Olympics: Learning from the Past

As Ken Jennings said, "There's just something hypnotic about maps." Certainly, the longer you look at them the more you can learn. In this project-based learning activity, individuals study both historic and present-day maps of their...

The Olympic Games are indeed a significant and far-reaching cultural component in our international community today, but from where do they originate? Where do our traditions stem from, and how do we choose the sports that constitute...

If you're short on time and need a quick graphic organizer to help your learners connect history to the present, check out this resource. This worksheet can be useful for a visit to a museum or in conjunction with a reading assignment,...

Coming up on the Olympics? Be sure your middle schoolers understand the dynamic and ancient history of this global tradition. They begin by recalling traditions parents have passed down, considering their relevance and ways they might be...

During an Olympics year, the world joins together to celebrate athleticism, patriotism, and history. Learn about the Olympiads of the 20th century with a research project in which groups research one year's Olympic Games. They note the...

Middle schoolers compare and contrast ancient and modern Olympic games. In this study of cultures and writing lesson plan, students brainstorm examples of "traditions", then view video clips and read articles about the origin of the...

The big idea for this lesson is that the past enriches our present and future. Learners explore the origin of the Olympic Games and how one man took an event from the past and reinvented it for modern times. They compare and contrast the...

Where did our beloved Summer Games originate? Kids look for the origins of the Summer Olympics in our ancient past. They research how the Games came to be and how they have changed. They'll complete Venn diagrams to compare and contrast...