Language Arts

11/18/2011

Dog Trading Cards

Many teachers have students create ‘Musher Cards’ which share an image and information about mushers.
A twist on this practice, is making ‘Dog Trading Cards’.  Teacher Briget Koch, from ‘Maryland, had students create dog trading cards after reading the book,…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Literacy, Teacher Tips and Tools

08/27/2011

Curriculum for Classrooms

Iditarod Activity Book 2: Contains standards driven curriculum lessons in math, science, language arts, social studies, and other areas of study.
Iditarod Activity Book 3:  Contains Standards driven curriculum lessons in all content areas, applicable to most grade levels.
Iditarod…

Filed under 21st Century Skills, Art, Music, FACS, Indust Arts, Character Education, Curriculum for the Classroom, Integrated Curriculum, Language Arts, Literacy, Math, News and Information, Science, Service Learning Projects, Social Studies

04/01/2011

Idita Read Challenge: Literacy in Idita Action

Idita Read Challenge by Shelia Blair
Iditaread Teacher Checklist 2011
The 2011 Iditaread Challenge Parent Letter
2011 Iditaread Student Package
2011 Iditarod Musher Listing
Student Bookmark Reading Log 2011
2011 Iditaread Completion Certificate
These documents are in word format.  You…

Filed under IditaRead™, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

03/29/2011

Idita Read Success Story

My class did a modified version of Idita-Read.  I copied all of the materials from the web-site for each of my students.  On the first page of the packet, the students had to set goals.  Our goal as a class…

Filed under Idita Reads and Races, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information

03/28/2011

Idita Read Success in North Carolina

My school, Northwest Elementary in Kinston, NC, participated in the Iditaread for the first time this year.
We challenged our 3-5th graders to see if they could read 1049 books.  We started on February 22, and boy did the kids…

Filed under IditaRead™, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

03/20/2011

Did You Read Across Your State? Did you Idita-Read?

Did you read across your state? Did you Idita Read?
We’d like to hear about your ‘Read Across Your State’ or your school’s Idita-Read.  Send your project updates to us and we’ll share them with our readers!

Filed under IditaRead™, Language Arts, Literacy

03/19/2011

Read Across Alaska: Iditarod Style

One of Hugh Neff’s race sponsors is NEA Alaska. Hugh helped promote Read Across America.  The Cat in the Hat was Hugh’s IditaRider at the start of the 2011 Iditarod.
This year, Hugh Neff carried the book, Danger, the Dog…

Filed under Idita Reads and Races, Language Arts, Literacy

03/17/2011

Iditarod’s Education Department: Scholastic News Blog

On the walls in the school at McGrath, Alaska
Take a look at this featured article from Ruth Manna’s Scholastic Top Teaching Blog.  Learn about Iditarod in the Classroom!
Learn about the Powerful Pull of the Sled Dogs and discover…

Filed under Academic Purpose, Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

02/11/2011

Language Arts: Kinds of Sentences

Practice identifying sentence types the Idita-way!  (Worksheet and answer key can be downloaded below!)
Kinds of Sentences
Put the correct punctuation at the end of each sentence. Tell if the sentence is a declarative, an interrogative, an imperative, or an…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

02/11/2011

Language Arts: Identifying Subject and Predicate the Idita-Way

Iditarod is a tool to practice skills students need to know.  The following is an example that can be printed off and used as a pre/post test for skills, as daily practice, or any way a teacher needs to use…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, News and Information

12/28/2010

Zuma’s Paw Prints: Teacher’s Tool

Zuma’s Paw Prints is a teacher’s tool that can be used in all grade levels.
Helpful hints:
When you visit the Zuma’s Paw Prints website, notice that there is a menu bar at the left side of the page.  You…

Filed under Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

12/26/2010

“Toby” brings Magic to Day Care Students

Around the world, students in preschool through university level are involved in Iditarod related activities during the year.  Joy Davis, Educational Journalist shares her visit to a day care center in her community.  Joy brought with her, a very special…

Filed under Language Arts, News and Information

12/20/2010

Blabberize Your Iditarod Lessons

Blabberize Your Iditarod:  Let the Dogs Speak!
Nancy, from Massachusetts, shared with us a new project that she would be doing with her students this year:
http://blabberize.com/view/id/352559
1. Students will research an aspect of the Iditarod (such as dog training;…

Filed under 21st Century Skills, Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools, Technology Integration

11/01/2010

Iditarod Scavenger Hunt

Idita-Hunt
www.iditarod.com
Jane Blaile and Students
Use Iditarod’s website as a research tool to find the answers!

