Iditarod Mushers are naturally Design Thinkers. They are constantly thinking and  looking for ways to make things more efficient, more cost-effective, more comfortable… safer, faster, easier. So why not give your students real life design challenges centered around problems that mushers face daily in their training and racing? The lesson plan features a challenge centered around dog booties. The extra challenges include trying to improve upon current drop bags, water bottles, trail markers, and dog coats. Each challenge includes an informational text introduction centered on a musher and their particular needs surrounding an piece of equipment. Also included below is a challenge that was featured a few races ago, when Rookie Musher, Ryan Anderson wanted to take toys to Nome. Who knows? Maybe one of your students will invent the next best thing in mushing!

Idita-vation – Innovation On the Trail LP

Idita-Vation – Challenges

Ryan Anderson Design Challenge

Copy of Toys to Nome copy