Dear Teachers,
What is a chain? According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a chain is a series of things linked, connected or associated together. The serial assembly of connected pieces can be called “links”. A chain, in and of itself, lacks distinguishing features or purposes. However, the links each embody a meaningful action and create unity, interconnectivity or interdependence for the whole chain.
Can you and your students think of expressions that use the idea of a chain being a series of items connected together? Examples that might surface to the forefront are:
*Dog Chain *Chain of Events *Mariner Chain
*Supply Chain *Anchor Chain *Chain of Command
*Chain Necklace *Food Chain *Chain of Melodies
*Tire/Snow Chains *Bicycle Chain *Chain Link Fencing
*Door Chain *Key Chain *Chain Stitch
*Restaurant Chain *Tow Chain *Fire Bucket Chain
Do any of these ideas relate to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race? How and where are “chains” used in the Iditarod? Keep a watchful eye for them before, during and after the race.
Examples: Dog Chain (used by mushers to connect dogs to their houses and kennel runs), Chain of Events (the steps the mushers take to prepare for the upcoming race), Supply Chain (how are products shipped and flown to the various checkpoints), Chain of Command (what is the chain of command on a sled dog team or for the overall Iditarod Sled Dog Race), Food Chain (what are the sources of food for dogs and mushers; how does the wildlife in Alaska survive)
A “Chain with Links” prompts a few teaching ideas for your classroom.
Option #1: “Chain of Traits”
Mushers choose dogs for their team based upon various qualities and character traits. Each dog is unique and together they form a working bond. Your class is a chain of which each student brings their own uniqueness, individuality, and nuances to the classroom. Ask your students, “What quality or character trait do you possess that adds to our classroom?” Create a paper chain called “Our Chain of Traits” to visualize your connectedness as a group but uniqueness as individuals. Students decorate a link for the chain listing their name and the character trait they offer to your classroom.
Option #2: “Count Down to Iditarod”
Make a variety of paper strips to form a paper chain to count down the days until the Iditarod Sled Dog Race begins. Use one link for each day until the start of the Iditarod. You can choose your beginning date to start the countdown whether it be in November, January or February. On each link or every fifth link write a trivia question for your students to investigate. If you go every fifth link, perhaps links one through four could be of one color and the fifth link a different color. Imagine the excitement of your students to come in and tear a chain off for each day and then be able to answer a trivia question. Students could work individually or in groups to come up with the answers. Hopefully each question and answer would be a sounding board for a topic of discussion in your classroom revolving around the race.
Option #3: “Distance to Nome”
The trail for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race is a connection of terrain and checkpoints from Willow to the final destination of Nome. Every mile along the way and each checkpoint is a link that connects the musher and dog team to the finish line. While traveling the trail, mushers encounter checkpoints that provide them with rest and supplies. Each checkpoint, or village, offers a distinct quality to the trail.
Make a variety of paper strips to form a paper chain. Keep track of the distance mushers will travel from Willow to Nome. Students should work together to plan how many miles each link would represent (i.e. 10 miles, 20 miles, etc.). At the mileage points where a checkpoint would exist, put a link of a different color and have your students research the checkpoint and then write a short description of that checkpoint or a trivia question to ask the class. Decide when to tear off the checkpoint link. Will it be when the first musher gets there, when the last musher gets there or when the middle of the pack arrives? For an extension, instead of making an actual paper chain, could your students cooperate and work together to create a computer model of a chain with links adding in the distances and checkpoint information?
Goals are the links in the chain that connect activity to accomplishment. ~Zig Ziglar (American Author)
If your goal is to immerse your students in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, hopefully these activities will lead to that accomplishment. Enjoy!!
~Sled Dog Ed
