AUSSIE EDUCATOR

 ANCIENT OLYMPICS

This section has information about the original Olympics, on which the modern format has been based. A number of athletes who competed and became famous in the Ancient Olympics are listed on the previous page.

• Ancient Olympic Events
  ‘You can compare ancient and modern Olympic sports, tour the site of Olympia as it looks today, learn about the context of the Games and the Olympic spirit, or read about the Olympic athletes who were famous in ancient times’.
• Ancient Olympic Games
  Covers origins, legends, history, events, famous athletes and a range of references and links. Wikipedia.
• New !  Ancient Olympic Games - Ancient Greece [Britannica]
  General introduction, Origins, Events, Women and The Olympics, Politics at the Games plus Demise of The Olympics.
• How did The Olympic Games Begin ?
  From the BBC. Find information, answer selected questions and follow links to related material.
• Olympics Through Time
  ‘The spirit of the Olympic Games. Learn their long history, explore their unknown aspects and discover the society that created them through a variety of activities’ Also includes a section on the modern Olympics.
• The Ancient Olympic Games Virtual Museum
  ‘Welcome to the Ancient Olympic Games Virtual Museum. Here you will find a plethora of information about the contests that are the forefathers of our modern Olympic Games. In order to use this site, we ask that you register with us and accept our copyright agreement. There is no charge for using this site; however, you have to agree not to redistribute all or part of this site’.
• The Origin of the Olympics
  A text based research article that explains some of the mythology and calendar information related to the creation of the games.
• The True Story of the Ancient Olympic Games
  ‘Politics, nationalism, commercialism and athletics are often associated with the Modern Olympic Games, but these themes are as old as the games themselves. Explore the climate and circumstances surrounding the Ancient Olympic Games’.
• Updated !  The Real Story of The Ancient Olympic Games
  ‘It’s easy to assume that the Ancient Olympic Games were different, that ancient Greek athletes were pure in mind and body, that they trained and competed for no other reason than the love of physical exercise, fair competition and to honour their gods. But is this really true ? Well, no. In fact, politics, nationalism, commercialism and athletics were intimately related in the ancient Olympic Games’.
• New !  Top Ten Facts about the Ancient Olympic Games
  ‘There was wrestling, boxing and running, but did you know that there were separate games for women and that rule violations resulted in physical punishments ?’
• New !  Welcome to the Ancient Olympic Games
  ‘From boxing contests with no weight classifications or point scoring to chariot racing where danger lurked on every corner, it is easy to see why the Ancient Games enthralled the Greeks for so long. Here, we give you the essential lowdown and highlight our favourite facts’. Multiple sections covering a wide range of topics. You might also consider the information to be found in New ! The all-time greats of the Ancient Olympic Games from the same source.

 WINTER OLYMPICS

The Winter Olympics started about 30 years after the summer Olympics and were originally held in the same year. In 1994 they moved to the midpoint between summer Olympic Games.

 PREVIOUS WINTER OLYMPICS

• Beijing 2022 [Australian Olympic Committee]
  ‘Overview; Winter Sports; Featured Winter Olympians; News and Posts’.
• PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics
  ‘Athletes, Medals / Results’.
• Updated !  Sochi 2014
  ‘Highlights and Replays, Results, Athletes, Stories, Medal Design, Mascots and more’.
• New !  Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
  ‘Highlights & Replays, Results, Athletes, Stories, Brand, Medal Design, Mascot and Torch’.
• New !  Turin 2006 Winter Olympics
  ‘Highlights & Replays, Results, Athletes, Stories, Brand, Medal Design, Mascot and Torch’.

 WINTER GAMES INFORMATION

• Updated !  Australia at the Winter Olympics
  History; Infrastructure and training; Public Participation and support for winter sports; Results; Overview by sport; Australians at the Winter Paralympics; References; Links. Wikipedia
• Olympic Winter Institute of Australia
  ‘The Australian Olympic Committee formed the Australian Institute of Winter Sports after the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998, to enable the development of elite performances in winter sports by Australian athletes, through the provision of adequate funding, world-class sports programming and technical coaching’. It took the current name in 2001.
• The Origin of the Winter Olympics
  Britannica. Basic coverage with links to further information.
• Winter Olympic Games
  The history of the games and predictions into the future, looks at various sports, including discontinued sports, lists all Winter Games, links to further information. Wikipedia.
• Winter Olympic Sports
  Alphabetical ‘List of Winter Olympic Sports and Events’.
• Winter Olympics Through The Years
  Information on sports, medal winners, standings as well as general information on summer Olympics, all-time medal winners in various groupings and all-time Medal Standings.

