Sixth Grade
Worksheets
The Iditarod
Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Reading Comprehension for March 1
The short winter day on the trail has faded to darkness. It's not yet time to stop and make camp. The stars hang like a curtain just above the trees, and the dogs are moving well. Around you the silence is broken only by the shushing of the sled runners over the snow and the panting breaths of the dogs. This is the Iditarod.
In 1925, a terrible epidemic struck the city of Nome, Alaska. The people were dying of diphtheria, and they had no way to stop its spread. The serum needed was almost gone. Bad weather kept planes on the ground in Fairbanks, Alaska, so they couldn't bring supplies.
The closest they could get was Nenana, Alaska. The serum was rushed from there to Nome by dog sled relay teams. They covered the 675 miles in just over 5 days. The Iditarod race was instituted in honor of the historic feat.
Throughout Alaska's history, sled dogs have played an integral role; first with native peoples, then with the gold rush. Even now sled dogs are kept for winter transportation in some places.
