Greeks’ Sports Festivals

PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS

COORDINATED BY MRS BLESSING TITILOYE 

Week: 1

Class: SS3

Subject: Physical Education

Lesson Title: Greek Festival

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to:

i.                    Discuss the history of ancient Olympic game

ii.                  Highlight the significance of Greek festivals

iii.                Examine the purpose of the modern Olympic

iv.                Classify the Olympic symbol, flag, and mott

The Greeks’ Olympic Games

The first recorded Olympic festival was held in 776BC within a sacred enclosure of some ten acres in the plain of Olympia in western Peloponesia. Greeks respected and looked up to their gods and dead heroes as influencing powers in their successes. Among the festivals which were in the form of sports competitions are:

I.    Olympia festival or ancient Olympic festival held every four years

ii.    Pythia festival held every four years in honour of Pythian Appollo (the god of prophecy and truth).

iii.    Nemea festival is held biennially in honour of the god Nemean Zeus.

iv.     Isthmia festival held biennially in honour of god Poseidon the god of the sea.

Purpose of the festivals

·         To honour their gods and dead heroes

·         To serve their religious needs

·         To understand their kinship with one another

·         For fun and enjoyment

·         To provide a forum to seek peace treaties among warring city-states

·         For excellence in sports

The purpose of the modern Olympic

Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France a lover of sports is the father of modern Olympic games who succeeded in inculcating a spirit of friendly international rivalry between nations when he declared the Olympic spirit thus: ‘the important thing is not so much winning but in taking part’; the essential thing is not conquering but fighting well. The whole idea is to foster unity among the people in the world. Prizes for modern Olympic winners are awards of medals, trophies and cash. Medals are awarded as first place- gold medal, second place- silver medal and third place- bronze medal.

Objectives of modern Olympic games

The objectives of modern Olympic games among others include:

·         Cultural exchange.

·         The development of bilateral and multilateral agreements among nations.

·         The improvement and development of new techniques for various sports and games.

·         The image boosting of participating countries (flying of flags).

·         To foster unity among nations of the world.

·         To facilitate interracial marriages and friendships.

The Olympic flag

The first Olympic flag that appeared in Antwerp, Belgium in 1920 has five joined rings of different colours; red, blue, green, yellow and black. These rings represent the five major continents of the world Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas. The Olympic motto of citius, altius, fortius means swifter, higher and stronger.

Three symbolic flags at the Olympic games

·         The first flag- Greece (origin of the Olympics)

·         The second flag- the host country

·         The third flag- the next host country of the Olympic


CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE ON ANCIENT OLYMPIC SPORTS FESTIVAL


         Click to take the Assignment: State 5 values of recreation in sports






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