Exploring the role of women in the modern Olympic Games.

In 1900, the first year that women were allowed to compete in the Olympics, three women represented the United States. These women competed in the Olympic golf tournament, the only event open to women. In 2000, the United States will be sending over 250 female athletes to Sydney, Australia for the Olympic Games.

Since 1948, the International Olympic Committee has expanded the women's sports program to include more than 75 events in 36 different sports, including soccer, triathlon, tae kwon do, waterpolo, ice hockey, and softball, among others. In fact, the only sports women are not invited to compete in are boxing, baseball, and wrestling.

Men and women compete against each other in yachting, badminton (mixed doubles), equestrian (dressage), and figure skating (pairs skating and ice dancing). Women have three sports in which the men do not compete: synchronized swimming, softball and rhythmic gymnastics.

Students will utilize almanacs as a data source.
Students will make evaluations based on the data gathered.
Students will make and test hypotheses about the reasons for differences in the speeds of male and female athletes.

Classroom set of the most recent almanacs available
Paper and drawing tools needed to draw charts

Suggested Lesson Plan:

Consult almanacs and use the charts that list winning times for Olympic races. Compare men's and women's performances in a variety of Summer Olympic Games events, then make lists of time differences.

Using the information gathered, have students answer the following questions as a part of a general class discussion:

• How much difference, in time, is there between men and women's performances in each event?
• Are the differences consistent? (For example, if in 1968 the difference is one minute, is that difference still one minute in 1984?)
• In what years were time barriers broken in different sports for men and women?
• How many years did it take for the men? For the women?
• Compare the sports listed: In which sports do women seem to have progressed the fastest?
• In which sports do men seem to have progressed the fastest?

With the information gathered by students in this activity, ask students to debate the following question: "Will men and women ever compete against each other in these events? Why or why not?"

Have students make various graphs and charts that graphically demonstrate the various records you have studied.

After comparing Olympic data, select a variety of events, choosing some which seem to favor males and some which seem to favor females, based on Olympic records. (These may not be actual Olympic events, but could include such events as the 50-yard dash, an endurance race, etc.)

Stage a meet where boys and girls compete against each other, and discuss the results.

Published by Griffin Publishing under license from the United States Olympic Committee. This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable rights. All rights reserved. A classroom teacher may reproduce copies of the material in this book for classroom use only.