If you are like millions of other people, you have tuned into the Winter Olympics. In 2022 they were held in Beijing, China. But twice they were held right here in the Adirondacks—in Lake Placid. The first time was in 1932.
Olympic events are filled with exciting stories of athletic excellence and devastating defeat. The Winter Olympics of 1932 were no different. In this episode you will hear one such story.
Cover page of the program for the 1932 Olympics (2019.020.0596)
The two-man bobsled used in the 1932 Olympics (1960.009.0001)
Commemorative medal,1932 (1971.191.0001)
Read aloud: Students can follow along while listening. Click HERE to download a copy of the transcript.
Vocabulary: Explore new words. Students listen to high-level vocabulary in context. Have them identify the definition afterward. Click HERE for the vocabulary page.
Force and Motion. Get outside and try some sledding. Experiment with speed by sledding down a hill with unbroken snow and compare times once the trail is established and smooth.
Higher grade level students may want to explore some topics in more depth.
While the Olympics are supposed to be a competition of the finest athletes in the world, it has often been used as a vehicle to affect change or to promote political agendas. Research and explore one or more topics. Suggestions: the American boycott of 1980, the Munich terrorist attack in 1972, or the Black Power salutes of 1968.
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