In a few short  weeks the Iditarod Sled Dog Race will begin.  We thought your family might enjoy doing a Unit Study on this topic or just enjoy following the race.
    Did you know that there are a few Homeschool Teens in this years Junior Iditarod race?  There are!!  It will be fun following these teens and see who wins.

     On this page you will find links to websites that offer Unit study helps, information on the Iditarod and other neat things.  There are links to mapping ideas, math fun, making snowflakes & igloos and so much more.  Each of these links work as of January 30th!!

     As I scoured the web recently, I found some neat things.  We will be creating a large map and following the race with a our own small handmade Sleddog - moving it daily along the map as the Homeschool Teens we are rooting for make progress.

     You will also find links to websites on Alaska, also.  Have fun!!!

Literature Reads for the Iditarod (books about the Iditarod, Wolves, Sleddogs, Alaska etc)
  Susan Butcher and the Iditarod Trail by Ellen Dolan
   Stone Fox  by John Gardner
   Kiana's Iditarod by Shelley Gill
  Black Star Bright Dawn by Scott O'Dell
  Dogs on duty by Catherine O'Neill
  Race against death by Seymour Reit
  Storm Run by Libby Riddles (a Iditarod Participant)
  Wounded Wolf by Jean Craighead George
  Akiak (wolf dog story) by Robert Blake
  Iditarod Dream by Ted Wood
  Dashing through the snow - Junir Iditarod by Sherry Shahan
  The Bravest Dog Ever - the true story of Balto by Natalie Standiford
  Dogsong by Gary Paulsen
  Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
  Tracker by Gary Paulsen
  Julie of the Wolves  by Jean C. George
  Racing Sled Dogs by Michael Cooper
  Northern Lights by Jago

POLAR ARCTIC & OTHER GOOD LITERATURE
  Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
  Dear Rebecca Winter is Here by Jean Craighead George
  Nutik & Amaroq Play Ball by Jean C. George
  Nutik, the wolf pup by Jean C. George
  Look to the North - wolf pup diary by Jean C. George
  Dorling Kindersley book - Arctic & Antarctic
  Polar Bear Journey by Debbie Miller
  Polar Bear Son by Lydia Dabcovich
  The Igloo by Charlotte Yue
  Great Ice Bear by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
  Polar Bears by Nikita Ovsyanikov
  Alaska's Three Bears by Shannon Cartwright
  Klondike & Snow by Denver Zoo
  Arctic Son by Jean C. George
  Heart of the Arctic - story of a polar bear family by Deborah Howland
  Draw Write Now - Book #4 - on the Polar Regions
  Polar Regioins Cool Actitvities by Lorraine Egan

OTHER WINTER LITERATURE
   Buried in Ice by Owen Beattie  - check out the unit study ideas website below.
   Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by Mary Mape Dodge
   The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
   Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
   Snowflake Bentley
   Creatures in Winter by Wayne Northey
   Scrub the story of a Northern Michigan White Tailed Deer  by Farest Halvorsen

IDEAS WE WILL BE USING THIS MONTH
    Here are a few of the ideas we will be enjoying this month.  We are excited about doing them.
   Many were gleaned from the websites below.  And we will find more as we go ahead with our unit.
   Most of all, we just want to have fun!!  We hope you do, too!!

Make a large map of the Iditarod Trail from a small one
Read all the Junior Bios of those participating the Iditarod & choosing one or two to follow
Keep daily track of the Junior Musher we choose to follow and mark progress on map.
Read other books/literature on the Iditarod, wolves, alaska etc.
Read about Sled Dogs.  (perhaps visit someone who raising sled dogs)
Study Auroras  (read about them and then paint our own)
Make a small dog sled out of Popcicle sticks
  Talk about what is carried in a dog sled and why it is
Make Dog Biscuits for our dog
Write a poetry and/or keep journal on study
Make Paper snowflakes
Make Crystal Snowflakes
Look at Snowflakes under a microscope
Do some Ice/Water Experiments
Watch some videos on the Iditarod, sled dogs, Alaska etc.

WEBSITES

Junior Iditarod Biographies (those participating this year)
  www.iditarod.com/03-jrbios.htlml

Iditarod    (Main page of Iditarod Info - has maps and info)  Great Website!
  www.iditarod.com

Lesson Plans for the Iditarod - lots of great ideas.  Fun!!!
  http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson103.shtml

SeaWorld Wild Arctic Adventures - neat science, history, experiments - loads of fun!
  http://www.seaworld.org/arctic/explor.html

Mrs. Morgan Iditarod Lesson Ideas
  http://www.chathamma.com/iditarod/

Iditarod in the Classroom
  http://www.rims.k12.ca.us/iditarod/class/

Live from Antarctica  - Teacher's Guide (lessons/resources/science)
  http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/antarctica/teacherguide.html

Animals of Alaska/Arctic Notebook ideas & info
   http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/notehome.htm

Take a Virtual Sled Dog Ride
  http://www.trailriverhuskies.com/

The Story of Balto from PBS
  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/sleddogs/balto.html

Zuma's Paw Prints - Just For Kids - Daily Update on and for the Iditarod!!  Neat!!
  http://www.iditarod.com/zuma_s_paw_prints.html

Follow the Race daily at:
  http://www.dogsled.com/

   www.iditarod.com

Explore the Iditarod Trail with Virtual Map at Scholastic
  http://teacher.scholastic.com/iditarod/map/map_flash.htm

Cut Out Sled Dog/Team - fun for kids - could be used with map activities
  http://home.gci.net/~deewilcox/cutoutdogteam.html

Find out what's carried in a Dog Sled
  http://www.ultimateiditarod.com/DogsledF.htm

Arts & Crafts - Make a Popcicle Stick Dog Sled - cute!
  http://www.oregontrail.net/~thesmiths/iditarod/sled.html

Make a Borax Snowflake
  http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/snow/boraxsnowflake.html

More Snowflake Art fun you can make
   http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/snow/art.html

Snow Science & Activities
  http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/snow/science.html
  http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/snow/activities.html

How to Make an Igloo
   http://www.benmeadows.com/refinfo/tips/Article1.htm

All About Glaciers
   http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu/glaciers/

Learn about Auroras Borealis (activites and ideas)
  http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com/index_18may00.htm

Learn about PermaFrost
  http://www.ktca.org/newtons/11/prmfrost.html

Lesson Plan Ideas to use with the Book "Buried in Ice" by Owen Beattie
  http://www.benmeadows.com/refinfo/tips/Article1.htm

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