Iditarod in the Classroom! Join us for an incredible teaching adventure!

Participate in Our Projects! Our curriculum, projects, and activities are designed give a teacher’s current curriculum an educational boost by connecting the theme of Iditarod to the content and cultural standards that you teach. Iditarod is a theme that brings a real time event--- The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race™ from Alaska to within the walls of your classroom no matter your location. Curriculum has been created and easily adaptable to any content area that you may teach and can be used for any grade level. The Internet is your vehicle and Is the link to learning. Our projects are designed to empower your students through a year long adventure in learning.

Our Curriculum Aligned to Standards Represents Best Practices of Teaching and Learning Focus on: Technology Integration

Our Curriculum We are dedicated to bringing this real event - - Iditarod - - to classrooms around the world - - in real time - - and most importantly, in the way that impacts and enriches the classroom curriculum. The result? The curriculum empowers students to be academically successful. Students become highly engaged in the learning process while involved in our lessons and activities. Teachers become more engaged in the teaching process because they are teaching lessons created by teachers for teachers. Our website is a collaboration zone allowing teachers to share their success and inspire new lessons that bring positive results to the students.

Iditarod Traveling Quilt Read the on line journal updates from each quilt as each quilt travels around the United States. Create a quilt square and join the journey!

Iditarod Traveling Quilts! Quilts travel from school to school around the United States. Teachers use the quilt as a thematic tool to teach content and cultural standards in math, language arts, and other content areas. Sometimes students create their own quilts to share information about their state and culture.

Iditarod Traveling Quilt! Educational Value Using the Traveling Quilt as the ‘theme’, the teacher facilitates lessons that build on skills students need to practice or know. (NCLB) Examples: Provides opportunity to read, write, and communicate Provides opportunity to problem solve, think and reason, work with others, and build life skills Provides opportunity to develop skills in behavior studies Provides opportunity to develop skills in health and healthy living Provides opportunity to build geography skills Provides opportunity to learn about other states, communities, and cultures – past, present, and future. Provides opportunity to build technology skills Provides opportunity to build skills in visual arts The Traveling Quilt

Service Learning Projects The Importance of Volunteerism and Call to Community Service

Iditarod’s Books to the Trail Bring books to classrooms in need by getting involved in this service learning project. Participation is easy! Sign up to participate and ‘receive’ a partner school. Hold a fundraiser in your community to purchase necessary books and classroom materials for the partner school. Send much needed books to students living in Alaska or other places in need.

Iditarod’s Books to the Trail The participating classroom teacher organizes the book fund raiser and makes arrangements for the books to be sent to the school in need. Generally the books are sent from the book company directly to the school in need. The books usually arrive at the school in February or March.

Iditarod’s Books to the Trail The Anchorage Public Library has served as a partner in getting books to students by sending the books to the schools along the Iditarod Trail. The books are sent to the villages with other supplies that Iditarod sends to the villages. The Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail helps deliver the books to the classrooms. Cathy Walters, Target® 2009 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ helped deliver the books during the 2009 Iditarod.

Iditarod’s Books to the Trail Examples of Standards Addressed in Books to the Trail: Working With Others Standards: 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group 2. Uses conflict-resolution techniques 3. Works well with diverse individuals and in diverse situations 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills 5. Demonstrates leadership skills Self-Regulation Standards 1. Sets and manages goals 2. Performs self-appraisal 3. Considers risks 4. Demonstrates perseverance 5. Maintains a healthy self-concept Volunteerism Community Service

Table Top Decorating Contest Miles may separate a classroom from the Iditarod Trail, but student art work can bring the ‘classroom to the race’ in this unique project and contest.

Table Top Decorating Contest Winners of this contest supply the table top decorations for the Musher Banquet that is held in Anchorage, prior to the start of the Iditarod. This opportunity allows classrooms to be ‘race volunteers’ from a far by helping create the decorations to be on the tables at the banquet event. Standards addressed in this project depend on the specific project the classroom chooses. Examples: Language Arts Fine Arts History Geography

Zuma’s Paw Prints Read news articles from Zuma and the K9 Reporters.

Zuma’s Paw Prints Zuma’s Paw Prints is the place to go to learn about the race from the Official K9 Reporter, Zuma, and journalists Gypsy, Libby, and Sanka W. Dog. Learn about Alaska, Iditarod, and dogs. Articles are posted all year long, providing readers of all ages with interesting information. Human authors and Fur Friends make guest appearances, too! Students can leave comments for the reporters, making this a collaboration zone for students and K9 friends.

Zuma’s Paw Prints This section of the website provides an opportunity for students to read, write, and communicate. Standards in Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Character Education, Life Skills and other areas can be addressed at Zuma’s Paw Prints.

Zuma and the K9 Journalists

Virtual Field Trips! Take Virtual Field Trips to Learn More about Iditarod and Alaska!

Subscribe to Iditarod Insider! Insider provides video and GPS tracking as well as curriculum and project ideas that can be used any time during the school year.

Iditarod Insider Iditarod Insider in the Schools is a year round tool, with lesson connections for all curriculum areas, a fly by map, and archived historic video segments. During the race, daily video segments are uploaded to Iditarod Insider. You don’t want to miss a minute of Iditarod coverage!

Workshops for Teachers! Each year, we hold two annual teacher’s workshops. Join us in Alaska!

Teacher’s Workshops Each year we hold two teacher’s workshops in Alaska. During the week before the race, we hold a 4 day workshop that is designed so participants can see the start and restart of the Iditarod. In June, a 9 day summer camp for teacher’s is designed to provide teachers with activities, sessions, speakers, and field trips for the ultimate Iditarod experience. University credit can be earned through attending camp. Join us! Need more information? Contact the Iditarod Education Department.

Teacher’s Workshops

Stay on Track! Strengthen your curriculum to help students make positive life decisions and live healthy lives!

Stay on Track Learn about Alaska’s Stay on Track program. (Alaska’s National Guard) Follow the Stay on Track leader during the race. Each year during the race, an inspirational leader from Alaska’s Stay on Track program visits communities along the Iditarod Trail. Read the blog and experience the race from this leader’s point of view. Discover ways to encourage students to make the positive life choices that lead them to a happy, healthy life. Challenge your students to Stay on Track!

Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ The Teaching Adventure of a Lifetime!

Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ Each year, a teacher is selected to serve as the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™. The teacher creates standards aligned curriculum and projects. The lesson plans and activities are on the website. During the race, the teacher travels the Iditarod Trail and reports the experiences and observations. The on line journal is a virtual field trip to Iditarod.

The Time is NOW! Don’t wait for February or March to get involved with using the race as a thematic tool in your classroom. Start a project today!

The Time is NOW! Start your students on a trail to academic success by using our lesson ideas and projects!