This year 9 Iditarod quilts have been crisscrossing the United States, visiting over 8,500 students in more than 65 schools.  Each quilt serves as a great teaching tool for teachers, and gets students excited about the Last Great Race!

From the teachers:

In Ms. Berg’s class in Seattle: “The first graders work[ed] around character traits and jobs of the sled dog team and how that relates to our own families.”

In Ms. Pelosi’s class in Sarasota:  “We were featured on our school district’s channel as our school was the showcase school of the month.  We wrote poems,  did the characteristics of a musher which definitely matches our class theme of Positive Mindset.  We did poetry of characteristics.  We  did the latitude and longitude  lesson as well as the distance the quilt traveled.  I have several new students who did not know what the Iditarod  is, so we watched a few videos and discussed whether the race is safe or not –including the rules the mushers have to follow.  The big eye opener was the  fact that most mushers are not in the race to win.  They would like to, but realize that the reality is they are trying to better their time, or prove to themselves that they can do it.”

Students in New York celebrate their quilt!

Ms. Lewis in Illinois is very excited for the quilt to visit her class!

This year the newest quilt, created by the 2017 Summer Teacher’s Camp attendees, had the added bonus of being at a checkpoint during the race!  Ms. Signe Balluff is an elementary teacher in Shaktoolik, AK and she had the quilt set up in the checkpoint ready for mushers to sign during their stay.

Musher Wade Marrs signing the quilt in Shaktoolik.

If you are interested in receiving a quilt for your classroom next school year, be on the lookout for the 2018-2019 registration in early May!