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Upper Key Stage 2 Ancient Greece
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 outcomes

Session 1 What subjects were taught?

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Objectives

History

  • 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 ‘civilization’.
  • Understand Ancient Greece, Greek life, their achievements and influence on the western world.

Design and Technology

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products which are fit for purpose.

Lesson Planning

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.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To research what the curriculum was like for those being educated in Ancient Greece.
  • To discover who was eligible for education in the Ancient Greek civilization.
  • To learn about school life for boys and home education for girls.
  • To role-play a boy’s life in school and learn to weave, in the same way that the girls learnt from their mothers.
  • To make an abacus in the style of the Ancient Greeks.

Children will:

  • 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.

Provided Resources

  • Ancient Greek school equipment
  • How to make a weaving loom

You Will Need

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Beads
  • Thick card of 15cms x 20 cms (enough for 2 per child)
  • Tape
  • K’nex
  • Wool and ribbon

Session 2 School in Athens

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Objectives

History

  • 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 ‘civilization’.
  • Understand Ancient Greece, Greek life, their achievements and influence on the western world.

Design and Technology

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products which are fit for purpose.

Lesson Planning

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.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To research a child’s typical day in Athens and consider their values and priorities as a city-state.
  • To learn about the Classical Greek alphabet and look at manuscripts from the era.
  • To make clay tablets and inscribe them with words in Classical Greek.

Children will:

  • 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.

Provided Resources

  • Mime Action Cards
  • How to make an Ancient Greek inscribed tablet

You Will Need

  • Bag
  • Air-drying clay
  • Clay tools

Session 3 School in Sparta

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Objectives

History

  • 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 ‘civilization’.
  • Understand Ancient Greece, Greek life, their achievements and influence on the western world.

English

  • Develop wider skills in spoken language. Pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public speaking, performance and debate.

Lesson Planning

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.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To consider a child’s typical day in Sparta and how their values and priorities differed from Athens.
  • To think about the Sparta goals of education versus the Athenian ideals.
  • To role-play school life in Sparta and Athens and engage in a philosophical enquiry about the two educational systems.

Children will:

  • 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.

You Will Need

  • Benches
  • Bag

Session 4 The Great Thinkers

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Objectives

History

  • 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 ‘civilization’.
  • Understand Ancient Greece, Greek life, their achievements and influence on the western world.

Design and Technology

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products which are fit for purpose.

English

  • Develop wider skills in spoken language.
  • Confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public speaking, performance and debate.

Lesson Planning

Learn about the Great Thinkers of Ancient Greece; make bust of significant Greek Thinkers out of modelling material; open the class as a museum about Athens, Sparta and the Thinkers.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To learn about the Great Thinkers of Ancient Greece and look at their area of influence and knowledge.
  • To consider the Great Thinkers’ contributions to today’s world.
  • To make busts of significant Greek Thinkers out of modelling material.
  • To open the classroom up as a museum, give guided tours to visitors, including facts about Athens, Sparta and the Thinkers.

Children will:

  • 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.

You Will Need

  • Air-drying clay and clay tools
  • Card
  • Spotlighting or bedside or reading lights

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