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Alaska

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

September 28, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 4-week hands-on Alaska unit study. Also, grab more ideas on my Best Homeschool Unit Studies page. Too, look at my Arctic Region and Arctic and Inuit Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas.

Alaska is the largest state in the United States and is a land of breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Furthermore, from the towering mountains and sparkling glaciers to the vast forests and abundant wildlife, Alaska offers a wide range of opportunities for exploration and learning.

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

We will explore the state’s diverse ecosystems, learn about its indigenous peoples, and discover its unique place in American history.

Too, I prepared this 4-week unit study with multiple ages in mind.

Further, this study will foster a deep appreciation for Alaska’s unique culture, history, and environment.

We’ll include geography, science, history, art and a bit of math.

BOOKS ABOUT ALASKA FOR KIDS

First, look at these books about Alaska.

When I can find them, I include living books.

Then I add reference books.

13 Alaska Books for Kids Who Love to Be Read to and Love to Read

Add some of these books about the beautiful state of Alaska to your learning day or to your unit study about Alaska.

One Man's Wilderness, 50th Anniversary Edition: An Alaskan Odyssey

To live in a pristine land unchanged by man...to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed...to choose an idyllic site, cut trees, and build a log cabin...to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available...to be not at odds with the world, but content with one’s own thoughts and company...

Thousands have had such dreams, but Dick Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. One Man’s Wilderness is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature’s events that kept him company. From Dick’s journals, and with firsthand knowledge of his subject and the setting, Sam Keith has woven a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.

The Year of Miss Agnes (Aladdin Historical Fiction)

Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred for short) doesn't have much faith that the new teacher in town will last very long. After all, they never do. Most teachers who come to their one-room schoolhouse in remote, Alaska leave at the first smell of fish, claiming that life there is just too hard.But Miss Agnes is different -- she doesn't get frustrated with her students, and she throws away old textbooks and reads Robin Hood instead! For the first time, Fred and her classmates begin to enjoy their lessons and learn to read and write -- but will Miss Agnes be like all the rest and leave as quickly as she came?

Gentle Ben

The Alaskan wilderness is a lonely place for Mark Andersen, especially after the death of his older brother, Jamie. But in time Mark finds someone else to love--Ben, an Alaskan brown bear so huge that no one else dares come near him. Gentle Ben has been a favorite of readers of all ages for 25 years, and is a timeless story of a rare friendship.

Sweet Home Alaska

 It's 1934, and times are tough for Trip's family after the mill in their small Wisconsin town closes, leaving her father unemployed. Determined to provide for his family, he moves them all to Alaska to become pioneers as part of President Roosevelt's Palmer Colony project. Trip and her family are settling in, except her mom, who balks at the lack of civilization. But Trip feels like she's following in Laura Ingalls Wilder's footsteps, and she hatches a plan to raise enough money for a piano to convince her musical mother that Alaska is a wonderful and cultured home. Her sights set on the cash prize at the upcoming Palmer Colony Fair, but can Trip grow the largest pumpkin possible--using all the love, energy, and Farmer Boy expertise she can muster?

Touching Spirit Bear (Spirit Bear, 1)

After severely injuring Peter Driscal in an empty parking lot, mischief-maker Cole Matthews is in major trouble. But instead of jail time, Cole is given another option: attend Circle Justice, an alternative program that sends juvenile offenders to a remote Alaskan Island to focus on changing their ways. Desperate to avoid prison, Cole fakes humility and agrees to go.

While there, Cole is mauled by a mysterious white bear and left for dead. Thoughts of his abusive parents, helpless Peter, and his own anger cause him to examine his actions and seek redemption—from the spirit bear that attacked him, from his victims, and, most importantly, from himself.

Home Is the North (Walter Morey Adventure Library)

Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

The Snow Child: A Novel

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart -- he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone -- but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

The Moon of the Gray Wolves: The Thirteen Moons Series

It is November, and for the gray wolves of the Toklat Pass in Alaska, the hunt is on. It is time to harvest the sickly, weak, or old caribou as the herd migrates through the pass. It is also a time to test the survival skills of the young wolf pups.

In Thirteen Moons - a spellbinding wildlife series - Newbery Award-winning author Jean Craighead George has captured 13 North American animals in their natural environments and chronicled their fight for survival. From the lush Florida Everglades to the fertile Canadian east, this series explores the intricate relationships among animals, plants, and the ever-changing environment in which they live. A favorite of adults and children alike, George's entertaining and educational tales of nature alive and in action - Julie, Shark Beneath the Reef, and Julie of the Wolves - have thrilled listeners for a generation. Barbara Caruso's inspired narration captures the vitality and harsh reality of life on the hunt.

