Kim Busch, Montana

Kim is a 4th grade teacher.

Kim is applying for this position because, “I believe it is important to aspire to be the best you can be;  Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ is an opportunity to touch lives all over the world.”

Sample Lessons:

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race: The Big Book, Language Arts/Social Studies/Geography:  3rd Grade and Beyond:

Students research the different aspect of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Students write informational paragraphs and/or reports. Final products are published in a class big book.

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Determining Importance in Nonfiction: Fact – Question- Response, Language Arts/Social Studies:  Grades 4, 5, 6, and Beyond, depending upon on reading level

Student use F-Q-R Think Sheets to record significant facts and ideas, track questions that are generated during the reading, and reflect on their learning with feelings and opinions.

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Click here to view the Fact-Question-Response Work Sheet.

Amy Dahmus, North Dakota

Amy teaches 5th grade.

Amy states that she is applying for this position because, “Becoming the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ has always been a dream and teaching the Iditarod has always been a passion, now I would like to turn this dream into a reality.”

Sample Lessons:

Plate Tectonics & Alaska’s Mountain Ranges, Science:  Grade 4 and Up

Students will first hypothesize how the mountains in Alaska were formed. Students will research the mountains and categorize them by their origin, volcanic eruption or plate tectonics. Students will then create a spreadsheet using EXCEL to compare the mountains origins.

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Who’s on Your Cereal Box? Visual Arts, Technology, and Language Arts

Students design their own cereal box using a brand name cereal. Students then create categories such as Advice for Young People, What’s on Your I-Pod?, Team Members, Life at a Glance, and Achievements. Students use creative ideas, advertising strategies, technology, and language skills to complete the task.

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Martha Dobson, North Carolina

Martha is a 6th grade English/Language Arts teacher at a middle school.

Martha states, “I am reapplying for the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ position because the Iditarod sparks interest and learning as nothing else has done in my classroom and because the challenge the race presents to mushers, dogs, and me is a metaphor for the challenges of life and life opportunities, a stron example of setting goals, determination, and perseverance to run one’s personal race.”

Sample Lessons:

Sled Dog Genetics:  Science, Grade 7

Students have learned about phenotypes, genotypes, dominant and recessive genes, heterozygous and homozygous organisms, and how to construct punnett squares in previous lessons. This lesson provides review and practice in using the previously learned skills with genetic problems based on Alaskan husky characteristics.

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Iditarod Word Problems, Math, Grade 6 and7

This is a review of math skills for each grade level. The problems contain factual data which shows students how math can be used in the real world. The problems can be used as extra credit opportunities or the problem of the day which provides an independent assignment for students to begin upon arrival in class.

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Blynne Froke, California

Blynne teaches 9- 12th grade students in a self contained ‘last chance’ school.

Blynne states that she is applying for this position because “The Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ program embodies the three great passions of my life:  teaching, dos, and personal challenge and for that reason, I want to share it with teachers and students everywhere.”

Sample Lesson Plans:

Life is a Trail, English/Language Arts, Grades 9 – 12 (could be adapted to other grade levels)

Through daily reading from Iditarod books list, oral group
sharing and written summaries in the Cornell notes style students will begin to identify moments that can be expressed succinctly in metaphor. Students will study and memorize the Jack London poem “Ashes and Dust” and identify the use of metaphor in that poem. Students will then brainstorm lists of potential metaphors for life. Students will then use a chosen metaphor to craft a reflective essay and take it from rough draft through revision and editing in small response groups.

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It’s All About the Map, Geography. Visual Arts, Math, Cooperative Groups, Grades 4 – 12 with varied degrees of complexity or attention appropriate.

Students will project the outline of the state of Alaska from a transparency on an overhead projector onto butcher paper on the wall to the desired scale for the board they have been given. Each group has been given a slightly different size to ensure variety in the finished projects. They will locate and replicate physical and political features as per a list they have been given which again may have different themes.

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Sally Simon, New York

Sally is an enrichment and Gifted/Talented teacher in an Elementary and a Middle School.

Sally states, “I want people young and old to see the Iditarod as an opportunity to learn abut themselves, community, and ho teamwork is needed to accomplish great things.”

Sample Lesson Plans

Altitudes and Temperatures, Math (Integers), Grade 5 – 8

Students use the altitudes of the checkpoints on the Iditarod Trail to calculate the differences (positive and negative) in altitude while running the race.  Students use some average temperatures (highs and lows) of the checkpoints during March to calculate the differences in temperature, and draw some conclusions about how the geography of the trail affects temperature.

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Wilderness Trading Activity, Social Studies (economics) and English, Language Arts (Speaking and Listening), Grades 2 and up.

Students learn that all humans have 5 needs (food, clothing, shelter, clear air, and water) that must be met before the things they want. After discussing the concept and practice of “trading,” students participate in a trading activity where they trade items they have with those things they need and want in order to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. At the end of the activity, students evaluate what items they have and predict how well they will survive with those items.

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On our about January 15, 3 finalists will be announced.  The finalists will travel to Alaska prior to the start of the 2010 Iditarod to continue the selection process.

Teacher!  Are you looking for the teaching experience of a life time?  Would you like to visit the Iditarod Checkpoints and teach from the Iditarod Trail?  Are you ready for an awarding challenge?  Applications for the 2012 Teacher are due December 1, 2010.   Learn more about the application process for the Target® 2011 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ program at this link.