Anyone doing an Olympics unit study

[Pamela H in Texas]

Are you doing one more formally or informally?

Are you doing it before or during or a little of both?

When are you doing it?

[Kelly1730]

Yes, I'm planning on it. Just started looking at some stuff yesterday so I don't have any concrete plan.

[angelmama1209]

when are the olympics? july? august? i'd like to put one together... could you share your resources?

[craftyerin]

when are the olympics? july? august?

Opening Ceremonies are Friday, July 27, and they run for 2ish weeks?

 

I'm planning to check out some library books and read them in the week preceding the opening ceremonies. Then, we'll just watch lots of different sports while they're on. My kids are quite young, so it won't be super involved. I'm sure we'll do a craft to make medals at some point, though.:D

 

Some books I thought had potential for my age group (4-5):

http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-Olympics-Alphabet-Sleeping/dp/1585364622/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337089682&sr=8-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/How-Train-Rex-Gold-Medals/dp/1416986693/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337089492&sr=1-1

 

and still browsing...

[Pamela H in Texas]

I might start with buying the unit study and then add from there.

I just don't know I'm creative enough. I think I can jump off of a plan better than create my own plan. Maybe.

Of course, we can get a few books. OOOhhh, my son will like the T.Rex one!

We also plan to have a party during one of the gymnastics times. Ideas via Pinterest :)

I'll probably FOCUS on the gymnastics, swimming, and events we can do at home (track, cycling, etc).

[craftyerin]

Just started browsing crafts. I think we'll make torches (easy peasy craft) before the opening ceremonies, and then when we get back from vacation (we're gone the whole first week of the olympics, but will be able to watch some games from our beach condo), make some medals (these look fun!) and paint some rings (another easy peasy craft). Ideally one of our library books would be about the Greeks and Olympic history, but a quick browse doesn't show much that would be age appropriate. That might have to wait 2 years for the next games. LOL

[CandaceC]

Here's a great (free) lapbook from Homeschool Share! :)

 

Summer Olympics lapbook

 

Here is homeschool share's olympics pinterest board with ideas, crafts, etc.

[craftyerin]

I'd do a medal count (probably with tally marks) if we were going to be in town the whole time. But I don't want to drag it on vacation.

 

Something like this would be fun. Medal Chart

[Staceyshoe]

:bigear:

[zimom]

You could go a step further and introduce your children to the Paralympics too. Starts about two weeks after the Olympics is over, uses the same venues, most of the countries will send athletes although not as many, and obviously the budget is not as great. TV news coverage is also sorely lacking but the athletes work just as hard. Hopefully your children will come away with a new definition of athletes.

 

Kelley

Mamma to a possible future paralympian :).

 

http://www2.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx

[thefragile7393]

http://www.handsofachild.com/gradelevel/middle-school.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=6214&category_id=206&keyword=olympics

[ForeverFamily]

I am loving these ideas so far! I think I am going to try and find a list/pictures of the major country flags and have my kids put a sticker on them as they come in at the opening ceremony. Does anyone know of a good list of country flags?

[teeniebeenie6]

This lapbook is on sale for $1: http://www.currclick.com/product/70778/The-Summer-Olympics-2012-Lapbook-with-Study-Guide

[Pamela H in Texas]

Does anyone know if they can be watched online? We don't have cable.

 

Can you get network tv? One tv is the right kind to get network with regular rabbit ears. Our other has a converter box. A lot will be shown on NBC.

[Jennifer L]

I've been looking at the Notgrass one and the lapbook from currclick. :001_smile:

[Hunter]

There is a major unit study curriculum provider that has been around since the 90s. I forget the name. They have an Olympics unit study. I remember getting an e-mail awhile back. It looked good for physical education ideas for the rest of the year, too.

[Kelly1730]

There is a major unit study curriculum provider that has been around since the 90s. I forget the name. They have an Olympics unit study. I remember getting an e-mail awhile back. It looked good for physical education ideas for the rest of the year, too.

 

 

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennet, possibly? It's the one I have bookmarked for us to use this summer.

[Hunter]

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennet, possibly? It's the one I have bookmarked for us to use this summer.

 

I think that is it :-)

[Alte Veste Academy]

I was just starting to plan a unit study about the Olympics and saw two new books that look wonderful. I ordered Richard Platt's Through Time: Olympics based on our love of his previous books. I think I will also buy A Passion for Victory when it comes out. It will be good to relate what we have learned about ancient Greece to the present day Olympics.

[SunnyDays]

So now that the Olympics are starting soon... anyone else on board, or find anything exciting to use?

 

I am getting the Notgrass Olympics study... you can get it as an e-book or a hard copy workbook. Since I waited until the last minute, e-book it is, LOL!!

 

I think we'll try to start it this week and then watch the Opening Ceremonies on Friday as a family.

[lillehei]

We are in our last week of Amanda Bennet's Olympic Unit Study and it has been great! e don't do everything she says t do, but we have been learning about the Ancient Olympics, the beginning of the Modern Olympics and many of the sports involved. My kids love the videos and learning about important people from past Olympics like Jesse Owens. We have also studied how certain sports use certain muscles and laws of physics. It has been very interesting and enjoyable for all of us.

 

I didn't read through all the posts here but here are our favorite two sites: http://www.london2012.com/ <---just pick a sport, go to about, and learn the history of that sport and how it works and watch a little video. Following is my favorite Medal Count: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8660580/Olympic-Medal-Table.html

 

I can't wait for this weekend for the games to start!

[Hoot]

Yes, but REALLY informally.

I have the Amanda Bennett unit study but we're not going to follow it as it's laid out.

DS13 is a sports fanatic so he already knows about most of the sports involved. I'll have him look up any that he's not familiar with or ones that he wants to know more about.

 

We'll watch the parts of the Olympics that he is interested in and keep informed of the rest online.

I've got a few library books on the subject and a book on how to draw sports. We'll also watch Chariots of Fire.

 

He is going to do a project, which involves a display and written report.

For this he'll create a 3-sided display board that must include:

 

 

• The title "2012 Olympics: London"
  
• Flags of the competing countries (I bought flag stickers that he can use for this.)
  
• The Olympic rings symbol
  
• The Olympic torch
  
• The gold, silver, and bronze medal emblems
  
• A map of England with London clearly marked
  
• What each of the ring colors symbolizes
  
• The Olympic Motto, Creed & Oath
  
• A bar graph detailing how many gold, silver & bronze medals each country won.
  
• A 5 paragraph report with a framework that I'll detail later.
  

This will be one of his first grades for the new school year. He will be graded on neatness, accuracy of information and whether he has included all of the required elements. How he puts it together is his choice.

Edited July 25, 2012 by contessa20

[Elfknitter.#]

This lapbook is on sale for $1: http://www.currclick.com/product/70778/The-Summer-Olympics-2012-Lapbook-with-Study-Guide

 

This is down to $0.45, so I downloaded it on Sunday. We started on Monday. I like that it's easy and simple since really I just want to do more of an overview that ties in quite nicely with our upcoming transition into Ancient Greece with SOTW 1. Since my monkeys are 7 & 8, I'm reading from the Magic Tree House books while they work on their lapbooks.

[KAM]

We are doing a very simple one (on my blog here). I pretty much just checked out books, tossed them in a basket for whoever felt like reading them, had the kids pick a few events to follow, and set up the DVR. We have also done a few simple crafts and will have a little Olympics party on opening night.