Introduction
Travel through time with your classmates. Find out how the Ancient Greeks lived and what role the Olympic Games played in their culture. Continue towards modern times when the Games were re-established with fierce competitions between countries. Move beyond present times. Will the Games continue long into our future as they did in Ancient Greece?
Task
Are you going to the Olympics? Yes you are! You and your classmates are going to travel through time to explore the Olympics from Ancient Greece through the future of the Modern Olympic Games. Each team of explorers will enter the time machine and be sent back. . .2700 years. . .200 years. . .60 years. . .20 years. . .1 year. . .and to the future. Virtually Speaking, Of Course!
Your team of explorers will investigate the people, culture and politics of the time to find out how they impacted Olympic Events. You will ask and answer questions as you travel through your designated time period. When were the first Olympics? What role did they play in Greek society? Why were Modern Olympics initiated?
Your team will share your findings with your teacher and classmates. How have the Olympics changed over the last hundred years? How have they fared through wars, boycotts and terrorist attacks? You will look for connections between past, present and into the future.
Are the Olympics about individual athletes or the countries they represent? Is there a future for the Olympic Games and what changes might we see over the next twenty years?
Before you and your team of explorers can journey through time, the role of each member must be established. It is important that you carry out your duties to allow for a safe, productive journey. Your teammates are counting on you.
|
Role |
Responsibility |
| Recorder | Maintain the Travel Log. Record web site addresses along with data/information from the site. |
| Communications Officer | Contact person between teams and team and teacher. Share and compare with the "C.O." from other teams. Communicate new findings with your team. Pass on to team members any new directions, suggestions from teacher. |
| Pilot | Flies the time machine - controls the mouse on the computer. Be sure all team members are able to view the websites. When necessary, read and point out important information for team members. |
| Navigator | Provide direction for your team of explorers. When necessary, remind the team of the direction they are to go and keep them on course. Make notes in the Travel Log of sites to revisit. |
Follow the links to some useful information. You will make a poster with the information you gather. You may choose to use these headings or come up with your own:
Opening Ceremony
Find out some things that happen at Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies. Draw a flow chart and try to put the events in order.
http://kinooze.com/what-is-olympics-opening-ceremony/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games_ceremony
View opening ceremonies from previous Olympic Games and discuss how each host country represents their cultures, values, and national identity. Consider how New Zealand might represent itself in an opening ceremony. What aspects of our cultures, values, and national identity could we highlight?
Opening ceremony highlights 1980 to 1992 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz4JjFUcpGs
History of the Olympics
Investigate the origins and traditions of the Olympics and explore how the event has changed over time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/the_olympic_games/
Why were they held?
Where were they originally held and how long did they last?
Who was allowed to compete and attend?
What was the oath that the Olympians said?
What sports were there and what was the most dangerous?
What happened to athletes who cheated?
What did the winners receive and who delivered the rewards?
Compare the Ancient Games with the Modern Olympics. Draw a Venn Diagram showing the differences and common features.
Olympic Flame / Torch
The tradition of the Olympic flame began during the ancient Olympic Games, over 2700 years ago in Greece. A flame was lit for each Olympics, every four years, and it burned throughout the games. The flame symbolized the death and rebirth of Greek heroes. There was no torch relay in the ancient Olympics. The first torch relay took place at the 1936 games in Berlin, Germany.
https://www.olympic.org/olympic-torch-relay
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/olympics/
What is the purpose of having an Olympic flame?
What is the flame a symbol of?
How is the flame lit and why is it lit that way?
Why are several torches made?
Where does it start its journey?
What different places has the 2016 torch been, how many torch bearers are there and what distance will it travel?
Describe the features of the 2016 design. - sky mountains, ground/sea
Brazil
Create a fact file about the country - highlight on a world map and locate Rio de Janeiro.
Flag, continent, capital city, surrounding countries, population, climate, currency, language, famous landmarks, longest river, important products, popular sports, other interesting facts,
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/brazil.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/brazil
Postcard - find a favourite photo of Brazil and make it into a postcard. Write a message to your parents imagining you were a tourist.
Mascots
Mascots are popular ambassadors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Explore ways that the mascots spread the Olympic spirit, communicate the Olympics values, and promote the cultural identity of the host countries.
What are the Olympic values?
Who are Tom and Vinicius and what do they represent?
How old are they?
What is their special power?
What are their pastimes?
Where do they live?
What is their mission?
https://www.rio2016.com/mascots/#!olympic-mascot
Go to the Have Fun page and take the Athletes of the future (quiz), Take a selfie with the mascots also on the same page.
**EXTRA CREDIT**
Athletes
Choose an athlete in Team USA.
Record 5 interesting pieces of information about him/her. Include what sport they play and where they are from.
http://www.teamusa.org/road-to-rio-2016/team-usa/athletes
Process
Olympic Time Frames will be distributed to the teams by the teacher. You and your team members will use the web sites provided and any other resources made available by the teacher to investigate your Olympic time frame.
Evaluation
1. You and your teammates will be evaluated as you progress through this WebQuest to help guide you in your travels. You will be asked to determine how well your group is working together by using a Cooperative Group Rubric.
2. Your Communications Officer will be maintaining a Travel Log. This log book will include information about sites visited and data gathered. All team members will be a part of the data gathering. The Log will also include questions by the team that will provide direction for the team.
3. Using the Internet as a resource can allow us to gather information from a variety of sources as a group. It is important that we recognize and "cite" these sources as we would an encyclopedia or other text. The Web Site Title and address should be noted in the Travel Log along with the information gathered.
4. The final presentation will involve teams working together to create a "Journey Through the Olympics" presentation. The class will work together to create a checklist of requirements for this presentation.
flow chart, vent diagram, answers, postcard
Conclusion
The Olympic Games of past and present have been a reflection of the events, values, and culture of the time. By looking into the heroes, hopes, tragedies and changes of the Games, we can gain a greater appreciation of the trends and social systems that have shaped history and will influence our future.