Summer Olympics Day 4 -Team USA

Team USA

Read:   page 42-45 in Olympics by Dennis B. Fradin and explore the Team USA Home.

Discuss: Team USA Facts

• 530 athletes
• Youngest: Katie Ledecky, 15, swimming
• Oldest: Karen O’Connor, 54, equestrian
• Females: 269

• Males: 261

• Mothers: 13
• Fathers: 54
• Five-time Olympians: 7

• Four-time Olympians: 21
  

Comprehension Questions:

1. What does USA stand for? United States of America
2. What does the USA flag look like? Blue square with 50 white stars in the top left and 13 red and white stripes.

United States Flag Waffles

Materials:

• Waffels
• Blueberries
• Strawberry slices
• Banana slices

Directions:

1. Add a blueberries into the top 4 left waffle holes.
2. Add strawberry slices to the rest of the top row and every other row after that.
3. Add banana slices to the rest of the second row and every other row after that.

Good Sportsmanship

Discuss:

• Losing with dignity
• Winning without breaking the rules
• Accepting praise with humility
• Complimenting the play of teammates as well as members of the competitor team
• Accepting the judgment of the game referees
• Taking direction well from coaches
• Shaking hands with the opponent
• Respecting the spectators
  

Directions:

1. Act out good sportsmanship for the following scenarios...

Sports Stories-

Your team just lost a baseball game. Your friend, Chase, is on the winning team. He comes over to talk to you. What do you do?

Your team just won a soccer game. Your friend, Molly, is on the losing team. She comes over to talk to you. What do you do?

You’re playing a board game with your little brother. Your mom calls you into the kitchen for a minute. When you return, you notice that your brother has moved his game piece to a much better position than where it was when you left. What do you do?

You go to your friend Lucy’s house after school a lot. Lucy likes playing basketball in her driveway. When you play, she always brags about how good she is and she keeps track of how many baskets you miss. What do you do?

You’re really good at basketball and score lots of points for your team. A new kid, Karin, just joined the team. She’s never played basketball before and she isn’t too good yet. The coach asks you to sit out at the end of the game so Karin can have a turn. What do you do?

Your team just lost the last soccer game of the season. What would a good sport do?

Backyard Olympics

Directions:

1. Balance Beam (2x4 on cynder blocks)
   
   
2. Noodle Throw (throw a noodle into a hoola hoop)
   
3. Ball Toss (throw a ball through a hoola hoop)
   
4. Disc Throw (tape two together frisbee toss)
   
5. Balloon between the knees race
6. 100 yard dash
   
   
   
7. Backwards dash
   
8. Water balloon on a spoon race
9. High jump 
   
10. Long jump
    
    
    

Summer Olympics Day 3 -Sporting Events

Sporting Events

Read: pages 33- 41 in Olympics by Dennis B. Fradin and some more information about the 2012 London Olympics.

Discuss: The ancient Olympic Games were just a one-day event until 684 BC, when they were extended to three days. In the 5th century B.C., the Games were extended again to cover five days of events. The ancient Games didn't have as many events as they have today, they included running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, pankration and equestrian events. Now the Olympic Games last for about 3 weeks.

Running- Runners ran races for show of speed.

Jumping- Athletes used stone or lead weights called halteres to increase the distance of a jump. They held onto the weights until the end of their flight, and then jettisoned them backwards.

Discus throw- The discus was originally made of stone and later of iron, lead or bronze. The technique was very similar to today's freestyle discus throw.

Wrestling- This was highly valued as a form of military exercise without weapons. It ended only when one of the contestants admitted defeat.

Boxing- Boxers wrapped straps (himantes) around their hands to strengthen their wrists and steady their fingers. Initially, these straps were soft but, as time progressed, boxers started using hard leather straps, often causing disfigurement of their opponent's face.

Pankration- This was a primitive form of martial art combining wrestling and boxing, and was considered to be one of the toughest sports. Greeks believed that it was founded by Theseus when he defeated the fierce Minotaur in the labyrinth.

Equestrian events- These included horse races and chariot races and took place in the Hippodrome, a wide, flat, open space.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Name a few of the modern Olympic events?
2. What is your favorite sport?

A Few Modern Olympic Events

J review A Few Modern Olympic Events on pages 33-37 of this download.

