Traveling Iditarod Quilts: One — Two– Three —— and Four
This year, FOUR Iditarod quilts are traveling from school to school around the globe. Follow the adventure with us by reading along on the website.
The quilts cannot possible travel to all the schools that request a visit, so we have created a special Virtual Quilt project so anyone, anytime, can join this project. Click here to learn more. If you are interested in having a quilt visit in a future year, be sure to send a request for information. Nearly 100 schools requested visits last year!
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
How did this project begin and grow?
In the summer of 2005, the first traveling quilt was born and created in Wisconsin. Teachers from the 2005 Iditarod Summer Conference created quilt squares which shared their educational journey and messages to students. The 2006 Teacher on the Trail, Terrie Hanke, sewed the quilt together. For the next school year, the quilt traveled to the schools that were represented by the ‘quilt makers’.
The following summer, a second quilt was made and began a journey. Quilts three and four were designed by teachers attending Iditarod Summer Camp in June 2008 and 2009.
With four quilts traveling the world— oh the places they will go, the people they will meet, and the stories you will read of this great adventure! Stay tuned! To read the journals of the Iditarod Traveling Quilts, click the menu item: Traveling Quilt’s Journal or Click here! To read about our past projects, discover how to make a quilt square and be part of the next project, Click here! To get involved in a future Iditarod Traveling Quilt journey, send an email.
