National Endowment for the Humanities
The Victor's Virtue: A Cultural History of Sport
Pupils explore the meaning of the ancient Greek word aretê and the place of virtue in historical athletic competition and modern sports. They begin by reading an informational text on the goal of sports in education, and then evaluate...
ProCon
Olympics
Are the Olympic Games a benefit for their host countries and cities? Scholars decide for themselves in preparation for a class debate or discussion. After reading a brief background and overview of the topic, pupils read the top three...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Legacy of the Olympics: Economic Burden or Boon?
Do the economic benefits of major sporting events such as the Olympics or the World Cup outweigh the expected costs? Using fundamental economic terms, discover the explicit and implicit costs and benefits for countries that host these...
Curriculum Development Institute
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games are the subject of a differentiated lesson for a middle school classroom. Activities include researching the events in the ancient games and comparing them to events in the modern Olympics, gathering acts about why...
ProCon
Drug Use in Sports
The ancient Greeks used performance enhancing drugs, such as opium juice, when they participated in the original Olympic Games. Pupils research a website with debate topics to decide if athletes' use of such drugs in modern sports is...
Curated OER
The Sporting Life
Students read and discuss "When the Games Began: Olympic Archaeology," examining the significance of the first Olympic Games in Greece. They research and reenact scenes from these Games and reflect on the Games' original importance.
Curated OER
Social Studies: The Birth of Olympism
Learners complete maps of Ancient Greece identifying key sites of the ancient Olympic games. After watching a video, they complete worksheets about the games and the athletes. Students discuss how the spirit of Ekecheiria, the "Sacred...
Royal Society of Chemistry
The 400m Event—Chemistry and Sport
How do Olympic runners succeed in physically demanding events like the 400-meter dash? Physiology scholars explore the relationship between acids, bases, and the muscular system through a scenario-driven activity. The lesson focuses on...
Curated OER
Turin, Geography, Culture And Sports
High schoolers study why certain locations are suitable to host the Winter Olympics. They research the characteristics of Turin, Italy, plan a trip and create a multimedia scrapbook of the trip.
Penn Museum
Maya Ball
Sure the ancient Mayan civilization had an advanced calendar and mathematical system, but did you know that they also played a great team sport like basketball? Invite your learners to discover the great ballcourt at Chichen Itza and...
Curated OER
Bearing the Torch: A Study of Ancient Greece
Second graders research Ancient Greece. In this Ancient Greece lesson, 2nd graders survey the geographical, historical, and cultural aspects of Greece. Students discover stories of Greek mythology and explore the beginning of the Olympic...
National Australia Day Council
True Blue? On Being Australian
Who or what is an Australian? Discover a plethora of student-centered, engaging activity ideas on the question of Australian identity, organized according to five major themes: people, symbols, place, sport, and words.
Curated OER
AIDS: A Pop Culture History
Students watch the documentary AIDS: A Pop Culture History and discuss the issues the documentary raises. Students discuss the different facts and myths about AIDS, discuss stereotypes in relation to the disease and discuss common fears...
Curated OER
Go For the Gold! For Grades 3-5
Students use web technology to investigate ancient Greece and the Olympic Games. They explore the history of the Olympics. Students make connections between Greek and English. They make and record a persuasive speech and write a...