Green Meadow 3rd Grade Teacher Michelle Baldwin attended a teacher conference in Alaska during the Iditarod as part of a professional development grant.
Most kids love dogs. But the children who attend Green Meadow Elementary School have taken it to a whole new level thanks to the efforts of 3rd Grade Teacher Michelle Baldwin and the support of her colleagues and the East Greenbush Central School District.
For the past few years, Mrs. Baldwin has incorporated the Iditarod, the famous sled dog race held annually in Alaska, into her lessons at school. She uses it to teach addition, subtraction and word problems, English language arts, social studies, weather and climate, and Alaskan culture, all of which are part of the 3rd grade curriculum. Because the subject matter involves dogs and a world famous sled dog race, the students are engaged in the lessons.
Even character education is woven through instruction as students learn about hard work, perseverance and not giving up.
Last year, Mrs. Baldwin applied for and received a special grant for professional development from the district to attend a four-day conference in Alaska during the start of the Iditarod.
She traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, at the end of February and attended the 2025 Iditarod Winter Educators Conference which featured speakers, field trips, and behind-the-scenes access to the Iditarod, such as attendance for the ceremonial start of the race. Mrs. Baldwin saw veterinarian checks of the dogs, she met mushers (drivers of the dog sleds) at a meet and greet, and volunteered at the race.
“Teaching this unit has always been a favorite of mine, but being able to experience the race firsthand has brought this unit to a whole new level for me, as well as for my students,” said Mrs. Baldwin.
As Mrs. Baldwin was in Alaska learning about the Iditarod and sending daily emails back to school with photos and videos, the Green Meadow teachers and staff were supporting the project at home.
Northern light collage hanging up in Green Meadow’s main hallway.
Art Teacher Karli Powers had 5th grade students paint dog portraits after researching the most commonly used dog breeds of the Iditarod. She had 3rd graders create northern light collages using chalk pastels and ripped paper that tied together both art and science.
Library Media Specialist Laura Wladarczyk added more sled dog and Iditarod books to the library collection and made a featured display where students could check out the books.
Book display in the Green Meadow library.
“It really was all of us,” Mrs. Baldwin said. “All of us together trying to educate and teach.”
Each class in the school selected a different team to root for in the race and every day the progress was charted on a large map in the main hallway.
“Keeping track of the progress of our musher and her dogs each day was so much fun!” said 3rd grader Henry Fraser.
It truly was a school-wide project with the secretaries, custodians and kitchen staff all participating.
After Mrs. Baldwin returned home, she appeared on GMTV three times to share her experience with the school and provide updates of the race.
“Mrs. Baldwin’s initiative in sharing her professional development experience from the Iditarod conference with our school community was truly commendable,” said Principal Dan Garab. “Her consistent communication allowed students and staff to engage with the race in real-time, creating a dynamic and enriching educational opportunity for all.”
About the Iditarod
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance dog race held in Alaska. The race covers roughly 1,000 miles in harsh terrain. Dogs pull the sled which is driven by a musher.
The 2025 race took more than 10 days to complete. Jessie Holmes won the race in a field of 22 teams. Learn more about the Iditarod at iditarod.com.
View this post on Instagram