Olympic Mathematics - Animal weightlifting for Years 4-6

2 min read

Story:

If you think those weightlifters are strong, wait till you hear what animals can do...

You see, even a world record weightlifter would be humbled by an ant, if you based it on how many times their bodyweight they can lift.

Do some research and compare...

Tools:

Show the articles below on the main board at the front of the room, or print each for a group of students per table to refer to, or access via tablets if students will not waste time on the articles online.
Set of scales for the support option.

Main event

Browse the world records for how much Olympic athletes have been able to weight lift based on their own weight: https://iwf.sport/results/world-records/

Now work out, if these creatures were the weight of humans at the Olympics, how much they could lift.

For example, what if these creatures were human-sized?

Dung beetles can lift 1141 times its own body weight. Assume your 'Olympic athlete' dung beetle is 81kg, how much could it lift?
Leafcutter ants can lift 500 times their own body weight. How much would it lift at the Olympics, if it were human-sized and the weight of human weight lifters (use the Olympic weight categories from the first link)?
Rhinoceros Beetles can lift something 850 times their own weight. How much would it lift at the Olympics, if it were human-size?

Change the assumed body weight of your creature (for example, compete in the 109kg category) and repeat.

Support:

Tigers can lift twice their body weight. Assume your 'Olympic athlete tiger' is 100kg, then 80kg, then 95kg, and so on. How much could it lift?
Gorillas can lift 10 times their body weight.

Support: Heft the backpacks in the bag corner. Order from lightest to heaviest. Then check using a set of scales and re-order as needed.

Extension 1: Decimals:

Extension 2: Record the weight in different units (grams, tonnes), as well as imperial units so Americans can understand you (pounds).

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