Mama, Do You Love Me?

Mama, do you love me? Yes I do Dear One. How much? In this universal story, a child tests the limits of independence and comfortingly learns that a parent's love is unconditional and everlasting. The story is made all the more captivating by its unusual Arctic setting. The lyrical text introduces young readers to a distinctively different culture, while at the same time showing that the special love that exists between parent and child transcends all boundaries of time and place. The story is beautifully complemented by graphically stunning illustrations that are filled with such exciting animals as whales, wolves, puffins, and sled dogs, and a carefully researched glossary provides additional information on Arctic life. This tender and reassuring book is one that both parents and children will turn to again and again.

Under Alaska's Midnight Sun

In the far northern parts of the world, near and above the Arctic Circle, summer days are very long. In Barrow, Alaska, for example, the sun rises in May and sets 83 days later, in early August. During this time, the sun shines all through the night. People call it the midnight sun. When the midnight sun is shining, people and animals stay active even at night. This sweet poetic narrative, illustrated by award-winner Jeremiah Trammell, showcases the many pleasures of this unique time as a little girl dances, fishes, plays games, watches moose and fox, and communes with family and nature.

Big Jim and the White-legged Moose

Based on an actual real-life encounter with a bull mouse, author-illustrator Jim Arnosky provides music for read-aloud rhymes and entertaining illustrations of his adventure in the woods.

This Place Is Cold (Imagine Living Here)

Focuses on the land, animals, plants, and climate of Alaska, presenting it as an example of a place where it is so cold your hair can freeze and break off.

Togo

Based on the true story of the heroic dogs who saved countless lives in Alaska in 1925, this classic tale is a thrilling adventure and a history lesson all in one.Togo wasn't meant to be a sled dog. He was too feisty and independent to make a good team member, let alone a leader. But Togo is determined, and when his trainer, Leonhard Seppala, gives him a chance, he soon becomes one of the fastest sled dogs in history! His skills are put to the ultimate test, though, when Seppala and his team are called on to make the now-famous run across the frozen Arctic to deliver the serum that will save Alaska from a life-threatening outbreak of diphtheria.

Then, here are some amazing facts you can use to introduce Alaska.

8 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT ALASKA

  1. Dog mushing is the official state sport of Alaska and has roots in the state reaching all the way back to sled dog use which dates back to 1000 AD.
  2. Alaska is the largest state in the US, it is double the size of Texas at almost 600,000 square miles.
  3. The state flag was designed by a 13-year-old boy as part of a contest held in 1926 and was voted on unanimously by the panel of judges. His design of eight stars to represent the Big Dipper, placed on a blue background to represent the sky, and the forget-me-not flower (Alaska state flower).
  4.  More than half of the glaciers in the world are located in Alaska. These glaciers cover 10 times more Alaskan land than people do.
  5. The name Alaska comes from the Aleut, an Indigenous people of Alaska, and means “the great land”.
  6. Alaska is the only US state that has coastlines on the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea.
  7. There are over 130 volcanoes, including 90 that have been active in the last 10,000 years located in Alaska.
  8. Alaska has over 12,000 rivers, streams, and creeks, including seven of the 20 largest rivers located in the US with the Yukon River being the largest.

Keep in mind that not all school subjects may fit naturally into a unit study. Don’t force a fit with a subject.

However, it is a chance to tie concepts in and fit as many ideas as you can in a fun way.

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 1

Many math themes can tie in naturally which will force math concepts.

For instance, look at this list of ideas

  • Track daily temperature in Alaska. Learn how to convert from Fahrenheit and Celsius
  • Build a mini igloo and learn about geometry and shapes. Teach how to calculate perimeter, area and volume. Engineering for Kids | Building Igloos with Marshmallows
  • Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry
  • Prepare a chart to compare snowfall in different cities using tally marks.
  • Look for patterns found in the animals.
  • Research animals and guess the population
  • If you’re working on measurement then measure the distances between cities. Use a ruler and string.
  • Talk about the time zones in Alaska and understand what are time zones. Use a chart to show times in the different time zones in cities
  • Create a bar graph to show animals found in the ocean, tundra and forests
  • Plan a sled dog race and calculate speeds and times of travel based on various speeds
  • Research fish populations and graph the ones you learned about

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas
  • Read Julie of the Wolves for a literature-based study. Look at my post Julie of the Wolves Free Hands-on Arctic Unit Study.
  • Download this fun Alaska Word search.
  • Do poetry inspired by nature
  • Use rocks for storytelling. See my post Cute and Simple Snowman Story Stones Winter Art Activities.
  • This E is for Eagle Preschool Unit covers so much more than just language arts. There are plenty of ideas for math, science, and other subjects as well.
  • Here is a simple read and worksheet about Alaska statehood.
     

