The modern Olympic games started in 1894. The first edition of the games was held in Athens in 1896 and had a mere 245 competitors from 14 different countries. Today, the Olympics have changed not only in size but also in tradition. Instead of holding an event every four years, there is a Summer Olympic games held every four years and two years later there is a Winter Olympic games which is also held every four years. This gives the excited public the opportunity to experience an Olympic event every two years.
Today the Summer Olympics has 28 games and 302 events which range from track and field events to basketball. The last Olympic games had more than ten thousand athletes from more than two hundred countries.
Bringing The Summer Olympics to Your Classroom with Teaching Resources
While the actual event is one that is fantastic classroom fun, you don't have to wait every four years to teach your young students about the Summer Olympics. In fact, it's a great addition to many units. You might integrate a lesson on the Summer Olympics with a unit on Ancient Greece, Olympic Traditions, Health and Fitness, or Cultures and Traditions.
Teacher Planet offers lesson plans that discuss various aspects of the Summer Olympics. They also provide worksheets, hands on activities and classroom resources like clip art. You may also find the additional teaching resources helpful to round out your unit on the Summer Olympics.
