Teach and Learn

Engaging lessons based on Insider video clips.


Our four-legged correspondents write for all ages..


Collection of all things Iditarod.

  • Mathematical Reasoning and Critical Thinking ~ by Kathy Thompson

    Paw Print = Anchorage ~ Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk Exploration Feeling ~ Day Two = Reflective Today we traveled to the Potter Marsh Wildlife located at the southern end of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge with Sara Lamont.  My head was spinning with a ton of math ideas as I looked at each angle ...

     
     
    
    
    

Latest Teach and Learn Posts

It’s All In The Name

With just a few more days left (7 to be exact, but who’s counting?) I am ready to close the door on this school-year and dive headfirst into summer. But before I know it, I will be prepping for the start of a new school year. Reflecting on my year as Iditarod Teacher on the …

Turn and Face the Change – ch..ch..ch..Changes!

Change is hard. It is also the one true constant in life. Although we often wish to hang onto the present, the comfortable, the expected, the known –  it is inevitable that time will pass, and we will need to adapt to new seasons, people, places, and situations. Change can be monumental, like adjusting to …

Thank You For Being A Friend

It’s my birthday in a few days, marking another trip around the sun. It’s been a year filled with experiences, destinations, and adventures that a short time ago I couldn’t have even imagined being part of my life. Iditarod has given me many gifts this year, but the one I am most grateful for is …

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 Teacher on the Trail™ Application

The Application for the 2026 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail Will be Ready after the 2024 Race The Iditarod Teacher on the TrailTM program is a unique opportunity for one selected educator to teach beyond the traditional classroom walls via Internet and to be involved in a program that reaches students around the world during a …

SEL Snack: Thanks Mom!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and elementary kids are busy creating paper posies and coupon books to let the “Mom” in their life know how much they are loved. You’ll notice I put the “Mom” in quotes, as this day has evolved to rightfully incorporate not just biological mothers, but any important female …

We All Get What We Need in Equal Measure

Iditarod dog teams provide a perfect opportunity to discuss the difference between equality and equity with our students.  Dog Teams consist of diverse personalities all working toward a goal.  Much like a dog team, the classroom is a group made up of individuals, all of whom need different supports to be their very best.  Some …

It’s A Rush!

The Iditarod Trail checkpoints are full of contrasting histories -some are villages inhabited by Alaska Native families who have lived there for generations while others are gold rush towns created by an influx of foreigners seeking their fortune. In the villages of Nikolai, Anvik, and Kaltag I witnessed the challenges and hardship of living off …

2023 Iditarod EDU Summer Seminar in the UP Michigan

2023 Iditarod EDU Summer Seminar Newberry, MI, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan June 25 – 27, 2023 Registration (only $100) is open for the 2023 Iditarod  EDU Summer Seminar in upstate Michigan! We are thrilled to again be offering a Lower 48 professional development experience like no other!  With kennel visits, Iditarod educator …

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 …