Balto & the Serum Run

Explore the story of Balto, the “hero husky”! Hear about the adventures of sled dog teams on the famous Serum Run to save Nome, Alaska; how Balto and his team achieved fame for their part in it; and how the people of Cleveland are connected to the story. 

Teacher's Guide

Ohio’s Learning Standards 

Kindergarten

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Participate in collaborative conversations about kindergarten topics and texts with diverse partners in small or larger groups.
• Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented in various media and other formats (e.g., orally) by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
• Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. 

Social Studies – Historical Thinking and Skills 

• Time can be measured.
• Personal history can be shared through stories and pictures. 

Social Studies – Spatial Thinking and Skills 

• Terms related to direction and distance, as well as symbols and landmarks, can be used to talk about the relative location of familiar places.
• Models and maps represent real places. 

Social Studies – Civic Participation and Skills 

• Individuals share responsibilities and take action toward the achievement of common goals in homes, schools, and communities.  

Grade 1

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Participate in collaborative conversations about grade 1 topics and texts with diverse partners in small and larger groups.
• Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented in various media and other formats (e.g., orally).
• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood. 

Social Studies – Historical Thinking and Skills 

• Time can be divided into categories (e.g., months of the year, past, present, and future).
• Photographs, letters, artifacts, and books can be used to learn about the past. 

Social Studies – Spatial Thinking and Skills 

• Maps can be used to locate and identify places. 

Social Studies – Civic Participation and Skills 

• Individuals have responsibility to take action toward the achievement of common goals in homes, schools, and communities and are accountable for those actions. 

Grade 2

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Participate in collaborative conversations about grade 2 topics and text with diverse partners in small or larger groups.
• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue. 

Social Studies – Historical Thinking and Skills 

• Time can be shown graphically on calendars and timelines.
• Change over time can be shown with artifacts, maps, and photographs.  

Social Studies – Spatial Thinking and Skills 

• Maps and their symbols, including cardinal directions, can be interpreted to answer questions about locations of places. 

Grade 3

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.  

Social Studies – Historical Thinking and Skills 

• Events in local history can be shown on timelines organized by years, decades, and centuries.
• Primary and secondary sources can be used to show change over time. 

Social Studies – Spatial Thinking and Skills 

• Physical and political maps have distinctive characteristics and purposes. Places can be located on a map by using the title, key, and alphanumeric grid and cardinal directions.  

Social Studies – Civic Participation and Skills 

• Members of a local community have rights and responsibilities.
• Individuals make communities a better place by taking action to solve problems in a way that promotes the common good.  

Grade 4

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.  

Social Studies – Historical Thinking and Skills 

• The order of significant events in Ohio and the United States can be shown on a timeline.
• Primary and secondary sources can be used to create historical narratives.  

Social Studies – Spatial Thinking and Skills 

• A map scale and cardinal and intermediate directions can be used to describe the relative location of physical and human characteristics of Ohio and the United States.  

Grade 5

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.