My day of “H” is going to begin with some honesty. I was truly haggard and half-asleep when I started my day. This past week has been one of the most incredible in so many ways, and also the most tiring. But I’m no hang-up-my boots quitter so caffeine came calling and I answered. Coffee, soda, energy gum and iced tea all did the trick, exhausted became hyper, and away we went! I was happy to get some much needed laundry done at a laundromat, where I had an incredibly heartfelt conversation with the owner. She was so interested in knowing all about this Iditarod adventure. We’ve gained another supporter! Making my way back to Anchorage from Wasilla was a happy yet humbling experience. As I drove by the mountains, in awe of their beauty and everything else around me, I just felt all was right with the world. My humming along to music evolved into a full-blown concert, not caring if anyone paid heed to my happy-go-lucky display. You can’t help it when the joy just bubbles over. I then enjoyed helping our incredibly hard-working education directors prepare for the Iditarod Teacher’s Conference this week. We moved on to interviews with 3 new candidates in the hot seat for next year’s Teacher on the Trail. The highlight of my day was definitely heading to the airport and picking up my family, arriving to lend their support and enjoy the week of festivities with me. It was heavenly to hug them all as I’ve missed them more than I even realized. That hello after more than a week was exactly what I needed. So now, I’m going to harness the very best I have to offer and tackle the week doing justice to this honor I’ve been given as Teacher on the Trail!
“H”ave a great time trying these!
- Huskies- Compare Alaskan Huskies and Siberian Huskies. Label parts of the sled and line connections to the dogs.
- Honor History- While the 1925 Serum Run does not directly relate to the Iditarod, you can honor the dog mushing history of this event. Compare it to today’s sled dogs, sleds, equipment, etc.
- Hypothermia- Research symptoms and methods for prevention. Compare different types of insulation and graph success or failure of each.
- Headlamp- Design your own lightweight headlamp or calculate battery life for the entire 1,000 mile race.
- Heart- Discuss perseverance and have students write a “Heart of a Musher” paragraph detailing the skills and traits it takes to be a musher.
