The Iditarod: The Last Great Race

“The Iditarod: The Last Great Race” is an introduction to the Iditarod sled dog race that occurs annually in Alaska. Students will learn what the race is, and about the elements that make up the race including the mushers, dogs, and hardships.

Weblink address (URL):

Home Page- source

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be introduced to and understand the following:

Iditarod mushers
Huskies: mushing dogs
Race preparation and hardships

Essential and guiding questions:

What is the Iditarod?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Extension suggestions:

To extend the lesson, provide the Iditarod books and Web sites listed in this lesson plan as take-home resources. The students can then explain their new knowledge about the Iditarod with friends and family members.
Every year, the Iditarod takes place in March. You can find a list of the mushers and follow their progress throughout the race. Completing this lesson before March will allow your students to follow the mushers during the race. Posting the race route and picking two to three mushers to follow will excite the students and extend their learning.

Helpful Hints

Primary Sources & Materials Used:

Alaska--Freighting with dog teams
- Dog sled arriving from Iditarod (see image at right)
- Local Legacies: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
- Today in History: “Mush! Mush! First Woman Wins Iditarod”
- America’s Story from America’s Library: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Web sites:
- The Teacher’s Corner: Iditarod Printable Worksheets
Books:
- Gill, Shelley. Kiana's Iditarod. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 1984.
- Blake, Robert. Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod. New York: Philomel Books, 1997.