Summer+Olympics+2008,+Beijing,+China

**Faster, Higher, Stronger? Should the United States support the Summer Olympics in 2008?**

Essential Questions: What factors influence an Olympics? What are the factors influencing this Olympics? How can a collaborative, student-centered, choice-based, web-supported project teach us more than a textbook? How is my learning different when I have responsibility to teach?

1.	Ancient Greece—the first Olympics 2.	The first modern Olympics (who is Pierre de Coubertin?) 3.	Role of the Olympic Committee 4.	The process for a city to be selected to host the Olympics
 * A.	Olympics—Origin and History**

1.	 Beijing - description of China’s capital city 2.	 Symbols of the Beijing Olympics—what do they represent (torch & torch route, mascot, rings, etc.) 3.	The venues—stadiums, tracks, other buildings 4.	Male U.S. athlete/team stand-outs 5.	Female U.S. athlete/team stand-outs 6.	Top non-USA male contenders 7.	Top non-USA female contenders 8.	Corporate sponsorships – necessities and criticisms 9.	Media coverage – how much is necessary? How much is too much? 10.	 Relations – what are the benefits from a strong USA/China alliance?
 * B.	2008 Olympics—The Beijing Basics**

1.	Background of the tension between China and Tibet 2.	Pro-Tibet protests (non-USA based) related to the Beijing Olympics 3.	The torch in San Francisco 4.	General world-wide protests in support of the Chinese 5.	Pros and cons of the USA (and other nations) boycotting the Olympics 6.	Pros and cons of ending the Olympics
 * C.	2008 Olympics—The Controversies**

1.	Berlin - 1936 2.	Mexico City - 1968 3.	Munich – 1972 4.	Montreal - 1976 5.	Moscow – 1980 6.	Atlanta - 1996
 * D.	Olympics—Past Controversies**

Culminating Thread: One Image, Multiple Voices (after all VTs presented) Should the United States support the Summer Olympics in 2008? Should we send the USA team?

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