The Trail and Geography

“This is why I’ve been doing this for forty years,” Mark Nordman said, nodding at some school kids animatedly talking across the shop in McGrath where the checkpoint is located. Iditarod finisher, Race Marshal for many years, and all around amazing person, Nordman has been up and down the Iditarod Trail more than anyone. It’s …

Trail Markers

Iditarod mushers and their dogs are making their way down the trail! It’s exciting to see the tracker, watch live feed from the trail, and view Insider videos. Iditarod does such an amazing job of helping the public follow along with the race. After watching dog teams come and go on the river at the …

3D Sled Designs

Technology at its finest. Lesson plan submitted by Kelly Searson, I.C.E. certified teacher. Click on each link for the lesson plan and 2 movie demonstrations. 3D Sled Designs Lesson Plan Movie 1 Movie 2  

Skwentna Checkpoint: Celebrate Your River Crew

The Restart of the 2024 Iditarod took place on Willow Lake at 2pm! The starting chute was full of excitement as the dogs, handlers, media, and mushers readied to start the nearly 1,000 miles of remote winter trail travel. Checkpoints along the Iditarod Trail help the mushers and their dogs have a safe and orderly …

IditaRide Sensory Language

One of the things I love most about teaching writing is that I get to help students learn how to use sensory language.  Sensory language just means that writers are telling about what they see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. It’s a skill that takes a lot of practice because it’s not something we really …

Iditarod Bib Draw Probability

Mushers are announcing their bib numbers on social media after the banquet last night.  The banquet, and the bib draw especially, is a huge event that creates a lot of excitement. As I was excitedly watching the bib draw, writing numbers in my race guide, I noticed that there was a feeling in the air …

“Houston, We Have a Connection:” Mementos Carried to Space and on the Trail

As the 2024 mushers count down the final days before the Ceremonial Start this coming Saturday, they are preparing drop bags, choosing the final dog team, and many other preparations. I anticipate that many of them will be carrying personal items, wearing special jewelry, or sporting significant patches on their parkas. Importantly, Trail Mail cachets …

Iditarod Depth Perception

You may have seen a video that shows a view of the Earth from far away in the Solar System, then gradually zooming into our home planet, getting closer and closer. As the camera view whooshes toward the Earth, we can start to discern familiar landscapes and places we can name. Then the camera might …

Learning with Iditarod Checkpoints

Teachers at the Iditarod Winter Conference were treated to a mini-Iditarod with three important stops today.  First, we headed out to Iditarod Headquarters to see the mushers bringing in their dogs for final vet checks. Second, we met for lunch at the Broken Boat Grill at Knik Lake.  Third, we visited Turning Heads Kennel to …

Higher Level Thinking Skills: Trends Over Time

Today was the first day of the Iditarod Education Winter Conference. Educators from around the U.S. got together to share ideas and listen to some amazing speakers. I know I came away with some new ideas, and I hope everyone else did, too. My post today tackles one of the Depth and Complexity concepts: trends …