How many different types of sports disciplines* can you name that are in the Olympic Games.

*discipline: a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity. (Refer to your dictionary for other meanings of this word)

Listed below are very brief explanations of how good you must to become an Olympian* and how each sport is rated according to its popularity.

*Olympian: a sports person who has been selected to represent his/her country in the Olympic Games.

RATINGS: ( how hard each sport is to do)
* GO FOR IT - Try it you might become an Olympian.
** AVERAGE - You can make the team, but be ready to work hard.
*** HARD - You'd better practice, practice, practice.
**** SUPER HARD - Almost as hard as flying to Mars!

The teacher cuts up the each of the different sports descriptions below and give one to each pair of students. Click to see the rest of the Mixer Exercise:

Archery - GO FOR IT!
Not many Israelis play the sport of Olympic-style archery. You might want to try this if you're a good shot in video games. Coolest parts: seeing the arrow thump into the bull's-eye; having a bow with funny objects on it to help you shoot..

Badminton - GO FOR IT!
Few Israelis play this game of Olympic-style badminton. You might want to try this if you're great at swatting flies. Coolest parts: hitting the shuttlecock, (or birdie), almost 200 miles per hour; developing cat-quick reflexes.

Boxing - HARD
Only men compete in Olympic boxing. Skills needed: quick hands, good footwork. Hard parts: It hurts to get hit. Holding your arms up for a long time is tough. You have to find people to practice with who don't mind getting punched. Did you know: Olympic matches last nine minutes (three three-minute rounds).

Diving - HARD
No more than four men and four women make the U.S. team. There are only two events: springboard and platform. You might want to try this if you're not afraid of heights. Coolest parts: diving off the 10-meter board - it's as high as a three-story building! Diving into the water with barely any splash.

Judo - GO FOR IT!
This has become a popular sport in Israel since we won our first ever medals in this sport.. Arad won the silver medal in the ladie's event and Smadja won a bronze in the men's event.. Seven men and seven women make the Olympic team in different weight classes. Hard part: You can't get mad when someone throws you to the mat. Coolest part: earning belts of different colors as you improve. Did you know: The Japanese word judo means "the gentle way."

Gymnastics - AVERAGE
Body size: Most gymnasts are small but strong. Hard parts: Top gymnasts practice as much as seven hours a day. You might have to move away from home to train with a better coach. Coolest parts: "sticking" your landing (landing solidly on both feet, without taking a step or falling), being as flexible as a rubber band. You might want to try this if you love to do somersaults.

Rhythmic Gymnastics - GO FOR IT!
In this sport, girls (no boys are allowed) perform dance-like moves using a big hoop, a ribbon, an eight-inch ball, and wood or plastic clubs. Coolest parts: twirling a 20-foot ribbon around your body, throwing a ball into the air and catching it on your arms - which are extended behind your back!

Modern Pentathlon - GO FOR IT!
This sport combines five skills: fencing, swimming, pistol shooting, running, and horseback riding. At the Olympics, only men compete in this event.. Hard part: You need a horse, a pool, a pistol, and a fencing partner to practice with. Coolest parts: becoming good at five different skills, hitting the bull's-eye on a pistol target 10 meters away.

Soccer - AVERAGE
Tons of kids in Israel play soccer. You have to be a great player to make the Israel team. In 1996, women's soccer was an Olympic sport for the first time. Hard part: You have to be in shape - soccer players run as much as 10 miles in one game. Did you know: More than two billion people watched the 1994 World Cup on television.

Swimming - HARD
There are 32 different events (16 for men, 16 for women) to try out for. Hard parts: You have to swim five or six hours a day. You smell like a pool. Coolest parts: seeing your times get faster eating a lot because you train so hard Did you know: Most swimmers shave their body hair before big competitions so that they'll slip more quickly through the water.

Tennis - SUPERHARD!
The top pro players compete in the Olympics. Coolest part: serving an ace. Did you know: Men used to play in long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and women played in long dresses.

Track and Field - HARD
There are 24 men's events and 20 women's events. Three athletes usually make the team in each individual event. You might want to try this if you love to run, jump, or throw. Coolest parts: being called the world's fastest man or woman after winning the Olympic 100-meter dash, pole-vaulting nearly 20 feet high or throwing a javalin furtherest..

Weightlifting - AVERAGE
In the Olympics, only men compete. Each man tries to lift the most weight above his head. There are 10 weight divisions, from 119 pounds to 238 pounds and over. Hard parts: getting strong enough to lift two or three times your own body weight. You need lots of weights and a "spotter" (someone to watch or help you). Coolest parts: performing a perfect "snatch" (lifting the bar from the ground and over your head in one smooth motion) letting out a huge roar as you push the weight over your head.

Yachting - AVERAGE
Men and women compete in eight classes, or types, of boats. You need: strong arms and back, good sailing technique. You might want to try this if you always dreamed of being the captain of a ship . . . or if you love windsurfing, which is also an Olympic event. Hard part: Learning how to sail into the wind.

THE SPORTS OF THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES (one copy for each student)

Mixer Exercise:

Write down the information about 3 different sports from the paper you have and from other people in the class. Rate them and then add more information.

RATINGS: ( how hard each sport is to do)
* GO FOR IT - Try it you might become an Olympian.
** AVERAGE - You can make the team, but be ready to work hard.
*** HARD - You'd better practice, practice, practice.
**** SUPER HARD - Almost as hard as flying to Mars!

Writing Exercise: Now that you have read what is expected of you, the sportsperson, choose a sport that you like, or play, or from the list of Olympic Games from the box and write a short composition about how you would prepare yourself for the Olympic Games. For example: daily schedule, food, exercise, sleeping, morale building, etc.

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