What do students learn when they study the Iditarod?
March 13th, 2009 by admin
It should have been an educational week for students at Pompano Beach Middle School. As part of a project created by teacher Linda Kal Sander, students are learning about the Iditarod sled dog race. According to an article in the Miami Herald, each student has been assigned to a dog sled and musher, and are plotting their progress on a map of Alaska.
Sander is hoping to be named “2010 Teacher of the Trail,” an honor that would allow her to spend three weeks in Alaska during next year’s race. According to Sander, “I became totally fascinated with the idea of these amazing animal-athletes. They love to run.”
There’s no doubt that dogs enjoy running, but the grueling conditions and competitive nature of the 1,150-mile race often lead to tragedy. The Iditarod has a long history of dog deaths, illnesses and injuries.
This year’s race is only a week old and already one sled dog, a six-year-old named Viktor, has died (the cause of his death is not yet known) and another dog, a 5-year-old named Nigel, got loose during an accident and has not been found. Are the students at Pompano Beach Middle aware of these incidents?
Contact the school principal and ask her to make sure that students are taught the sad reality of the Iditarod.
Contact:
Principal Sonja Braziel
Pompano Beach Middle School
E-mail: Sonja.Braziel@browardschools.com