Central Elementary students keeping pace with Iditarod mushers

Students at Central Elementary in Mrs. Roach’s class and Mrs. Sylvester’s class are keeping up with the Iditarod. Each student has chosen a musher and they are following his or her progress along the Iditarod trail.

In Sylvester’s math class, the children are being taught how Pi (3.14) circles tie in to the Iditarod checkpoints.

In Roach’s class, the children are participating in “Iditaround Nebraska,” using a map of Nebraska in the fashion of the Iditarod. The children read in their social studies book about historical places in the state, including Panorama Point and Chimney Rock, which correlate to the “checkpoints” on the Iditaround Nebraska map. The children have to reference the places in the book in order to get to the next check point. The children are keeping a “mushers log,” through May. With this, minutes read will equal miles on the Iditaround.

Roach says that the Iditarod is a wonderful teaching tool. It uses math, writing, reading, science, art and comparison and contrast skills. Roach stated that the children created video presentations with the Iditarod theme that incorporated comparison and contrast skills a few weeks ago.

Using the Iditarod as a teaching tool is helpful and it is also fun for the children. The children are also able to go online daily to see how their chosen mushers are doing.