Olympics

[Anonymous]

Wikipedia, the on-line free encyclopedia has an excellent summary of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Included is a history of the games and the preparations leading up to the Beijing celebration. There is a clear explanation of the games, site venues and symbolism behind the event. I plan to assign my 3rd graders the task of making this their first research site - it will definately give them the background and vocabulary they need to understand how the games are designed.

[Anonymous]

Scholastic.com is an easily read and navigated source for younger students who are seeking information about the Olympics. i just accessed the Scholastic News Kid Reporters Blog. An Olympic Media event for student reporters was recently held in Chicago on April 13 - 16th. The interviews with athletes and people associated with the Olympics are posted. These include articles about Olympic Sports, Featured Athletes, the Personalities to become an Olympian, as well as a kid's perspective on politics and sports. The web site has a special appeal to kids, as it is written by kids and in kid language. I recommend this site as a way to get students engaged in a discussion as to what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete.

[Anonymous]

Middle School Students might enjoy the information about the Olympics shared on http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics. This site focuses on the Ancient Olympics. The following categories are available for research:

Ancient and Modern Olympic Sports
A Tour of Ancient Olympia
The Context of the Games and the Olympic Spirit
Athletes' Stories
Frequently Asked Questions

Each category is accompanied with pictures and video. It is organized according to questions within each group - so it is easy to narrow down specific information. I would use this with a history class because of the emphasis on ancient times.

[Anonymous]

Someone in the Bush administration found a way to make his presence "acceptable" by stating "it is not a political event." Isn't the real issue that China is pretty much funding our war in Iraq, so we can't bite the hand that's feeding it? Sorry, a little cynical this morning. And I voted for him...once.

[Anonymous]

Just want to clarify, I do think Bush should attend the Olympic games, but I'm not in support of attending the opening ceremony. I know we discussed in class that that would be sending a message to the Chinese people that all their hard work in preparing was for not, but I think it would be the peaceful protest that we need. I think being present at the gaming events shows support for the Chinese people, but boycotting the opening ceremony along with nations throughout the world, shows we care about human rights and are united in that front. In speaking to two New Zealanders and one South African this weekend (all now living here), they told me they are all hoping the same as are their families in their home countries. We'll see what happens.

[Anonymous]

This Olympic question has everyone debating, even the two major columnists for Newsweek. In the same issue (4/23) Fareed Zakaria and Jonathan Alter take very different positions on the dilemma. Alter strongly suggests that the West use the threat ofan opening boycott as leverage to move the Chinese towards a more democractic society. He is particularly focused on making Dafur a condition to the West's attending. On the other hand, Zakaria feels this is an age old question of majoritiy vs. the minority with which all countries struggle. He maintains that most of the Chinese citizens think their government has been too easy on Tibet. Zakaria hopes that the leaders of China will study history and realize "granting autonomy to groups that press for it has in the end produced a more stable and peaceful national climate." This journalist does not feel that humiliating Chna with an opening ceremony boycott would achieve a postive outcome. I agree and find Zakaria's arguement compelling.

[Anonymous]

I was surprised by both Clay's and the LA Times' take on China's intense nationalism. The LA Times article was titled "Dialing back Chinese anger." I naively thought the citizens would be more sympathetic to the Tibetan dilemma than the government. I was quite surprised that it's the reverse. Although the Chinese government originally encouraged nationalism for obvious reasons, it has gotten out of hand and could damage Chiina's international reputation. Actually last spring on our China trip, I did not sense this insular position, but found the countrymen very welcoming to us Americans. I have friends returning from a Chinese tour this week and will be interested in their report. The Times suggest that Chinia has been using nationalism to hide its own problems, but that it could certainly haunt them now.

[Anonymous]

Well, I don't know where to start except that "humiliating" the government by boycotting a single ceremony does not equate to the humiliation they should feel based on their human rights record. Let's weigh out the effects of the "hurt" feelings.[Edit by="kblackstad on Apr 29, 12:12:33 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="kblackstad on Apr 29, 12:12:53 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="kblackstad on Apr 29, 12:13:58 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

This Beijing 2008 Olympics official website is a great source for students to search information about this event. Right now my Chinese II class is doing a project of making a traveling plan to go to China during summer time. One of the request in this project is that they have to spend sometimes in Beijing and at least to go to see one Olympics game. So, my students use this website to find the schedules for all games, the price for each game, and decide which game they are going to see under the given budget. The Chinese III class is doing another project about studying in a university in a Chinese speaking country. One of the topics in this project is to talk about current event in that city or country. Several groups chose to talk about Olympics. This official website helps them to find a lot of pictures and information. It's worth to take a look.

By the way, for your information, the Olympics torch has left Vietnam and arrives to Hong Kong right now. From now on, it will travel only within China territory. I guess we will not see protests against the torch anymore.

The website: http://en.beijing2008.cn/

[Anonymous]

After disrupted runs through London, Paris, San Francisco and other stops, finally, the Olympic Torch begins three-month relay through China's major cities starting at Hainan island, which is in the south of China, in a protest-free celebration of patriotism and merrymaking. Washington Post reports on May 4 that "Before the crisis over Tibet and the bitterness over protests abroad, China's 1.3 billion people seemed unusually united in joy at the idea of seeing the Olympics in Beijing. The shouting and cheering Sunday suggested that, for many ordinary people at least, that joy remains, despite continuing official rancor and plans by protesters to pursue their disruptions."
I also saw some other news saying that a team of torch runners is preparing to light up a torch on the highest mountain of the world, Mount Everest, anytime in May. It all depends on the weather situation. It will be the first time in the history that the Olympics torch will be lighten up on Mount Everest. The Telegraph UK news reports that "A security operation is in place around Mount Everest to prevent protesters disrupting an attempt by Chinese mountaineers to carry the Olympic torch to the summit." I will keep watch the news and tell you guys once the torch arrives to the mountain.

The following websites are about these two news:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401127.html?hpid=topnews
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/1925074/Everest-sealed-off-for-Olympic-torch-ascent.html

[Anonymous]

After Dalai Lama's envoys met with Chinese government officials on May 4, it seems that there will be some "common solutions" to the crisis of Tibet. The first good news is that there will also be Tibetans among the climbers who will carry the controversial Olympic torch to the peak of Mount Everest. This is confirmed by the Chinese government, according to which this "is a collective job. Nobody can do it alone". Maybe it's just another propaganda from Chinese government; however, at least, it's good start for both sides. According to the report of Asia News, the climb should begin next May 5. But, at the same time, there will also be present on Everest the "torch of democracy", a copy of the Olympic symbol taken around the world by a group of Tibetan exiles as a sign of protest against the Chinese repression in Tibet.

This news can been viewed on the following website:
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12161&size=A

[Anonymous]

I have been watching the news about Free Tibet, and after looking at a map that is a huge place. But to free them would be crazy they have never been free and except for the Dolly Lama and a few others they have never desired freedom.

[Anonymous]

Free Tibet.
After our class should we also free Puerto Rico. Life is tough all over and this seams more like a reason for some to make a name for their cause more than a true attempt to free a repressed nation.
What do you think?

[Anonymous]

I do not teach PE but have used this web sight as a source of current information. I have talked to my students and my athletes, I am one of our school coaches. Thank you for all your help. I will add this sight to my sights list.

[Anonymous]

After what seamed like years, the Olympic torch has arrived safely to it's home away from home in China. What a relief now, we can get back to the important issues such as human rights and how to fix the Chinese governing issues.

[Author]

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