Canada Sports Hall of Fame

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Primary Lesson Plans
 

1. Title of Lesson - What Makes a Winner

This lesson is appropriate for any course that examines the values of respect, empathy, fairness, perseverance and responsibility and emphasizes the value of an active and healthy lifestyle.

2. Level of Study

Junior/Intermediate

3. General Expectations

In keeping with the stated goal of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame website to inform, educate, entertain and inspire each of us to reach for our dreams, this lesson is designed to:

  • generate personal reaction, reflection, insight and growth
  • inculcate a positive attitude toward healthy living through sport
  • develop a knowledge of and appreciation for Canada's sports history
  • develop an awareness of various factors which contribute to a healthy lifestyle and apply them to daily life.

4. Specific Expectations

a. Knowledge and Understanding:

  • Reflect upon personal experiences to examine the positives even though the outcome was not what was desired
  • Understand that the outcome of a contest does not determine personal worth
  • Realize that personal conduct and effort are very important factors in determining what makes a winner
  • Understand that losing a competition does not make a person a loser
  • Develop a sense of pride through effort as well as outcome
  • Develop an appreciation for the importance of respect, empathy, fairness, perseverance and responsibility
  • Appreciate the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

b. Inquiry/Research and Communications:

  • Use internet research skills to review video clips from Honoured Members of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
  • Demonstrate a knowledge of Honoured Members of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and how they developed a sense of self worth
  • Work cooperatively with their peers
  • Communicate their ideas in a coherent and respectful manner
  • Practise their writing skills.

c. Application:

  • Exhibit, through their actions, a belief that self worth comes from effort and behaviour that demonstrates respect, empathy, fairness, perseverance and responsibility
  • Discuss self-worth, pride and winners in terms beyond simply who won or lost the contest
  • Display, through actions, an appreciation for the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle and the role that sport can play
  • Engage in daily, physical activity appropriate for them.

5. Skills Targeted for Development

  • Reflective and analytical skills
  • Internet research skills
  • Communication skills
  • Writing skills
  • Life skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Healthy lifestyle skills

6. Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

  • Provide a description of a winner than goes beyond simply who won or lost the game
  • Explain how effort and appropriate behaviour are important determinants of self-worth
  • Outline qualities that make a person a "winner"
  • Provide examples of Canadian sports heroes who modelled success through effort
  • Explain the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle
  • Describe ways of increasing fitness levels
  • Engage in healthy lifestyle activities and eating practices.

7. Estimated Time for Implementation

  • Part 1 - 60-75 minutes
  • Part 2 - dependent upon computer accessibility
  • Part 3 - 15 minutes

8. General Overview of the Lesson

Many times winning is seen only in terms of outcome and a person's sense of self-worth is clouded if victory is not achieved. Too often emphasis is placed on the importance of victory and supersedes the value of participation and effort. Young children, as a result, can easily misunderstand the purpose of most competitions and see value only in terms of outcome rather than an opportunity to participate and test skills against co-participants who share a common enthusiasm. What becomes important, therefore, is to have students understand that pride in one's self and a sense of self-worth comes through honest effort and dedication to be as good as possible and not through simple outcome.

Sport offers a great opportunity for an individual to develop this awareness. It is true that there are numerous examples in life of such situations but sport, because of its relatively high profile, is a good avenue to have students develop this important insight. Victory, in itself, is rewarding, satisfying and affirming but, in the overall scheme of things, it is not, for most individuals, the most important thing. Every competition, by its very nature, has more than one competitor but only one who is ultimately the champion. That fact, however, does not, in any way, demean the worth of the other competitors.

This lesson will use the biographies and comments of Honoured Members of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame to help students see that self-worth and personal pride result from dedication to a goal and honest effort and not from the outcome of a competition. This lesson will also stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle and eating habits by reinforcing with the students that only if they look after themselves by staying active and eating well can they perform to the best of their ability.

9. Resources Required

Access to the internet and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame website to view the following video clips:

In preparation for this lesson the teacher should review the availability of personal computer access for each student and give consideration to the need to post any necessary information for those who may not have the necessary computer access.

