Curling Winter Olympic Games STEM Activity

Bring the excitement of the Winter Games into your classroom with this curling Winter Games STEM challenge for grades 3–5.

In this curling STEM activity, students design and build their own curling rock, then test it in a tabletop “ice rink” to see whose rock lands closest to the target.

Perfect for a Winter Games STEM challenge, January/February science lessons, or upper elementary STEM centers, this hands-on activity teaches forces, motion, and fair testing through play.

What Students Do

• Learn key curling vocabulary like curling rock, handle, broom, and house using kid-friendly picture cards.
• Explore How Curling Works with a simple visual poster explaining sliding stones, aiming for the target, sweeping, and turn-taking.
• Engineer a curling rock using only aluminum foil, a pipe cleaner handle, and chosen weights (washers, nuts, pennies).
• Play a modified game of curling on a printed target taped to a table, sliding their rocks and trying to score closest to the center.
• Track results on a curling score sheet, then reflect on how weight, friction, and force affected their rock’s performance.
• Read an informational passage titled “What is Curling?” and respond to comprehension questions about the sport, positions, and scoring.
• Write about “What I Know About Curling” using differentiated writing pages.

What’s Included

• Teacher instructions with materials list, game setup, and step-by-step curling rules, plus tips for reflection and redesign.
• Full-color and blackline Engineering Design Process posters and guiding questions (Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, Improve, Share).
• A Makerspace consumables list to help stock your STEM area with easy-to-find building materials.
• Vocabulary cards, How Curling Works posters, and a detailed informational text on curling history, gameplay, and team positions.
• Student challenge letter that sets the scene: students are helping prepare rocks for a winter sports competition.
• Planning page for the Curling Winter Games challenge, score sheets, and multiple “What I Know About Curling” writing templates.
• Printable curling targets to use as tabletop houses for gameplay.
• Optional extension links to short videos on the science and physics of curling.