CiTi Students Learn Olympics History

While Team USA competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer, 12 students in the Center for Instruction, Technology and Innovation’s summer program at Lura M. Sharp Elementary School held their own version of the event and learned valuable lessons that transcend athletics. 

A two-week unit on the history of the Olympics, from its beginnings in ancient Greece to present day, culminated in mock games through which students took a hands-on approach to authentic games using kid-friendly materials. 

Wearing custom T-shirts and using an official backdrop, students opened the competition with a flag procession and the Olympic Fanfare and Theme. Games included a “Pool Noodle Javelin Toss,” “Pool Noodle Relay Race,” “Bean Bag Olympic Ring Toss,” “Sponge Squeeze Race,” and “Frisbee Discus Throw.” 

“It was fun all around,” CiTi Exceptional Education Teacher Robyn Yorker said. “The biggest takeaway was if you work at things, you can achieve them.”

The competition ended with a medal award ceremony and Olympic-themed snacks. Each student, in recognition of their own personal achievements, went home with an award at the end of the competition. 

“They all went home with something specific to their day,” Yorker said. “I think, for them, that was a really positive thing.”