Sports Month in Genius Numbers: Meet Surfer Carissa Moore and Experiment with Waves in a Bottle

Genius content refreshes every month! This month, it’s “game on” as we learn about amazing athletes, Olympic traditions, and exciting international sports.

We’ve compiled limited-time game updates, real-life genius stories, and educator-approved activities into interactive printables, designed to enhance your little kids’ learning. Access this week’s printable by clicking the button below:

Game Update

Check out Osmo Numbers for a limited-time “trip” to Hawaii, the birthplace of surfing. The islands’ warm waters are home to a mix of tropical fish, turtles, and dolphins.

Genius Spotlight: Carissa Moore

Surfing began in the Hawaiian islands thousands of years ago. People used long wooden boards, carved from trees, to ride the ocean’s waves.

The boards are different now, but surfing is still huge in the state of Hawaii. Just ask world champion surfer and Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore!

Carissa was born in Hawaii. She grew up going out in the ocean, surfing for the first time with her dad by the time she was 5. At age 11, Carissa started entering surf competitions.

All that practice paid off! At 18, she became the youngest World Surf League champion. Carissa has now won that title five times. She even won a gold medal on her very first trip to the Olympics.

But Carissa’s coolest accomplishment might be that she has a whole day named after her. In 2016, the state of Hawaii declared January 4 as “Carissa Moore Day.” Of course Hawaii would want to celebrate one of its star surfers every year!

It’s fun to learn where certain sports came from and how often the land—or sea!—played a part. When Carissa talks about surfing, she says it makes her feel in love with the water. With a sport she loves so much, she’s bound to keep succeeding!

Real-World Activity: Waves in a Bottle

Try this educator-approved activity at home. This week’s printable (button above) has instructions with photos!

Depending on where you live, you might not be able to “catch” any waves today, but you can make them in a bottle!

Materials needed:

• Clear bottle (glass or plastic)
• Water
• Oil (clear oils work best, like baby or coconut oil)
• Blue food coloring
• Tape
• Funnel or measuring cup

Instructions:

1. Remove any labels from your bottle.
2. Fill the bottle halfway with water.
3. Add food coloring to the water.
4. Using a funnel or measuring cup, carefully fill the rest of the bottle with oil.
5. Tightly cap the bottle, and secure it with tape.
6. Hold your bottle on its side and move it left and right, watching the blue wave pulse through!