Musher Journal

WebQuest activity for grades 4 - 8
designed by Jeanie Olson
Schroeder Middle School
Grand Forks, ND

 

You are a musher traveling the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. You are required by rules and regulations of the race to keep an accurate, daily journal of your experiences. You will be given a list of guidelines to follow while keeping your journal. If you follow it closely, you won't be penalized at the end of your race. So..sharpen up your pencil, grab some loose leaf paper, and get ready to write!

The Task

This is an activity that you will participate in individually. Your peers and fellow mushers will also have to keep a daily journal of their travels and experiences. You will be given access to internet links that will provide you with current and updated news information that may be important to you as the musher. Other internet sources will allow you to access current temperatures where you are in Alaska and the current time for your state or country. You will need to make an attractive cover and back page for yourself. You may add graphics appropriate for this assignment. Make sure you include a picture of yourself, biographical information, and statistics in case your journal gets lost. At least another musher can return it to you if he/she finds it on the trail. You will need to keep track of your progress on a spreadsheet style of document, which will be provided if you need.

Resources

The following resources and links will prove useful while daily entries in your journal are being completed.

• Iditarod website - daily standing and current checkpoints statistics
• What you should know about the Iditarod - compilation of important information and facts
• Musher Journal Directions and Guidelines - printable information for daily entry requirements
• World Time Conversion site - excellent site that allows for worldwide time conversions
• Iditarod checkpoints temperature site - WOW! One place with all checkpoints!
• Iditarod Trail Map - Cabela's 2000 coloful relief map complete with topography - it's CLICKABLE, too!
• Iditarod Trail Map - Scholastic Network printable map
• Interactive Trail Map - Scholastic Network image map allows you to click within for closer look
• Musher Record Sheet - Excellent printable spreadsheet document to keep daily progress on
• Musher Bio Information - biographical information on all competing mushers, their past races winnings, and sponsorship information

The Process

These are the steps that you will need to perform each and every day to complete your daily journal entry.

• Adopt your musher that you will become during this race. Read up on your musher's biography.
• Print out a copy of the Musher Journal guidelines that you will need to follow. Paste this sheet onto the inside back cover of your journal. This way you will have it prepared each day you need it.
• Access your current standing and place in the race.
• Locate daily updates on news articles about yourself and fellow mushers. It's very interesting for
  your audience to read about what happens to others in your travels.
• Read Don Bower's Trail Notes to locate interesting geographical information about the location you are at and what you may have been involved in overnight. You will need to select the checkpoint from the menu and click on "GO GET IT!"
• Locate daily temperatures closest to your checkpoint location. Remember this is 1,000+ mile race
  and the temperatures vary severely from the interior of Alaska to other regions. Type in the name of your checkpoint closest to you!
• Calculate your time conversion from Alaska time to your region. Remember that Alaska is in a
  different time zone and you will need to make appropriate conversions.
• Make note of the number of dogs you have. Check Anchorage Daily News updates to find out
  why you may have dropped dogs. Also be aware of any dogs that expire on the trail. If you have
  a dog die on you, the trail officials don't allow you to proceed further until necropsy has been
  performed. The ITC has strict rules pertaining to expired dogs and preventative deaths. See Rule
  Number 18 pertaining to expired dogs.
• You will be writing in the first person...that being that you are the musher in this journal. You will
  be using the word "I" frequently. Try to write persuasively, making your reader believe your story and what happens to you on the trail.
• You are encouraged to make up some details in your daily journal, however, you may not kill off
  dogs, yourself, or other mushers in your writings. Follow the daily updates for accuracy and facts.
• You are encouraged to include humor if you wish. See the sample journal entries from a previous
  musher.
• Keep your entry information on a Musher Record sheet. It will be organized and easy to follow.
• Keep track of your daily progress on a classroom Iditarod Trail map by creating a flag pin with
  your name and bib number on it. As you progress through the race, move your pin.

Click Me!Educator's Learning Advice and Concerns

Conclusion

Upon completing your musher journal, you should have gained much insight into the trails, travels, and occurences of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Many mushers keep daily logs such as this throughout the entire year to keep track of daily expenses, training techniques, behavior and progress particular dogs are making, training exercises and distances they travel to prepare, medical information, and more. I'm sure their list is endless. Perhaps you can email one of the mushers below to find out the extent of their journal keeping? Do you see where writing in a different point of view can be a valuable experience as well as fun?

Ask your teacher to make a copy of your journal and place it in your cumulative folder for next year's teacher to see. Writing such as this can be an impressive piece to gauge your talents as an author and writer. Plus, you will have a product reflective of your writing abilities at this point of your school year.

Email Me

Jeanie Olson