Introduction

Picture this: you and your team of learners are presented with the task of creating the Olympic Games. But instead of looking to history books or television newsreels, you are to do research over the internet. Each team will be in charge of a different part of the Olympic Games: one, will establish the Olypmic events; another, will create the opening ceremonies; and a third, will create the closing events, and a fourth, will highlight past Olympic moments.
Based upon what each of you learned, we will establish the Olympic Games for our class.

The Quest

Are the Olympic Games important? You will develop an understanding about the Olympic Games. Each team will contribute information about the Olympics to create our own Olympic Games.

The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a team of students in class. Each team will provide information to complete the question and task. As a member of the team you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about The Olympics. Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom.

You'll begin with everyone in your team getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

• Olympic Museum Lausanne - Take a virtual tour of this museum located in Lausanne, Switzerland and check out cool video excerpts from Olympic games. From the International Olympic Committee, in English or French.
• Unusual Sports in the Olympics - Read about some of the more unusual sports found in the Olympic games, such as fencing, canoeing, curling, biathlon, and more. You can also meet some of the athletes who participate in these sports.
• Olympia - explore this ancient sanctuary to Zeus, see the ruins, and Olympia: learn the history of the Olympic games including details of the ten original events.
• Olympics Through Time - Take a journey through time and learn about the history of the Olympic Games from ancient times until the First International Olympic Games in 1896.
• The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games - Learn about the original games in Olympia and find out what has, and has not, changed over time. See a model of the Sanctuary of Zeus and a map of ancient Greece too!
• The Olympic Games - The evolution of these games from ancient times to the present. Discusses the development of the various sports involved, as well as the Special Olympics. From ThinkQuest.
• An Olympic Games Primer - Find out what Olympiads are and read about Olympic history, symbols, athletes, issues, past games, and future games. From The Amateur Athletic Foundation.
• Journal E: Olympic History - Relive Olympics from years past on this cool site filled with captioned photos and videos. Includes a timeline of Olympic history.
• Brain: POP Olympics - Watch an animated movie on the history of the Olympic games, get cool facts, or try out a quiz.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

Team Canada

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #1: What were past Olympic events?
Why were the Olympic Games important?
-Create a chart or graph on the history of Olympic events. Your team will need at least three charts: Ancient Olymics, Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics. Please include information why events were added or deleted by the Olympic Committees.
-Create at least 10 events for our class to participate in our Olympic Games. At least eight events need to include every member of each team. The events can be simple like jump rope or running relays. The events can be organized like dodge ball or kickball. The team must include a set of rules.
-Your team will be responsible to make our Olympic Game Icon.

Team Kenya

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #2: What were the Opening Ceremonies?
Why were the Opening Ceremonies important?
-Create a PowerPoint presentation about the Opening Ceremonies. Provide information on symbols and customs about the opening ceremonies. Remember to include information on the torch, the music, and how the countries walk into the stadium. Use the websites to provide images from past Olympics.
-Create Opening Ceremony for our Olympic Games. The ceremony must include at least three traditions from past Olympics. Your team can make some new traditions for our Olympics. The opening ceremony must be at least 15 minutes long.
-Your team will be responsible to make all four country's flags for our Olympics.

Team China

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #3: What were the Closing Ceremonies?
Why were the Closing Ceremonies?
-Create a PowerPoint presentation about the Closing Ceremonies. Provide information on symbols and customs about the closing ceremonies. Remember to include information on flag presentation and how the countries walk into the stadium. Use the websites to provide images from past Olympics.
-Create Closing Ceremony for our Olympic Games. The ceremony must include at least three traditions for our Olympics. Your team can make some new traditions for our Olympics. The closing ceremony must be at least 15 minutes long.
-Your team will be responsible to make all four country's team arm bands.

Team Peru

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to role, job or perspective #4: What do you consider great Olympic Moments?
- Your team will give a presentation on your choices of great moments in Olympic History. The team must answer the question and provide reasons for their answers. An example would be the 1980 Winter Olympic Hockey Game between the United States and the USSR. The presentation must have at least six moments. The presentation must be 20 minutes long. Video tape will be allowed to show the moment.
-Your team will present our Olympic Game's great moments to the class. Our Olympic Games will be videotaped.
-Your team is responsible to make our Olympic Medals.

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about a different part of The Olympics. Now team members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.

2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.

Your Contact is: the designated contact

Conclusion

So are the Olympic Games important? It's the same for understanding a topic as broad or complex as The Olympics: when you only know part of the picture, you only know part of the picture. Now you all know a lot more. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to see beyond the black and white of a topic and into the grayer areas? What other parts of The Olympics could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.