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The Summer Olympics: A UNIT STUDY Read~Write~Create~Explore~Enjoy~Learn

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{This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.} 

Each UNIT STUDY includes suggestions of books to READ, ideas to WRITE, crafts to CREATE, more to EXPLORE, snacks to ENJOY and other ways to LEARN about a specific topic! To read more about the concepts behind my UNIT STUDIES, read this. 

If you find it handy to have a simplified printable of these suggestions, you can find one, along with several free printables,  here in the FREE Summer Olympics Unit Study Printable Pack.

Otherwise, read on for a more detailed version with links embedded! 

{Note: The links are pink! Just think, “pink link” if you are wanting to follow a link to something.}

 

SUMMER OLYMPICS

INTRO: The pandemic messed so many things up, not the least of which was the SUMMER OLYMPICS. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must have been for the organizers, coaches, and most of all, the athletes! But, the TOKYO SUMMER GAMES are back on the schedule and set to start July 23! 

Whether you like to watch the SUMMER OLYMPICS because you love to hear the tear-jerking life stories, witness the fierce competition or show support for your own country, this SUMMER OLYMPICS UNIT STUDY has something to offer! 

READ: G is for Gold Medal by Brad Herzog is a great way to start a SUMMER OLYMPICS UNIT STUDY! It is presented in a fun rhyme and follows each letter of the alphabet in order. But, it also includes a decent chunk of info that elaborates on each of the 26 topics. It’s NOT just for the SUMMER OLYMPICS but it does do a stellar job of sparking an interest in the OLYMPICS in general. You’ll find a Scavenger Hunt for this book in the FREE Summer Olympics Unit Study Printable Pack. {These pages can really be used with nearly any non-fiction Olympics book or even just Google!} {And, see below for a Writing Activity that pairs perfectly with this book too!}

What Are the Summer Olympics from the What Is series is a shortish chapter book that would make for a great read-aloud over lunch. It does have somewhat of a political focus so it might not be great for independent reading, unless for a more mature child. But, doing it together as a family would certainly open up a lot of discussions.  It’s factual and includes information on both the ancient and modern OLYMPICS along with a  little timeline. It also has a chapter dedicated to each decade between the 1920s and today. It’s likely available at your local library but is also very inexpensive on Amazon. And, there are a couple of pages to accompany the book in the FREE Summer Olympics Unit Study Printable Pack. {These pages can really be used with nearly any non-fiction Olympics book or even just Google!} 

Great Moments in the Summer Olympics by Matt Christopher is a much longer chapter book that would be a great option for independent readers of many ages. It focuses mainly on Track and Field, Gymnastics and Swimming but also includes a very detailed timeline and a list of events. 

How to Train with a T-rex and Win Eight Gold Medals by Michael Phelps is all about how Michael Phelps trained before winning eight medals at the Beijing OLYMPICS. It could be viewed as a bit braggy but it’s done in a silly way with funny illustrations and comparisons {“I could leg-press a T-Rex and 10 velociraptors!”}  It definitely does a good job of showing just how hard OLYMPIC athletes need to work in order to make their dreams come true. There are several books about Michael Phelps, some of which highlight the fact that he did not do well in school and was teased a lot due to his diagnosis of ADHD. So, if that is something your child deals with, you may want to find more about Phelps. He really does have a remarkable story to share. {See below for a Writing Activity that pairs perfectly with this book!}

Another book that focuses on the story of one particular athlete is Unbeatable Betty by Allison Crotzer Kimmel. This is the story of Betty Robinson who, in 1928,  was the first woman to win OLYMPIC gold in the 100m event. She then overcame severe injuries from a plane crash to come back and win silver in a team event in 1936. This particular book includes sweet illustrations and would be especially great for girls. 

A third book that tells the story of a successful OLYMPIC athlete is Dream Big by Deloris Jordan. It’s the true story of Michael Jordan, written by his mother, that tells of his childhood dream of playing basketball in the OLYMPICS. It’s told with a totally different tone than both the stories of Phelps and Robinson and is especially great in my opinion because it highlights how his childhood dream was to play in the OLYMPICS and NOT to be the most-known NBA star of all time. 

When you combine the three stories, your kids get to learn about three different sports, from three different eras that involve three different people from different walks in life who worked hard to win OLYMPIC gold. 

There are loads of other books about amazing OLYMPIC athletes like track star Jesse Owens, gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky that are certainly worth a read!  

But, as we all know, not all who work hard and dream high, win at the OLYMPICS. For a ridiculously silly but honest and valid look at how you can work your hardest and still lose, check out Olympig by Victoria Jamieson. And, in the FREE Summer Olympics Unit Study Printable Pack, you’ll find a short set of comprehension questions along with a sequencing activity. 