 EDUCATION MATERIAL

• Olympics - Winter Lessons, Worksheets and Activities
  ‘Teacher Planet offers lesson plans that cover various aspects of the Winter Olympics. They also provide worksheets, hands on activities and classroom resources such as clip art’.
• Search Winter Olympics Hands-on Activities [Education.com]
  ‘Winter Olympics hands-on activities, such as creating a flags of the world banner, can get your child interested in watching and learning from or about the Winter Olympic Games’.
• Winter Olympics Resources [Education.com]
  ‘37 filtered results’.
• Winter and Summer Olympics Resources
  ‘Activities, Worksheets, Printables and Lesson Plans’.
• Winter Olympics Colouring Pages
  Colouring pages that cover the major Winter Olympics disciplines. Primarily linked to the Beijing games but also links to all games.

 OTHER INFORMATION

 EDUCATION MATERIAL

• 60+ Key Stats About the Olympic and Paralympic Games
  ‘From History to Human Rights – Major Olympics and Paralympics statistics we think you should know’.
• Education
  ‘Olympic Education is imparted through the Olympic Values Education Program, the Olympic Studies Centre, the Olympic World Library, the teaching resources of The Olympic Museum and the YOG Education Program at Youth Sporting Events’.
• Educator Resources
  We have provided ‘a suite of educator resources designed for the Lower Primary, Upper Primary and Secondary Schools in Australia. To start your planning, review the relevant Educator Guide for Lower Primary, Upper Primary and Secondary. These Guides provide an overview of the lessons, time allocation, student learning and the resources required’.
• New !  Going for gold : Research Topics on the Olympic and Paralympic Games [Frontiers]
  ‘Curious about the science behind the games ? We have curated a list of our best Research Topics on everything Olympic and Paralympic. Enjoy research spanning from the latest insights on new addition sports climbing and athlete hydration strategies to para-athlete mental health and sustainability in sports mega-events’.
• Let’s learn about the science of the Winter Olympics
  ‘From scientific innovations to climate change, there’s plenty of science among the sport’.
• Updated !  Olympic Games - Years 3 and 4
  ‘Take a look through this fantastic collection of Olympics resources for Year 3 - 4 children. There is plenty here to help you in lessons during the week of the Olympic Games to help entertain and inspire your children during this special sporting event’. There are also resources for Winter Olympics for the same year levels.
• Summer Olympics Games Science
  ‘During the summer Olympics, people all over the world become enthralled by the feats of strength, stamina and skill of the athletes competing in the games. Try these simple experiments to understand a little more of the science behind the sports’. Do so with supervision by a responsible person.
• Teaching Resources - The Olympic Museum
  ‘A wide range of teaching tools are available from The Museum according to theme. These materials were created with the help of teachers and education experts in the fields and they are available to any teacher who wishes to address these Olympic themes. To find out more, you can also check out the New ! Olympic Studies Centre pages’.
• Updated !  Thematic Units - The Summer Olympics
  ‘You will find various New ! Lesson Plans on the top portion of this page. Further down, you will find New !  Web Sites. We have a page full of New ! Books that you can order’.
• New !  The Olympic Games Teaching Resources [Teach Starter]
  ‘An extensive collection of resources to use with your students when the Olympic Games are on. Download a range of vibrant Olympic sports posters, countdown posters, medal tallies, vocabulary word walls, Olympic themed activities and much more. Also included is a research task about nutrition, an athlete profile template and an Olympic Games comprehension task and sequencing task relating to the opening ceremony’.
• The Olympics, Education Links
  Annotated links to sites useful for education about the Olympics. [While not updated for some time, there are still many links which will help in this area.]
• Updated !  The Science of the Winter Olympics [Science Friday]
  ‘Exploring the science and tech behind the world’s greatest winter sports competition, e.g. The Physics Of Figure Skating’.

