Speed Skating Winter Olympic Games STEM Challenge (K–2): Engineering With Magnets
Want a Winter Olympic Games STEM day that feels like science + play but still stays calm and purposeful?
In this Speed Skating Winter Olympics STEM Challenge, students engineer a speed skater that can stand up, stay balanced, and travel across a tabletop “rink” using only magnetic force—no touching the skater with hands.
This challenge is available in Carly and Adam’s store and is also a FREE download for STEM Teachers Club Members.
Students start by exploring how magnets attract and repel, then build and test their skater on a simple track (an oval track makes it feel extra “real”!). They’ll quickly discover that tiny choices—like where the magnet is placed or how wide the base is—can make the difference between a skater that zooms and a skater that flops over.
This one is especially great for K–2 because it naturally supports the engineering process. Students build, test, redesign, and try again. The learning feels fun instead of forced. This resource also includes a kid-friendly reading page about speed skating with questions, plus Winter Olympic Games host locations for an easy social studies connection.
If you’re looking for a seasonal challenge that’s high-engagement, low-prep, and packed with real STEM thinking, this Speed Skating challenge is the resource for you.
Everything You Need—All in One Place
All of the activities mentioned above are included in the Winter Games STEM lesson plans by Carly and Adam, making it easy to plan an engaging Olympic-themed STEM experience without starting from scratch.
STEM Teachers Club Members can download all of these activities for free.
The full resource is also available for purchase on Carly and Adam’s store.
Whether you’re planning a full multi-day unit or just a few special STEM days during the 2026 Winter Olympics, this lesson plan gives you everything you need to bring the Games to life in your classroom.
Get all of the lessons in both Winter Games bundles as part of the STEM Teachers Club.
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