Olympics!

Miss. Durant’s class was doing an inquiry on the Olympics and they joined our class to share their knowledge. In pairs they shared information they had learned about the Olympics (i.e. about the medals, the torch, the sports) with the students in our class. We then watched the Opening Ceremonies live from Russia. Students cheered for the Canadian team and began chanting ‘Can-a-da!” over and over! 

After watching the Opening Ceremonies students began having lots of questions and wonders about the Olympics. About the sports and athletes. Throughout the two weeks of the Olympics we showed the students a variety of sports and cheered on Canadian athletes as they received their medals. 

Students shared some wonders about the Olympics:

S.P- how do they skate fast?

P.D- I wonder why they have numbers on their heads and numbers on their t-shirts. I wonder how they get gold medals and silver medals

A.L- I wonder why they play hockey in the Olympics

A.B- I wonder why they have different colour medals

Z.H- I wonder why there are different flags

V.A- I wonder why Olympics have the rings

D.K- I wonder if they practice a lot

A.M- I wonder why they wear special suits 

M.W- I wonder how they could sled down the hill. I wonder why the skiers have glasses

A.A- I wonder how they sled

D.K- maybe the Olympics have something to do with a rainbow because they both have red. I wonder if the Olympics have something to do with rainbows, sometimes the people are dressed in rainbows.

After D.K shared this wonder we went on to the computer to get a picture of the jackets.

image from: http://www.bdalondon.com/sochi-team-uniforms/

When we looked closely at the jackets we saw so many shapes! The students noticed diamonds, circles, triangles, flowers, octagons, squares and then a variety of lines (wavy, zig zag, straight). 

image from: http://architectureofthegames.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/sochi-2014-patchwork-quilt/

If you are interested in the story behind the patchwork quilt that is the design of the Olympics, check out this link and then click on 'look of the games':

sochi2014.bosco.ru/en/  

We put materials out for the students to make their own versions of the designs. 

Students first sketched their designs with pencil and then traced over it with black marker.

What the students created was absolutely beautiful! We will frame them and display them in our classroom.

We hope you continue to enjoy watching the Olympics and cheering on Team Canada!


Here is what the documentation of our learning looks like in the classroom: