Standards

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

III. Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.

VII. Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "Beijing a front-runner in Olympic race"

Maps or globe

Internet access and/or texts, encyclopedias or other print materials containing information about the contending Olympic sites.

Suggested Time

Article and questions only: 20 minutes

Complete lesson plan: 2 to 3 class periods

Procedures

1. Ask students if they know the top five cities that are contending to host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. They are Bejing, Toronto, Paris, Osaka and Istanbul. Have students find these cities on a map or globe. Based on their geographical location, ask students which they think would be the best location, and why.

2. Direct students to read the CNNfyi.com article "Beijing a front-runner in Olympic race." Then ask the following questions:

3. Ask students to brainstorm what kinds of infrastructure a city would need to host the Olympics. They may need to look up information on previous Games to learn about the sizes of the crowds, number of athletes attending the events, and distances traveled by athletes and spectators.

4. Divide the class into five groups and assign each one of the top five contenders. Have them research their assigned city in terms of facilities, location and anything they believe would favor the city as the best site for the 2008 Games. They may want to check the IOC site listed below, with its links to each host city hopeful. Tell them they are each acting as the delegation to the IOC for their city's Olympic bid.

Assessment

Allow each delegation time to present their city, while the rest of the class acts as members of the IOC. Give the class time to ask questions of the city representatives regarding issues they may view as problems and reasons for not accepting their proposal. (For instance, students may ask the Bejing delegation what they plan to do about human rights to make the city more closely mirror "the Olympic ideal.") When all the groups have presented, allow the whole class to vote for their choice. Discuss why the winning city got the most votes.

Accommodation

Students can choose the city they believe most deserves the 2008 Olympic bid and write a letter to the IOC explaining why the committee should choose their city.

Challenge

The Olympics have often been effected by the world's political atmosphere. Students can use the last related link to find a brief history of the Olympics, including political events that have affected participation, or they can turn to print resources. Based on what they learn and on their own beliefs about human rights, human rights in China and the role human rights should play in choosing a host site, have them address letters to the IOC arguing why Bejing should or should not be chosen to host the Olympics. They may also want to refer to listed related stories about China as they formulate their opinions.

Extension

CNN NEWSROOM ran stories about China's bid for the Olympics on Tuesday, July 10, 2001. If you use this broadcast in your classroom, you may want to play the portions on the show that relate to this lesson plan and use the Educator's Guide. If you are not currently enrolled in the CNN NEWSROOM program, go to the web page to sign up for free.

Amnesty report: U.S., Chinese human rights records worsening
May 30, 2001
Dalai Lama: A man on a mission
May 10, 2001
Beijing starts Olympics inspection
February 21, 2001
Tales of horror or hearsay?
February 13, 2001

Istanbul City Guide
Osaka Tourist Guide
Paris tourism - Welcome
The official Web site of the City of Toronto - home page
Yahoo travel - Bejing
2008 Bid Cities
Moscow 2001 - 112th IOC Session
History of the Olympiad

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