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"Following the Iditarod"
A "Teaching Children Social Studies with the Internet project" suggested by Marjorie Duby, retired practitioner Joseph Lee Elementary School
What I like about the Iditarod is that the annual event fits in well with my class' reading of Stone Fox by John Gardiner. While we are pursuing our literary interpretations and discussing key questions, we are seeing a real sled dog race in action.
Project name: Iditarod
Original access: a Kidsphere message looking for participants
Type of project: electronic mail
Discipline(s): Geography, map skills, reading, graphing, polling
Grade level:Middle-upper elementary with much teacher guidance
Goal/objective:
To follow the Iditarod race by receiving the race information of checkpoint and along the route happenings along with information about the mushers. To connect this race to work being done in the classroom about sled dog racing, life in Alaskan wilderness, tie in with reading "Stone Fox" and viewing "Iron Will" and/or "Balto."
Description of the original project:
- One way of receiving information about this topic is through the Iditanet contacting Bob Kuhn at RSRCK@AURORA.ALASKA.EDU. Bob is a teacher in McGrath, Alaska and coordinates the project.
- Subject: IDITANET PROJECT
"This is a request for participants to join in with us in a project called IDITANET. The project will revolve around the Iditarod Sled Dog Race from Anchorage, AK to Nome, AK approximately 1,100 miles. It will take place in early March and run for about 2-3 weeks. Following is a brief description of the project:
If you are interested in participating please write to me at the e-mail address below. If you have any questions please do the same.
Thank You.
Bob Kuhn, Technology Coordinator
Iditarod Area School District
McGrath, AK 99627
RSRCK@AURORA.ALASKA.EDU>
- When I follow the Iditarod, I bypass waiting for another class to send me the information and aquire the information myself on a daily basis having students download the race updates and marking on a map display of the Iditarod route which also includes the mushers in the race the daily checkpoints.
This year, we also followed on a more limited basis: the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon (Jan. 12 - 17, 1997), the Yukon Quest (February 9, 1997) and Iditarod Trail International Sled Dog Race (March 1, 1997)
Time commitment: For the two week period near the time of the race, you need time for daily downloading of race result messages. Should you opt to reply to questions on the Iditanet project, more time should be allowed for sending electronic mail.
Telecommunications skills: electronic mail; possibility of distribution lists
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As of December 4, 2003, you are visitor 
to share our Iditarod webpage.
Created: 1997
Last modified: October 18, 2006 by Marjorie Duby, former practitioner at Joseph Lee School, Boston, MA
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