Hello Boys and Girls,
I’m getting awesome and incredible email and comments from students and race fans! It is great to hear from all of you. Keep reading and writing! You are going to get better grades in school because you are working so hard! I am very impressed!
I wanted to share this poem by Celista with you and challenge you boys and girls to write Idita- poetry. Send me your poetry by pasting it in the comment section. We’ll share a few poems or even some short stories with our readers. So get writing!
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
Onion
I am white like the winter snows
My eyes are brown and so is my nose
My name is Onion and I’m a sled dog
On the Iditarod Trail, I walk and I jog
With my brothers and sisters
I don’t have a care
I look just like a teddy bear
——-Calista
WA Virtual Academy, 2nd grade
32 Comments
Hi Zuma,
I am a 7th grade teacher and I wanted to share one of my student’s Idita-poems:
A big blue sky looks down upon me
Spirits warm my heart to set me free.
The beautiful land created by God,
which is now used for my journey on the Iditarod.
A thousand miles from civilization, I stare in disbelief.
When the last great race was about to begin,
we were all wondering which team would win.
Our anticipation is about to come to an end
because Lance Mackey flies around the bend.
Submitted by: Jay 7th Grade
Thank you.
Mrs. Kreifus
Dear Zuma,
We have a poem to share with you. We wrote it by ourselves, at our school in Portland, OR.
Hundreds of mushers, big and small.
Hundreds of mushers, short and tall.
Hundreds of mushers, with dogs wagging tails,
mushing the Iditarod Trail.
Mrs. Lucher’s Mushers
Feel the wind blowing through my fur
Running like I’ve never done before
To keep my musher happy
To show my friends what I can do
I’m aiming to win the Iditarod
If not there will always be a next year
I’ve trained all year long
Who knows what will happen
In the Last Great Race
By: Janel G. 7th Grader
This is just a poem I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.
-Janel G.
Dear Zuma,
We have a poem we want to share with you. We wrote it together at our school in Portland, OR.
Hundreds of mushers, big and small,
Hundreds of mushers, short and tall,
Hundreds of mushers, with dogs wagging tails,
mushing the Iditarod Trail.
Jeff King reaches down to stroke his dog,
trying not to get stuck in the bog.
As he pets Tickle’s soft head,
Tickle’s curls up in his bed.
Tickles whiskers are so blue,
frozen in the shape of a horseshoe.
Tickles wags his grey and white tail,
as he rides on the Iditarod Trail.
Keep on mushing,
Luscher’s Mushers
Hi Zuma!
We hope you’re enjoying the race this year! Who is your favvorite musher this year? Our class has been doing lots of writing, including acrostic poems out of the words Iditarod and Dog Sleds. Some people in our class are even writing books and stories about the Iditarod adventure. Some kids in our class even have their posted on the school bulliten board in school so that other kids can learn about the race. We will be sure to send you some of our work.
Love,
Mrs. Hyzy’s Class
Walnut Trails School
Shorewood, IL
P.S. Even our Assistant Principal, Mr. Hiser has chosen a favorite musher to follow, DEE DEE Jonrowe!!
A POEM BY:Paige
I go to school
like a regulure person
we all look the same
to the k9 families
my eyes are brown like
my hair
my nose is white like
my hand.
by : paige
Dear Zuma,
My students really enjoyed Calista’s poem. They thought it was a very awesome poem written by a second grader. I think she may have inspired them to write a poem, also.
Loving the Iditarod,
Cathy Kratz’s 5th Grade Class in Caro, MI
Our 3rd grade class has been following Ray Redington, Jr. throughout the race. The other 3 third grade classes have also been following their own mushers. Our class is in 2nd place for our third grade. We also wanted to let you know that our class wrote Iditarod poems for you to read. We will be posting them soon.
Happy Trails,
Miss Persichetti’s 3rd Grade
New Jersey
Dogs running threw the snow.
every where they mush.
they go t’ill thier tired.
but they aren`t that much.
for Martin Buser.
a joking man.
who thinks its Hawii.
but with the snow not to bad.
Martin
I loved the poem about you, Zuma. So, I made up one of my own for you, Here it is:
I post comments to you almost everyday
In lots of forms, in lots of ways
Your fur is soft, your eyes are bright
almost like the moon at night!
We read your updates
Trust me…their NOT LATE
anyway, just wanted to say, luv the advice
keep it goin!
Hi Zuma,
There goes Lance.
There goes Jeffas number two.
Then there goes Heug down the trail.
All of them neck to neck coming in by one’s and two’s
THE END
zuma you are s awsome! where do you work? do you know debhor binkell.
Here is a haiku (it is a poem).
Iditarod
The iditarod
out upon the frozen snow
so icy and cold
by Amanda
Lockwood Middle School
Hi zuma! Heres a poem= My eyes are blue,my fur is white,I run throughout the day and night. The snow is cold, the sled is fast,i don’t know how much longer I’ll last. Its time to eat-SOME TASTY MEAT!
My Iditarod Poem
Icy path
Don’t want ice to break because you will fall in
I must take breaks
Terrible if you fall in the ice
A musher controls the sleigh
Really fun for the dogs
Oh no! Too much snow
Don’t want it to be hot
Zuma
Zuma,
The typing reporter dog,
Typing letters to here and there,
Zuma the reporting dog,
Reporting all the Iditarod news,
And emailing on her big keyboard,
In the comfort of her big soft chair.
