Author: Maggie (10 posts)


More to Discover: Trail Crew, Dog Sleds, and a Big Reveal!

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 …

A Classroom Without Walls: Sleds vs Sleighs … a DeSTEMber lesson!

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 …

More to Discover- Thankful for Snow

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 Classroom Without Walls: Connect with Mushers

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 …

A Classroom Without Walls: Cardinal Directions and the Iditarod

**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 …

More to Discover- Beginnings & Beyond

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 …

A Classroom Without Walls: Iditarod Trail Math

**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. …

More to Discover- Back to School, Back to Fun!

Teachers everywhere are either busy preparing for a new school year or recovering from the first weeks of school. Our first student day was on August 5th, so I am past the preparation phase and currently recovering. 🙂 As I have mentioned before, I teach in Indiana, where the interstate welcome signs say “More to …

A Classroom Without Walls: Exploring Teamwork Through Mushing (SEL)

**Feel free to scroll to the bottom if you want to jump straight to the attached SEL lesson plan for August! It’s a new school year, which means a new group of students who get to learn through the world of mushing. I love new beginnings and each year I enjoy growing from the previous …

More to Discover with 2025 Iditarod

Hi! My name is Maggie Hamilton and I am thrilled to be starting my journey as the 2025 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail(TM)! I am a 5th grade teacher at Burris Elementary School in Mitchell, Indiana, and I will be starting my eighth year next month. In my spare time, I enjoy life at home …