January 27, 2025 will mark 100 years since the night when “Wild Bill” Shannon waited at the train station in Nenana for a package that contained life-saving serum for the residents of Nome. As the first musher in a relay to safely get the serum to Nome, he wrapped the serum in fur, strapped it …
The temperatures continue to drop, but the world of Iditarod is really heating up! HAVE YOU HEARD __ Mushers don’t have to start the race with all of the supplies they will need for the duration of the race. Each musher is allowed up to three 50lb drop bags per checkpoint. A drop bag can …
Happy New Year! This year will bring a fun and exciting race, as well as bring history to life as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Serum Run. Mushers are busy preparing for the Iditarod in many ways, including the development of their race plan. Each musher will create a plan that includes …
HAVE YOU HEARD __ Did you know that dog sleds are one of the oldest forms of transportation? It is thought that dog sleds date back to around 1000 AD, when indigenous Arctic peoples would use dog sleds for basic transportation and hunting. The first dog sleds did not have runners and were quite simple …
December is here! The magic of the holidays can be delightful as an educator and overwhelming at the same time. Hopefully the lesson for this month will help alleviate some stress or serve as a time filler when you need a much deserved break. Sleds vs. Sleighs is a great lesson for almost any age …
I’d like to introduce H.A. Milton (in the photo above), commonly known as Milton the Moose to students at my school. He tagged along on my journey to Alaska last winter and will be by my side on my next trip to Alaska. He is thankful for snow, too, and we have finally witnessed the …
A fun time to start bringing the Iditarod into the classroom is in the weeks leading up to the race. In my classroom, students select a musher to follow and then track that musher down the trail. We use the GPS tracker and data from the checkpoints to keep track of each musher and move …
**Feel free to scroll to the bottom if you want to jump straight to the attached math lesson plan for September! Learning how to read a map and covering basic US geography is my favorite way to start the school year in social studies. Students look at maps more often than they realize such as …
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, autumn gently makes her debut. With the school year in full swing, there’s a shift in energy at school, too—both excitement and anticipation fill the air. Whether you are deep in the transition of seasons, or have yet to see a leaf turn yellow, I …
**Feel free to scroll to the bottom if you want to jump straight to the attached math lesson plan for September! The checkpoints along the Iditarod trail are more than just pit stops for the mushers and their teams. They’re like little hubs of life and energy in the middle of the vast, frozen wilderness. …
