Go for the Gold with PenPals

This month, the world came together in sport and competition for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Athletes from 92 countries competed in winter sporting events like ice hockey, snowboarding, and luge while their fans at home cheered them on.
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PenPals around the world have been participating in the international spirit of the Olympics, too, by connecting to learn more about the historic games. In 2018 Winter Olympics, students learned about the history of the Olympics and the events in the winter games, as well as researched Olympians competing in 2018.

This week, we celebrate Ms. Ruhl’s class from Wisconsin, USA who participated in 2018 Winter Olympics.

As students began their project, they were asked how the Olympic games help people around the world learn to respect one another. Students said….

“There are many ways the 2018 Winter Olympics can make people around the world learn to respect each other. For example, when you and your team are competing, your team will cheer you on and that can help people get along by staying positive. When you are cheering on your team, you don’t want to be mean to the alternative team. Another example is when you are in another country, you don’t want to be disrespectful to the people that live in the other countries. How would you feel if your country held the Olympic Games, and some of the competitors were making fun or joking about your country? A third example of ways the Winter Olympics can make people around the world get along better is when you win or lose, you have to be fair and not complain that your country didn’t win. If you won gold, you don’t want to brag and be mean. There is a variety of ways the 2018 Winter Olympics can make people around the world learn to respect each other.”
- Sylvia N.

“The Olympics is a great way for people to meet and compete against people from all over the world. People who compete in the Olympics all love and support their sport. When people who love the same things, come together, and have fun competing against each other they learn to respect each other as well as each others skills. In addition to this, the common sportsmanship that most athletes have naturally allows people respectfully compete against each other. The Olympics also highlights a new country every four years. This allows people to learn about other cultures, traditions and to gain over all knowledge and respect about their fellow competitors.”
-Evan W.

Students in Ms. Ruhl's class participate in 2018 Winter Olympics on PenPal Schools

“The Olympic Games provides the opportunity for a country to show others their culture and values. It provides all counties the opportunity to participate and to pause all conflicts to join together and compete in the honorable Olympic Games. Athletes from around the world get the opportunity to bring honor to their country and gain new insight and respect for other athletes, other countries, and the historic Olympic Games. The spectators watching are given a personal experience that they will value and learn from.
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I think that the events that the athletes participate in give them an opportunity to work as a team and/or compete for their country, this is what they all love. I think the winter Olympic Games is a world wide event that everyone comes back with a new respect of what is sacrificed, worked for, and what it means for not only the competitors, but the volunteers who work hard to setup and operate the Olympic Games.”
​-Justus A.

Students in Ms. Ruhl's class participate in 2018 Winter Olympics on PenPal Schools

Students learned about Olympic events and the athletes who would be competing and had the opportunity to learn more about the teams headed to Pyeongchang in 2018. Students shared what their learned with their PenPals.

“I think that the Poland team will win in the Ski jump, because Poland has very experienced athletes competing for their team. My favorite player on the Poland men's team is Kamil Stoch, who is also one of the favorites to win the men’s Ski jump event. Kamil Stoch has had a record for winning the Ski jump for Poland, and also for being one of the most participant in the sport for Poland.”
-Victoria Z.

“I will be watching and cheering for team USA these Winter Olympics. I will try to watch and follow one specific athlete this year, Michael Glasder, a ski jumper who is from an area near where I live and after reading his bio, shares many of the same interests as me. This is who I will be watching during the 2018 Winter Olympics!”
-Evan L.

“Hi Pen pals,
I hope that all is well with you, all is good here in Wisconsin. I can only hope that the snow sticks around so that I can ski more! Speaking of skiing what do you like to watch in the Olympics my favorite is the downhill skiing, I also LOVE to watch the snow boarders. I think that Mikaela Shiffrin is a shoe in for a gold metal. She is a master at downhill skiing. Her home state is the skiing state of Colorado. She was in the 2014 Winter Olympics and scored a gold metal for her country. Hope to hear from you soon!

Live life to the fullest,
Stella S.”

Students in Ms. Ruhl's class participate in 2018 Winter Olympics on PenPal Schools

As students continued to research and learn more about the Olympics, they prepared some presentations to share more with their PenPals.

“I like hockey a lot. So, did found a hockey player from Wisconsin to learn about. Her name is Amanda Kessel, she plays for the team USA. Click here to see the presentation I did about Amanda.”
​-Lilly N.

We asked Ms. Ruhl’s class what they liked the most about learning with PenPals, and they told us…

“What I like about PenPal Schools is that we get to learn and meet new people that are possibly from other countries. I also have the chance to get to learn about what goes on in other countries around the world.”
- Grayson G.

“I liked how we can write to our PenPals whenever we want and we don't have to wait for them to get through the mail.”
- Kara T.

“I like how we can talk to people from other states. Also, I like how we have done projects to send with our pen pals.”
- Sylvia N.

“I love PenPal School because I get to meet people from all over the world and I think that is so cool.  I love this website.”  
- Zach W.

“I like that you get to speak to other kids around the country and the world. And you get to hear what the other kids like to do and what they do.”
- Ricardo O.

From sharing opinions to exploring new athletes, PenPals had a lot to talk about during the 2018 Winter Olympic games. Thanks to Ms. Ruhl’s class for being great PenPals, and to Ms. Ruhl for connecting your class with the world!

2018 Winter Olympics may be over, but there are still plenty of opportunities to learn with PenPals. Check out all of the collaborative projects starting every Monday and sign up to start learning with PenPals!