Winter is almost here and the snow may be on its way here in the Pacific Northwest! So, why not design our own mini two-person bobsleds this month?
The sport of bobsleigh didn't begin until the late 19th century when the Swiss attached two skeleton sleds together and added a steering mechanism to make a toboggan. A chassis was added to give protection to wealthy tourists and the world's first bobsleigh club was founded in St Moritz, Switzerland in 1897.
In 1924, a four-man race took place at the first ever Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix. A two-man event was added at the 1932 Lake Placid Games in a format that has remained to the present.
Today, the world's top teams train year-round and compete mostly on artificial ice tracks in sleek high-tech sleds made of fiberglass and steel.
The U.S. is the only nation to medal in every women’s bobsled Olympic event since the discipline made its debut at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
Research bobsleds and bobsledding. Use items from around
your house and yard to complete this challenge.
Measure and record your ramp's angle, and the bobsled's time and distance with each test run.
Send Mrs. Sol pictures or movies of your experiment to share in class.