UKS2 Topic: Ancient Greece Block H: Education
What was it like to go to school in Ancient Greece? Appreciate the role of education in the lives of the Ancient Greeks. Learn about their school days, as well as some of the great thinkers of this period!
Block H: Education in Ancient Greece[4 sessions] / Main outcome: History
Other outcomes: D&T and English
By the end of this block children will achieve the following outcomes: / · Continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of Britain, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
· Gain and deploy a historically-grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’ and ‘civilization’.
· Understand Ancient Greece, Greek life, their achievements and influence on the western world.
· Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products which are fit for purpose.
· Develop wider skills in spoken language. Confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public speaking, performance and debate.
Session 1 History and DT
What subjects were taught?
Discover what school was like for rich boys in Ancient Greece and what home education might have been like for girls; role-play a boy’s life in school; make an abacus; learn to weave, in the same way that the girls learnt from their mothers. / · Understand what school was like for rich boys in Ancient Greece and what home education might have been like for girls.
· Role-play a boy’s life in school, make an abacus and learn to weave, in the same way that the girls learnt from their mothers.
Session 2 History and DT
School in Athens
Role-play a child’s typical day in Athens; learn about the Classical Greek alphabet; make clay tablets and inscribe them with words in Classical Greek. / · Understand a child’s typical day in Athens and consider their values and priorities as a city-state.
· Learn about the Classical Greek alphabet and look at manuscripts from the era.
· Make clay tablets and inscribe them with words in Classical Greek.
Session 3 History and English
School in Sparta
Role-play a child’s typical day in Sparta; think about the Spartan goals of education versus the Athenian ideals; take part in a debate about the merits of each system. / · Consider a child’s typical day in Sparta and how their values and priorities differed from Athens.
· Think about the Sparta goals of education versus the Athenian ideals.
· Role-play school life in Sparta and Athens & engage in a philosophical enquiry about the 2 systems.
Session 4 History, DT and English
The Great Thinkers
Learn about the Great Thinkers of Ancient Greece; make busts of significant Greek Thinkers out of modelling material; open the class as a museum about Athens, Sparta and the Thinkers. / · Learn about the Great Thinkers of Ancient Greece and look at their area of influence.
· Consider the Great Thinkers’ contributions to today’s world.
· Make models of significant Greek Thinkers out of modelling material.
· Open the classroom up as a museum and give guided, fact-filled tours to visitors.
Resources
Session 1
Provided: Ancient Greek school equipment & How to make a weaving loom.
You will need: Access to the Internet; Pipe cleaners, beads, thick card of 15cms x 20 cms (enough for 2 per child), tape, K’nex™, wool, ribbon.
Session 2
Provided: Mime Action Cards & How to make an Ancient Greek inscribed tablet.
You will need: Access to the Internet; Bag, air-drying clay, clay tools.
Session 3
Provided: Mime Action Cards & Athens vs Sparta - A Debate.
You will need: Access to the Internet; Benches, bag.
Session 4
Provided: How to make a great Greek thinker.
You will need: Access to the Internet; Air-drying clay and clay tools, card, spotlighting or bedside or reading lights.
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