If you’re wanting more info on specific summer OLYMPIC sports, there is a great series of short, nonfiction readers by M.K. Osborne. Titles include Gymnastics, Track and Field, Volleyball, Combat Sports and more. They are written for the elementary reader and offer a very clear picture of each sport. 

For one book that includes a compilation of more than 60 sports, check out Total Sports by DK. It includes lots of action-shot photographs, highlighted essentials of the sport and a great section entitled “aim of the game” which breaks down the rules of the game simply and neatly. It looks to be out of print but my library has it and it is popping up pretty cheap if you want to find a used copy. It would make a great reference book for years to come! 

WRITE: Inside the FREE Summer Olympics Unit Study Printable Pack you’ll find two different writing activities, both with two different levels included.  First, there is a fun one-page sheet that pairs perfectly with  G is for Gold Medal by Brad Herzog that is offered with both primary and secondary lines. It can also be illustrated independently or with the included graphics. 

Writing Activity for Summer Olympics by The WOLFe Pack

There is also an activity that asks the student to write a few comparative sentences and then illustrate one. It also comes in two levels; one of which requires more thinking and writing. 

LEARN: If you want an easy-to-use printable pack that is filled with informational text passages, writing prompts, math activities, geography lessons and more, check out the SUMMER OLYMPICS FACT PACK.  It offers more than 100 pages pertaining to the OLYMPICS in general as well as some specific info on the 2020/2021 Tokyo OLYMPIC GAMES and several  SUMMER OLYMPIC sports. Use code 25OffSummerOlym to save 25% off the listed price! 

CREATE: I’m all about easy crafts and there are plenty of those for the OLYMPICS! You can make OLYMPIC medals with paper plates but you can also make rings! And there are several other simple crafts to make rings including tissue paper, Legos, coffee filters, toilet paper tubes and more. For something a bit more complicated, check out these OLYMPIC origami bracelets. For an amazing keepsake that could be used as an educational tool for years to come, try these painted flag rocks. They would definitely be at the top of my list for time-consuming but I think the effort would be worth it. 

EXPLORE: Obviously, the best way to explore more about the OLYMPICS is to watch them! I would definitely watch the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the international exposure. But, I would also pick and choose some specific events to watch as a family. In our home, we will watch some swimming and track and field as a family. The competitions are always close and exciting! But we will also watch a few different sports including synchronized swimming, archery and water polo just for the variety.   In the SUMMER OLYMPICS FACT PACK, there is a Medal Tracker which makes a super math tool to use over several weeks! 

But, there are more ways to explore the SUMMER OLYMPICS than just watching them! A great place to start is the official website for the  Tokyo OLYMPICS. It has gobs of info on the athletes, sports, qualifying events, rules and more. 

And if you have a large family or willing group of friends, the best way to explore the SUMMER OLYMPICS is by playing games! You can do this with a simple running relay or you can go big with an entire days set aside for a whole series of events! 

ENJOY: Fortunately, OLYMPIC foods are plentiful and fairly simple to make! There are several examples of how to make OLYMPIC RINGS out of cookies, cupcakes, veggie tea sandwiches, fruit-laden bagels and even pizza! You could seriously eat nothing but OLYMPIC RINGS  all day long! But, some of the cutest snack options are made like OLYMPIC TORCHES so you cannot miss them! You’ve got popcorn torches, Cheeto torches and pepper torches. There are also a few ideas on how to make edible medals.  But, if you make only one thing for the SUMMER OLYMPICS, I would make  this synchronized swimming gelatin snack. My word, it is so hilarious and precious! It does not look hard at all though it would take a wee bit of time but the end result seems well worth it to me! 

How to Slow the SUMMER SLIDE

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{This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.} 

SUMMER SLIDE is a phrase used to describe the slide backwards that many children make in reading and math skills over the summer break. 

When I was a classroom teacher, the SUMMER SLIDE was to be expected. And reviewing for several weeks in the fall in order to combat the SUMMER SLIDE was also to be expected. It’s common practice for classroom teachers to build in several weeks of review at the start of each new school year. Unfortunately, it is impossible to target each kid’s specific “slide issues” so, instead, entire classes receive the same review.  Sally might’ve slid back twelve steps in math and three steps in reading while Billy slid back two steps in math and twenty steps in reading. But both Billy and Sally {plus their twenty classmates} would have to sit through the same review lessons. 

But, one of the many benefits of homeschooling is that we don’t release our students into the wild summer with nothing but a library card and and our sincere hopes that they’ll do more than just watch TV, play video games and sleep late. We actually get to shape their schedules and continue to place expectations on their educations. 

But, unless our kids have no break in their school routines at all, homeschool kids are still prone to the SUMMER SLIDE. 