Zuma,
The typing reporter dog.
My Idita-poem
I am a lead dog.
My owner perfers me not to eat like a hog.
I do not lit when we go in a snow fog.
I am a lead dog.
When my leader says, “Mush!”
I like to GO.
I live in Alaska.
My owner takes vacation to Nebraska.
I am a lead dog.
I am in the Iditarod race.
We have to to Nome, that place.
I am a lead dog.
I weare blue booties.
My puppies are cuties.
I AM A LEAD DOG!
Katlyn
My name is Lance.
I got a glance.
And what do I see?
Jeff King was sleeping.
when he heard the first snore.
He berst out the door.
And thats the story of the great trick.
Sincerely
Martin
Mackey won again!!
Lance Mackey beet his brother!
There is no other!!
Martin
Iditarod poem
By Radka
Iditarod means The Last Great Race.
Dogs most have eight booties.
In the Iditarod you can start with sixteen dogs.
The Iditarod is very icy and cold.
A musher rides in a sled.
Running is what dogs do.
Only five dogs are needed to end the race.
Dogs are extremely important for the Iditarod.
I loved the writing zuma Brandon
Hi Zuma,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights about your friends from the teams. Our second grade class has written some Idita-Poems to share with you. We cheered our favorite Michigan mushers along the trail from Nature’s Kennel- Ed and Jake!
Ms. Witte’s Class- Macomb, MI
Poems from Mrs. Witte’s students
Husky
Runs, Pulls
Howls at moon
Dog team
By Haley
Husky
Barks, Runs
Everywhere in sleds
Teammates
By Will
Husky
Sleeps, Runs
Howls at moon
Dogs
By Austin
Husky
Eats, Sleeps
Sleeps on straw
Dog team
By Jenna
Husky
Sleeps, Runs
Pulls the sled
Dog
By David
Husky
Runs, Sleeps
Pulls the sled
Dog
By Alyssa
Husky
Pulls, Runs
Loves sled races
Team
By Lindsey
Husky
Barks, Plays
Howls at moon
Teammate
By Rachel
Husky
Eats, Sleeps
Loves to pull
Team
By Andrew
Husky
Pulls, Eats
Pulls the sled
Sled dog
By Claire
Husky
Runs, Sleeps
Howls for moon
Teammate
By Noah
Husky
Runs, Pulls
Howls at moon
Sled dog
By Bryana
Husky
Howls, Runs
Eats, Sleeps, Pulls
Dog team
By Lukas
Husky
Runs, Pulls
Runs the Iditarod
Dog
By Ciara
Husky
Runs, Pulls
Sleeps on straw
Sled dog
By Shelby
Husky
Pulls, Sleeps
Runs the Iditarod
Sled dog
By Lacey
Kiana’s Iditarod Poem
by Maddie - 5th grade
Kiana
brave dog
wet, frigid Alaska
they craved to win!
weary mushers plotted and schemed
when the fire died to coals.
“The trail” was the stage for dreams
She had won the Iditarod, and was delighted!
Hi Zuma, Do you have a pure wolf for one of your teammates on the Iditarod race.
Hello Basil,
The dogs that race are not wolves, they are dogs. You can read more about the dogs that run Iditarod at the Veterinarian’s Center, at the Learn About tab of our website.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
HEY, ZUMA I WAS WONDERING IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN IN A BLIZZARD WHILE DOING THE IDAROD RACE
YOUR FRIEND,
SHANICE
Hello Shanice. Remember, I am not a racing dog, but it is very common for there to be storms during the race. All of the dogs and mushers know exactly what to do to travel and be safe in storms. Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
How do you know they did not switch dogs.What are the rules and policies? Brian
I want to know how you are sure why dogs aren’t added to a race or switched Manuel
Hi! My name is Lizzie. I was wondering if you knew how the Iditarod officials know which dog is which. Do they have tags or something? How do they know what dogs are switched? If you could get back to me that would be great!
Thanks
Lizzie
Hello Manuel, Brian, and Lizzie. The dogs in the race have a micro chip that is injected beneath the skin on the dog. The vet does this. Then, a scanner is used to read a special identification number. Also, if you click on the tab that says For Mushers, you can read all of the race rules.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
hey have you ever been attack by moose or a caribou ????????????? your friend ,evelyn
Hello Evelyn,
I have been very lucky to not have been too close to a moose or caribou.
Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
what was the date of the biggest event in iditarod history!
I am sure everyone has a different opinion about which is the most important event in Iditarod History. Keep reading and learning about the race. I bet you’ll pick an event that you think is most important. My pick would be every day of every race. Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
have you ever been to Alaska?if you have where?
I live in Alaska, Nina. I live in Wasilla and travel all around the state when I get the chance. Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
my grandma has went to Nome Nina
Hello Nina, I hope you take time to listen to what your grandma says about her trip and look at pictures she took.
Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
dear zuma, How much money do mushers make if they win or they don’t win? DO your sponsors pay for your bills if you get injured.Thank you for your time. sincerly yours,johnny
Hello Johnny,
You can read all about the money mushers get for finishing the race by reading the article in the blog called, The Musher’s Purse.
Mushers have sponsors that help support the team in different ways. Sometimes it is by supplies like gear or dog food. Every situation is probably a little different. Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma