First graders participate in 4th annual Ikidarod at GES

During the winter months, the first-grade class at Great Expectations School has been eagerly following along and learning about the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in northern Minnesota and the historic long-distance Iditarod race in Alaska.

After learning about the dogs, the mushers, and the sled, the first graders participated in their own sled dog challenge called the Ikidarod on the school property. To prepare for the Ikidarod challenge, the young students constructed their sleds using a plastic sled base, cardboard, tape, and glue. Then, they planned their route and determined who was going to be a musher or a dog for the race.

“The point of it for the teams is working together, having fun problem solving,” Nikki Rice, the first-grade teacher at GES, said. This is the fourth year that Rice has hosted the Ikidarod challenge in her classroom.

Rice said she enjoys watching the students develop and learn about character traits. “Character traits can help us get through difficult situations or challenges.”

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins visited the first graders at GES to learn more about the Ikidarod challenge and hear what the students enjoyed about the challenge. Audio and pictures below.

Kalli Hawkins March 23, 2023