4th Grade Iditarod Lesson Plan (Language Arts)

Topic: The Iditarod

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to explain what the Iditarod is and how it is run.
• Students will be able to track the progress of the Iditarod racers using primary and secondary sources.

Materials

• Maps of Alaska showing the route of the Iditarod
• Media articles about this year's Iditarod
• Secondary source materials such as books or websites

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have heard of the Iditarod before.
• Ask them to share what they know about the Iditarod.
• Write their ideas on the board and discuss as a class.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the topic of the Iditarod and explain that it is a long-distance dog sled race that takes place in Alaska.
• Show students pictures and videos of the race to give them a visual understanding of the event.
• Explain the historical significance of the Iditarod and how it has evolved over the years.
• Discuss the primary and secondary sources that will be used to research the Iditarod.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a specific aspect of the Iditarod to research and present to the class.
• Provide each group with their assigned primary and secondary sources and have them use these sources to conduct their research.
• Have students use graphic organizers and journaling tools to record and organize their findings.
• Have students present their findings to the class and facilitate a class discussion on what they learned.

Independent Practice

• Assign each student a specific team in the Iditarod to track throughout the race.
• Have students use their chosen primary and secondary sources to follow their assigned team's progress and report back to the class on their findings.
• Have students use graphic organizers and journaling tools to record and organize their findings.

Closure

• Have students share their findings with the class and discuss any interesting or unexpected occurrences during the race.
• Ask students to reflect on the importance of the Iditarod in Alaska and how it impacts the local communities.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the independent practice to assess their understanding of primary and secondary sources, their ability to conduct independent research, and their ability to present their findings to the class.
• Evaluate each student's participation in the class discussions and their participation in the class project to assess their understanding of the importance of the Iditarod in Alaska.