Standards-Aligned Winter Olympics Lessons Across Subjects
While February brings chilly mornings and snow‑day anticipation across much of the United States, Team USA athletes will be preparing to compete on the world stage at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Years of dedication and training will culminate in their chance to shine, and your students can follow along every step of the way.
The Winter Olympics is more than a global sporting event. It’s a powerful teaching moment: a real‑world phenomenon that naturally sparks curiosity, inquiry, and creativity. With ClickView’s curated Winter Olympics topic, US educators have a ready‑made hub of high‑quality videos and resources that transform the Games into meaningful, cross‑curricular learning.
English Language Arts: Vocabulary, Comprehension and Communication
Relevant US Standards:
- Common Core ELA – Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking & Listening
- Media Literacy and informational text analysis
TThe Winter Olympics is full of rich language opportunities. Students can watch ClickView clips introducing sports like snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, curling, and freestyle skiing, then build vocabulary lists around equipment, movement, and rules.
ELA‑focused activities include:
- Creating athlete profiles based on current or past Team USA stars such as Chloe Kim, Shaun White, Nathan Chen, Erin Jackson, or Mikaela Shiffrin
- Writing news reports or blog posts on “Athletes to Watch”
- Crafting opinion essays about which new sport should be added to the Olympics
- Scriptwriting and recording their own sports commentary
- Summarizing daily medal counts or standout moments
- Writing letters or video messages of support to Team USA
- Explaining the rules and techniques of a chosen winter sport
These tasks help students practise reading, writing, speaking, and listening in authentic, engaging contexts.

Mathematics: Data, Measurement, and Problem‑Solving
Curriculum links:
- Common Core Math – Measurement & Data, Geometry, Statistics & Probability
The Winter Olympics is a goldmine for mathematical thinking. Using ClickView highlights and event explainers, students can explore real‑world data and apply mathematical reasoning.
Math activities might include:
- Creating bar graphs or line plots of medal counts
- Calculating speeds in events like bobsled or speed skating
- Exploring angles in ski jumping or curling
- Comparing winter temperatures in the Italian Alps to local US climates
Because the numbers come from real events, students see math as dynamic and meaningful.
Science: Forces, Materials, and the Environmental Impact
Curriculum links:
- NGSS – Motion & Stability, Energy, Engineering Design, Earth & Human Activity
- States of matter and material properties
Winter sports offer natural entry points into physics and environmental science. ClickView’s explanatory videos help students visualize concepts like friction, gravity, and aerodynamics.
Science investigations could include:
- How friction differs on ice, snow, and artificial surfaces
- Why does equipment uses materials like carbon fiber, steel, or synthetic fabrics
- How athletes reduce air resistance to increase speed
- The environmental impact of hosting the Winter Olympics, including snow‑making and energy use
- Conducting an ice‑melting investigation to explore heat transfer
Hands‑on experiments help students connect scientific principles to what they observe in Olympic events.

Social Studies: Geography, Culture and Global Connections
Curriculum links:
- NCSS Themes – People, Places & Environments; Culture; Global Connections; Time, Continuity & Change
The Winter Olympics is a global celebration, making it ideal for social studies learning. ClickView’s country profiles and historical clips help students explore cultural diversity and geographical differences.
Classroom activities might include:
- Mapping participating countries and identifying climate zones
- Investigating the history and evolution of the Winter Olympics
- Comparing US winter sports culture with countries like Norway, Japan, or Canada
- Exploring how geography influences which sports nations excel in
These activities build global awareness and help students appreciate cultural diversity.ess and help students appreciate the interconnectedness of nations and cultures.
The Arts: Creativity, Expression, and Design
Curriculum links:
- Creating, Performing, Responding, Connecting
The Winter Olympics is visually spectacular, offering endless inspiration for creative arts lessons.
After watching ClickView footage, students can:
- Design Team USA uniforms, mascots, or medals
- Create movement sequences inspired by figure skating or snowboarding
- Compose soundscapes that reflect the energy of different events
- Produce posters or digital artwork promoting a future Winter Olympics
- Explore symmetry and pattern through snowflake‑inspired art
The Games provide a vibrant stimulus for artistic expression.

Physical Education & Health: Movement, Teamwork & Wellbeing
Curriculum links:
- Motor Skills, Physical Literacy, Teamwork, Personal Responsibility
Students can explore physical skills and teamwork in the context of the Winter Olympics.
Teachers can also adapt winter sports for the school environment, such as:
- “Floor curling” using beanbags or soft balls
- “Dry‑land skiing” obstacle courses
- Relay races inspired by biathlon or speed skating
Students can also reflect on sportsmanship, perseverance, and goal‑setting, drawing inspiration from Team USA athletes.
A global event, a classroom full of possibilities
The Winter Olympics is more than a sporting event, it’s a multidisciplinary learning opportunity. With ClickView’s curated US Winter Olympics topic, teachers can guide students through rich, engaging activities that build knowledge, skills, and curiosity across the curriculum.
Whether students are analyzing data, designing mascots, exploring forces, or writing news reports, they’re connecting classroom learning to a global event that sparks excitement and wonder.

Penelope Christie
briefcase iconCuration Lead
A qualified primary school teacher with over a decade of teaching experience in Australian schools. Penelope is Curation Lead at ClickView for Australia and New Zealand, supporting teachers in meeting curriculum needs by integrating video into the classroom.
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