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Teach and Learn
Engaging lessons based on Insider video clips.
Our four-legged correspondents write for all ages.
Collection of all things Iditarod.
Latest Teach and Learn Posts
Iditarod PE Challenge Hey amazing teachers, check out this PE unit that was designed for virtual education by Alaska teacher and prior Iditarod Teacher on the Trail Finalist Lisa Wiley. Let the enthusiasm of the mushers and sled dogs inspire your students to complete all the Iditarod PE Challenges while they learn about the trail …
Teen Nonfiction Books Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Woodsong Gary Paulsen (1990) Gary Paulsen’s experiences as he trains and ultimately runs the Iditarod dogsled race. Paulsen vividly describes the effects of bone-chilling cold, physical exhaustion, and the spirit of competitiveness that dominates the event. EDU Review Grades 6 and up Lexile 1030 …
Teen Fiction Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Sixteen in Nome Max Brand (1930, 1995) Sixteen-year-old Joe May comes to Alaska to stake his claim during the Gold Rush of the 1890’s. He meets two mining partners who clash over a dog named Alec and a mystery woman. Young Adult. The Call of the Wild …
Primary Nonfiction Books Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Alaska’s Dog Heroes: True Stories of Remarkable Canines Shelley Gill (2014) True canine stories from Alaska including Balto, Togo, Tekla and more. Ages 6-9 Big-Enough Anna: The Little Sled Dog Who Braved the Arctic Pam Flowers with Ann Dixon (2003) A true story about how …
Primary Grades Fiction Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod Robert J. Blake (1997) Akiak is running her last Iditarod, but she is hurt on the fourth day. Will she be able to help her team? Picture book or independent readers. Grades:1-4 Lexile: 590 Alaska’s Snow White and Her Seven Sled …
Middle Grades NonFiction Books Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Champion of Alaskan Huskies: Joe Redington, Sr., Father of the Iditarod Katie Mangelsdorf (2011) Joe Redington Sr. was an ordinary man with extraordinary dreams—and buckets of determination! His vision was as vast as the majestic Alaska landscape he loved to explore. This firsthand account is of …
Middle Grades Fiction Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Black Star, Bright Dawn Scott O’Dell (1988) Bright Dawn encounters the challenges of the Iditarod sled dog race alone when her father is injured. Grades 5-7 Lexile: 670 / F&P: V Diamond Willow Helen Frost (2008) Twelve-year-old Willow convinces her parents to let her take a dog …
Elementary Nonfiction Books Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: The Adventures of Balto Patricia Chargot (2006) Chargot allows the reader to gain a richer understanding about Balto and the role he played in the 1925 Serum Run. Ages 9-11 Born to Pull Bob Carey (1999) With illustrations by Gail de Marcken, author Carey introduces dog …
Elementary Fiction Title: Author (Copyright Date): Notes: Cookie Cutters and Sled Runners Natalie Rompella (2017) Ana and Lily have been planning to being partners in their major middle school project for years. So when they are split up for the project, Ana is devastated. Ana’s partner is the new girl from Alaska who wants to …
Non-Fiction Title Author (Copyright Date) Notes Adventures of the Iditarod Air Force: True Stories About the Pilots Who Fly for Alaska’s Famous Sled Dog Race Ted Mattson (1997) Shares stories of the volunteer pilots’ stories about what happens above the trail. The Cheechako’s Guide to the Art of Dog Mushing Lavon Barve (2000) Barve completed …