“Learn About, Iditarod History”
1.      When was the first Iditarod race run?
2.      Who is known as the “Mother of the Iditarod?”  and…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Teacher Tips and Tools

09/01/2010

Iditarod IS Education! Using Zuma’s Paw Prints is a Teaching Tool

Zuma’s Paw Prints isn’t JUST reading material for your students.  It is more than knowledge about Alaska and the race.  The articles are content for teaching language arts and other curriculum areas.
Bonnie Nizamis  is an independent consultant working with…

Filed under Academic Purpose, Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Student Work Samples, Teacher Tips and Tools

08/26/2010

Literacy Connections: Guest Speaker: Iditarod Musher, Jason Barron

Attention Educators: Are you looking for a guest speaker to help promote the literacy goals at your school and inspire students to read, write, and work towards their goals?  Meet Iditarod Musher and author, Jason Barron.
Jason Barron’s novel, Ballad…

Filed under Guest Speakers, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

03/26/2010

Students in McGrath, Alaska: Biography Reports on Iditarod Mushers

Emmitt Peters
Students in McGrath, Alaska, showed pride in the posters they completed for their classroom  biography project.  This is just one of the ways that students incorporate the race into their school work.  Principal Judy Kuhn, has been active…

Filed under Language Arts, News and Information, Student Work Samples, Teacher Tips and Tools

03/16/2010

Caring for Dogs of the Iditarod

By Martha Dobson, Finalist, Target® Iditarod 2011 Teacher on the Trail™, North Carolina
Caring for the Iditarod dogs is as thorough and professional as care for human athletes. High school, college, and professional athletes undergo regular physical examinations to ascertain…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Dog Care Facts, Health/Physical Fitness, Language Arts, News and Information, Science, Teacher on the Trail™

03/15/2010

Iditarod Around the World: Taiwan

Hi Diane!
Here are two files that shows my one of my students’ letters.  She wants to thank you and your website for helping her learn.
English is her second language and she has never seen or heard of a…

Filed under Academic Purpose, Language Arts, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

03/14/2010

Far From Home: Marshall and McDonald Take on the Iditarod

by Sally Simon, Finalist for Target® Iditarod 2011  Teacher on the Trail™, New York
One has an infectious smile, the other wears a kilt.  Both received a lot of attention at this year’s Iditarod.  Newton Marshall, from Jamaica, and Wattie…

Filed under Language Arts, People, Places, or Dogs, Social Studies, Teacher on the Trail™

03/14/2010

I’ll “Mush” Vicariously Through Books, Video, and the Official Websites

I wrote the attached article for our state (South Carolina) Association of School Librarian’s professional journal, Media Center Messenger. I love following the Iditarod every year and every two or three years we do an Idita-READ event to inspire kids…

Filed under Academic Purpose, Idita Reads and Races, IditaRead™, Language Arts, Literacy, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

02/25/2010

Iditarod Poetry: Read then Get Writing!

All around the globe, it is time to write Iditarod poetry.  Send us your poems and we’ll share them with our readers!
Thank you Marcia and Rhonda for sharing your poetry!
Iditarod   by Marcia Claesson
The frosted fingers of cold…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

02/25/2010

Iditarod: A Cross Curricular Approach

By Sally, Indiana
I use a cross-curricular approach to teaching the Iditarod.  I begin this unit in January using many of my own photographs and personal knowledge of Alaska (I’ve been there several times and LOVE it) Language arts includes…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Math, News and Information, Science, Social Studies

02/24/2010

Meet the Finalists for Target® 2011 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™

Finalists have been chosen for the Target® 2011 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  The finalists, Blynne Froke, Martha Dobson, and Sally Simon will be in Anchorage during the week before the start of the race to complete selection process activities…

Filed under Academic Purpose, Curriculum for the Classroom, Idita Reads and Races, Language Arts, Math, News and Information, Science, Social Studies, Teacher on the Trail™

02/02/2010

Iditarod Musher Trading Cards

Are you looking for an activity to help students read, research, and summarize?  Join the hundreds of schools around the world.  Assign students to create Musher Trading Cards.
Design your class Musher Trading Cards in a way that meets the…

Filed under Charts,Certificates,Templates, Language Arts, News and Information, Teacher Tips and Tools

01/13/2010

Meet the Applicants for Target® 2011 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™

Each year, the Iditarod Education Department accepts applications for the ‘next’  Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  This year, five teachers applied for this educational teaching experience.  Meet each applicant and view a sample of their lessons.
Kim Busch, Montana…

Filed under Art, Music, FACS, Indust Arts, Character Education, Curriculum for the Classroom, Integrated Curriculum, Language Arts, Math, News and Information, Science, Social Studies, Teacher on the Trail™, Technology Integration

12/31/2009

Idita Read™

Join the Idita Read™ and race from Anchorage to Nome!
Click on this to use the Iditarod forms for your students.  Tip:  Ask students to save the forms to the computer.  Students can then type on the form instead of…