So, why not be purposeful in making sure our kids don’t lose too much over the summer break? Below are five of our top suggestions for slowing the SUMMER SLIDE. 

 

ONE: DO FUN UNIT STUDIES

This is always my favorite educational activity to do over the summer because we get to learn about all sorts of subjects, people and events that we didn’t have time for during the regular school year. The variety of unit studies that is available is endless and also fairly inexpensive. Plus, they are easy to add to/subtract from as fits your family’s needs and schedule. Teachers Pay Teachers has an enormous selection of unit studies on all sorts of subjects including some great current event topics including the 2020 Summer Olympics, the Presidential Election and Sharks! 

 

TWO: PLAY REVIEW GAMES

In order to keep school at least a wee bit fun during the school year, we try to play at least one educational game per week but, sadly,  the weekly game is always the first thing to get cut when we are running short of time. But, summer is the perfect time to be diligent about playing educational games. Whether you want to review math, science, spelling or history, there are several educational games that are both fun AND serve as a very purposeful review. Some of our favorites include Four Way Countdown {which covers all four mathematical operations so it’s perfect for nearly all ages/skill levels,} Game of the States {geography,} Wordical {spelling} and Totally Gross {science}.

 

THREE: SHARE a BACK & FORTH JOURNAL 

We’ve done this off and on for years and not only is it a fun way for my son to practice his least favorite subject, writing, it also provides us with a wonderful keepsake. You can make this super simple with a plain spiral notebook or much more elaborate with a fancy personalized journal. Either way, the concept is to have your child write to you about whatever he/she wants and then to for you to write back. This way, your kid is not only reading AND writing, he/she is doing it on a very personal level. And, as we know, the more personalized we can make the lesson, the more educational value will be found in it. My son, who is now 13 and HATES writing, truly loves when we do a back & forth journal. He especially loves asking me questions that I always take the time to answer and I love the fact that I have a precious journal to keep for the future. {Plus I seem to be able to show more interest in things like MineCraft, dragons and baseball through writing than I do in person.}

 

FOUR: FIND NEW SOURCES FOR RESOURCES

Sign your kids up for the summer reading program at the library. Or, finally look into their digital resources that you bookmarked in your web browser months ago {like me.} Do a deep dive into Netflix or Disney+ in search of a “new to you” educational series. Sign your kids up for an old fashioned magazine subscription or, instead,  a modern subscription box {I don’t even need to subscribe to anything….we can just dig out the 24 editions of Zoobooks my son has accumulated but hasn’t read yet.} I always have a stash of ideas that I wish we could get to but save “for when we have more time”. Well, summer is the perfect time to dig into that stash!

 

FIVE: USE LEFTOVER CURRICULUM PAGES

This is an idea that I came by accidentally but have used every year since I discovered it. As the school year winds down, I always go through all of our son’s work in order to finalize grades and organize things for storage. Inevitably, I discover incomplete pages amidst his finished work, additional practice pages in the rear of his textbooks, alternate test versions in the teacher’s manual and fun/trivial items that I purposely had him skip in the interest of time. All of these items make great review pages during the summer months. And because they tie in perfectly to what was just learned during the school year, they are not busy work, but rather purposeful pieces redesigned to serve as a review. 

What will you do with your kids to slow the SUMMER SLIDE? Let me know in the comments below! 

ZOO REVIEW 4- Aquarium of the Bay

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Animals are our son’s passion and at 12-years-old, he insists he wants to be a professional zookeeper when he grows up. In addition to driving him to his position as a volunteer animal caretaker at the local museum multiple times each week, my husband and I enjoy taking him to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, etc. Besides making memories for our little family, each experience provides new educational opportunities for our son and seems to cement his career choice even further. My professor-by-trade husband calls it “research”. I just call it fun!

We visited this aquarium on a recent vacation to California. We had three days scheduled in San Francisco and I had other things planned for us to do. But my husband and son argued for it and I’m really glad we made it work. We actually managed to thoroughly explore the aquarium and still make it to the SF Giants baseball game in one day. 

LOCATION: San Francisco, CA {at Pier 39 aka: Fisherman’s Wharf}

HOURS: 10am-6pm, every day

ADMISSION RATES: {​Adult Admission} $28.25; {Seniors 65+} $23.25; {Children 4-12} $18.25; {Children 0-3} FREE; There is a Family of Four Discount as well as coupons on their website. 

DESCRIPTION: The Aquarium of the Bay is home to more than 20,000 local marine animals. It is divided into four sections: Discover the Bay, Touch the Bay, Under the Bay and North American River Otters. They have over 50 sharks plus otters, skates, bat rays, eels, an octopus, jellies galore, and several types of of fun fish. They also have several reptiles and amphibians too!

SIZE: The building is made up of two floors and and unknown number of square feet {seriously! I could not find that info anywhere.} In my opinion, I would consider it a medium-sized aquarium. 

