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Following the Race: Lesson Ideas

From Ohio

by Carol Manfull

06/05/2008

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 and pictures to share each morning along with a fresh printout of the top 5 and the red lantern.

On one wall in the hallway, we put up laminated names of all the stops in that year's race with yarn stretching from one town to another and past year's pictures laminated and up for something to look at of interest.  Each morning we post a blue ribbon in the position of
the musher ahead, and a red lantern for the last place person, and move them each morning throughout the race.  We post a printout of the top 5, along with the first and last place mushers on the wall.  Inside the classrooms, we each have a printout (4 classes) of the results as of about 7AM for that day, so they can look for their musher.  This is nice for the students without a computer at home. 

We give prizes to the students who have the mushers that also are given prizes during and after the race.  Sometimes it's just gold nuggets in candy form, and other times it's been like a new sled for someone whose musher had their sled broken by running into a tree, etc.

The other thing we do on another wall in the hallway is encourage our
children to read in the Accelerated Reading program.  We us the term
Iditaread (not original to us, we know).  This word is up in large
letters on the wall.  We have points across the wall in 50 point
increments with a prize at each level.  At 50 points, we give official
Iditarod pencils that we've purchased at the Iditarod Store in Alaska. 

At 100 points, we offer a form of ice cream.  At 150 points they get an
extra recess, and at 200 points, they get a movie.  The race is usually
over by then, and we hope all the classes make the movie. 

Sometimes it's just a winter story, but we have the past videos of races and interviews that we show also.  Each class has a cut out, laminated dog, (4 classes; four colors of dogs).  The classes compete in the race to 200 points.  Each class teacher takes care of her own class as they get to the different points.  We move our dogs every couple of days. 
Generally we wait at 200 points until everyone arrives at the finish,
and show a choice of several movies, so the students can pick. 
Refreshments are generally served at the movie, like popcorn and drink.

Thanks for letting me share.  Carol