Question for enquiry:
What are the pros and cons of hosting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games? Is it worthwhile to host this Olympic Games*?
Suggested No. of Lesson ： 2 lessons, 40 minutes each
*Refer to “Notes on Discussion and Role-play” on Page 2
Objectives
In this unit, students are expected to
1.
analyse the process of organising the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games from different perspectives and determine its impact to individuals, society and country.
2.
analyse and evaluate the importance of these impacts.
3.
appreciate the effort paid by our country in organising the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
4.
have their own opinion as to whether it is worthwhile for Beijing to host the Olympic Games.
Issues Concept
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The impacts on economy, environment, culture and international image etc brought about by hosting the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games
Different people’s opinions towards the impacts brought about by the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games
Different values reflected by different people’s opinion
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Development
Conservation
Heritage
Benefit
Opportunity
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Skills
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Information
Collection
Classification
Summary of information
Discussion
Reporting
Analyzing
Critical
Thinking
Decision-making
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Values and
Attitude
Plurality
Critical
With a respect for others
Common good
Sustainability
(environment)
Cultural and
Civilization
Heritage
Students’ prior knowledge
Process of organising the Olympic Games
1

Learning Activities
Activity Focus
Motivation Teacher shows pictures of Beijing’s winning the bid to host the Olympic Games and some
Olympic venues and asks students how they feel about Beijing hosting the Olympic Games.
Introduce
Values &
Opinion
Group
Discussion
Teacher introduces different people will have different opinions and concerns due to their different values and identities etc.
Group
Discussion &
Role Play
Divide the class into 5 groups (Each group should consist of 8 students in a class of 40).
Analyze the process of organizing the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games from different perspectives. Each group represents Chinese economists, environment and cultural conservationists, town planners, Beijing residents and the President of the Beijing
Olympic Committee respectively. Understand the opinions of different people towards Beijing hosting the Olympic Games from different perspectives (e.g. economic, cultural, environmental, people, international image, etc)
After all the groups complete Worksheet 1, teacher may ask the students to classify the listed impacts, for example, into positive and negative categories, and reprioritize them so that student representatives can express their opinions in the forum.
“The Olympics Forum”
Each group sends out 2 representatives to attend the “Olympics Forum”. The motion is “It is worthwhile for Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic
Games”. Teacher chooses one student to be the forum master.
2
Teaching
Materials
Slide 2,3
Slide 4,5
Slide 6,7
Worksheet 1
Slide 8
Slide 9
Worksheet 2
Student
Activity
Answering questions
Discussion and complete
Worksheet 1
Complete
Worksheet 2

Teacher’s
Debriefing and
Students’
Reflection
The rest of the students will be the audience and note down the ideas raised by the forum guests
(students) on Worksheet 2. Teacher may encourage students to raise questions to the students in the forum by using the later half of
Worksheet 2.
Teacher may also write down each group’s opinions for and against the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games on the blackboard, so as to deepen students’ understanding. Teacher may also make use of those notes to give feedback.
Teacher may suggest students to classify and analyze the perspectives brought up by their classmates. For examples, among the impacts brought up by their classmates, which of them are long-term? Which are short-term? Which are tangible? Which are intangible? Do they have enough reasons to support their argument? Who will eventually pay the price in holding the
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games? Who will enjoy the results? Is it worthwhile to host this Olympic
Game?
Slide
10,11,12,13,14
Complete
Worksheet 3 and Worksheet
4
 This activity focuses on the impacts on various people and things due to the organization of
 the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Since the Olympic Game has not yet started when we discuss the motion “Is it worthy to hold this Olympic Game?”, the information gathered by the students has certain limitations. After the Beijing Olympic Games or when more updated information is available, students may draw different conclusions.
Using the stereotyped role can facilitate the role play activity. Students should bear in mind that even the same role can also hold different opinions in reality.
Teacher may consider adding other roles, such as athletes, people from other provinces, foreign people and businessmen living in the mainland. Teacher may also subdivide the roles assigned to students. For example, athletes can be further divided into Hong Kong and mainland athletes; people can also be divided into Hong Kong residents, residents from other provinces and Beijing residents. Beijing residents can also be classified by their residing areas, such as those live in
Hutong areas.
3