In addition, If you are looking for a read aloud that the entire family will love Sweet Home Alaska is the sweetest story.

For example, it is Little House on the Prairie meets American Girl and is about a family who makes their way from their home in Wisconsin to Alaska as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

Besides, that deal gave a couple hundred destitute Midwestern farm families a chance to start over in Alaska, which was then just a U.S. territory.

SCIENCE ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 2

Next, look at some of these ideas to learn about science.

  • Research an animal like bald eagle, grizzly bear or moose and prepare a fact sheet. This is an idea for language arts too.
  • Learn about animal physiology. Do this fun activity How Animals Survive Harsh Winters Fun Blubber Activity.
  • Read about the various plants in Alaska like the fireweed wildflower, Alaska cedar, the moss and lichens which grow in the tundra, the Saskatoon berry fruit and willow to name a few.
  • Learn about how pollution affects the marine animals in the ocean. Look at my post Beware of Ocean Pollution: Fun Science Activity for Kids.
  • Learn about glaciers and icebergs. Make a model glacier. Look at my post Unlocking The Mystery Of Iceberg Science.
  • Create a simple model to explain the Northern Lights. Make an Aurora Borealis in a jar.
  • Look at my winter unit study to learn about types of frost. Investigate how permafrost affects plant growth.
  • This hands-on activity fits science, language arts, history and geography. How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study
  • A fun game like Professor Noggins Wildlife of North America Trivia can teach your child so much more about the animals of a certain region than worksheet after worksheet.
4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

Too, compare sled dogs to house dogs and learn about the differences.

Of course, the study of Alaska makes for a great geography unit study and include history.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 3

The geography is unique with towering mountains, glaciers and coastlines.

Too, Alaska is located in the far northwest of North America. And it’s bordered by Canada to the east and the Arctic and Pacific Oceans to the north and south.

  • In Northern Alaska there is a tundra. It is a unique ecosystem. Learn about the low growing plants there and the caribou and arctic fox who make the tundra their home. How to Make an Easy 3D Tundra Biome Poster Project
  • The Yukon River is one of the largest rivers in the United States. Learn how the river is important to wildlife and life in Alaska.
  • Then gold was discovered in Alaska in the 1890s. The Klondike Gold Rush attracted thousands hoping to strike it rich.
  • Investigate Denali. It is the highest peak in North America.
  • Then the southern part of Alaska includes lush forests including the boreal forest. It is filled with spruce, evergreen and fir trees.
  • Native groups like Inupiat, Yupik, Tlingit, and Athabascan have lived in Alaska for many years.
  • Russian explorers arrived in Alaska for the fur trade in the 1700s.
  • Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables
4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

Also, for a phenomenal reference book that you can use for more than one theme grab the beautiful and fact filled The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A.

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

ARTS & CRAFTS ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 4

Finally, study and learn about the beautiful arts, crafts and culture of Alaska.

  • Make a Northern Lights painting
  • Do this craft Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft.
  • Another craft Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting.
  • Another fun one kids like Black Bear Unit Study and Fun Edible Bear Poop.
  • Research about the Iditarod
  • Understand what is a totem pole
  • Use soap to sculpture an animal. Trumpeter swans and tundra swans are the two species of swans native to North America, both nesting in Alaska. How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan
  • Make fun borax and pipecleaner snowflakes.
  • Cook traditional food like salmon patties and use berries for dessert

These activities will foster your children’s love of Alaska while tying in important concepts.

What other ideas have you done?

Leave a CommentFiled Under: My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: Alaska, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, unit studies, unit study

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

November 21, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making a popsicle stick STEM dogsled as we enjoy a ride through the story of Balto. Also, look at my 4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.

Even though Balto might make you think of simply a literature unit, you can still work in some amazing history, geography, math, language arts, and science.

You have a great choice of activities and resources below.

Also, I have a tutorial for you to build your own dog sled from popsicle sticks. 

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

The STEM part of this study can be learned naturally.

For example, your child investigates different methods for creating a sled to make it aerodynamic.

In addition, he learns about friction as it glides or sticks on the path down the ramp, problem-solving, and encourages outside-of-the-box thinking.

