The 2014 Winter Olympics is coming! What’s behind the Games?
It’s more than athleticism. Get in the game!
CONNECT:
- Trace the history of the Olympics at http://olympics.fhw.gr/.
- You might also want to map the sites of the modern Olympics, joining points chronologically. It’s good to separate the winter and summer Olympics to compare thir geography (http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-olympic-map.htm).
- And you can track the 2014 winter Olympics torch relay from from Athens to Sochi at http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/olympic-torch-relay-trip-sochi
- What’s the science behind the Olympics? Investiage at http://whyfiles.org/019olympic/
- Compare the details of winter Olympic sports at http://www.edgate.com/wintergames/design/spotlight_sport/index.html
CREATE:
- Have fun with this ancient Olympic cyberhunt: http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/ancienthunt.htm
- Try these winter Olympics-related online activities: http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/olympics/activities.htm
- http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/learn-to-draw-winter-olympics has step-by-step tutorials for drawing winter Olympics events.
- Organize your own local Olympics! What sports would you like to include: relays? Frisbees? Catch? Pencil balancing? What would be your criteria for judging a performance? Look at http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/holding-your-own-olympic-games and http://www.olympic.org/ioc-governance-organising-committees for planningdetails.
CARE:
- Learn about Special Olympics organization's mission, goals, and benefits for persons with mental retardation. Find program locations, games, competitions in your area, and ways to become involved as a volunteer (http://www.specialolympics.org).
- In the ancient Olympics, only men were allowed to compete, but the modern Olympics included women – but not in every sport. Track when women were introduced in different Olympic sports at http://www.feminist.org/education/pdfs/FACTSHEET_Women_in_Olympic_Movement.pdf. What patterns to you see?
- In order to compete in the Olympics you have to be an amateur; you can’t be a professional athlete. Compare the annual costs to raise a future Olympic athlete: http://www.ivillage.com/it-costs-how-much-raise-olympic-athlete-0/1-a-475869. No wonder they appreciate donations!
- And you thought that the hardest part of the Olympics is the competition? Think about security! Here’s one newspaper articles about security issues at the 2012 Olympics: http://www.ibtimes.com/london-olympics-2012-security-issues-years-games-730007 Search online newspapers to see what some of the issues – and solutions – are involved in the 2014 Olympics.
CAREER:
Have you thought of participating in the Olympics? You don’t
have to be an athlete, as these lists demonstrate:
