- Ask students if they enjoy the Olympics. What is their favorite sport to watch in the winter? Do they know when the next Olympics are?
- Have your students go to the Olympic website: www.olympic.org. From there you can click “Olympic games” and choose “Sochi” or just have students follow this link: http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics
- Here are a few vocabulary words you may want to review beforehand: motto, compete, competition, athlete, torch
Below are questions that students can work with a partner to answer, using the website.
Work with a partner to answer the following items:
- When are the 2014 Winter Olympics?
- Where are the 2014 Winter Olympics?
- How many days until the Olympics begin?
- Can you find any information about the host city, Sochi? Share 3 facts you learn.
- Name 3 sports that you know are in the winter Olympics.
- On the website, find the motto of the Olympics.
- The Olympic torch went to a very unusual place; where did it go and when?
- Click on the “countries” link and see if your country is participating in the Olympics. Name 5 other countries that you are not familiar with, that are competing.
- Which country is the closest to Sochi, Russia? Which is farthest?
- There are 12 new sports; can you name 5 of them? (find the article on the opening page)
- Click on the “games” link and find how many athletes compete in the winter Olympics and how many compete in the summer games.
- Who are some of the athletes to watch, who might be winners in this Olympics? (find link for athletes to watch)
- What has been in the news lately that might be a concern for some athletes and fans?
Other ideas for lessons on the Olympics:
1) The top of this website looks uninviting, but scroll down to find good activities and exercises on the Olympic Games. http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1401/140127-sochi-olympics.html
2) Language Arts lesson on the Winter Olympics (designed for Grade 3 reading level)
3) The origin of the Olympic Games. This website from the BBC is designed for elementary-age kids but has fun links and activities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/the_olympic_games/