Social Studies Projects From the Greeks
The history and culture of ancient Greece had a lasting impact on the development of European history and the topic known in schools as Western Civilization. Ancient Greek ideas on government and philosophy survive in political thought to this day. Students in social studies classes can undertake a number of projects to learn more about this ancient culture.
Other People Are Reading
-
City-States
-
Ancient Greece was not a singular country. Rather, it was a collection of city-states that were united by a common culture and language. These states were politically autonomous, unlike the states of the United States. To learn more about these city-states, divide the class into different groups and assign each a city-state. Give the students a certain amount of time to prepare for a debate about which city-state was best. Students will argue their assigned city-state's superiority. To best argue their position, students will have to research their city-state as well as other city-states. Students should research the culture of the city-state, its military history and its notable figures.
Philosophers
-
The philosophers of ancient Greece had a lasting impact on the discipline of philosophy; their works and treatises remain on bookshelves today. Students can learn more about the philosophers and their works by playing one for the day. Have students come to class in appropriate toga attire, playing the role of an assigned philosopher of ancient Greece. Have the philosophers mingle and talk to one another, introducing themselves and laying out their major works and ideas. To make sure students pay attention to one another, have a quiz at the end of the period.
-
Greco-Roman Religion and The Planets
-
The Greeks had a religion that featured many gods, and they had a rich mythology featuring the stories and adventures of these figures. The Romans, consequently, adopted the Greek cast of deities and simply changed their names. It is after the Roman names for these gods that the planets of the solar system are named. Split the class into groups, and assign each a planet (except Earth). Each group should present a little bit of information about the planet and provide some information about the Greek god after which it was named.
Olympics
-
The Olympics, that gathering of athletes from around the world every four years to compete against each other in contests of athletic skill, began in ancient Greece. Back then, it was a gathering of athletes from around the Greek world. Now, it will be a gathering of your student-athletes. Pick a few of the original Olympic sports, such as discus throwing and dashes of differing distances, and allow students to sign up for different events. For each event, the group member will discuss the event and demonstrate how the events were performed by competing against each other in the event. For events like the discus throw, replacing the heavy discus with something harmless, like a plastic disc, would be a prudent step.
-
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
