Teacher Friends!!

Sled Dog Ed

The race is on in just a few days! Over the next couple of days in Anchorage, Alaska, the mushers will be meeting to review rules and regulations, signing their trail mail, obtaining their bib numbers at the Mushers’ Banquet, and putting together the last pieces of preparation for the race. They are beginning to check off their list of what has already been done and identifying the items that still need to be completed! So, teachers, let’s see if we can get you ready for following the race with your students. Here is a little checklist of your own to see how prepared you are!

Teacher’s Iditarod Checklist for Following the Race

◊ Has your class chosen a musher to follow, or will students each choose a musher? Check out the musher profiles on the Iditarod.com Home Page at Race Center>Musher Profiles. Also, 2015 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, Erin Montgomery, has another idea called “Fantasy Iditarod Draft” that could be used by your class for following the mushers.

◊ Do you have the musher tracking forms ready for students? These are already made forms that can be used by your students to gather data from the website each day on the times and locations of their mushers throughout the race. Forms may be found in the article, “Tracking Forms! Follow the Mushers During this Race!”, which is located in the Education section of the Iditarod.com Home Page.

◊ Do you have a map posted in your classroom or given to students so they can follow the progress of the race throughout the checkpoints? Students may also make mini-sled patterns with their mushers’ names on them or use post-it notes to move “the mushers” along the trail. Maps to use may be found at the following link: Race Center>Race Map.

◊ Do students know the names of the checkpoints for the 2016 Iditarod Dog Sled Race? This will be important as they follow the race map so as to be on the correct route. Remember there are two routes for the Iditarod. This is an even year, so mushers will travel the Northern Route. Checkpoint names are listed under the Race Map from Race Center>Race Map.

◊ Have you purchased your Iditarod Insider subscription so your class may use the GPS Tracker to follow mushers, their current standings, speeds, rest times, watch up-to-date videos along the trail, etc.? If not, check it out at Education>Educational Insider Subscriptions.

◊ Have you joined the Iditarod Classroom Club set up by the 2016 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, Laura Wright, which connects your classroom through Skype to information she posts about the race as well as other classrooms globally? In order to take advantage of this opportunity you will need to sign up for a free Skype account first and then join Iditarod Classroom Club.

These are just a few basic items needed to get you and your students ready to follow mushers and the Iditarod race from Willow to Nome.

As for me, it is time to head back to the dog lot and start checking off my list: water, food, love and attention, leg massage, rest time, exercise, shoulder massage, more rest time….the list is endless. Have fun educators as you prepare for the race!

“Check in” with you later!!!

~Sled Dog Ed