Encourage everyone in the family to create a sled and then race.

Ask questions like what made your sleds go faster or slower? What would you change next time?

Facts About the Book Balto

First, if you are not already familiar with the story of Balto let me give you a quick rundown.

It is based on a true story set in Nome Alaska and centers around the dog Balto who is a purebred Siberian husky.

He leads a dog team on a life-saving mission for serum when there is an outbreak of diphtheria.

  • Balto was not the only dog responsible for saving the children of Nome, sled dogs took turns carrying the medicine from Nenena, Alaska to Nome. 
  • There is a statue of Balto that was placed in Central Park, and it remains there, still today.
  • The run by mushers and dogs for the diphtheria serum was also known as the Great Race of Mercy.
  • The trip from Nenena to Nome normally took 30 days for a sled dog team, this time it was done in a miraculous 6 days to deliver the medicine before it expired.
  • A sled dog team is typically made up of a musher and 4 to 6 dogs or a pair and 8 to 12 dogs. This relay included 20 mushers and around 100 to 150 dogs. 
How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Next, if your kids love reading books about dogs and dogs stories, look at some of these fun reads.

I lean toward living books to bring unit studies to life.

9 Books and Resources for Kids Who Love Dogs and Sled Dogs

If your child loves books about dogs and sled dogs, grab some of these for a fun unit study.

Balto and the Great Race (Stepping Stone)

Balto has a quiet life as a sled dog—until tragedy strikes. Dozens of children in Nome become sick with diphtheria. Without antitoxin serum, they will perish—and the closest supply is 650 miles away! The only way to get the serum to Nome is by sled, but can the dogs deliver it in time? Heading bravely into a brutal blizzard, Balto leads the race for life.

Togo

Togo wasn't meant to be a sled dog. He was too feisty and independent to make a good team member, let alone a leader. But Togo is determined, and when his trainer, Leonhard Seppala, gives him a chance, he soon becomes one of the fastest sled dogs in history! His skills are put to the ultimate test, though, when Seppala and his team are called on to make the now-famous run across the frozen Arctic to deliver the serum that will save Alaska from a life-threatening outbreak of diphtheria.

Kiana's Iditarod (PAWS IV)

Kiana is no ordinary dog. Born and bred to race, she leads her team of huskies on a journey unlike any other. The Iditarod - known traditionally as Alaska's 'Last Great Race' - spans 1,049 icy miles from Anchorage to Nome. From the treacherous terrain to the bitter, blowing winds, the trail is full of obstacles Kiana and her team must overcome in order to reach the finish line. Along the way, they encounter packs of wild wolves, a mighty moose, and other dog-sled teams fighting for first place. Can Kiana summon the strength of her team and lead them to victory? Author Shelley Gill brings her firsthand experience as the fifth woman to complete the Iditarod race to this crackling adventure story, while Shannon Cartwright's vibrant color illustrations bring Kiana and her team's extraordinary efforts to life for young readers.

Kavik the Wolf Dog

When Andy Evans stumbles upon the snow-covered wreckage of a small plane, he’s shocked to find a survivor. Should he put the gravely injured dog out of his misery? The look in the animal’s eyes says he’s not ready to die. It turns out that Kävik’s a champion sled dog, and soon he makes a full recovery. When his rightful owner finds out Kävik is alive, he wants the dog back. But Kävik has other ideas.

.Siberian Husky Figurine

Detailed Representation: Hand-painted by professionals, this Siberian Husky figurine comes alive with realistic features and markings, a perfect gift for dog lovers.

White Fang

WHITE FANG !!!! (PART 1 of 2) From Jack London, one of the greatest American writers of all time, comes this masterpiece in adventure story telling: WHITE FANG!!! Can White Fang the timber wolf pup ever be tamed? WHITE FANG (PART 1 of 2)examines the violent world of wild animals and the equally violent world of humans. WHITE FANG! A tale of animal heroism, survival and adventure like never before seen in American literature.

Stone Fox

Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming. When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure. Little Willy is determined to win the National Dogsled Race—the prize money would save the farm and his grandfather. But he isn't the only one who desperately wants to win. Willy and his brave dog Searchlight must face off against experienced racers, including a Native American man named Stone Fox, who has never lost a race.

Dogteam

On a moonlit winter night, a team of dogs pulls a sled, taking the narrator and readers on a wondrous ride through the snow, into and out of the woods. It is a ride you'll wish would never end.

