Stage three History Unit - Olympics/cultures

OLYMPICS/CULTURES
This unit provides opportunities for students to develop an understanding of
the origins of the Olympic games and the beginnings of the modern Olympic
games. It will also explore the 2016 Rio Olympics giving students an insight
into the culture and geographical features of Rio and South America.
Students will also be given the opportunity to research their own culture of
choice.
unit duration: 7 weeks

Outcomes

GE3-1 describes the diverse

and characteristics
features
and environments
of places
GE3-2 explains interactions

and connections
between

people, places and environment
GE3-4 acquires, processes and
communicates
geographical

information
using geographical

tools for
inquiry

HT3-5 applies
a variety of

skills of
historical inquiry and
communication

Stage three History Unit - Olympics/cultures

Topic
Week 2

Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Students will brainstorm everything they already know about the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Students will write down 6 things that they would like to learn about the Olympic Games. This could be in the form
of a question or topic. KWL Chart

On a world map the students identify:

1) Australia

Unit Introduction
Where in the world
is Rio?

2) The Northern & Southern Hemispheres

3) The continent of South America

On a map of South America the students identify:

1) Brazil

Resources
http://www.abc.net.
au/btn/story/s4023
300.htm
http://www.timefork
ids.com/destination
/brazil
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=JU
NVP8eeRDc

http://www.ngkids.c
om.au/places/coun
The students use atlases, books and Internet to find famous sights and attractions of Rio. If students have enough try-fact-file-brazil
2) Rio de Janeiro

time, the search can be extended to the whole of Brazil.

Weeks 3 & 4
The history of the
Ancient Olympic
Games

Students will share their information with the class, creating a joint class list/poster/display board of the famous
sights and attractions of the region. .

Working as either a whole class or in groups the students discover the answers to the following questions:
1) When did the Ancient Olympics begin?
2) What was the reason for the first Olympics?
3) Where were the first Olympics held?
4) What did the competitors win?

https://au.pinterest.
com/pin/27422706
4788803170/
Magic Tree House
#16 Hour of the
Olympics

Evaluation

Stage three History Unit - Olympics/cultures

5) What was the first and only event at the first Olympics?
6) What other events were introduced into the Ancient Olympic Games?
7) Who was allowed to compete in the Ancient Olympic Games?
8) Why was a flame used during the Ancient Olympics?
9) When and why did the Ancient Olympics stop?

Weeks 5 & 6

Using the information gathered, students construct an information report about the Ancient Olympic Games.

The students are given a comprehension passage about the Modern Olympics and then asked to complete a
Cross Word Puzzle that tests their ability to gain key words and facts from the passage (this passage outlines the
history and significance of the Modern Olympic Games).

The students are given a challenge to identify the Olympic sports that competitors are able to compete in at the
Rio 2016 Games. Depending on the ability of the class the challenge can be carried out with the use of resources
or without.

The students will use various 2D shapes to create a simple picture of one of the sports that athletes compete in at
the Olympics.

Keep a classroom tally of medals awarded at the Olympics

Using their gathered knowledge about the Ancient and Modern Olympics and the history and attractions of Athens
and Greece, the students will create a storyboard of what they think the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Closing
Ceremony will be like.

The Modern
Olympics

Stage three History Unit - Olympics/cultures

Weeks 7-10

Each week students will explore a different country from around the world including France and China. They
will learn about:

Cultural study
!

The geographical location of the country

The history of the country

Creative Arts within that country

National symbols

Traditional clothing and food

Fairy tales and Folklore

Flora and Fauna

The comparative life of a child from that country

Festivals and celebrations

Architecture and transport connections

Economy and currency

Concurrently, students will be working on their own research project relating to a country of their choice. This
will conclude in a presentation day where students will have the opportunity to share their knowledge and
understanding with peers, teachers and parents.