Sport and identity - cricket activity - social studies Levels 4 and 5

Using the feature Runs on the board - New Zealand cricket and some of the other material available from the Sports category of NZHistory.net.nz, complete the following activities.

1. Class discussion

Sport is taken very seriously in this country (despite fears that we are becoming fatter and less active), and the success of New Zealand's major teams like the All Blacks and Black Caps can have a great effect on the mood of the nation. Consider some discussion questions with your class around the broad theme of sport and its place in New Zealand society.

• Why is sport so important? After all, it's just a game – or is it?
• Why does success or failure in sport seem to affect how the country feels? Consider the way the press reacted to the recent 3–0 whitewash of the Australian's in the Chappell–Hadlee Trophy or how we feel when the national anthem is played and the flag is raised at medal ceremonies. For some of your students it might pay to get them to think about how they feel when they do well at sport or other activities they are involved in.
• What are some of the ways in which we feel proud of ourselves as a country or as people? Consider the mood of the nation during the Lord of the Rings period, for instance.

2. Personal writing

Discuss some of these points with your students, and then ask them to write their own responses to the following statements. Students should aim to write between six and eight sentences for each and explain their responses.

• Countries should not compete against each other in sport, either as individuals or as teams.
• Sport is an important part of who we are as a country.
• When a New Zealand sports team or sportsperson does well in an international competition, it makes me feel proud to be a New Zealander.
• What do the sports we are famous for (or good at) say about us as a people?
  

A variation could be to set these up as topics for a class debate.