Bringing the Winter Olympics to life in the classroom

While February in the UK brings frosty mornings and short winter days, athletes from across Great Britain will be preparing to compete on the world stage at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Years of dedication, training, and resilience will culminate in their moment to shine.

Teachers can harness this global event to spark curiosity, inspire ambition, and create rich cross‑curricular learning experiences. With ClickView’s curated Winter Olympics topic (England, Scotland), UK educators have a ready‑made hub of high‑quality videos, explainers, and classroom resources that bring the Games to life.

Every four years, the Winter Olympics captures the world’s imagination with its blend of athleticism, culture, and spectacle. For teachers, it’s a golden opportunity to connect classroom learning with real‑world events that naturally encourage inquiry, creativity, and critical thinking.

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English: Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Communication

Curriculum links:

• Spoken Language – listening, discussion, and presentation
• Reading – comprehension and retrieval
• Writing – composition, vocabulary, grammar, and nonfiction writing

The Winter Olympics is rich with language-learning opportunities. Using ClickView clips introducing sports such as curling, ice hockey, skeleton, snowboarding, and figure skating, students can build vocabulary around equipment, movement, and rules.

Possible writing and communication tasks include:

• Creating athlete profiles based on Team GB stars such as Katie Ormerod, Zoe Atkin, Dave Ryding, or Huw Nightingale
• Writing news reports or blogs on “Athletes to Watch”
• Producing persuasive writing on which new sport should be added to the Olympics
• Scriptwriting and recording their own sports commentary
• Summarising daily medal tallies or standout moments
• Writing letters or video messages of support to Team GB
• Explaining the rules and techniques of a chosen winter sport

These tasks help students develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in meaningful contexts.

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Mathematics: Data, Measurement, and Problem‑Solving

Curriculum links:

• Statistics – interpreting and presenting data
• Measurement – time, speed, temperature
• Geometry – angles and position

The Winter Olympics provides authentic numerical data that students can explore using ClickView highlights and event explainers.

Mathematical activities might include:

• Creating bar charts or pictograms of medal counts
• Calculating speeds in events such as bobsleigh or speed skating
• Exploring angles in ski jumping or curling
• Comparing winter temperatures in the Italian Alps with UK winter weather

Real‑world data helps students see mathematics as dynamic, relevant, and engaging.

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Science: Forces, Materials, and the Environment

Curriculum links:

• Forces – friction, gravity, air resistance
• Materials – properties and suitability
• Living things and habitats – environmental impact
• States of matter – solids, liquids, melting and freezing

Winter sports offer natural entry points into physics and environmental science. ClickView’s explanatory videos help students visualise concepts such as friction, momentum, and aerodynamics.

Teachers might explore:

• How friction differs on ice, snow, and artificial surfaces
• Why equipment uses materials like carbon fibre, steel, or specialist fabrics
• How athletes reduce air resistance to increase speed
• The environmental impact of hosting the Winter Olympics, including snow‑making and energy use
• Investigating melting rates of ice cubes in different classroom conditions

Hands‑on experiments help students connect scientific principles to what they observe in Olympic events.

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Geography and History: Places, Culture, and Global Connections

Curriculum links:

• Geography – climate zones, physical geography, world maps
• History – significant events, changes over time, historical enquiry
• Citizenship – diversity, identity, and global community

The Winter Olympics is a global celebration, making it ideal for humanities learning. ClickView’s country profiles and historical clips help students explore the cultural and geographical diversity of participating nations.

Classroom activities could include:

• Mapping participating countries and identifying climate zones
• Investigating the history and evolution of the Winter Olympics
• Comparing the UK’s winter sports culture with countries like Norway, Japan, or Australia
• Exploring how geography influences which sports nations excel in

These activities build global awareness and deepen students’ understanding of the world.

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The Arts: Creativity, Expression, and Design

Curriculum links:

• Art & Design – drawing, designing, digital art
• Music – composition and performance
• Dance – movement and expression

The Winter Olympics is visually spectacular, offering endless inspiration for creative arts lessons.

After watching ClickView footage, students can:

• Design Team GB 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 creative expression.

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Physical Education: Movement, Teamwork, and Wellbeing

Curriculum links:

• PE – movement skills, coordination, teamwork
• PSHE – resilience, goal‑setting, wellbeing

ClickView’s athlete stories and sports demonstrations help students explore physical skills, teamwork, and perseverance.

Teachers can 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, determination, and personal goals, drawing inspiration from Team GB athletes.