 GENERAL SITES

• New !  10 Of The Greatest Olympic Moments Ever
  ‘Enjoy our compilation of 10 of the greatest Olympic Moments ever !’ [5:37]
• International Olympic Truce Centre
  ‘The International Olympic Truce Centre’s mission is to promote the Olympic Ideals, to serve peace and friendship and to cultivate international understanding. The Centre’s wider and long-term objective is the creation and continuous promotion of the adoption of a Culture of Peace which respects human rights’.
• Interesting Olympic Facts
  Covers information from symbols to diplomats, women’s involvement, counting Olympiads and more. Newsfeed, videos, articles and much more.
• Updated !  Olympic Channel
  ‘Unlock the past and present of Olympic Games and dive into captivating original series. Experience non-stop Olympic Channel TV, offering 24/7 access to relive iconic moments and discover new stories from the greatest movement in sports’.
• Olympic Games
  Information on both Ancient and Modern games, their revival, problems, ceremonies, champions, host cities, medals, symbols, amateurism/professionalism and more. Wikipedia.
• Updated !  Olympic Games Museum
  ‘On more than 350 pages featuring about 2 500 pictures, you can have a look at memorable moments of the Olympic Summer Games. The museums’s web page is not fully completed yet and is continually being worked on and extended’.
• Updated !  Olympic History Quizzes
  ‘291 Olympic Games quizzes and 4 074 Olympic Games trivia questions and fun facts’. Try these fun quizzes. They may be harder than you think. They cover Summer and Winter Games and Olympic History.
• Updated !  Olympics Timeline
  [From ancient Greece to 1948]
  Brief notes, with links to further information. The New ! Timeline : Olympics, 1950s -1980s covers a later period while New ! Timeline : Olympics, 1990s - Present Day finishes up till the most recent event.
• The Olympic Games - HISTORY.com
  ‘The Olympics in Ancient Greece; Decline and Revival of the Olympic Tradition; The Olympics Through the Years’. Last updated June 2023.
• The Olympic Games Story for Kids
  ‘Want to know the origins of the Olympic Games ? Where it all started ? Check out our quick and colourful guide for kids and let our movie tell you how it all began’. [7:30]
• The Olympics [Teaching Times]
  UK. ‘A themed project plan embracing the Olympics from its every angle for use at Key Stages 2 and 3, presenting an ongoing opportunity to celebrate the event with a series of thinking skills activities and resources’.

 MASCOTS & SYMBOLS

Symbols include the Olympic Rings and other logos, the Oath, the Torch Relay, the Flag and various ceremonies. Mascots have only existed since the Winter Olympics in 1968 and the Summer Olympics of 1972.

 MASCOTS

• Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat
  ‘An “unofficial” mascot of the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. A truly Australian version of a mascot. Links to other mascot collections, including Olympic mascots, Australian Mascots and Australian sporting mascots. Wikipedia.
• List of Paralympic Mascots
  Covers both summer and winter Paralympics from 2008 to 2022. Wikipedia.
• Updated !  Olympic Mascot Miraitowa
  Tokyo Olympic Games Mascot. Also includes mascots for events from 2016 to Paris in 2024.
• Olympics Part 6 : Meet mascots Miraitowa and Someity
  ‘Tokyo 2021 Olympic Mascot : Miraitowa and Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Mascot : Someity’.
• Olympic Mascots
  ‘Olympic mascots are the ambassadors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They embody the spirit of the Olympics and play a vital role in welcoming athletes and visitors to the Games’. All mascots since Grenoble in 1968.
• New !  Olympic Mascots [theolympicdesign.cpom]
  ‘The Olympic Mascots are characters, usually an animal native to the area or occasionally human figures, who represents the cultural heritage of the place where the Olympic Games are taking place. The mascot serves to inject a sense of personality into the Games, capturing the styles, traditions and cultures, in an animated form, of the people of the host country’. List from 1964 to Paris 2024.

 OTHER SYMBOLS

• New !  2020 Summer Olympic Pictograms
  ‘The 2020 Summer Olympic pictograms are visual graphic symbols used to represent each sport in competition games of the 2020 Summer Olympics [50 in all]’.
• A look back at the emblems of the Olympic Games
  ‘To mark the unveiling of the Paris 2024 Games emblem, olympics.com takes a look back at some of the most well-known emblems from Olympic Games editions in the modern era, stretching back over a century’.
• Olympic Oath
  What it is, history and a listing of those who have taken it on behalf of both athletes and judges. Wikipedia.
• Updated !  Olympic Summer Games Emblems
  Lists all since their inception in 1932, with a graphic plus related information and goes on to London 2012. There is a link to the Olympic Winter Games Emblems, from 1932 to 2010. There are also links to other items such as Medals, Mascots, Torches, Posters and Games Facts.
• Olympic Symbols
  ‘The Olympic symbols include icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to elevate the Olympic Games’. Motto and Creed; Rings; Different types of flags; Flame and torch relay; Medals and diplomas; Anthems; Kotinos [Olive Wreath]; Olympic salute; Mascots, Intellectual property; links. Wikipedia.
• The Olympic Rings
  A page from the Olympic Organisation which covers specific information on the rings, the motto and the flame, as well as their role in the culture of The Olympics.
• New !  The Olympics - Symbols [History]
  Includes the following - ‘Olive Branch, Medals, Olympic Rings, Olympic Flag, Doves, Olympic Flame/Olympic Torch, The Olympic Oath and The Olympic Motto’.
• New !  The Olympic Symbol and other elements of the Olympic Identity
  FAQs. A range of FAQs ranging from What are the Olympic properties ? via Who created the Olympic rings symbol ? to Who is the owner of the properties of one Games edition ?. Each posed questions also has Learn more links to additional, related information.
• Updated !  What do the Olympic Rings represent ?
  ‘The Olympic rings represent the five continents of the world that are united by Olympism. The five interlocking rings - blue, yellow, black, green and red, are symbols of the five continents of the world - Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania - that are united by Olympism. The flag was designed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee’.
• What is the story behind the Olympic rings ?
  Article providing easy to understand information about these. Interesting presentation.
• Why Were the Five Colours of the Olympic Rings Chosen ?
  Reference.com. Several pieces of information plus links to further detail.

