date and Time TBD
2016 Race Start — Sat, Jan. 31, 11 am in Two Harbors
Meet the Mushers at 9 am
Marathon Finish — Expected on Feb. 3rd @ Billy’s Bar
(intersection of Jean Duluth and West Tischer Roads)
January 2016
Volume 3 #1
Hartley Nature Center
3001 Woodland Ave
Duluth, MN 55803
218.724.6735
www.hartleynature.org
Photo of the 2014 race by Kaitlin Erpestad
A Few Books about Dog Sledding
Dogteam by Gary Paulson
Fearless John by Kelly Rauzi
Akiak by Robert J. Blake
Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake
Born to Pull by Bob Cary (non-fiction)
Sing-a-long Song
Song: Searching for Tracks
We’re searching for tracks.
We’re searching for tracks.
Up and down and all around,
We’re searching for tracks.
Tracks can be big.
Tracks can be small.
Tracks come from animals
Who fly, and hop, and crawl.
We’re searching for tracks.
We’re searching for tracks.
Up and down and all around,
We’re searching for tracks.
Snack Idea
Strawberry Whole Wheat Wraps
Ingredients:
Whole wheat tortillas
Thinly Sliced Strawberries (or other fruit if you
prefer)
Cream Cheese or Sun Butter
Spread the cream cheese or sun butter on the
tortilla and set the strawberries on top. Then roll
up the tortilla and voila, a healthy snack. To make
the roll easier to eat, slice into 2 inch sections.
Song: Hibernation (sung to the tune of Alouette)
Chorus:
Hibernation, time for hibernation
Hibernation, time to go to sleep
In the winter where’s the bear?
Sleeping in it’s log or lair
Where’s the bear? Log or lair.
O-o-o-oh
Chorus
In the winter where’s the frog?
Sleeping by a pond or log
Where’s the frog? Pond or log
Where’s the bear? Log or lair
o-o-o-oh
Upcoming Hartley Event
Put February 6th on your calendar for Hartley’s
10th Annual Candlelight Ski, Skate, and Snowshoe
event! The event will feature great food, tons of
family friendly fun out in the snow, and a chance
to enjoy winter with the Hartley community.
Pre-registration is required by stopping in the
office or calling 218-724-6735.
Cost: $15/Member Household
Winter 2016 Themes
Winter Animals
Ice and Snow
Community
Dinosaurs
Spring Birds
Have an idea for an article? Contact your
child’s teachers with your idea and get signed
up to have your article appear in a future
OWL.
January 2016 OWL 2
Preschool 2016-17
January Events
Registration reminder!
Applications for 2016-17 classes are due back no
later than January 29.
Get an application in the Hartley office or from
our website by clicking here.
Class selections are assigned in the following
order:
Returning children
Siblings of returning or alumni children who
are on the waiting list
Siblings of returning or alumni children
Children on the waiting list
General public
Please contact
Kaitlin with
questions or
for more
information.
Fridays Bonfire and Hot Chocolate—At the Bayfront
Park skating rink from 4-8pm.
Jan. 16 & 30 Snowshoe 101—At Gooseberry Falls
State Park from 10-11:30 am
Jan. 16 Winter Birds—At Gooseberry Falls State Park
from 1:30 - 3pm
Jan. 23 Beargrease Cutest Puppy Contest—Fitger’s
Jan. 29 2016-17 HNP Applications Due
Jan 30 Wonders of Ice and Snow—At Gooseberry
State Park from 1-3pm.
Jan. 23 Beargrease Start—11 am in Two Harbors
Jan. 31 Skating Party—An open skating event at
the DECC from 3-5pm
Ongoing
Wednesdays Play Gym— Duluth Heights Community
Center 9:30-11:30. Free.
Wednesdays Main Library Storytime— Baby and
Toddler time 10:15 and Preschool time 11:15
Wednesdays Play Gym—At Duluth Heights Community
Center from 9:30—11:30am
Tuesdays Mount Royal Library Storytime—
Preschool story time 10:15
Wednesdays West Duluth Library Storytime—
Bedtime story time 6:30 pm
Winter Weather Closure Reminders
Winter weather is here to stay. Here are some reminders about how winter weather closures work for HNP.
HNP follows the Duluth Public Schools District #709 for severe weather related closings including school
closures, two hour delays, and early closures. The closure, early closing, or two hour delay will be broadcast on
local radio stations and on the following TV stations and their websites: WDIO, KBJR, and KDLH-Fox 21 News. There
will NOT be a separate statement saying the HNP is closed; you can assume we are following whatever ISD #709
says. In the event that ISD #709 decides to close early due to severe weather, HNP will also close early. Staff will
notify preschool families via telephone and email that the preschool is closing early. The children must be picked up
within one hour of an official school district closing by a parent/guardian or other authorized person. Of course,
use your best judgment if ISD #709 is not closed, but you feel it would be dangerous to get to preschool.
If you get stuck or in an accident on the way to pick up your child, CALL Hartley right away. We will make a
plan with you to supervise your child until they are picked up by you or another authorized adult.
3 OWL January 2016
Kindergarten Options
Many preschool parents are already thinking ahead to the many kindergarten options in Duluth. Neighborhood
school? Charter school? Montessori? Homeschool? There are many options. We’ll cover the options in a series of
newsletter articles throughout the year. HNP parent Crystal Goldman continues our series below.
Language Immersion
by Crystal Goldman (Griffin’s mom)
Language immersion is an amazing opportunity for children to learn to become multilingual,
multiliterate, and multicultural. Prior to our move to Duluth in 2014, I taught for numerous
years as 1st grade Spanish Immersion teacher and was part of this wonderful language
learning experience first hand. Currently, I am assisting in the development of a Spanish
Immersion program within Duluth Public Schools which will begin Fall 2016 with kindergarten.
Students typically begin a Spanish language immersion program in kindergarten, learning all
of their academic content (math, reading, social studies, writing, & science) in the target
language of Spanish. Teachers use exaggerated expressions, gestures, visuals, rhymes, songs
and familiar routines to assist students in comprehending & making meaning of the second
language.
Research indicates that the study of a second language results in cognitive benefits, gains
in academic achievement, and positive attitudes toward diversity (Rosenbusch, 1995).
Immersion learners benefit cognitively, exhibiting greater nonverbal problem solving abilities
and more flexible thinking. It has been suggested that the very processes immersion
language learners need to use to make sense of the teacher’s meaning make them pay
closer attention and think harder, which has a positive effect on cognitive development
(Fortune & Tedick, 2003).
By learning in another language, children increase their openness and acceptance of
people who speak other languages, appreciate & understand other cultures, and truly
expand their global perspective of the world. Furthermore, the inclusion of Indigenous
Language Immersion and Culture in the school setting is an important factor in Indigenous
children’s academic achievement, retention rates, and school attendance.
Duluth Public Schools currently offers two language immersion programs, Misaabekong
(Ojibwe) which now has grades K-1 and, starting next year,
Spanish Immersion beginning with kindergarten. Both
programs are located at Lowell Elementary School and all
Duluth Public Schools families who reside outside of the Lowell
neighborhood have an Open Enrollment option to be able to
apply to attend. Let me know if you have questions about the
new program.
An extra note from Kaitlin: When I taught preschool in Finland I taught at
an English Immersion preschool for 3-7 year olds. It was an incredible
experience to be learning Finnish alongside the children who were learning
English. I definitely recommend language immersion programs to those
who are interested!
January 2016 OWL 4