Win The Homeschool Gold!
TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS
More like a lesson plan about the Olympics. I'm no where close to an Olympic athlete, but that didn't keep me from wanting to work my muscles to create an engaging unit study about the Summer Olympics. Rich in history and tradition, I wanted to immerse my kids in all there is to the Olympics and include a fun, healthy competition of our own.
PLENTY OF PRACTICE
I knew receiving a perfect 10.0 from the judges (my kiddos) for this lesson plan was going to take some real work, practice, and dedication. After all, I wanted them to feel like an Olympic star by the end of the unit study, so I researched, planned, and gathered all the necessities to create an Olympic lesson plan fit to win the gold!
Follow this 'trainer's guide' to be the champion coach and make your young "athletes" primed for greatness.
Get The Complete Olympics Lesson Plan Filled With Learning Activities, Games, Creations, And More!
Warm Up
Books and themed related stories are always a great way to warm up your little athletes and introduce the weekly unit study. Be sure to pack these great books in your gym bag.
"The Triumphant Story of an Underdog Olympig!" by Victoria Jamieson
This humorous story about an athletic and determined pig, Boomer, will engage your young readers and teach them the importance of being resilient when facing obstacles. An added social and emotional development topic of good sportsmanship is also something to include in the lesson plan.
* Share in this reading adventure with me HERE!*
Robert Crowther's "Pop-Up Olympics: Amazing Facts and Record Breakers" is a unique and fun read that shares the stats and history of the 1996 Summer Olympics. This book also features a wearable gold medal for the reader to enjoy. Compare these remarkable athletes to the current record holders as an interesting activity for your studies.
"Tools and Treasures of Ancient Greece" by Matt Doeden provides information on what living in ancient Greece was like, how the ancient Greeks lived, and what happened to them. Also includes brief information on the first Olympic games.
Take Your Mark
Learn about various countries or focus on the country hosting the next Olympics, and discover where you live in relation to the country of choice. Mark the globe or map to see just how far you would need to travel to reach the country. Research and put together a country report to present. There are several ways to include the topic of countries and continents into a lesson plan like this one.
With a theme surrounding games, you may want to add your own to practice spelling, language, and math. We played games like "Light the Torch" to match the flames to the torch in order to complete spelling words. For math, we focused on time telling by playing "Stopwatch" and for language, "Pass the Baton" to practice verb tenses. Let your imagination race to incorporate fun core topics into the lesson plan.
Get Set
Set yourself up for success and include all the fun extras into your lesson plan. Include arts and crafts activities, like making a olive wreath to wear. Or with some aluminum foil and tissue paper, craft an Olympic torch to use in the Opening Ceremony. Include kitchen creations too by making Olympic Pretzel Rings to keep your athletes full of energy to burn. Still more, have them draw and color a country's flag.
GO!
Add in the excitement by hosting your own unique Olympic games by using gear and equipment laying around your house. Include sports like cycling, gymnastics (tumbling), and track and field events for your athletes to compete in. Take them through the opening and closing ceremony traditions, recite the Olympic Oath, and let your athletes take to the podium to receive their medals. There are so many ways to experience the fun and excitement of the Olympics right at home.
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