Feb. 8, 2006: Winter Olympic Sports

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Create a Winter Olympics poster showing yourself and your friends participating in winter sports.

2. Look through ads and the sports section of the newspaper to find words and pictures related to the Winter Olympics. Circle words/pictures related to specific sports or sports equipment with a red marker.With a blue marker, circle clothing and items you would take with you if you were going to watch different Olympic events.

3. Some Olympic athletes wear special clothing and use special equipment for their events. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper to make two columns. In one column list the Olympic events in which athletes wear special clothing. In the other column, list the events in which athletes use special equipment.

4. Which Winter Olympic sports require (a) strong legs, (b) great endurance, (c) good hand-eye coordination, (d) exceptional balance, and (e) good upper- body strength?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about a specific Winter Olympic sport. Use these questions to guide your research:

• What sport will you explore?
• Where did the sport originate?
• When did it begin?
• When did the sport become part of the Olympics?
• How has the sport changed?
• Who are some famous athletes who have participated in this sport?
  
  

This week's standard:

• Students understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and social interaction. (Physical Education)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)