Sporting Events Matching Game

I made J a file folder game with the Sporting Events Matching Game cards to work on reading skills.

My Favorite Sport

J and I talked about what his favorite sport is.  Then I asked him why he like it.  Then I gave him the My Favorite Sport print out  on page 22 of the download for him to write about it.

Olympic Medal Chart

Discuss:

A gold medal is awarded for first place in each competition. Second place gets silver and third place gets bronze. We used page 38 of The Modern Olympic Medals download to learn more.

Materials:

• Posterboard
• Flag Flashcards
• Olympic Medal print outs
• Sticky Notes
• Glue Stick

Directions:

1. Cut out one each of the medals and glue them to the top of your poster board.
2. Stick your chosen flags down the side of your poster board.
3. Add the sticky note next to each flag under each medal. Keep track of the medals by writing the numbers on each stick note and replacing them when needed.
4. At the end of each day arrange the flags and sticky notes to see which country is ahead.

Summer Olympics Day 2 -Modern Olympics

Modern Olymics

Read:  page 17-32 in Olympics by Dennis B. Fradin

Discuss: The International Olympic Committee was founded in 1894 and the first modern Olympics were held two years later in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The Olympic Games is a major sporting event where thousands of athletes from all over the world compete. There are two variants of this international sporting event - Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, each of which is held every two rotating years. The motto of the Olympic games is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for 'Faster, Higher, Stronger'. It encourages the athletes to do their best, and show good sportsmanship. There are 302 medal events (162 men’s, 132 women’s, 8 mixed). London becomes the first city to stage the Olympic Games three times (1908, 1948 and 2012). London is the biggest city in Britain and Europe. (Find England and then London on a map).

Comprehension Questions:

1. What year were the first modern Olympic Games? 1896
2. Where were the first modern Olympic Games held? Athens, Greece
3. What city are the Olympic Games this year? London, England

London Weather

We used London Weather on page 1 of this download to help us chart the weather in London.

 

2012 Summer Olympic Dates & Location

We used the 2012 Summer Olympic Dates & Location printout on pages 27 & 29 of this download.

 

Participating Countries

Materials:

• Globe
• Pencil
• Paper

Directions:

1. List and locate all of the participating countries in the 2012 Olympics.

Events Worksheet

We used the Events Worksheet pages 2-3 to review the host cities of past Olympic Games.

 

Olympic Rings Artwork

Discuss: The Olympic Rings are five interlocking rings that stand for the five original continents, (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe) and the athletes from around the world. The colors of the rings are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. They were chosen because at least one of these colors is found on the flag of every nation. The Olympic Rings appears on the Olympic flag. At the Olympic Games, the flag is brought into the stadium during the opening ceremony. After its arrival, the flag is hoisted up the flagpole. It must fly in the stadium during the whole of the Olympic Games. When the flag is lowered at the closing ceremony, it signals the end of the Games.

Materials:

• Paint (Blue, Yellow, Black, Green, Red)
• 5 plastic cups
• Paper plates
• Printing paper

Directions:

1. Put one color of paint on each paper plate.
2. Dip the rim of your cup in the paint color that you want. (blue, black, red, yellow, then green)  We used a cut up paper towel tube instead.
3. Stamp the cup rim onto the paper.
4. Put the next color overlapping the first a bit... and so on.

The Olympic Rings

We used this free printout of The Olympic Rings to review what the rings meant.

Olympic Rings Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. In a bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir till soft dough forms.
3. Place waxed paper over a 15-in. x 10-in. baking sheet without sides. Shape dough into a flattened rectangle and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover dough with waxed paper; roll dough to within 1/4 in. of edges of baking sheet. Remove top sheet of waxed paper; invert dough onto another greased baking sheet. Remove remaining waxed paper.
4. Using a 4-1/2-in. diameter plate or bowl and a knife, trace three touching circles along a long side of the dough. Trace two more circles centered below and overlapping upper circles by 1 in. Cut around outer edges of the rings; remove dough around rings and use to make cookies if desired. Bake rings at 350° for 14-16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
5. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow cream until smooth. Transfer cooled crust to a serving platter. Spread with frosting. On top rings, from left to right, place blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Place pineapple and kiwi on lower rings. Store in the refrigerator.

