Paralympics Proud

 

There is a lot of news about the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, but do you know that the world Paralympic Games is also happening now in Tokyo? Get to know about these great athletes too.

 

CONNECT:

• Watch what is Paralympics sport? This video has an Australian focus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRrRf2yvAaA  And this video is in Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZKfthh59kc&list=PLaSegn4AdJAz5NJH6CLfUkQe8BlA5zbYd
• Get the details about the Tokyo Paralympic Games at https://education.tokyo2020.org/en/games/about/paralympic-games/
• Did you know that physicist Stephen Hawking spoke at the opening ceremony of the 1992 Paralympic Games? Discover the history of the Paralympic Games at https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/medal-quest/past-games/

 

CREATE:

• Do this kids’ WebQuest about mobility and athletics at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/mobility.html
• Meet some Paralympians and their inspiring stories at https://www.paralympic.org.au/athletes/
• Recreate a Paralympic-inspired sports event at home, using these ideas: https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=cbadfda3-0e5a-40b4-8bed-fbed22aee751

 

CARE:

• Share this fairy tale about William the One Winged Dragon and the Castle Football World Championships at https://www.paralympic.org/sites/default/files/document/120305113307821_Card_8_A_Fairy_Tale.pdf
• Find out how to volunteer in special needs sports programs at https://bethebestsport.org/how-to-volunteer-in-special-needs-sports-programs/
• Support Special Olympics Young Athletes at https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/inclusive-health/young-athletes

 

CAREERS:

Paralympics combines two careers: sports and working with people with disabilities. Help others be all that they can be! You might be helping at one of the biggest sports events in the world!

• https://www.paralympic.org/careers and https://www.paralympic.org/athlete-careers
• https://www.specialolympics.org/about/careers
• https://www.allaboutcareers.com/career-path/paralympics-disability-sport/

Get Set for the Olympics

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:

http://www.teamusa.org/Careers

http://www.jumpinsport.com/noc-olympic-jobs

http://www.specialolympics.org/careers.aspx

http://myfootpath.com/mypathfinder/find-an-olympic-job-for-2012-2014-and-beyond/