Are you interested in reading about the activities going on around the world? How do other teachers connect the race to their curriculum? Find  out!

Here is a small sampling of ideas that come to us from teachers.

“Learning to follow the Iditarod is not just a classroom experience. An entire school can be involved. Using the Iditarod creates avenues for students to use many skills and stretch their abilities in areas of interest or new opportunities with technology. I have seen students read more adventure novels, write stories, create pictures, take to the computer to check race results and search for new information, as well as use a computer to create podcasts and claymations on Iditarod themes. Students become motivated and take on ownership of their learning and sharing experiences.” Kathy Kent, New Jersey

“Each year, my students and I use information from the Iditarod Insider for a measurement unit in our pre-algebra math class. The students create a to-scale map (including distance and elevation) of the starting point, checkpoints, and the finishing point. Each of us randomly selects about 6 of the mushers, so that all of the mushers have a student-partner. Then we track their progress each day during the race, by moving a small cut-out dog with the musher’s name on it and by completing each musher’s information on the tracking sheets provided on the Insider’s website. We complete the unit by having the students complete 2 assessment tests related to map/scale conversions and converting measurements for distances and elevations between the English and the metric system. I would like to thank the Iditarod’s Education Department for the tracking sheets they provide, as well as all the information available on the internet – (Iditarod Insider)for our measurement project. My students and I always enjoy learning more about the mushers and about the Iditarod race throughout the math unit.” Marlene, Eek, Alaska

“High levels of academic performance will be targeted through a differentiated reading and writing program across all disciplines. Students will be active learners and critical thinkers using technological tools such as Publisher, Grolier, United Streaming, Google Earth, internet sites, and podcasts. This will enable students to be able to research and process information in an ever-changing global society. The Iditarod Curriculum Challenge is an enriching integrated unit that will provide a world class education through challenging cross-curricular activities. The Iditarod provides life-long learning as it is applied to a real world event. The innovative opportunities are endless with this high-interest real world event.” Marylyn Luther, MO

Teachers are finding Iditarod Insider as an important teaching tool! Here is what Matt had to say:

“I really enjoy the video feeds and the race updates. The kids were able to really get a “feel” for dog mushing from the video feeds, because they show all aspects of the race; for example; mushers traveling at night and the early morning in the darkness and cold. I always have students pick a musher, research them, and follow them during the race. The race updates and interactive map help students relate to the immense distances involved. Thanks for a great educational tool!”
Matt, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Students around the world are involved in educational Iditarod activities: Students in Spain!

The students study the Iditarod here at a Naval Base school. This is the third year I’ve had students working on an Iditarod Race unit. This year I have seven gifted 5th graders researching mushers and teams, checkpoints, and various topics of interest as we learn the story of the race.

First we read and discussed the “Learn About the Iditarod” article at iditarod.com in the “Learn about the Iditarod” tab. Then we looked at the bios of the mushers. Each student chose a musher to study and track during the race. After learning a bit about the mushers, the students wrote letters to them. We always hope for a reply from the mushers. Last year DeeDee Jonrowe wrote a great letter that the student excitedly shared with us all.

In the next three weeks the students will each take a topic to research about the Iditarod: geography of the trail (northern route), history of the race – including the Serum Run of 1925, rules and prizes of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, survival strategies and equipment, training and care of the dogs, and Iditarod volunteers. They will prepare a written report on these topics to present in class, and if time allows, they will create some project to assist them as they give their report. One year a student created a game board using a map of the checkpoints, another gave a demonstration of how fat insulates the dogs against the cold. They can be very creative.

During the actual race, we will be consulting the internet to “track” the teams as they progress in the race. We have a chart for indicating times in and out of checkpoints, miles run/miles to go to Nome, and dogs dropped (if any). At the same time the students are writing a journal (as “their” musher) based on Lesson 8 from the Education Expedition at www.cabelasiditarod.com . They choose one of the events suggested in that activity or they can make up an event based on information they have about the trail that the team is covering that day. It really personalizes the race for them. Some of our writers would make Gary Paulson proud!

Each of the teams that we are tracking is represented on a little (about 1 1/2 inch) sled and moved along the race route on a large map in our school hallway. Lots of other students and staff enjoy watching the progress, too.

We announce the first team in, but have our celebration once all the teams we are tracking have crossed the Nome Finish Line. At our celebration we enjoy ice cream sandwiches as we share our mushers’ journals.

This is one of my very favorite units. I am very grateful to you and others at both iditarod.com and cabelasiditarod.com for providing information about the race, mushers, and Alaska, and for keeping us updated on the progress of the race as it happens. Thanks for your help with our study of the Iditarod Race. Judi

What about at the Middle School?

“I am the middle school reading teacher in a small rural school in Wisconsin. I started teaching an adventure unit three years ago that centered around the Iditarod and books by Gary Paulsen. The unit was a success and students in the lower grades are looking forward to participating when they are in sixth grade. A local kennel comes to visit with dogs raised for pulling dogsleds. Students pick mushers from the current race list and thanks to your education section they follow their mushers progress daily. Students also read and share information about Alaska and each of the checkpoints. I can’t begin to tell you how much we are looking forward to this year’s race!!!” Terry
Illinois Teacher shares 9 Ideas Used in a 4^th Grade Classroom!

1. I first draw the Iditarod trail on a big piece of blue butcher paper. Probably about 20′ long and label
all the check points on there.

2. The students decide what musher to choose after a little research on the website. They can not have Jeff King because I have been to his Husky Homestead, having met him, I choose him for my musher. The kids love the immediate “challenge” – their musher against Jeff King.

3. Each student then makes a little marker (about the size of a silver dollar) with the name of their musher to place on the map of the trail. Students will move their marker as their musher advances to the next checkpoint. However, before they can move their marker, they have to show me that they have their Log Sheet filled out completely to this point.

4. I also have the students do the Iditarod Grammar packet. (On the Iditarod website at the For Teacher’s section of the site, Teaching Resources.)

5. I have made up an Iditarod journal that the students also have to fill out every day. In writing we talk about ‘voice’ and in their journals they have to take on the ‘voice’ of their musher. They need to describe the weather conditions, how they feel they are doing in the race, mention the # of dogs they still have or have dropped, etc

6. Students can make posters for their musher and bring in for extra credit in Social Studies.

7. I also made a ‘musher’ on a sled that is about 2′ tall. I put my picture on the head of the musher with some fur around it. I have the kids draw a husky on a piece of 11 x 18 paper and color it, of course. Next they cut it out and I put all the ‘huskies’ in front of the musher with ribbon (gangline). The kids usually think it’s cool.

8. It’s my favorite time of the year where I can incorporate the Iditarod in all subject areas. I have several videos from AK and I will show a couple of those, we will read Stone Fox and watch the movie (kids compare and contrast the book and the movie), I also teach the West region in SS so it also ties in nicely. At the end we have a party.

9. In art class, the art teacher does a watercolor project with them. I have the AK symbols like the tree, northern lights, dog (face), dog sled, flag, AK flower, and have the kids make a watercolor square (about 8″ x 8″) out of 100% cotton. (I will already have the squares cut out of a sheet) Then, I ask for a mother, aunt, grandmother or whomever that sews. Each of the past 2 years I have had volunteers put the quilt together.
Becki , 4th Grade Teacher, IL

Hello from Minnesota Where Students Are Making Maps!

To reinforce our map making skills, we create a large map to hang on our classroom wall. The creation of the map is connected to our standards in several ways, including math standards because the students create the map to scale. The students add the geographical features and the checkpoints creating a fairly accurate example of the race trail. Thanks to the Iditarod website trail information and the fly by map on Iditarod Insider, our maps are successful academic projects. Like most schools do, our students pick mushers. Small paper sleds with a musher’s name on them, travel along the trail during the race showing musher progress. Our students can’t wait to move those sleds!

Arlene, MN

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We welcome you to email us and let us know the kinds of activities that you are doing. We welcome all information, whether your projects are mentioned here or not, we are interested in what you do and how we can help you do better. Iditarod is an incredible teaching theme used by homeschool families and classrooms around the world. Send your comments by clicking here!