Educate & INspire

Idaho Sled Dog Challenge
Education Program

In Partnership with The Iditarod, University of Idaho, and Idaho STEM Program

2025 Educational Opportunities

The ISDC is busy getting ready for the 2025 races and putting together fun educational opportunities for local students and families for Sled Dog Week to include movie night, family trivia night, special library programs, musher bag decorating and a meet the mushers event.

Stay Tuned: There will be additional opportunities for students to win a sled dog ride at the Ceremonial Start, a VIP tour of the musher lot before the official race and a photo with their favorite musher. Follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.

bring sled dog racing into the classroom

Using Sled Dog Races for STEM

Engage your students! View the presentation from Heidi Sloan, 2018 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail.

Harnessing the power of the iditarod

Get the stories, design, engineering, speed calculations and more from your classroom, all from the Iditarod trail!

History & ISDC Memories

Engage your students! View the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge 2020 Volunteer Slides

education ideas

TRACK A TEAM

Print a map of the racecourse and small sled dog team markers. Follow GPS trackers and move musher markers along the trail each morning or afternoon.

CARE PACKAGES & LETTER WRITING

Send a care package to a checkpoint for a musher.

CALCULATING RACE DISTANCES

Math Project:  calculate mush team distances by the day, how long it takes to reach that distance, subtract rest times, and calculate average dog team speed per mile.

ON THE PLAYGROUND

Play dog team on the playground.  Get a rope and have “dog” team members hold the rope with one hand with a musher at one end giving commands.

ADOPT A TEAM

Adopt a Mush Team:  make posters, send letters, and follow them through the race.

DOG’S JOURNAL

Write a dog’s journal of the trail

MATH PROJECTS

More math projects are available on the Iditarod education link below.

Learn More

SIMON SAYS

Play Simon Says like a dog team.  Simon (musher) says:
Gee – Right
Haw – Left
Come Gee or Haw – 180 turn in either direction
Hike – Go forward
Easy – Slow down
Whoa – Stop

Sample Student report

Created after the 2019 race, attached is a sample research report created by ISDC enthusiast (and new musher) Xander Whiteman..

View the 2022 Race Gallery

photos credit Melissa Shelby Photography