During this interactive assembly Dave Freeman captivates students’ attention using images and stories from his many expeditions by dogsled, but the real stars of the show are the dogs. Meeting a real sled dog is always a highlight and Dave uses his 4-legged companions to talk about team work, decision-making, the importance of exercise and eating healthy, setting and achieving goals, determination, and other life skills that are important parts of human and sled dog development.
Dave also brings a sled, harnesses, winter travel and camping gear, and other equipment. Plus, he uses student assistants to demonstrate how he and his dogs travel and live in the frozen wilderness.
Most programs last from 45 to 60 minutes and Dave can usually work with your whole school during one to three assemblies depending on the age of your students, the size of your school, as well as your schedule and needs. Individual classroom activities can also be arranged, allowing students to interact with our team in small groups, ask questions, and receive an even more hands-on experience.
Dave and his dogs
Dave’s was introduced to dogsledding in 1999 when he started leading dogsledding trips with Arcitc explorer Paul Schurke. His love for dogsledding, exploration, and his desire to share the wonders of the world’s wildest places with students led him to found the Wilderness Classroom, a non-profit organization, in 2001. The Wilderness Classroom has allowed over 100,000 students and teachers to learn about wilderness and improve basic academic skills through school assemblies and online expeditions. Since 2001 Dave have traveled thousands of miles by dogsled, canoe, and kayak through some of the most remote places on the planet.When he is not leading expeditions or visiting schools he and his dog team live in Northern Minnesota on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness where they introduce people to the joys of dogsledding through Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge, where Dave has worked since 1999.
Each year Dave conducts over 50 school visits and interacts with thousands of students and teachers. He has found that sled dogs are a wonderful tool for motivating and educating students, and that their desire to learn about these amazing animals can easily be channeled into math, language arts, and other core curriculum areas.