The eIditarod
Prepare for the Race!
Norwood Public School



1
 Begin with the overview of the project timeline.
2
 What is a musher?  What qualities do successful mushers need to have?
3
 Background:  listen to the podcast here and answer the questions.
4
 Watch the DVD from the 2009 race.
5
 Create a wall-sized map of Alaska with this year's trail.
6
 Decide upon the musher you will follow this year. Read through this letter.
Investigate the web cams!

 7
 Track your selected musher during this year's race.  (The class will vote on one to follow).
a.  What weight must your musher "move" during the race? NJ Standards 4.2(4)D.2

a.  Find out what type of sled your musher uses.  Create a drawing; use metric measurements to create a scale drawing of its dimensions.

b.  What does your musher carry on the sled between checkpoints?  Find out the weight of the sled itself and the weight of materials carried by the dog teams.

c.  How do mushers handle the cold?  Find out about frostbite, and learn how it can be prevented and treated.
8
 Student extension and optional activities. (Click here).
a.  Play "mush rush." 
b.  Create a word search or crossword puzzle with musher terminology.  NJ Standards 4.2(4)D.2

Check the postings! 

Newspapers, podcasts, twitter, weather reports,
& blogs.

The Anchorage Daily News
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
The Nome Nugget
Official Iditarod Postings
Storm Ready Center
Podcasts (must be viewed in itunes)
Iditarod Blogs
twitter
 9
 Read this article.
10
 Study the trail map. 
a.  Use the printed map and ODD year worksheet; determine the distance between each checkpoint. 
b.   Use these websites (1  2) to convert the distance between checkpoints from miles to kilometers.
c.  Check this link to learn more about the route.
11
 Learn about the race. 
a.  What is the registration fee for each musher that wants to register? 
b.  What is the expense for necessary supplies along the race?  (NJ Standards 4.2(4)D.3)
c.  What preparation (both financial and physical) is needed?
Live Video
the 2010 Start
Karin Hendrickson
William Pinkham leaves Finger Lakes
Ross Adam in Finger Lake
 12.
 Countdown to the start. 
a.  How many days until the race begins?
b.  If you wanted to attend, what airlines could you select to fly from Newark, NJ to Anchorage? 
c.  How much would it cost?
13.
 Track the temperatures in Norwood and along the trail.
a.  Use both Celsius and Fahrenheit measurements, and learn how to convert from one to another. 
b.  Create a poster of a thermometer; show the daily temperatures along the trail (in Celsius.)  (NJ Standards 4.1(4)A.7)
14.
 How fast must a musher move along the course to be among the top finishers?
a.  What is the average speed of prior years' winners?
b.  Each student should visit this web site to find the exact time (hours, minutes, and seconds) at his or her assigned checkpoints and also determine the elapsed time between the two.
c.  You will need to calculate the speed using the ideas found here.  (Here is an excel spreadsheet to use in gathering and studying information).
d.  Calculate the average speed for each of the top three mushers over the entire course.



15. Use this website to check the time where you are and in Alaska (AKDT.)
16. Which musher finished this year's race in first place? 
a.  Write a two paragraph composition explaining the reasons for this musher's success. 
b.  Discuss the musher's experience, physical preparation, planning, "good fortune," & sled dogs' health.
17. What does the first place musher and team win?






Photo references
Dog sleds
Doggy blanket
 


Teacher references 1  2  3  4  5  6