Teachers can refer to the below websites while preparing powerpoint slides for motivating students:
Official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/
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Videos
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Promotional Films ／ History
We Won! (1) http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/historyv/wewon1/index.shtml
We Won! (2) http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/historyv/wewon2/index.shtml
The National Stadium http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/stadium/index.shtml
National Aquatics Center http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/aquaticscenter/index.shtml
Beijing Shooting Range Hall http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/shootingrange/index.shtml
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Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/dancing/index.shtml
Theme slogan of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games http://www.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/kouhaomov/index.shtml
New Beijing, Great Olympics http://www.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/xinxinmov/index.shtml
Beijing Olympics – Charming Beijing http://www.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/meilibjmov/index.shtml
China Forever http://www.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/chinameilimov/index.shtml
Official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games http://en.beijing2008.cn/ /
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Sports & Venues
5

Value is the view and principle of a person towards the objective surrounding, including people, events and objects. One’s value is things that one perceives as important and one pursues. There are different types of values, reflecting the principles that people think highly of and things that they deem important. For example, some people think highly of rationality and their value would focus on knowledge and truth. Hence to them, the pursuance of truth is the most important. Other people value the importance of groups and putting their own benefit second. Some other people have an economical value with a major aim of profit maximization. Besides, there are also people who seek beauty and harmony; some pursues power and status; others go after religious belief.
Different people have different views towards the meaning and importance of different things.
They form their own importance and priority in their mind. Values influence human behavior.
When there is a conflict between values, different value would govern us to take different actions and make different decisions.
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Chinese Economists ／ Environmentalists ／ Town Planners ／ Beijing Residents ／
Group ___
President of the Beijing Olympic Committee
Impacts of hosting 2008 Olympic Games
Who will be affected?
How long will the impacts last?
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How big is Olympic’s “economic function”? (Chinese version only) http://finance.people.com.cn/BIG5/8215/73665/index.html
Wang Tong-san: Olympics would not have a great impact to China’s economy (Chinese version only) http://www.china.com.cn/news/2007-12/05/content_9349284.htm
[Good Luck Beijing] Olympic: Bane or Boon? (Chinese version only) http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zt/tyzt/aoyunnwt/200708080011.asp
Let Athens tell Beijing ： Be pragmatic when hosting Olympics (Chinese version only) http://www.zaobao.com/special/newspapers/2004/08/cw300804.html
Yu Xiu-qin: Olympic to give Beijing’s active economy a good shove (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214057757.shtml
Economic Report from the Chinese Academy of Social Science: Olympic to bring USD 16 million profit (Chinese version only) http://big5.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/200712/05/t20071205_13813917.shtml
Market development income to surpass Sydney and Athens Olympic (Chinese version only) http://finance.people.com.cn/GB/71364/6617674.html
A study on the impact of 2008 Olympics to Beijing’s economic development (Chinese version only) http://www.sport.gov.cn/show_info.php?n_id=20415
Lin Yi-fu: China’s economy wouldn’t be sluggish after Beijing Olympics, 12 January 2008,
Sing Tao Daily. (Chinese version only) http://hk.news.yahoo.com/080112/60/2mxbm.html
Students can also gather other information related to their assigned role and complete
Worksheet 1.
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Beijing Olympics lowers pollutions and bring blue skies (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/ayybj/ayln/lsay/200711/t199470.htm
Beijing Olympics with the first solar-powered Olympic Village (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/zt/lszxd/cgzdlsay/200711/t196325.htm
Ecological and Environmental Protection Project Planning (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/ayybj/aygh/zxgh/200508/t44480.htm
Turning waste into treasures: Foundation with over 80,000 tons of slag (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/cptvenues/venues/nis/headlines/n214202812.shtml
Facilitate Beijing ’ s heritage protection with the help of Olympics – A visit to Kong
Fan-zhi, President of Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage (Chinese version only) http://finance.people.com.cn/BIG5/71364/6187199.html
“People’s Olympic” has called upon the beautification of Beijing (Chinese version only) http://news.xinhuanet.com/olympics/2006-01/13/content_4046081.htm
Welcoming next year’s Beijing Olympic 0.93 billion spent on heritage protection
(Chinese version only) http://paper.wenweipo.com/2007/12/07/SP0712070024.htm
Fulfilling the People’s Olympic promise – Beijing put emphasis on heritage protection when building stadiums (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214057783.shtml
Beijing Olympic Constructions – Drastically destroy China’s Ancient
Architecture (Chinese version only) http://big5.soundofhope.org/programs/806/77907-1.asp
Students can also gather other information related to their assigned role and complete
Worksheet 1.
9

