Olympics Origins

Overview

Students begin the unit “History of the Olympics: Australia’s Journey” by exploring why people in Ancient Greece held the Olympic Games and how the Games were revived in modern times. They will start with a discussion hook about sports they enjoy and connect personal interests to the idea of sport as a social and cultural event.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify key ideas about sport in Ancient Greece and the purpose of the Olympic Games.
• Students will describe features of the modern Olympic Games and explain why they were revived.
• Students will practise using evidence from a short text/video summary to support claims.
• Students will communicate ideas respectfully in group discussions.

Success criteria

• I can explain, in my own words, one purpose of the Olympics in Ancient Greece.
• I can name one similarity and one difference between Ancient and modern Olympics.
• I can use at least one piece of information from the source to support my statement.
• I can contribute to a group discussion and listen to others respectfully.

Curriculum links

• Historical knowledge and understanding: Ancient societies and how events, traditions, and values shaped communities.
• Historical inquiry skills: locating and using information from sources to answer questions.
• Communication in humanities: expressing ideas clearly using subject-appropriate language.
• Interpersonal skills for collaborative learning: participating in structured discussion and responding to others.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 5 min — Welcome and hook discussion Students complete a quick “Think–Pair–Share” about sports they enjoy and why (e.g., competition, teamwork, fitness, belonging). Teacher records common reasons on the board as keywords.

2. 10 min — Mini-lesson: From Ancient Greece to today Teacher delivers a short, age-appropriate explanation:

• Ancient Greece held festivals that honoured gods and brought city-states together.
• The Olympic Games became a well-known pan-Hellenic event.
• Modern Olympics were revived to promote international sport and shared values. Pause for two quick checks: “What might people be seeking when they gather for sport?” and “Who would benefit from shared rules and friendly rivalry?”

3. 15 min — Source exploration in groups Students in groups of 4 read a short, teacher-provided non-fiction excerpt (and view a brief silent clip if available) summarising Ancient Olympics and the modern revival. Task: each student highlights or underlines one fact about Ancient Greece and one fact about modern Olympics, then notes a similarity or difference in a simple table.

4. 10 min — Guided comparison: Similarities and differences Teacher leads a whole-class debrief. Each group shares one similarity/difference and one supporting fact. Teacher prompts students to link back to the board’s “why people enjoy sport” ideas.

5. 10 min — “Claim, Evidence, Reason” speaking practice Students complete a short oral structure with a partner:

• Claim: One sentence answer to “Why did the Olympics continue to matter?”
• Evidence: One fact from the source.
• Reason: Explain how the fact supports the claim (linking to purpose/values). Volunteers share one strong example.

6. 5 min — Exit ticket Students answer:

• “One purpose of the Olympics in Ancient Greece was…”
• “One reason the Olympics were revived could be…” Collect for feedback and to plan next lessons.

7. 5 min — Preview and wrap Teacher briefly explains Lesson 2 will focus on early Olympic traditions and how Australians later became connected to the Games. Students set a personal goal: “I want to learn…”

Resources

• Teacher-created short excerpts on Ancient Olympics and the modern Olympic revival (printed and/or digital, readable font)
• Simple source comparison table (Ancient / Modern / Similarity / Difference / Evidence)
• Board or slides showing the hook prompts (why people enjoy sport)
• Optional short video clip (30–90 seconds) with captions or teacher verbal summary
• Highlighters/reading markers, pens, and group roles cards (e.g., Reader, Recorder, Reporter, Timekeeper)
• Exit ticket slips
• Dyslexia-friendly reading option: audio recording of the excerpt and a streamlined text version with fewer words per line
• Sentence starters for EAL learners (e.g., “The source says…”, “This suggests that…”, “A similarity is…”)

Assessment

• Formative: group source tables and teacher observation during discussion.
• Formative: exit ticket responses checking knowledge of Ancient purpose and modern revival reasons.
• Feedback focus: whether students use evidence from the source and clearly explain a reason.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a simplified excerpt with key facts highlighted; allow students to use the audio option; model the comparison table once before group work.
• Support for discussion: offer sentence starters and structured turn-taking (e.g., “First… Next… Finally…”).
• EAL: allow bilingual support materials where available; provide vocabulary substitutes (e.g., “festival/event” instead of complex terms) and use visuals to anchor meaning.
• SEN/dyslexia: use dyslexia-friendly font, large line spacing, reduced text version, and audio read-aloud; permit recording answers orally for the exit ticket.
• Extension (advanced learners): ask students to write a short “historical question” they could investigate in the unit (e.g., “How did Olympics values influence Australia’s participation?”) and identify what evidence would be needed.
• Extension (advanced learners): challenge groups to evaluate which similarity matters most and justify using two separate facts from the sources.

Assessment Note (for teacher)

Use exit tickets to group students for Lesson 2: those needing more support on “purpose” can start with guided excerpts, while students ready for extension can deepen comparison with additional facts.