Ways to use the Olympics in the Classroom

Use the Olympic Games as the starting point for learning in your classroom with our ENORMOUS collection of teaching ideas, activities and classroom resources!

Don’t forget that we also have a large collection of Olympics-themed resources and a huge Olympics Pack too!

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Write a diary entry from the point of view of an Olympic athlete.
• Write a persuasive letter to the IOC to encourage them to choose your country as the location for the next Olympic Games.
• Write a persuasive letter to the IOC to ask them to add a new sport to the next Olympics.
• Create a report about your favourite Olympic sport.
• Produce a set of instructions to teach somebody how to take part in your favourite Olympic sport.
• Have a debate with other students in your class to discuss if there should be an Olympic Games for children.
• Create your own Olympics acrostic poem.
• Write a newspaper report about an amazing day at the Olympics.
• Imagine that you could interview your favourite Olympic athlete. What questions would you ask them?
• Plan an advertising campaign to encourage people to attend the next Olympic games.
• Use our free Inspirations Posters as the starting point for a wide range of Olympics-themed activities.
• Create a glossary of Olympics-themed words.
• Use the words in your glossary to make some anagrams to challenge a partner.
• Write a biography of your favourite Olympic athlete.
• Watch The Olympians and use our free teaching ideas for related activities:

• Write a newspaper report about a controversial Olympic decision.
• Write a story about the Teddy Bear Olympics.
• Create a character profile about a new Olympic mascot.
• Write the script for a presenter of a TV show about the Olympics.
• Find a video clip of an Olympic event (e.g. this video of Usain Bolt winning the 100m) and imagine that you are the commentator. How would you describe the action?
• Use this assembly idea during the Games.

Maths

• Use statistics from previous Olympic Games for your own data-handling activities.
• Could you make your own Olympics word problems and ask a friend to solve them?
• Make a sorting diagram to show the similarities and differences between the Ancient and the Modern Olympic Games.
• Make your own ‘top trumps’ cards based on Olympic athletes / events. Our free Top Trumps template may be helpful for you.
• Create your own medal chart based on the results of this year’s Games.
• Find out the ticket prices of different events. If you had £200 to spend, how many different events would you be able to attend?
• Find out the capacity of a range of Olympics stadiums and calculate the maximum ticket sales.
• Make a ‘countdown’ chart to count down the days to the next Olympic Games.

Science

• Plan some healthy meals for the Olympic competitors and visitors.
• Find out about the human body and the muscles and organs that are used in different Olympic sports.
• Identify the materials that would keep the Olympic torch burning safely.

Computing

• Design a website to accompany the Olympic Games.
• Create a game in which an athlete has to ‘compete’ in an Olympic event.
• Plan and record a video guide to teach others about your favourite Olympic sport.
• Create an eBook about the history of the Olympics and / or the events in the modern Olympics.
• Create a database that includes information about the countries that have won the most medals at the Olympics… or about Olympic athletes.
• Design an app that will teach younger children about the Olympics.
• Plan (and create) some social media posts about the Olympic Games. How will the organisers be promoting / reporting on the event during the Games?
• Create a motivational video to encourage the athletes, attendees and those watching the Games at home. Use this example for inspiration:

Design Technology

• Create a model of an Olympic stadium or an Olympic Park!
• Design and make a new Olympic medal. Use this free template as a starting point.
• Make a model of the Olympic torch.
• Make an olive leaf crown to award to the winner of an Olympic event.
• Design some clothing / merchandise to sell at the next Olympic games.
• Use a variety of craft materials to recreate the Olympic rings logo.

Art

• Design a new logo for the Olympics.
• Design a new Olympic mascot.
• Create a storyboard about an Olympic event. Use our template as a starting point.
• Make some paper chains using the colours of the Olympic logo.

Music

• Compose a song / fanfare to perform at the opening ceremony.
• Famous musicians often perform at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Choose a selection of artists / bands that you would like to perform at the next event.

Geography

• Use a map to plot the locations of the Olympics Games throughout history.
• Find out the location of the next Olympics and plan a trip there. How will you get there? How long will the journey be?
• Create a travel guide based on the location of the next Olympic Games.
• Plot the route of the Olympic torch as it travels to the location of the Games.
• Choose a country that is taking part in the Olympics and write a report about it. If each student in your class chose a different country, these could be combined into a larger guide.

History

• Write a report about the history of the Olympic Games. When did it begin? When did the modern Olympics start? This video may help:

• Create a timeline that shows the main events in Olympic history.
• Make a list of objects / artefacts that could appear in an Olympic museum. Could you create some signs to teach people about them?

Physical education

• Can you plan your own school Olympics event? Which sporting activities will athletes compete in? How will it be organised?
• Take part in a sports event that takes place at the Olympics. Compare your times / scores to the winning competitors.
• Choreograph a dance to perform at the opening / closing ceremony of the Games.
• Choose one of the Olympic sports and try to improve your skills. Record your progress using data and / or video to track your improvements.
• Create a poster that teaches competitors about good sportsmanship while they are taking part in the Games.

Languages

• Find out the names of Olympic sports in different languages.
• Create a multi-lingual guide for visitors to the Olympic Games.