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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.
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!
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