10. Suggested Implementation Strategy

Part 1:

Begin the lesson by asking the students if they have ever heard about a team that is in a "rebuilding year".

  • Ask them to explain what that means and ensure that they understand that this suggests that the team is likely going to lose more than it wins.
  • Ask the students to explain whether or not the members of that team should be seen as losers simply because the team is not expected to win the championship.
  • Ask them if they have ever won a competition and yet not felt good about it and if they have ever lost a competition but felt very good about themselves.
  • Ask the students if they have ever been in a competition where they knew that they were up against a better team or opponent and knew that they were not likely to win the competition.
  • Have them explain how they felt and what they decided to do during the match.
  • Hopefully they will say that they decided to do their best and see what happens but that they would at least "give it their best shot". If not, seek this response and get that idea in front of them for consideration.
  • Ask them then which they consider to be more important (acknowledging that both have value) winning or doing your best and taking satisfaction from that.
  • At this point, hand out the worksheet found in Appendix below and have the students watch the videotaped excerpts of Bill Crothers, Bruce Kidd and Herb Carnegie and complete the worksheet as they listen to the comments. (Be certain to provide the backgrounds to these individuals - see "Links to other Relevant Resources" below.)
  • Put the students in pairs and ask them to share with their partner their reactions to what they just heard by explaining to the other student what they believe each athlete said about winners and which comments they personally liked best.
  • Ask each pair to discuss and decide how they would describe a winner and be prepared to share their answer with the class.
  • Once this discussion has been completed, have each pair share their answer with the class.
  • Conclude this part of the class by summarizing the answers and asking each student to complete a short writing assignment in which they explain why effort, dedication and behaviour during competition are important in considering what makes a winner. The students are to keep this assignment as they will add to it after completing Part 2.

Part 2:

Explain to the students that there will be challenges in life and how you conduct yourself will be very important.

  • Explain to them that sport gives you an opportunity to practise doing your best and behaving in a way that makes you proud whether or not you win.
  • Tell them that Canada's Sports Hall of Fame has many Honoured Members who, even though they are champions, have experienced those challenges and risen to the occasion even though they did not win.
  • Tell them that they are to look at the biographies and interviews of the Members and find one athlete who showed that quality and be prepared to tell the class who the athlete is and how they showed dedication, effort and admirable behaviour even in a tough situation. (This could be done in small groups if appropriate.)
  • Have the individuals (groups) report back to the class once their research has been completed.
  • The students should now complete their writing assignment by adding what they learned from visiting the website about what makes a winner. They should include in this part of the writing assignment three characteristics of a winner. The specifics of the writing assignment should be determined by the teacher and given to the students to ensure that the assignment is appropriate for the class and that it is clearly understood by the students.

Part 3:

Have the students indicate what sport they will now try realizing that effort, dedication and behaviour are truly what make a person a winner even though they do not win the game.

  • Explain to the students that in order to do well they have to take care of themselves by living a healthy, active life and eating well.
  • Tell them that for homework they are to write down everything they eat tomorrow.
  • Tell them that later they will check the list against Canada's Food Guide to see if that day's food was in keeping with good eating habits.
  • Tell them that they have to look after themselves not only by eating well but also by engaging in healthy activities that are appropriate for them and their fitness level.
  • Tell them that they are to go home and with their parents or guardians look at the Living Healthy - Physical Activity Guide - see "Relevant Resources" below - and decide on an activity that they will do to increase or maintain their fitness level.
  • Tell them they are also to look at ways that will ensure that they are eating well and properly.

They are to bring their ideas to class the next day.

11. Suggested Follow-up Activities

  • Have the students check their list of what they ate against the Canada Food Guide - see "Links to other Relevant Resources" below
  • The students could go to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame website and nominate someone they know as an "Everyday Sports Hero" - see http://www.sportshall.ca/accessible/joinus_landing.php
  • The students could prepare a daily food menu and check it against the healthy eating food guides.
  • The students could view and discuss the Disney film "Cars".
  • The students could research calorie counters and food guides and engage in an activity in which they calculated the calories they consumed during a day and the calories that they burned based on their activities.

12. Suggested Evaluation Activities

Have the students hand in their writing assignment

13. Links to Other Relevant Resources