Science

3D Sled Designs

Technology at its finest. Lesson plan submitted by Kelly Searson, I.C.E. certified teacher. Click on each link for the lesson plan and 2 movie demonstrations. 3D Sled Designs Lesson Plan Movie 1 Movie 2  

A Long and Winding Road

When I returned home from the 2023 Iditarod multiple people asked, “What surprised you the most about your time in Alaska?” I know they expected comments about the cold, or the wildlife, or the dog teams. My actual answer isn’t flashy or shocking. The biggest surprise was the vastness of the remote Alaskan wilderness. Imagine …

Iditarod National Historic Trail Junior Trailblazer Booklet

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is run along the Iditarod National Historic Trail.  The Bureau of Land Management and other entities that own the land which the trail runs through all work in conjunction with the Iditarod Trail Committee to run the race each year.  It is Alaska’s only winter National Trail and was …

Turn On the Lights!

Late January is a difficult time of year; all of the bright holiday lights have come down as the snow, slush, and cold have settled in, and any sign of spring is too far away to see. Finding a way through this long stretch is possible, especially when we focus on the inner light that …

Light Up The Night!

Last year, as a finalist for the position of 2023 Teacher on the Trail, I visited Alaska from February 26 through March 7, 2022. I fielded many questions about the experience, but one that always seemed to crop up was, “How much daylight did you have? Because it must have been pretty dark up there …

Reaching the Finish Line

Can you imagine what it must feel like to reach the finish line of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race? Imagine coming up the hill that transitions between the Bering Coast and the city of Nome. Imagine running down Front Street, your eyes resting on the Burled Arch, knowing you and your team had accomplished what …

STEM: Light up the Checkpoints

Students will create paper circuits to light up checkpoints on the Iditarod Trail. Grade Level – 3rd – 5th Topic: Electrical Circuits / Measurement Students will gain an understanding of electrical circuits by creating an electrical circuit to light up an Iditarod checkpoint. Students will practice their measuring skills. Students will become familiar with the …

Blood Typing/Forensics/Immune Response: Murder Along the Iditarod Trail… By Sid Lucas

 Essential Question:  Who did it? What process do we follow to investigate?  (Blood Typing/Forensics/Immune Response) By Sid Lucas.  Students will investigate a simulated murder on the Iditarod Trail by performing a blood typing test and applying their understanding of blood type and the human immune system.  A Forensics Mystery This lesson is created for students …

Investigating the Surface of the Iditarod Trail: STEM/Science Focus

Investigating the Surface of the Iditarod Trail by Kelly Shusko, Colonial School District, Delaware *This lesson was created for Kindergarten students but is applicable for other grade levels. Standards and Application of lesson: Stem/Science/Social Studies- Geography, Social Emotional Learning The purpose of this lesson is to have students plan and carry out an investigation about …

Idita-Vation: Innovation on the Iditarod Trail

Iditarod Mushers are naturally Design Thinkers. They are constantly thinking and  looking for ways to make things more efficient, more cost-effective, more comfortable… safer, faster, easier. So why not give your students real life design challenges centered around problems that mushers face daily in their training and racing? The lesson plan features a challenge centered …