The Adventures of Balto: The Untold Story of Alaska's Famous Iditarod Sled Dog

Balto, the great Alaska sled dog, has been dead since 1933. But he still stands larger-than-life on Dogdom's Mount Olympus, where the world's great canines are immortalized. Yet few people know Balto's true story.

Additionally, look at some of these unit study facts to go along the popsicle stick stem dogsled.

Balto Unit Study

Don’t just read the book, immerse yourselves in it with fun hands-on activities that cover a wide variety of subjects and ages so everyone in the family is included.

You can widen your unit a bit by incorporating the topics of winter, Alaska, snow, blizzards, and other themes that are prevalent throughout the story.

Math Unit Study Ideas for Balto

  • Research how long it takes to get from where you are to Nome, Alaska-by foot, car, train, and plane.
  • For the littlest learners, you can do Winter Math Activities With Printable Snowflake Number Circle.
  • Here is a wintery-themed Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry idea.
  • If you live somewhere with snow have your child create and maintain a record of the daily snowfall.

Science Unit Study Ideas for Balto

  • Learn about the different wildlife found in Alaska- Caribou, moose, polar bear, bald eagle, Orcas, and more for science.
  • Use a Siberian Husky Figure to reenact the story, use it in a diorama, or as part of a lovely winter sensory bin.
  • Your popsicle stick stem dogsled craft today is a great opportunity for hands-on science. This is a great time to let your child hypothesize and experiment, they will be naturally problem-solving, engineering, and thinking critically along the way.
  • Find out how Inuit of the Arctic: How Animals Survive Harsh Winters Fun Blubber Activity, goes along with this unit very well.

History/Geography Unit Study Ideas for Balto

  • Locate Nome, Alaska on a map or globe. Then locate the starting point in Nenena, Alaska, and track the path with your finger.
How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study
  • Use this stencil of Alaska as a base to create a felt, salt dough, paper, or any other material map to learn the geography of this chilly state.

After finishing the book, watch the animated adaptation of Balto.

Language Arts Unit Study Ideas For Balto

For younger readers, Totally True Adventures, Balto and The Great Race is a wonderful retelling of the story.

  • Provide your child with writing prompts. Encourage them to write or type a paragraph or an entire story from the inspiration.  “As the snow started falling faster my dogsled team and I…” , “ If I could be anywhere during the winter time it would be….”. Or “ Let me tell you about the time I interviewed Balto.”
  • Flip through your copy of Balto ahead of time. Then write down words that your child might not know or might be a challenge for spelling. Use these throughout your study as spelling/vocabulary words.
  • This Snow & Ice Salt Writing Tray is great for prewriting letters. But it is also a really fun sensory activity. For older children they can practice sight words and spelling.

Crafts for Learning About Balto

  • Follow this tutorial video and draw a Siberian husky, just like Balto for art.
  • Create these fabulous DIY Stand-up Cardboard Huskies to display, and add them to your dogsled to complete it.
  •  A Super Easy Snowball Painting is not only fun but can help your child understand the total white-out conditions that can be faced in a winter storm.

If you are looking for more ideas like this Balto Unit Study you can work in more winter studies with the 8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace and a list of other great books that fit the theme to get them through winter.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled

I am giving you a general how-to make a popsicle stick stem dogsled.

But remember this is a stem project and you may want to try several ways and models to test which one goes faster, holds more weight, etc.

You will need:

  • Popsicle sticks
  • Sturdy scissors or straight edge blade
  • Cardboard
  • Glue gun/glue sticks
  • Paint-optional

If you enjoy doing projects with craft sticks you may want to invest in this tool.

It comes in really handy and makes cutting much easier, especially with angles like I did on the side braces of this.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

First, determine the length and width you would like to make your sled, use scissors or a razor knife to trim pieces for the bottom, side, and front.

First lay out all the pieces to get an idea of where everything goes.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

I used 4 sticks for the base and then secured them with a stick going across at each end, using hot glue.

Cut them slightly short on each side so you have room to attach runners, so it just needs to be the width of one craft stick on either side.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Hot glue craft sticks that are full size or cut them down to either side of the base to create runners.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Flip the sled over and begin construction of the front, to keep it light you will want to cut your sticks in half and again cut down a piece for support across the back.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Glue on side rails and support at an angle to stabilize the whole thing, you can cut angles or leave the ends straight.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Finally, you can leave your sled unfinished or paint it.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Create a snowy ramp with a long strip of cardboard painted white.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

Prop it up at varying heights to test its speed.

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Alaska, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, literature, STEM, unit studies, unit study, winter crafts, winter season

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