Episode 27: Miracle on Ice
The “Miracle on Ice” was a famous hockey game between the US and the Soviet Union (now Russia) at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. The Soviet athletes were professionals, many of whom had already competed and medaled in previous Winter Olympics. The Americans were minor league and college players and seen as the overwhelming underdogs. With tensions already high between the two world superpowers, the game defied expectations and inspired a surge of national pride in the US.
1980 Olympic Winter Games, Lake Placid. US Team leaves bench at the end of the Gold Medal game – at Buzzer [USA vs. Finland Hockey]. 1980. (P048680)
Connecting to Curriculum
Read-aloud: Students can follow along while listening. Download a copy of the transcript. Click HERE to download a copy of the transcript.
Vocabulary: Explore new words. Students will be listening to high level vocabulary in context. Have them identify the definition. Click HERE for the vocabulary page.
Curriculum: Geography, weather, and climate. Find Lake Placid on a map, notice the distance to major cities and the rugged terrain. Research how the higher elevation in this region of the Adirondack park has historically created colder and snowier winters, not taking recent climate changes into consideration.
Questions
Higher grade level students may want to explore some topics in more depth.
- How might the Cold War have impacted pop culture and the lives of average people?
- Research the impact hosting the olympics had on the town of Lake Placid.
English 
French 
Spanish