Hit: Olympic Lessons

[Gail Clotman <clotman_g@POPMAIL.FIRN.EDU>]

1)    Use this research activity when the winter Olympics were
in
Japan.  But I plan on reformatting it a bit to apply to the summer games
in
Australia.

The first session of 5th and 6th graders I discussed the Olympics (this
would be before they start) then we discussed the list of countries
participating.  Then I told them before they come back to the library (2

weeks) they had to have picked a favorite country/along with a sport
being
competed in during the summer Olympics.

Then on their next visit I gave them 3 x 5 cards (old card catalog
cards)
and told them we were making Olympic Athlete I.D. cards.  They put their

name, age, height, weight, country and sport competing in. they then
have
to
find one interesting fact about their country & sport and also their
country's flag.  They put this info on the back of their I.D. cards,
then I
pull out the extra pictures that our school always has of students and
they
glue a little picture on their card.  It's really fun!  I collect them
when
done and make a display on a bulletin board along with a large tally
sheet
of medals won by the different countries during the Olympics.  So each
time
the classes come in, they look to see how their country as well as the
U.S.A. are doing!

Hope this helps!~


2)    Use the Olympics as a theme during the last winter games. I
think
we called it "Be a Winning Reader." The disadvantage that you have right

now
is that the summer Olympics will not start until after your summer
school.
The winter Olympics do not have many events so we assigned a different
sport
to each grade level. They researched that sport and then made a display
about it. Then when the winter games actually started they used the
internet
to keep track of the events and which countries medaled. The kids kept
track
of how many minutes they read. They each had a goal and when they
reached
it
they were given a prize or bookmark for one of the events. If they
reached
a
certain number of goals, they got a gold medal.

You could research Australia. It's a fascinating place. The kids
probably
don't understand how their seasons are opposite ours. Koalas and
kangaroos
are pretty cool, too. The kids could learn Australian slang.

3)    I've seen "Math Olympics" and "Reading Olympics" used --primarily
regular
skills games or activities dressed up with the Olympics theme.  So, you
could
do the same thing with Information skills.

Show some clips of opening and closing ceremonies-highlights of races,
etc.,
to introduce the background. Assign each student as representative of a
particular country-perhaps have them do a bit of research in order to
identity with "their" locale.  Have them color a flag to carry around.
Thrown in some music for an opening ceremony--parade, then let the
students
compete at various centers and work stations.  If you don't like the
idea
of
competition--you could call it a marathon and have them complete a
number
of
activities, awarding medals by number of activities completed.  This
could
be
as extensive or as simple as you want it, according to the goals and
outcomes
you hope to obtain.

Thanks for all the advice everyone shared.

Gail Clotman
Holmes Elementary
Miami, FL

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