Birmingham 2022
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 were held from 28 July to 8 August 2022.
Here is a collection of teaching ideas and resources to help you learn about and celebrate the Commonwealth Games with your school and community.
Curriculum links | Classroom suggestions | Resources
Links to the New Zealand Curriculum
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games provide a useful context for meeting the intent of The New Zealand Curriculum. Students can:
- demonstrate the curriculum vision of being connected, actively involved, lifelong learners
- explore the future-focused issues of sustainability and globalisation
- consider the NZC values of excellence, diversity, integrity, community, and participation
- make use of key competencies, especially thinking, and using language, symbols, and texts
- achieve learning outcomes in a range of learning areas, especially social sciences, and health and physical education.
Links to the social sciences
Students can meet achievement objectives in the social sciences by:
- investigating current issues during the Commonwealth Games
- learning about the history of the Commonwealth Games
- exploring the ways that host countries represent themselves to the world
- considering the economic and social impact on host cities.
Links to health and physical education
Students can meet achievement objectives in health and physical education by:
- exploring the attitudes and values relating to sport and world games
- recognising the benefits of physical movement
- following the journeys of famous sportspeople
- learning about and participating in sports from the Commonwealth Games.
Classroom suggestions
Here is a selection of ideas to help you incorporate the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games into your teaching programme. Adapt the suggestions to suit the needs and interests of your students.
Opening ceremonies
- Students could watch highlights from the Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony and discuss how Birmingham and Britain represent themselves to the world.
- Students could watch opening ceremonies from previous Commonwealth Games and discuss how each host country represents their cultures, values, and national identity, and how opening ceremonies have changed over time.
- Students may consider how New Zealand might represent itself in an opening ceremony. What aspects of our culture, values, and national identity could we highlight?
Useful links
Research the history of the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games
Students could investigate the origins of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Commonwealth Games. The following questions may guide research and discussion:
Commonwealth of Nations questions:
- What is the Commonwealth of Nations?
- What are the benefits and responsibilities of being part of the Commonwealth?
- Does anyone else want to join the Commonwealth and if so, why?
- Why have some countries been excluded from the Commonwealth?
Commonwealth Games questions:
- What are some benefits and disadvantages of being the host nation for the Commonwealth Games?
- What is the Queen’s Baton Relay?
- What are the three core values of the Commonwealth Games and what do they mean to you?
Useful links
Mascots
Mascots are popular ambassadors of the Commonwealth Games and Olympic and Paralympic Games. Students could investigate the mascots for this year's Commonwealth Games and look at mascots from previous Games. They could explore ways that the mascots spread the Commonwealth spirit, communicate values, and promote the cultural identity of the host countries.
Useful links
Hold your own Commonwealth Games
One way of engaging students in the Commonwealth Games is to host your own games event. Classes could represent different countries and take part in a range of sports. Commonwealth traditions such as opening and closing ceremonies, mascots, and medal ceremonies could be included.
Follow famous sportspeople
Commonwealth athletes are inspirational with their fierce discipline and natural talent. Students could research famous athletes from the past and present-day and send their best wishes to our New Zealand team.
Useful links
Explore the Commonwealth Games values
The Commonwealth values are humanity, equality, and destiny. Students could explore how athletes demonstrate these values during the Games and the importance of these values in their own lives.
Career pathways
The Commonwealth Games and other global sports events provide many unique career opportunities for non-athletes. Secondary students could research the range of career options and investigate the courses and qualifications required.
Useful links
Six Olympic careers for non-athletes
Vocational pathways
Careers New Zealand
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Resources
Birmingham 2022
The official site of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Te Ara – Olympic and Commonwealth games
Te Ara provides information, images, and sound recordings to help students learn about New Zealand's long history of participation at Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
New Zealand History Online – The Commonwealth Games
New Zealand History Online offers a multimedia exhibition about our nation's involvement with the Commonwealth Games that includes stories, images, videos, and sound recordings.
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