Iditarod Books and Resources

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From Unit Plan: Iditarod: Race Across Alaska 

Books

The Following Teacher Resources Are Available at The Teacher Store:

Circle of Thanks by Susi Gregg Fowler; illustrated by Peter Catalanotto
Grades Pre-K-1
As an Alaskan boy and his mother walk through the slushy tundra, a baby otter pup slides into the icy river. The mother rushes in to rescue her, a selfless act that prompts a chain reaction of rescues from other animals.

The Foxman by Gary Paulsen
Grades 6-9
A town boy sent to live on a remote wilderness farm forms a friendship with an elderly, disfigured man who teaches him many things. This book is for mature readers.

The Iceberg Hermit by Arthur Roth
Grades 6-9
Based on a true story, a 17-year-old boy manages to survive alone on an iceberg for two years after his ship sinks.

Iditarod Dream  by Ted Wood
Grades 3-5
This photo-essay details the story of a 15-year-old Alaskan boy as he prepares for and runs the 158-mile course of the Junior Iditarod.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George; illustrated by John Schoenherr
Grades 6-9
Thirteen-year-old Julie, an Eskimo girl, becomes lost on the tundra and is protected by a pack of wolves.

Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
Grades 6-9
The author's adventures in the wild and the harrowing account of his first Iditarod dogsled race across Alaska.

Alaska by Shelley Gill
Grades 4-8
From avoiding the perils of the icy Iditarod in a History and Hazards board game to charting the sizes of big bears and other giants of the Alaskan wilderness, this learning-packed resource includes everything about Alaska.

From Sea to Shining Sea - Alaska by Barbara A. Somervill
Grades 3-5
An indispensable source for state history instruction.

Teaching with Gary Paulsen (six books)
Grades 5-8
An in-depth study of award-winning adventure author Gary Paulsen's most captivating novels: Woodsong, Dogsong, Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter.

Look for These Books in Your Library:

The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford; Illustrated by Donald Cook
Grades 1-3
The dramatic true story of the sled dog who led his team through 53 miles of snow and ice to deliver medicine during a 1925 diphtheria outbreak.

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Grades 2-6
Willy enters a dogsled race in hopes of winning the prize money to pay taxes owed on his grandfather's farm. But is the family dog any match for the magnificent team owned by the mysterious Indian Stone Fox?

Web Sites

Official Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Web Site
Find musher biographies, historic facts, daily race statistics, and more.

Iditarod: Northern and Southern Routes
Explore checkpoints for the southern route (raced in odd-numbered years), and for the northern route (raced in even-numbered years).

Ultimate Iditarod
Take an inside look at Alaska's Iditarod from the mushers' perspectives.

Dogsled.com
Check this source for breaking Iditarod news.

Sled Dogs: An Alaskan Epic
Move your mouse over a Shockwave sled to find out more about the sport of dog sledding.

Olympic Torch Leaves U.S. on Its Way to Greece
The Olympic torch travelled throughout the five continents on its way to the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Useful URLs: March 2, 2009 | Junior Scholastic
Check here for an archive of helpful links and additional online resources for the March 2, 2009 issue of Junior Scholastic.

Grade 4-6: Lessons, Printables and Activities
Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month and the end of the school year with fun lessons, printables, and activities inspired by Kung Fu Panda, the new animated film from DreamWorks and Paramount.

LESSON PLAN	Global Trek Students travel to countries around the world without ever having to leave their classroom.
UNIT PLAN	Iditarod: Race Across Alaska Students learn about the Iditarod, a 1,100-mile dogsled race across Alaska. They exlore mushers' experiences, and Alaskan geography and climate,...
ONLINE ACTIVITY	Iditarod: Race Across Alaska This online activity follows the Iditarod race across Alaska, both the adult and junior versions. Students do a variety of explorations from...