New Olympic for Old Beijing - People’s Olympic brings old city renovation (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/ayybj/ayln/rway/200711/t199957.htm
Sui Zhen-jiang: 2 nd
Ring Area Renovation – 70% residents moved into new buildings in the same community (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/66/77/article214007766.shtml
Before 2008 Olympic: “Demolition” for a New Beijing? (Chinese version only) http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2004-05/10/content_1461407.htm
Get ready for Olympics - Huang Cheng area up for a large scale renovation (Chinese version only) http://www.tourtaiwan.org/doc/1005/0/3/5/100503584.html?coluid=20&kindid=235&docid
=100503584&mdate=1129180522
Students can also gather other information related to their assigned role and complete
Worksheet 1.
10

An incident changes a city – Olympics benefits Beijing residents (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/xw/200711/t198895.htm
Olympics benefits People Series 3 Beijing’s alleys change face (Chinese version only) http://news.sina.com.tw/sports/sinacn/cn/2007-11-29/110136241211.shtml
One year count down to Beijing Olympics: Ancient capital gathering pace (Chinese version only) http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2007-08/06/content_707189.htm
Olympic Economic Report: Beijing properties to soar after Olympics (Chinese version only) http://big5.bjoe.gov.cn/qwgd/200605/t120062.htm
Students can also gather other information related to their assigned role and complete
Worksheet 1.
11

Liu Jing-Min: Olympic Games a huge driving force to Beijing’s city development (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214179995.shtml
Beijing Olympic Venues to turn into public gymnasium after Games (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214210026.shtml
Liu Jing-Min: 3 Metro lines to operate before July next year (Chinese version only) http://www.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214179978.shtml
Students can also gather other information related to their assigned role and complete
Worksheet 1.
12

2
13

I want to ask ______________________________________ （ representative in the forum ） .
My question is _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________ ？
14

3
What kind of values are reflecting from the students’ opinions raised in the Olympic Forum? What are their main concerns?
Role
Chinese Economists
Environmentalists
Town Planners
Beijing Residents
President of the Beijing
Olympic Committee
Value / Their main concerns are:
Are there any contradictory opinions raised in the forum?
Name one example.
Are there any mutual opinions raised in the forum?
Name one example.
The opinion raised by __________________ The opinion raised by __________________ and ________________ are contradictory. and ________________ are mutual.
For example: For example:
15

Are there any long-term impacts raised in the forum?
Name one example.
Are there any short-term impacts raised in the forum?
Name one example.
I think the impacts raised by I think the impacts raised by
__________________ should be considered as __________________ should be considered as long-term impacts. He/She talked about short-term impacts. He/She talked about
16

Tangible
Summarize the opinions raised by your classmates during the Forum and the information you gathered. Justify the cost paid and the expected benefits. Do you think it is worthwhile for Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Games?
The cost paid / resources input
Who paid these costs
Intangible
17

4
While you were justifying whether it is worthwhile for Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Games, what kind of factors did you consider? Is the cost too high for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games?
Can the expected benefits balance these costs? Who will pay and who will be benefited? If the costs and benefits cannot be quantified, how shall we make our choice? Shall we focus on the long-term impacts or short-term benefits? If it is impossible to take into account of everybody’s benefits, how will you make a decision? Will you consider the public’s interests or your own? What kind of value has affected your decisions?
18