The Iditarod

By Trina DeCilles

Grade 2

Introduction

• Now that you have read the story Balto, The Bravest Dog Ever, by Natalie Standiford, you will begin a journey to learn about dog sled racing and the Iditarod. You will read interesting facts about dog sled racing and research how your own musher does in this year’s Iditarod.

Tasks

• Task 1- History of Iditarod

• Task 2- Biography of Musher

• Task 3- Journaling Progress of Musher throughout the race and distance traveled

• Task 4- Final journal reflections and thoughts

Process:Task 1

• Your first adventure takes you on a trip to discover the history of the Iditarod. You and your partner will visit the websites below to begin your journey. Please read the information carefully.

• The first entry, in the journal you will be keeping for the remainder of the race, is to write a paragraph telling what you have learned about the history of the Iditarod.

Happy Reading!! • http://www.alaskanet.com/Tourism/Activities/iditarod/history.html• http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/iditarodkidsF.htm• http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/historic/index.as

p?article=historic_iditarod

Key Points for Summary

• How dog sled racing and the Iditarod began

• Where the first race was

• How long ago it began

• 2-3 other interesting facts that you learned

Process:Task 2

• Now that you have chosen a musher, it is time to learn some facts about him/her. Please visit the website below to find your musher’s name. Then click on the name to find out some information about your musher. Please write these facts in the journal you will be keeping for the remainder of the race.

• Journal entry should include: Name, where they are from, how long he/she has been racing and 2 to 3 other facts you find interesting.

• http://www.iditarod.com/race/race/currentstandings.html• For other interesting information and questions you may have about

sled dogs and the Iditarod, visit the site below. You may include any of this information in your journal if you would like.

• http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/teachers.htm

Process: Task 3

• Throughout the time of the Iditarod you will be keeping track of how your musher is doing by writing down their daily progress in your journal.

• It must include: date, musher’s position 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., current check point, number of dogs left in race, information about the checkpoint, and calculate the distance traveled each day since the beginning of the race in Anchorage. Take the total number of miles from Anchorage to Nome (1112 Mi) and subtract the distance to Nome from the current checkpoint. This will give you the total distance traveled so far.

• After you have checked the daily standing of your musher each day, visit the link below to click on an interactive map. Here you can learn some information about each check point he/she is passing through. You may also choose to include this information in your journal.

• http://www.iditarod.com/

Process: Task 4

• As a final entry in your journal please include your musher’s final standing and how many dogs were left in the race. Then respond to the following questions.

• Why do you think your musher finished the race in this position?

• What factors played a role in their placement? For example: how many dogs did they begin and end with, what was the weather like in Alaska during the race, etc.

• What are your personal thoughts and feelings about the Iditarod race?

Directions for Self-Evaluation

• Throughout this activity, you had the opportunity to ask questions and have your teacher, a friend, and parent check and evaluate your ongoing journal.

• You were also shown the self-evaluation rubric for which you would be grading yourself at the end.

• Now that you have completed your journey, you will evaluate your own work. You will be given one more chance to have it reviewed by one other person before your final evaluation.

• If you are ready to give yourself a final evaluation now, you can go to the self-evaluation on the next page.

• When you are finished with the evaluation, you will turn it in to your teacher for a final teacher-evaluation and grade.

Self Evaluation for JournalScore 1 2 3 4

Conventions/Mechanics

Eleven or more mis-spelled words. Missing most or all punctuation and capitalization.

Seven to ten mis-spelled words and/or seven to ten mistakes with punctuation and capitalization.

Four to six mis-spelled words and/or four to six mistakes with punctuation and capitalization.

Zero to three mis-spelled words and/or four to six mistakes with punctuation and capitalization.

Organization/Presentation

Most of the journal is difficult to read. No organization or proper paragraph formation. Made very little effort to write neatly.

Some parts of the journal are difficult to read. Some organization is evident. Made some effort to write neatly.

Very few parts of the journal are difficult to read. Good organization throughout. Made good effort to write neatly.

No parts of the journal are difficult to read. It is very well organized. Made excellent effort to write neatly.

Content/Detail Completed less than the minimum required for the journal. Missing 3 or all tasks. Responses are incomplete and lack many details.

Completed less than the minimum required for the journal. Missing 2 or more tasks. Some responses are complete with some detail.

Completed all 4 tasks for journal. Responses are complete and include good detail for each.

Completed all 4 tasks plus more than required. Responses are complete and include descriptive detail and thought.

Resources

• http://www.iditarod.com/race/race/currentstandings.html• http://www.iditarod.com/• http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/teachers.htm • http://www.alaskanet.com/Tourism/Activities/iditarod/history.htm• http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/iditarodkidsF.htm• http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/historic/index.as

p?article=historic_iditarod

Conclusion

• I hope you enjoyed your journey. Visit these other fun sites to further your knowledge of the Iditarod and dog sled racing!!!

• http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/activities/Iditarod/

• http://www.adn.com/iditarod

• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/alaska/iditarod/

• http://www2.grand-forks.k12.nd.us/Iditarod/iditarod.html

• http://library.thinkquest.org/3796/