Lost Olympic Events: The Games of 1900 to 1920

The class recreates events that were part of the early modern Olympic Games and later disappeared: the standing long jump, the standing triple jump and the team tug of war. Each group researches one event, presents it and runs it, reflecting on why the Olympic program changes.

How to play

1. Present the program of the Games from Paris 1900 to Antwerp 1920 and give each of three groups a sheet with the history and rules of one lost event (3 min).
2. Each group has 5 minutes to prepare a 1-minute explanation of its event and set up the area: a chalked jump zone or a tug of war lane with cones (5 min).
3. Standing long jump: the whole class does two attempts led and measured by the organizing group (8 min).
4. Standing triple jump: three linked two-foot jumps, two measured attempts (8 min).
5. Tug of war in teams of seven with judges from the organizing group, best of three pulls (7 min).
6. Final discussion: what leads to events being dropped or added, such as spectator appeal, television or global reach (4 min).

Rules

• In tug of war, the rope is never wrapped around a hand or waist and is released at the judges' signal.
• In tug of war, use gloves or a rope with good grip, and match teams by total body mass.
• Jumps are done on grass or thin mats, never on hard surfaces.
• The organizing group makes sure nobody crosses the landing zones.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair user: take part in the tug of war from the braked chair as anchor and do a seated throw instead of the jumps.
• Autism: join the organizing group with a specific measuring task and get advance notice about the noise of the tug of war.
• Back injury: skip the tug of war and be the head judge for that event.

Learning goals

• Learn how the modern Olympic program has changed and why.
• Organize and officiate track and field events carefully and cooperatively.
• Compare one's own performance with historical marks.

Equipment for a class of 25

• ropes: 1
• tape measure: 3
• mats: 6
• cones: 12
• worksheets: 3

Teacher tip

Ray Ewry's Olympic record in the standing long jump was about 3.47 m: comparing it with the class average always surprises students. Match the tug of war teams carefully.

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