 MEDIA

A surprising number of movies and television programs have been made about the Olympics. Only the title and a brief description are provided for individual items in this collection. Some are fee-based, some you can buy/rent, some can be seen on pay television while a number have selections you can watch.

• Internet Movie Database
  Enter “The Games” in the search box to find a list of possibilities, some irrelevant, others on specific games of different Olympiads. Some are television series. Check items for 1970 [1:40:00] and 1998 [26 episodes, each of 30mins.] Both titled ‘The Games’. Selections from these are available to view. [See individual entries for these two items below.]
• Olympic Television Archive Bureau
  ‘Delivering unique clips and defining moments from the Summer and Winter games and the most emotive visual content available. All from one exceptional library’. Fee-based.
• Updated !  Chariots of Fire
  ‘Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics’. Links to sources of the film. Production, Historical accuracy, London Olympics’ 2012 revival, References, Notes and External Links. Wikipedia.
• Cool Runnings
  ‘Inspired by the true story of the first Jamaican Olympic Bobsled Team’. [1:38:00]
• Downhill Racer
  ‘Quietly cocky Robert Redford joins U.S. ski team as downhill racer and clashes with the team’s coach, played by Gene Hackman. Lots of good skiing action leading to an exciting climax’. Trailer available. Other options. [1:41:00]
• Updated !  Fists of Freedom
  ‘Documentary leading up to, during and after the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City. Features interviews with athletes, including John Carlos, Tommie Smith and George Foreman, activist Dr. Harry Edwards, journalists and archival footage of the Games and the fallout after the raised fisted gloves by Carlos and Smith’. [59:00]
• Miracle on Ice
  ‘How the U.S. Olympic hockey team beat the Soviets at the 1980 Lake Placid, N. Y., Winter Olympics, then went on to win the gold medal Games’. Made for television. [2:30:00]
• Munich
  ‘After the Black September capture and massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, five men are chosen to eliminate the people responsible for that fateful day’. [1:44:00]
• Olympia 1 Teil - Fest der Völker
  ‘The document of the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, orchestrated as Nazi propaganda’. [66:00] Leni Riefenstahl. New ! Olympia Part Two : Festival of Beauty [96:00] is also listed. Also check this Wikipedia site for further information about the movie.
• Olympia and the Olympic Games
  Documentary. ‘Learn how games were played in the 8th century BC and what rules the athletes of the time had to follow’. [51:26]
• Olympics
  ‘Welcome to the Olympics YouTube channel, where the Games never end ! From the best musical moments at the Olympic Games in our Music Monday series to weekly compilation videos with highlights from the Olympics on Fridays, plus exclusive documentaries about the stories behind the glory, this is where you can find everything about the biggest sporting event in the world’.
• The Ancient Greek Olympics [776 BC-393 AD]
  ‘The Olympic Games began in ancient Greece in July 776 BC at Olympia. However, it is thought the games began many years before. As a festival with athletic events staged to honour the god, Zeus, the Olympics also united individual Greek city-states and colonies in competition’. [8:24]
• The Cutting Edge
  It is suggested The Taming of the Shrew on ice could be another name. A Skating movie where ‘a temperamental figure skater and an arrogant former hockey player attempt to win the Olympic Gold Medal as a figure skating pairs team’. [1:41]
• The Games
  ‘Four marathon runners [one from England, one from the U.S., a Czech and an Australian Aborigine] prepare to run in the Olympic games’. Also see link above for this. [1:40]
• The Games [ABC]
  ‘This is a mischievous Australian, deadpan comedy, which takes a satirical look at the bureaucrats as they orchestrate the extravaganza that will be the 2000 Olympic Games’. Trailer available. Made for television by the ABC.
  Highly Recommended !
• The Olympics for Kids
  ‘Learn about the Olympics in this video for kids ! You will learn about the modern Olympic Games and will also learn the history of this amazing, worldwide sports event’. [7:07]
• The Sydney 2000 Olympics - The Complete Film
  ‘Enjoy the full length cut of our retrospective of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in this in-depth documentary film’. [1:56min:41].