The Winter Olympic Games is a "teachable moment" that comes along only once every four years, so the Education World team has gathered lesson ideas to help you teach to the moment. Included: Lessons to teach history, vocabulary, decimals, sportsmanship, and more!
The world awaits the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, which is in the Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation. There, from February 7 to 23, more than 2,500 athletes from more than 80 different nations will compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
Whether they're athletes or couch potatoes, whether they're rooting for their fellow countrymen and women, for the most-skilled winter athletes, or for the underdogs, savvy and creative teachers are busy developing lessons and activities that will capitalize on their students' interest in the Games.
Where to begin? Why not start with the following complete lesson plans from Education World? Click on any activity headline below to link to a complete teaching resource! Appropriate grade levels for each activity are indicated in parentheses. Then see the bottom of this page for additional lesson ideas.
GOLD MEDAL LESSONS
Winter Olympic History Year By Year
Historic stats about the Winter Olympic Games provide the data. Students create the chart. Teaching master included. (Grades 3-12)
Comparing the Ancient and Modern Olympics: A Venn Diagramming Activity
A Venn diagram helps students compare and contrast today's Olympics with the Olympics of the ancient Greeks. (Grades 3-12)
Students create a book of biographies profiling famous past Olympic athletes. (Grades 3-8)
Character Education Lesson: Olympics
Students plan and stage a classroom Olympics! (Grades 6-8)
Olympic Trivia Challenge
Students find fascinating facts about the Summer Olympic Games and Olympic history. (Grades 6-12)
A Measure of Greatness
Students participate in a variety of Olympic-type activities involving measurement. (Grades K-5)
Be sure to see more Winter Olympic Games activities in our other article, Let the Games Begin! Let the Learning Begin!.
Article by Gary Hopkins
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