What is Ocean Challenge Live?

sitesALIVE! has produced 75 live, interactive, semester-long, curriculum-based, learning adventures since 1990 to excite and engage students in learning science, geography, math, and history, and all in a real world context.

Ask A Question!

Each week during the race, Skipper Rich Wilson will answer 5 questions from kids around the world. 5 questions will also be distributed each week amongst our Team of Experts, depending on area of expertise. At least 150 unique questions will be answered throughout the program!

• Use the FasTracKids LIVE! Adventure At Sea Facebook Group to post your question.
  • FTK will review / update the question, and follow up with you if necessary
  • Your question will be submitted to Rich and his team of experts
  • If your question is selected, FTK will be informed by sitesALIVE! and will announce it on the Facebook group page
  • The answer to the question will be posted in the Facebook Group
• Answers to chosen questions will be posted 3 days a week in our Q&A section.

Free on our website:

• Daily: Ship’s Position & Log; Audio Report; Sleep & Asthma Data
• Mon-Wed-Fri: Q&A with Skipper & Experts, Photos & Videos
• Weekly: Essays by Skipper & an Expert on the Curriculum Topic of the Week
• Meet our Team of Experts
• Forums: Online, interactive, moderated forums on weekly curriculum topics allow students to comment, and to interact with peers, globally.
• Participation certificate: A PowerPoint template will be available for download.

Why Vendée Globe?

“The Vendée Globe is the world’s greatest teaching tool.”…Rich Wilson

The drama of the solo, round-the-world, non-stop race, its risk and uncertainty of outcome, will excite and engage our student audience. Once engaged, curricular subjects that are unconvincing in textbooks, become convincing in this real world context.

The race overflows with science, geography, math, history, with stars, flying fish, whales and birds, with nutrition, sleep deprivation, and physical fitness, with materials science, physics, electronics, satellites and mechanical engineering, with aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, with solar, wind, hydro and fossil fuel energy systems, with risk and isolation, with determination, decision-making, problem-solving, and perseverance.

Testimonials

“The trick to teaching is to not let them know they’re learning anything
…until it’s too late!”
…Prof. Doc Edgerton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Fantastic program! What a thrill. Learning to the highest degree!”
…gifted & talented (grades 1–6) teacher, Indiana, USA

“We loved it! We used this program with social studies, math, science, computers and language arts! We did it all!”
…6th grade teacher, New York, USA

“At last, a truly interactive education program designed for the Internet. We’ve all been waiting for this.”
…7th grade teacher, Florida, USA

”sitesALIVE! is a great way to become part of a global community.”
…6th grade teacher, Massachusetts, USA