 2012 Summer Olympics Torch Relay

Read the 2012 Summer Olympics Torch Relay on page 30 of this download to learn about how the torch is carried from Greece to the host country.  Then we watched the torch lighting the Olympic Cauldron in the opening ceremony.

  

Olympic Torch

Discuss: In memory of the Olympic Games’ origins, the flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, some months before the opening of the Games. The Olympic flame can only be lit by the sun’s rays. The torch is carried by relay from Olympia to the host city of the Games. The day of the opening of the Games, the flame enters the stadium. With the lighting of the cauldron by the last relay runner the flame is transferred from the torch to the place where it will continue to burn for the entire length of the Olympic Games. The flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games at the closing ceremony.

Materials:

• Paper towel roll
• Tin foil
• Red and orange tissue paper
• Scissors
• Glue

Directions:

1. Cut the paper towel roll in half.
2. Glue tin foil onto the paper towel roll.
   
   
3. Glue crumpled tissue paper to the inside of the paper towel roll, sticking out like flames.

Torch Run Maze

I printed out the Torch Run Maze printout for J to have a fun maze to do.

 

Olympics Acrostic

We used the free Olympics Acrostic printout to write some words that have have to do with the Olympics.

 

Olympic Torch Snack

Materials:

• Construction paper
• Stapler
• Cheetos

Directions:

1. Cut paper into a 6x5 inch piece.
2. Pull the opposite corners toward each other.
3. Staple the edges.
   
4. Add Cheetos.

Symbols and Traditions

I printed out page 12 of this free download for J to review the Symbols and Traditions about the Olympics that we have learned so far.

Summer Olymics Day 1 -Olympics History

Olympics History

Read:  page 5-16 in Olympics by Dennis B. Fradin

Discuss: The first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC (about 3,000 years ago). There was just one race called a stade (180 meters long). Then more and more events were added. The Games were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia, Greece. The official award ceremony for the Olympics would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, a wreath made of sacred olive tree would be placed on the winner's head. (Find Olympia, Greece on the globe).

Comprehension Questions:

1. How many competitions were at the first ancient Olympic Games? One race called a stade.
2. What is the name of the city were the ancient Olympic Games took place? Olympia, Greece
3. How often were the ancient Olympic Games? Every 4 years.

Who Were The Ancient Greeks?

We used Who Were The Ancient Greeks? on pages 10-11 from this download.

 

The Origin of the Ancient Olympic Games

We used The Origin of the Ancient Olympic Games on pages 14-15 from this download.

 Ancient Olympic Stadium

We used Ancient Olympic Stadium on pages 20-21 of this download.

Ancient Olympic Prizes

We used Ancient Olympic Prizes on pages 22-23 of this download.

Olympic Laurel Wreath Crown

Discuss: The athletes in the ancient Olympic games didn't receive medals, instead they received a laurel wreath crown made of olive leaves and the glory of the fans.

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Green and light green construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Ribbon

Directions:

1. Cut the center out of a large paper plate.
   
2. Cut about a half inch out of the inside of the ring, so it fits the head better. (or as much as you need)
   
3. Cut many simple leaves from green and light green paper.
   
4. Start gluing the leaves at the back end of the paper plate rim alternating colors down one side.
   
5. Continue gluing the leaves together past the ends of the paper plate a few inches.  
   
6. Tie a ribbon around the back of the wreath. 
   
   
   

Summer Olympics Unit Study

In this unit study we learned about the Summer Olympics of 2012. We also created our own backyard Olympics and made a chart to keep track of the medal count. This unit study is geared for elementary students with 4 days worth of lessons. Here is the official site for the  2012 Summer Olympics http://www.olympic.org/.  I did this unit study with my 1st grader and would recommend it for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Day 1 Olympics History

Day 2 Modern Olympics

Day 3 Sporting Events

Day 4 Team USA

Olympics Book List

Olympics by Dennis B. Fradin

G is for Gold Medal by Brad Herzog

Clifford's Sports Day by Norman Bridwell

Magic Tree House #16 Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne

Magic Tree House Research Guide Ancient Greece and the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce

The Summer Olympics by Bob Knotts

The Summer Olympics by Caroline Arnold