Students in all 50 states and many countries follow the race each year and complete content driven lessons to help them learn the basic skills of their curriculum. Meet some of these students and teachers!
From Elodie, Teaching in France
We started with studying the book the Call of the Wild (adapted), then we studied some documents I found on the Internet about the geogrphy of Alaska, the animals living there, and we also spoke aout the Inuits, their clothes, their way of lives. And to finish we studied a text on the Iditarod. We had a look at the questions Dee Dee Jonrowe answered for us. Then at home they had to write a letter to Dee Dee Jonrowe, and I selected the three best letters to be sent to Dee Dee by mail. The kids were really happy and excited because Dee Dee answered them and their questions! And lastly we watched and studied an extract of the movie ‘into the wild’. It took us about a month to do that and the kids were really enthusiastic!
I think i’ll continue that next year with another year and I might improve and do better!
Thank you for your help!
Elodie
From Brian, Teaching in Argentina
At the Lincoln School in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we have been following the race for the past four years. Lincoln is an international school, so our students are from all over the world. The fourth grade curriculum has the Polar Regions as a unit of study. We follow the race to get the kids excited and familiar with the arctic climate, habitat, geography, indigenous cultures and the important role dogs played in the early exploration of the Arctic and Antarctica. I must say – the children love it. Following the race has provided our fourth graders with an outstanding way to focus on team work and leadership skills. The dogs teach the kids about hard work, pulling together and what makes a strong leader. The students seem to connect with the mushers in the race as well. They find hero’s in people, like themselves, who have dreams and are brave enough to follow them.
Next week, our 90 fourth grades will draw one of the mushers, read their biography and write them a personal letter. Many will write back! It’s all very exciting! We have a start and finish line in the hallway with all the check points posted between the two. The kids will check the results each morning and move their musher along the trail to the finish. When the race finishes will have our own Red Lantern party complete with awards and treats. A teacher can do a lot with this race. Like most good ideas in teaching, this one from a wonderful teacher, Jane Warnecke, at Trempealeau Elementary School in Trempealeau, Wisconsin.
