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Website Article: Scholastic, How the Olympic Locations are Chosen | Why should the Olympics come to your hometown?
Website Article: DK findout! 1st, 2nd, 3rd: Olympics by Numbers | Amazing facts about the Olympic games throughout history.
Videos: National Science Foundation, Science of the Olympic Winter Games | These fascinating film clips explain the scientific secrets behind the sports.
Website Article: American Kinesiology Association, Careers in Kinesiology | Learn about lots of careers that use kinesiology.
Read the script:
Fans of the Olympics have already reached their far-off destination of Peyongchang, South Korea, and they've been having a chilly time there. Dangerous winds have forced several competitions to be rescheduled, but the fans are not dismayed. Paula Hancocks reports.
PAULA: This is the Olympic plaza. This is in Peyongchang, South Korea. It's where the opening ceremony for the winter Olympics was held. It's also an area where fans are congregating now, some of them going inside to watch big screens to see the events that are ongoing.
Now, this is also where some of the fans can buy tickets. There's not a lot of people here as you can see. We understand from the officials that they have actually missed targets. They sold about 85.9% of tickets at this point. They wanted it to be higher, but there were a couple of issues that they have to deal with: the cold for example. It's been bitterly cold over recent days. Today's a little bit better. And of course, the wind as well, not just affecting the fans, but also the athletes.
ATHLETE: We’re Canadian, we can handle this. It's a little windy, especially for biathlon where you know the shooting really is affected by the wind, but not too bad at all.
PAULA: A lot's been made of the cold and the wind. How are you coping with that?
FAN: Four and five layers actually.
PAULA: Some of the fans that we've spoken to say that the atmosphere here is very good, that the Korean volunteers are being very helpful. And despite the cold, they're determined to enjoy themselves.
FAN 2: As you can see we are well prepared for it. So, I am fully loaded, and I am ready for the occasion.
RICK: Thank you, Paula. It may be cold in Peyongchang, but that doesn't mean it's snowy. So, how are you supposed to have skiing and snowboarding without the white stuff? That's where Ian Honey steps in. He makes artificial snow and lots of it. Let's check in with Paula again.
PAULA: Snow making started early in South Korea this season. October saw the first artificial snow hit the ski slopes, and it hasn't stopped since. Peyongchang certainly doesn't have the same problem that Sochi in Russia had four years ago. Any natural snow that falls here is going to stay on the ground. It is cold enough. But the issue is there's just simply not that much natural snow. After all, winter in Korea is the dry season.
IAN: Yeah, at least five, actually before that, two--
PAULA: Ian honey is the project manager for SMI snow makers. His company has already made snow for five Winter Olympics He started preparing for Peyongchang three years ago.
IAN: Here it's all 100% man-made snow, and this is it. We've had great temperatures. We've been really lucky.
PAULA: So, none of this is natural snow then?
IAN: Yeah. 98% will be man-made.
PAULA: This has been the scene for months in Peyongchang: mountainsides wrapped in a mist of man-made snow. So how do you actually make it?
IAN: We’re doing very similar to what mother nature does. We're taking water, and we're forcing it into the atmosphere, and we're getting a... We're generating a crystalline structure. But the structure that we'll generate is a more consistent structure. Basically, they're all the same. Where natural snow is every flake is different
PAULA: Tourists don't seem to mind the snow's man-made, enjoying a last peaceful day on the slopes before the games begin. As for which is better, natural or artificial, these two ski instructors say there's no contest.
SKI INSTRUCTOR: Artificial snow is good for skiing more than, because you can more speeding. It's really good.
PAULA: And speed is what Olympic athletes want.
RICK: Thank you Paula. Remember a few weeks ago when we asked you what winter Olympic sport you were interested in? Well, Mallory at Independence Primary wrote to tell us that she's more than just interested in watching curling.
She wrote this to us: “Thank you for including curling in your episode. But I wanted to tell you that curling is not odd, but it is difficult. Not just anyone can try it without training or practice. I curl with my family at Mayfield Curling Club.”
Well the club is for students from all different schools. Check out these photos that BrecksvilleBroadview Heights Middle School teacher Mr. Macraild sent us. Wow they've got the moves!