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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
Something that every Iditarod Rookie looks forward to is “earning his or her buckle.” Each Iditarod finisher is awarded a brass finisher’s belt buckle upon the completion of their first race signaling that they are a rookie no more! In the early days of the race, the Nome Kennel club wanted to do something to …
One of the iconic images of the Iditarod is the Burled Arch that stands at the end of the epic journey the teams take across the state of Alaska. But, did you know the current Burled Arch is actually the second arch in Iditarod History? Using the Source With Students: Display the historic photo above …
Can you imagine what it must feel like to reach the finish line of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race? Imagine coming up the hill that transitions between the Bering Coast and the city of Nome. Imagine running down Front Street, your eyes resting on the Burled Arch, knowing you and your team had accomplished what …
Students will create paper circuits to light up checkpoints on the Iditarod Trail. Grade Level – 3rd – 5th Topic: Electrical Circuits / Measurement Students will gain an understanding of electrical circuits by creating an electrical circuit to light up an Iditarod checkpoint. Students will practice their measuring skills. Students will become familiar with the …
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: Jon Van Zyle’s Iditarod Memories: 40th Anniversary Edition of Official Race Art Stories by: Jona Van Zyle Art by: Jon Van Zyle (2016) A celebration of Jon Van Zyle’s annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race posters. Includes posters, lithographs, and stories from the trail. Iditarod: One Thousand …
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 …