PreSchool Kindergarten

Filling the Dog Yard!

NOTE:  This lesson plan was updated August 2023 to reflect active links and current race information. One more idea for room set up as the summer starts to wind down…. I am calling my classroom the 3A Dog Yard these days…. for reasons that I am sure you can understand!  To get my students in …

Investigating the Surface of the Iditarod Trail: STEM/Science Focus

Investigating the Surface of the Iditarod Trail by Kelly Shusko, Colonial School District, Delaware *This lesson was created for Kindergarten students but is applicable for other grade levels. Standards and Application of lesson: Stem/Science/Social Studies- Geography, Social Emotional Learning The purpose of this lesson is to have students plan and carry out an investigation about …

Music for Your Classroom by Herb Brambley

Herb Brambley, 2010 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ Enjoy these musical arrangements by Herb Brambley. Herb is a K-6 environmental education and technology teacher at Southern Fulton Elementary School in Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania.  He is also a part time grant writer for the district and has been instrumental in helping the school secure more than $115,000 …

Musher Music Playlist

Music is enjoyed by so many people across the world.  From rock to pop, and country to classical, music is all around us.  Music can tell a story, convey a feeling, or simply help us relax. The music in the Insider videos help us catch the feel of the race, while listening to Hobo Jim …

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities

Lessons by Cathy Walters Preschool and Kindergarten * Music (Idita-Tunes) for some of these lessons can be found at this link. Lessons: Water the Huskies Relay Summary: Students will run traditional relays with the intent of working as a team to water their huskies. The focus is on the chores necessary to take good care …

Building Character

  As young mushers evolve into seasoned veterans, they build a lot of character along the way. Today our group made a visit to Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla. While there, we were able to listen to Barbara Redington speak. Barb is the wife of Raymie Redington, son of Joe Redington, Sr. (“Father of the Iditarod”). …

Charles’ Last Run

  What do mushers do with their sled dog when he/she retires? Just as they had the best life before their journey through the Iditarod, they have the best life still, but more relaxing. Our best bud here at Vern’s, Charles, retired as a sled dog on March 1, 2014. Charles is a 10-year old …

Teacher turned Dog Handler

My journey today was quite interesting, however, it was awesome.  This morning Terrie Hanke, author of the Eye on the Trail blog for the Iditarod, and I went to breakfast before beginning our shopping list for camp.  When we got back to Vern’s Dream a Dream Dog Farm we started helping Linda prepare sandwiches for the 9:00 tour group, …

Animal Heroes Everywhere

Alaska races sled dogs. In Maryland we race horses. Alaska has stories about heroic dogs. We have stories about heroic horses. My school and I wanted to send greetings to the schools along the trail as a way to kind of let our schools meet each other and to show a connection between schools that …

A is For Iditarod!

A is for Iditarod! “What?” you ask. A is for Iditarod. Because the Iditarod awesomely takes place in Alaska and starts in Anchorage! One of my favorite books to share with my students is A is for Musk Ox by Erin Cabatigan.  My third grade boys always roll their eyes when I tell them I …