ACCESS: If you have not purchased tickets, you need to buy them at the outside kiosk before taking the stairs {or elevator} to the entrance on the second floor. Once inside, you basically just follow the flow and don’t really have choices as where to go and when, which we considered helpful because then you don’t wonder if you missed anything. Strangely enough, you start by immediately taking the inside elevator down a level to start with their Under the Bay exhibits. Then you take the elevator back up for the other exhibits, gift shop and exit.  Everything is wheelchair and stroller accessible and it’s all inside so the temperature is perfect. 

PARKING: They do not have a designated parking lot but claim there is ample street parking close by. We actually left our rental car at the hotel and  took a taxi because we did not want to deal with parking. I doubt we paid much more for the taxi than we would’ve for street parking AND the taxi dropped us off right by the entrance. 

GIFT SHOP: The gift shop seemed just right for the size of the aquarium and they {oh so} conveniently ushered you through it on your way out. My son chose a sea otter to commemorate his particular enjoyment of this silly and clever animal. My husband and I selected a beautiful glass sculpture of a jelly fish and a Christmas ornament. 

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE: {California Sea Lions} Okay, the California Sea Lions really aren’t a part of the Aquarium of the Bay but there is no way we could pass up the opportunity to show our son this classic SF attraction {THIS was always on my itinerary!} And because they are also down at Pier 39, I included them here. This attraction is free because they’re not part of any exhibit or structure. They’re just living their lives out on the docks by Pier 39. You can observe them on the sea level viewing area or you can take the stairs/elevator up one level and watch them from above. We opted for the latter because it was far less congested {people-wise} but it was cooooooooooooooold and windy! But, we thoroughly enjoyed just standing there watching the hefty sea mammals laze around, haul out on the docks, bark at one another, slip back into the water and repeat. They really are funny animals that  have always called SF Bay home. But after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, they discovered that the docks are easier to haul out on than rocky shorelines and that they didn’t have to move when the tides rose and fell. And, since the new location was less exposed to predators and provided easy access to food in the Bay, the docks became a thriving sea lion haunt and a very popular visitor attraction. You definitely need to check them out! 

ENJOYMENT RATING: ♥♥♥♥♥ This aquarium was fun for each of us and I would gladly do it again. My favorite was the octopus…I consider them to be very intelligent and interesting animals. My son’s favorite was, by far, the otters and I will agree that they hold the highest entertainment value found in the Aquarium of the Bay. Considering the location and the number of things you might want to see while in SF {and even just down at Pier 39,} it’s actually a plus that it only takes about 90 minutes to get through the entire aquarium. Plus, due to the temperature control and relative safe layout, it’s not an exhausting choice for families with little kids or elderly family members. 

EDUCATION RATING: ♥♥♥_ _  During our visit, we saw no attempt for any “keepers” or staff to engage with the guests. It might’ve just been an off day or a weird hour that we were there but there was definitely some slight “business” vibe going on. The animals all seemed well taken care of and content but I kinda got the feeling that the aquarium was more of a money-maker than an educational opportunity or conservation pursuit. 

ENCLOSURE RATING: ♥♥♥♥♥ It’s amazing what they have done inside this building!  1.The 300 feet of acrylic tunnels found in the Under the Bay section  is spectacular and allowed us to get as close to sharks and rays as I would probably ever want. And, not that I am an expert in fish behavior, but everybody seemed to be content in their homes as evidenced by their peaceful swimming and calm demeanor. 2. In the Touch the Bay section, the rays were all clustered in the corner in, what seemed to be,  an attempt to not be touched much. The enclosure was designed in a way that if they  altogether. They also could hide out in places where it made it difficult to be touched unless you were the size of an adult. There were some parents trying to hold their toddlers over the area and help them reach the rays but the staff quickly put a stop to that. Too bad for the curious toddlers but great for the rays! 3.The otters have this really large and fun play area complete with water {of course,} rocks and a waterfall! While we were there, a couple of them kept running/swimming this giant loop while playing with one another. It was highly entertaining for us to watch and I’m sure they were having loads of fun too! {NOT that you can tell in this picture. It was nearly impossible to get a picture of the otters because they were so fast! But, somehow I managed to get a shot of this guy standing still…but he seems so grumpy, doesn’t he?}

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: If you’re expecting Baby Beluga or Shamu, this is not the place for you. But if you want to get up close and personal with some of the ocean’s coolest creatures without spending all day at a giant theme park of sorts, this is a great alternative. It might be a bit pricey in relation to the size but our small family certainly thought it was worth the money. 

CONTACT INFO: www.aquariumofthebay.org ~ 415-623-5300 ~ Pier 39 Embarcadero & Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 ~ info@bayecotarium.org

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