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CyberTorch CyberTorch
bullet Introduction
bullet Objectives
bullet Tasks & Timeline
bullet Resources & Links

 
INTRODUCTION:

Will the Olympic Torch pass through or near your community on its way to Salt Lake City? If so, incorporate it into your teaching through the CyberTorch Project! This project lets you and your students contribute your own "on-the-scene" Torch Relay reports, interviews, and memories for reading by other students, teachers, and Olympic fans around the world.

More than 11,500 Torchbearers are carrying the Olympic Flame through 250 U.S. cities and 46 states. The Torch Relay ends in Salt Lake City on February 8, where the final honored torchbearer will light the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

The CyberTorch Project was conceived and proposed by Tom Lough, former Olympic athlete and 1996 and 2002 Torchbearer. Tom is an education professor at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. He'll carry the Torch in Jackson, Tennessee, on December 15. Read Tom's  memories about bearing the 1996 Torch. Then tune in to the CyberTorch Reports to read about Tom's 2002 experiences as well as those of other teachers and students.


OBJECTIVES:

CyberTorch channels the excitement of the Olympic Torch Relay into an educational project to stimulate interest in personal sharing through both writing and reading. It is designed to motivate your students to want to become better writers and readers.

Because of the highly personal nature of the experience, many additional instructional themes can be addressed by the project.

English/Language Arts Skills:

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Writing: Your students could contribute personal narratives, observations, recollections, descriptions, friendly letters, expository essays, and interviews related to the Torch Relay.

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Reading/Literacy: Your students will be eager readers of this peer-generated content. This will be especially valuable for basic literacy development.

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Additional Learning Opportunities:
Geography: Follow the route of the Torch Relay and examine physical, political, and economic maps of those regions of the US.
Science and Technology: Observe and record the weather encountered along the route. Calculate the speed of the relay. Graph the distance covered each day. Send digital photographs to cybertorch@yahoogroups.com.
Social Studies: Learn about community involvement and volunteerism through interviews of the Torchbearers. Most of them are local heroes, chosen because of their community service and accomplishments.
Physical Education: Organize and run your own local torch relay.
Global interdependence: Discuss with your students how the Olympic movement is a force for peace.

 
TASKS AND TIMELINES:

What can you and your students do to participate in the CyberTorch Project? Here are a few suggestions for project activities. You can certainly improvise beyond these ideas..

  1. Examine the Torch Relay Route  make plans to view its trip through or near your community. On the big day, become the world's eyes and ears "on the street." Have your students write a detailed description of the sights, sounds, people and events that you observe. If you have a digital camera, take several photographs.

    Refer to the Relay Route map to follow its daily progress.
     

  2. Look up the names of the Torchbearers in your area. These Torchbearers were selected because of distinguished service contributions and other accomplishments. Contact a Torchbearer to conduct and record an interview that tells the world about those singular accomplishments. These interviews could be the most valuable contribution of the CyberTorch project.
     

  3. Compose your report as an email message (please... no word processing attachments) and send it to cybertorch@yahoogroups.com Please include your school name and address in your report.
     

  4. Read CyberTorch Reports on the Web, or subscribe your email address to have them delivered directly via email.

This project is like the Little Red Hen:

EVERYBODY will want to read the reports, but if nobody submits any, there won't be anything to read.

 That is why it is so important that you and your students send in your contributions. What a thrill it will be for them to read their own reports online! They will certainly have a wonderful learning experience as well.

By the way, because of the intense interest in this subject, we will post any credible first-hand report, interview, or memoir about the Olympic Torch Relay or Olympic Games that you want to contribute.

TORCH RELAY RESOURCES:

Official Olympics Web Site

Torch Route Map

Torch Bearers

CyberTorch Report Archives

Post Your CyberTorch Report to: cybertorch@yahoogroups.com

Question: projhelp@globalschoolnet.org

Disclaimer: CyberTorch has no connection with, and implies no endorsement or support from, the 2002 Olympic Winter Games or the International Olympic Committee or its official members, sponsors or affiliates.


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