Filed under Idita Reads and Races, IditaRead™, Language Arts

12/29/2009

Language Arts: ABC Books

Creating an ABC book is an excellent way to combine research, writing, and technology skills.
Nicole’s ABC Book (PowerPoint)

Filed under Language Arts, Student Work Samples

10/29/2009

IditaRead™

An IditaRead is an excellent way to encourage students to read.
An IditaRead is held in connection with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race® —  the Iditarod Trail and the Iditarod Mushers are used as ‘benchmarks’ of reading progress for…

Filed under Idita Reads and Races, IditaRead™, Language Arts, News and Information

10/12/2009

Reader’s Theater Play

A Reader’s Theater Play is a fun way for students to practice dramatic reading.  This play, created by Jennifer Slifer, Connecticut,  has been used with middle school students but can also be used with elementary students.  Teachers can adapt this…

Filed under Language Arts

10/12/2009

Curriculum Challenge Lessons

Congratulations to the 2009 Curriculum Challenge Winners!
Seven teachers provide lessons for elementary, secondary, and university level teachers to use with students.

Lesson packets are in PDF.

Susan Flahive, Virginia
Math: Ryan’s Dog Expenses Technology/Math, Using Excel Spreadsheets, 7th grade…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Integrated Curriculum, Language Arts, Math, Science

08/20/2009

Daily Grammar Practice Sentences

Language Arts:  Daily Grammar Practice
Improve grammar skills using Iditarod and Alaska themed sentences.  These sentences can be used at any grade level.  Sentences can be used in the manner that best meets your students needs and your daily schedule. …

Filed under Language Arts

06/12/2009

Creative Writing: An Assignment for Any Grade Level: Lesson and Writing Sample from Students

Tom Russoniello, New Jersey,  understands that students are inspired to write when using the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race® as the tool for learning.  Using a lesson created by Kathy Kent, New Jersey, and housed on our website, Mr. Russoniello’s…

Filed under Curriculum for the Classroom, Language Arts, Student Work Samples

05/29/2009

Idita Read in Wisconsin

Hi!  I teach 1st grade at St. John the Baptist School in Green Bay, WI. I just wanted to share what we are doing for the Iditaread challenge.  The Iditaread challenge was kicked off with a small banquet of dog…

Filed under Idita Reads and Races, IditaRead™, Language Arts

03/25/2009

The Alaskan Husky by Gabrielle from Florida

The Alaskan Husky
By Gabrielle

Alaskan husky strong and smart,
Tall and brave with a beating heart.

Alaskan husky, a very good pleader,
Wants to be the front row leader.

Years go by too fast for him,
Now he has…

Filed under Language Arts, Student Work Samples

02/16/2009

Meet the Rookie: Kim Darst

By Ellen Ogintz, NJ, 2008 Summer Camp Teacher
Whether up in the air in her helicopter or gliding through the snow with her team, Iditarod 2009 rookie Kim Darst has the dog mushing in her blood…and it all started with…

Filed under Language Arts, News and Information, People, Places, or Dogs

02/16/2009

Meet the Rookies: Blake Matray

 By Nikki Allen, FL, 2008 Summer Camp Teacher
Forty-one year old Blake Matray is more than just your average Iditarod musher; he is also a military pilot who serves our country. Blake is originally from Darien, Illinois, and attended college…

Filed under Language Arts, News and Information, People, Places, or Dogs

06/06/2008

Struggling Readers Find Idita-Success

2nd Grade Remedial Reading
by Cheryl Hannon
My Iditarod unit it designed and taught to second grade remedial reading students where motivation is the key factor to success in reading.
After guided reading lessons (books that I have bought and…

Filed under Language Arts

06/05/2008

Following the Race from Ohio

by Carol Manfull
During the Iditarod we divy up biographies of all of the mushers to our 3rd grade students (ave. 100). They follow the race on computers and check on their musher(s) throughout the race. The teacher copy stories…

Filed under Integrated Curriculum, Language Arts

06/05/2008

Ohio Students Create a Virtual Dog Team

Real or Virtual? It is Hard to Tell!
By Laura Collins, Ohio
One of my gifted 6th grade students’ favorite Iditarod activities is to create “virtual dog teams”. Students produce an informational document about their “kennel”, with highlights about the…

Filed under Art, Music, FACS, Indust Arts, Integrated Curriculum, Language Arts

02/01/2008

Readers Theater: Where’s the Boss

This Readers Theater was created in 2003 by Cassandra Wilson, 2003 Teacher on the Trail™ with permission from Lois Harter, author of Where’s the Boss.
Click here to download the script.

Filed under Language Arts