Olympic Passport
In just a few weeks the world will come together to celebrate the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, which will be hosted this year in Paris, France. Young people always find the Olympic Games fascinating. First, there is the opening ceremony with its regal music and the hundreds of athletes dressed in brightly colored uniforms that speak to the creativity and beauty of each respective nation. There are the smiling faces that look into the camera and wave to strangers throughout the world as they get closer to competing for medals that symbolize their affection for their home country. When the flags wave, children see the colors, patterns, and symbols that make up the flags of other nations. They may become curious about these flags or be inspired to learn more about their own.
The Olympic Games can be a great teaching tool for sparking children’s budding interest in learning more about the people of the world. In the days leading up to the opening ceremony, you can begin to build children’s interest in other countries by reading books with them that highlight the culture and customs of other nations. One such book is I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne.
The book tells the story of a small child born in Taiwan. She loves her grandmother and tells about their cherished moments through Chinese words and the sharing of Chinese customs. When the girl’s family emigrates to another country, the girl learns to adapt to her new surroundings. Years later when she visits her grandmother again, she realizes that she has forgotten some of the Chinese words she once knew, but her grandmother remains familiar. The story ends with the girl dreaming fondly of her popo, her grandmother.
In this month’s activity, children will be invited to “visit” different countries. The first stop is Taiwan, where children will learn about the Taiwanese flag, geography, and culture. Of course, the United States is on this world tour, too. In the days building up to the start of the Olympic Games, you can use the remaining worksheets in the activity to explore more countries.
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This month’s HoneyB3E activity sheet titled Olympic Passport. Click below to download a copy of the activity sheet for free. While you’re here, also be sure to subscribe to the HoneyB3E Hive newsletter for more activities and check out HoneyB3E’s latest activity book Flags of the World.
Look for a copy of I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne at this link or at your local library.