TEACHER’S NOTES

THE OLYMPICS: HISTORYISBN 978 1 4451 0270 2

Franklin Watts downloadables for every child’s learning journey

THE OLYMPICS: HISTORYpublished by Franklin Watts © Franklin Watts 2011 www.franklinwatts.co.uk

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The Olympics: History offers a concise and readable history of the Olympic Games.

Beginning in Greece, the book traces the history of the games from ancient times, through the revival of the 1890s to London 2012. Along the way the book tells

how the Games developed from a sporting event for gentleman amateurs, through the foundation of the International Olympic Commission – intended to bring

professionalism to the event – to a political tool in the 1930s and 1950s, to the multi-million dollar extravaganza, advertising and sponsorship opportunity watched

by millions of television viewers around the world today.

There is information about London 2012 and plans for future games, as well as historical information about the Paralympic games.

Themes – The purpose of the book is to give an outline of the Olympic Games – including the Summer and Winter games – from ancient times to today.

• The book touches on the history of sport and representing your country, promoting fair play and worldwide harmony and peace through sport.

• Ideal for 20th century history through sport, including the effects of the First and Second World Wars, the rise of Nazism, the Cold War, the effects of terrorism (the

1972 Munich games) and the effects of globalisation and commercialisation on sport.

• The book would also tie in with citizenship themes.

Text type – The bulk of the text is written as non-fiction narrative. This was chosen because one of the best ways to interest children in history is to present it in a

narrative writing style, giving the young reader a story-like framework on which to hang facts. Additional information, for those keen to know more, is provided through

fact and stats panels and there are websites for further research.

THE OLYMPICS: HISTORYpublished by Franklin Watts © Franklin Watts 2011 www.franklinwatts.co.uk

Discussion points/Activities

• Ask children to imagine they are athletes going to represent their town at the ancient Greek games. Ask them to write about how

they feel, then contrast this to how an athlete might feel going to represent his or her country at the Games today.

• Ask children to imagine they are Baron de Coubertin, who revived the Games in 1896. What would they say to convince people that it

was a worthwhile idea? What would the games achieve?

• Is it right that the Olympics were cancelled during the two World Wars of the 20th century? Why?

• Explain the Cold War. Ask pupils why they think sport became a battleground between rival groups of nations? Was this right?

• Do the Olympic Games have a purpose in the modern world? Ask pupils to discuss with their friends. What do they think?

• Explain and discuss how artists/designers use symbols to get across a message. Main Olympic symbols are Olympic rings, dove, torch, wreath – others use strong symbols of their country or the city hosting the games – most a mixture of both. Ask children to design a poster for the summer or winter Olympics for London

2012, Sochi, Russia 2014, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2016.

• London 2012 is to be the first carbon-neutral Olympics. Explain that term and the fact that environmental factors are now one of the principles of the IOC. Ask children to think about how they

would make the Olympics more environmentally friendly.