Olympics EnchantedLearning.comThe Olympic Games 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia The 2014 Winter Olympics were in Sochi, Russia. The opening ceremony was on February 7, 2014. The closing ceremony was on February 23, 2014. Over 85 nations and more than 2500 athletes competed. The motto of the Sochi Olympics was 'Hot. The Ancient Olympics: The ancient Greeks dedicated the Olympic Games to the god Zeus. The Greeks held the first Olympic games in the year 776 BC (over 2700 years ago), and had only one event, a sprint (a short run that was called the "stade"). Women were neither allowed to compete in the games nor to watch them, because the games were dedicated to Zeus and were therefore meant for men. The four-year period between the Olympic games was called an olympiad. The Modern Olympic Games: Over a fifteen hundred years later, Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin (1863-1937) (a French educator and sportsman) revived the Olympic Games. The Flag of the Olympic Games: Olympic Medals: Links:
Swimming pool | Maths and Sport: Countdown to the Games This activity uses the familiar environment of a swimming pool to introduce negative numbers, and is designed to be accessible to primary pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. Have you been to a swimming pool lately? When you start learning about swimming it may be that you will go down the steps carefully to reach the bottom, or use the ladder from the side of the pool. Here's a picture of a set of steps and the ladder. You'll probably notice that I've coloured the steps. The first step into the water is light green, the second step is purple, the third red and so on. 1. 2. 3. Maybe it's time to number these coloured steps. Can you invent your own way of numbering the steps which go under the water? When you've numbered your steps in some way perhaps you'd like to send in the pictures? Detailed teachers' notes for this activity are available on our NRICH website, where you can also find thousands more mathematical resources including problems, investigations and games for all ages from 5 to 19.
Out of the blocks – Maths and Science Series 2012 – News All the latest news and updates from the series. One of our greatest Olympic Athletes, Sir Chris Hoy, took his bike for a spin around the new velodrome in Glasgow last week. The venue, named the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, will form one of the centrepieces of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.The velodrome’s track has been built from Siberian pine, the same wood as was used for the London 2012 track. Check out pages 22-23 of the Maths or Science ActiveTeach for a time-lapse video showing the construction of the London 2012 track. You can use the same pages to look at the Maths and Science of track cycling with your students. The Science Activity Book looks at thermoregulation, and why the London 2012 Velodrome was kept at a sweltering 28°C! There is only one month to go until a plethora of sheep, horses, ducks and cows welcome the world to London 2012!