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

Who Pulls the Sled?

Iditarod is where dogs run the race, but the race runs on volunteers. This is a pretty bold statement, one I made in a post earlier this month, and I stand by it. I’m not alone in recognizing that the volunteers are the heroes of the Iditarod. The mushers are aware that their ability to …

Get I.C.E.d ~ Become an Iditarod Certified Educator!

The Iditarod Certified Educator program equips teachers to best represent the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race by providing educators accurate and factual history of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, an authentic background in dog sledding in indigenous Alaskan communities, and instruction in writing quality Iditarod themed standards-based lessons.The program is a four-month-long professional development …

March 2023 Winter Educators Conference Information

Iditarod Education Department Winter Educators Conference “Engage, Inspire, Succeed!” at the Lakefront Hotel February 28 – March 3, 2023 in Anchorage, Alaska Registration will soon be open for the Iditarod Winter Educators Conference and we can’t wait to see you! Join us the week prior to race start to rejuvenate, or begin building your Iditarod …

Educational Trail Mail Sales are Open!

We are so excited to announce that sales for the Educational Trail Mail Project are open! This is an amazing chance for your class to send a piece of mail down the trail in one of the 2023 student-designed cachets and help us raise funds for our education programs at the same time! It’s very …

SEL Snack: Volunteer to be Grateful

In the October IditarodEDU newsletter I teased that this SEL “Snack” would focus on gratitude. (Are you getting the newsletter??? If not, you definitely should sign up HERE for MUSH ON!, the free monthly digital newsletter from IditarodEDU that provides a ton of cool stories, great education ideas, and insider information!) Part of developing good …

Comfort Food

Next month is Thanksgiving here in the US. The holiday focuses on gratitude but, if I am being completely honest, it is really all about the food. I will definitely get back to the thankfulness component in my November posts, but for now let’s talk turkey…and mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. There is something about …

Eating on the Trail

Dear Friends, Gypsy, canine reporter, here!  Right now, mushers are beginning fall training runs with me and my sled dog friends.  We need to keep in shape!  Another task to begin is planning dog food and musher food for the Iditarod.  Dog food is expensive, but easier to gather.  We dogs need high performance, dry …

Legacy of the Land

Today is Indigenous People’s Day. This designation provides the opportunity to stop and reflect on the rich heritage of the people and cultures that inhabited North America prior to European exploration. The Iditarod Trail crosses the Indigenous lands of the Athabascan, Iñupiaq, and Yup’ik/Cup’ik people. The Iditarod Race interacts with these vibrant cultures at many …

Jon Van Zyle Sketches for the Education Department Newsletter

The Iditarod Education Department is so very thankful for the continued support of Jon Van Zyle, official Iditarod artist.   Each month, he sketches an original artwork to accompany an article in the EDU’s “Mush On!” newsletter.  Jon has donated these sketches to the education department to be offered for sale to raise funds to support …

SEL Snack: Native Values and Self-Management

Last month’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) “snack” focused on building Self-Awareness so students can identify big emotions. Now that our learners are more aware of, and can label, their feelings, the task is to figure out what to do about it. To avoid tantrums, freak outs, and meltdowns I provide a framework and tools to …