XXX for the 30th Olympiad

Have you been watching?   I don't suggest sitting like a coach potato with picture in picture so you can watch two channels at once.  Nor is it necessary to watch every hour of broadcasting.  But it is nice to see discipline and dedication pay off.  And yes...my Schnickelfritz and I have chanted USA....USA in our living room from time to time.

There are plenty of opportunities to sneak a little learning into the Olympics as well.  The obvious choice is to keep an atlas nearby and look up countries you've never heard of before.  What about converting meters and kilos to American weights and measures?  You can discuss the history of the Olympics.  Our local station has been running a series about the 1904 Olympics that took place in the U.S.  Know where?  Just down the road in St. Louis as part of the Worlds Fair.  Several websites (like SchoolhouseTeachers.com) are offering Olympic themed freebies.

Unfortunately, there has also been the opportunity to talk about ethics--the Badminton athletes that threw their matches to get easier draws.  What about the Chinese system of taking children from their families and force them into a life of training for the state?