Lessons - Special Olympics

“I was once
very shy and
not willing
to talk with
others. Special
Olympics
changed my
life and my
love of sports
and helped me
achieve all this
unimaginable
success.”
Xu Chuang, Special
Olympics China Athlete
and International Global
Messenger
Activity 3:
Go for the Gold!
Cross-Curricular Connections:
This lesson can be incorporated into social studies units on diversity, friendship,
and community. Students learn to recognize and affirm positive character traits
in themselves and others, and develop skills and attitudes needed to build an
inclusive and cooperative community. It also extends into the art curriculum,
where students use writing, drawing, and painting skills to create posters for
display in public areas of the school.
Academic Skills Addressed:
• Making connections between literature and real-life experiences — e.g.,
identifying issues of significance within the text and generating open-ended
questions about the text and its personal relevance;
• Using critical thinking to analyze texts;
• Using strategies for analyzing and understanding the meanings of words and
phrases;
• Using words and phrases that are appropriate to context;
• Developing ideas using creative thinking, problem posing, and problem
solving strategies;
• Discovering patterns and relationships among ideas and characteristics;
• Creating imaginative texts using strategies to contribute to collaborative
projects — e.g., finding relationships among ideas generated by the group and
exploring the ideas of others; and
• Conveying meaning through text content and design.
Desired Outcomes:
Students will:
• Demonstrate recognition that Special Olympics athletes need encouragement
from caring fans and other individuals.
• Identify the value and meaning of caring as a character trait.
• Use encouraging words and demonstrate caring actions within their classroom
and school community.
• Give and receive compliments and encouragement appropriately.
Time Required:
Three 45- to 60-minute class periods
20