A.+Unit+Overview

Ancient and Classical Greece

Greece, both ancient and classical, has had an enormous impact on the way in which we live, even in today's time. This unit will answer the question for our students, "Who were the Greeks and why do we care?" We will be concerned with the study of the history of Greek civilization and the legacies that it left. The study of the essential elements of Ancient Greece will further our understanding of its culture and the significance that it has had on civilization today. By using a comprehensive and interactive approach, the students' interest and excitement level will remain high, to ensure they are learning. During this unit, students will discover a variety of diverse topics such as the geography of Greece, Greek Gods and myths, the City-State and Democracy, Athens and Sparta life, the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, Art and Literature, Famous Philosophers and Leaders, like Pericles and Alexandar the Great, and of course the influence the Greeks had on not only thier own society, but ours as well. There will be a comprehensive project, "Secret Roman Mission", in addition to the multiple choice final for this unit.
 * __Overall Unit Objectives: __**

__** Specific Learning Objectives: **__ After studying this unit, students will: 1. Map out the Geography of Greece 2. Understand City-States and Birth of Democracy 3. Discover Athens and Sparta 4. Describe the outcomes of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars 5. Describe Alexander the Great and his Empire 6. Discuss how Pericles reformed Athens 7. Distinguish different Greek Gods and Myths 8. Explore Art, Literature and distinguished buildings of the Greeks 9. Explain how the Greeks Influenced Culture of their time and ours



__**Sixth Grade California State Standards: **__ **Standard 6.4** Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Ancient Greece. 1. Discuss the connections between geopgraphy and the development of city-states in the region of the Aegean Sea, including patterns of trade and commerce among Greek city-states and within the wider Mediterranean region. 2. Trace the transition from tyranny and oligachy to early democratic forms of govenrment and back to dictatorship in ancient Greece, including the significicance of the invention of the idea of citizenship (e.g., from Pericles'Funeral Oration). 3. State the key differences between Athenian, or direct, democracy and representative democracy. 4. Explain the significance of Greek mythology to the everyday life of people in the region and how Greek literature continues to permeate our literature and language today, drawing from Greek mythology and epics, such as Homer's Illiad and Odyssey, and from Aesop's Fables. 5. Outline the founding, expansion, and political organization of the Persian Empire. 6. Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, with emphasis on their roles in the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars. 7. Trace the rise of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture eastward and into Egypt. 8. Describe the enduring contributions of important Greek figures in the arts and sciences (e.g., Hypatia, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Thucydides).
 * Social Studies: **


 * Other Disciplinary Areas of study and their Standards: **


 * Language Arts: [[image:greek_literature.jpg width="480" height="359" align="right"]] **


 * Sub-Strand 2.0 Reading Comprehension ** (Focus on Informational Materials): Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. The selections in Recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Eight illustrate the quality and com-plexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade eight, students read one million words annually on their own, including a good representation of grade-level- appropriate narrative and expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, online information). In grade six, students continue to make progress toward this goal.
 * Concept**: Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
 * Substrand 2.4** Clarify an understanding of text by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries or reports.

1. Students will be able to explain democracy and its birth. 2. Students will compare and contrast Athens and Sparta.
 * Learning Objectives: **


 * Art: **

Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists. 1. Students will have an appreication of Greek Art. 2. Students will recreate a work of art from Ancient Greece.
 * Subject: Visual Arts**
 * Area: Historical and Cultural Context**
 * Sub-Strand 3.0** Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts
 * Standard 3.1** Research and discuss the role of the visual arts in selected periods of history, using a variety of resources (both print and electronic).
 * Standard 3.2** View selected works of art from a culture and describe how they have changed or not changed in theme and content over a period of time.
 * Learning Objectives:**

__**Daily Objectives: **__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day One__: Students will explore the geography of Greece. They will make a travel brochure for people coming to visit Greece.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Days Two and Three:__ Students will learn about myths, legends and gods/goddesses of Ancient and Classical Greece. They will make a cartoon strip for a myth and research and present a group report on an assigned god/goddess.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Four:__ Students will discover how the the geography of Greece shaped their lives, how the men, women and children lived, and what a "polis" and an agora are. They will use their texts, internet sites, and discussion. Students will complete a Venn diagram compaing Athen's Arora and a modern mall. Students will also receive a handout for the final project, "Secret Roman Mission".

__<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Day Five __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">: Students will learn about the birth of democracy. They will also need to return their final project handout with a parent signature.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Six:__ Students will understand the dynamics of the Persian Empire and the Greeks and why the war started. Students will read maps.They will also understand why this united the city-states. They will travel to the computer lab to research these topics with given sites.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Seven:__ What did the Greeks create? Students will be able to answer this question after this lesson. They will also make an art project of their own.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Eight:__ Students will discover how Pericles expanded Athens wealth and power during the Golden Age of Greece. There will be a classroom debate on whether or not the Delian Leauge should use funds to beautify Athens. Students will have some time to meet with their groups for the Secret Roman Mission Project.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Nine:__ Using a 3-D Graphic Organizer, students will demonstrate an understanding of Greek warfare, differences between Athens and Sparta, Causes of the Peloponnesian War, and strategies and consequences of the war.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Ten:__ Students will use their graphic organizers and text to create a Storyboard on the Peloponnesian War. They will also have time to work in their groups for their final project, Secret Roman Mission.

__<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Day Eleven: __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Alexander the Great will be introduced, along with his roots in Macedonia. His influence on the vast empire he created will be explored.

__<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Day Twelve: __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Students will watch a streaming video from Discovery Education, relating to how the Greeks left such an enormous legacy to the world. The great Philosophers, theater, arts, Olympics, technology, along with science and solar system discoveries will be taught. Students will take Cornell notes on the video and a discussion will ensue. Students will play teacher made file folder games in preperation for the written test.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Thirteen:__ First day of Secret Roman Mission Presentations will take place. This is the all emcompassing final project on the Greece Unit, and will be a major portion of their grade. There will also be a power point presentation on a unit review. They will take notes for studying for the written test.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Fourteen:__ Second day of Secret Roman Mission Presentations will take place. Students will also watch the second half of the power point review in preperation for the written test.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Day Fifteen:__ Multiple choice and short answer test given. Students can play Greek file folder games when finished with the test.

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 * Other Facets of this Unit: **
 * Interactive Bulletin Board and **** File Folder Games **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Hebrew Kingdoms: This unit explores how the Jews introduced new beliefs that influenced Western civilization. Students examined the orgins of the Hebrew Kingdom, what conflicts the Isrealites faced as they built a nation, and why they held onto their beliefs as they left their homeland.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Previous Unit of Study: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Ancient Rome: Students will have the opportunity to understand how Ancient Rome was built. Students will explore how Rome's politics, social structure and geography shaped it's nation. Students will also learn how Christianity originated and spread throughout the region, with the birth and death of Jesus Christ. The Roman Catholic Church was Rome's reaction to Christianity, and students will trace those roots as well.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Future Unit of Study: **