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EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
Lesson
Compare Contrast Ancient Sparta and Athens
Title:
Goal
Students will be able to compare and contrast ancient Sparta and Athens.
Teacher:
Grade
Level:
Subject:
Steve Lara
6
Social Studies, Ancient
Greece
OBJECTIVE (S)
INTELLIGENCES
Students will investigate
each city through videos,
textbook and internet,
and then in groups
compare, contrast them.
Students then choose
which city they would
rather be an average
citizen of and explain why
in a vodcast online.
Visual, verbal/
linguistic,
interpersonal when
comparing/
contrasting in groups,
intrapersonal through
online and text book
research.
Time
Frame:
One lesson
and one
presentation
the next
day or when
projects are
finished.
TECHNOLOGIES
Students research using internet
and video. Students make a vodcast
video for us to watch online to tell us
which city they want to live in and
why.
STANDARDS
California State
Standards
Social Studies
6.4 Students analyze the
geographic, political, economic,
religious, and social structures of
the early civilizations of Ancient
Greece.

6.4.5 Compare and contrast
life in Athens and Sparta,
EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
with emphasis on their roles
in the Persian and
Peloponnesian Wars.
National Educational
Technology Standards
(NETS•S) and Performance
Indicators for Students
1) Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative
thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and
processes
using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to
generate new ideas, products, or
processes.
b. create original works as a means
of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to
explore complex systems and
issues.
d. identify trends and forecast
possibilities.
INTELLIGENCES
TECHNOLOGIES
STANDARDS
EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
2. Communication and
Collaboration
Students use digital media and
environments to communicate and
work collaboratively, including at a
distance,
to support individual learning and
contribute to the learning of others.
Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish
with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital
environments
and media.
b. communicate information and
ideas effectively to multiple
audiences using a variety of media
and formats.
3. Research and Information
Fluency
Students apply digital tools to
gather, evaluate, and use
information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze,
evaluate, synthesize, and ethically
use information from a variety of
sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information
sources and digital tools based on
EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
Materials
INTELLIGENCES
Textbooks
Video projector connected to laptop
Laptop connected to internet
Next lesson will require construction paper for making 3D models of ships and buildings
kids will use to create their city.
Rubric distributed to students on paper and or on class blog.
Verbal/ linguistic
Visual
Intrapersonal when taking notes on
video
Procedure
Introduction, hook
Ask students if they have seen the movie “300” and tell students we will go back in time to
choose which Ancient Greek city we would rather join as average members, Athens or Sparta.
Students will start by taking notes on the advantages and disadvantages of being an average
citizen of each city as they watch videos of the teacher acting as a member of each city
explaining why each city is better than the other.
a. Start by showing video of teacher in a Spartan toga saying why Sparta is better
than Athens. Teacher acts like the Spartan King Leonidas from the movie “300”
telling us why it is good to be a Spartan instead of an Athenian. King Leonidas
would glorify life as a Spartan soldier or mother of a soldier who enslaves
Visual
Verbal
Logical when they compare/ contrast
and explain which city lifestyle is
better.
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Next lesson will offer kinesthetic
learning when they create 3D models
of their city and act out scenes from
the movie “300” when King Leonidas
rejects Persian surrender demand
and class government watches
EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
others to do all non soldier work. All over the world for thousands of years
persuasive speeches then votes on
response to Persian demand.
school children will talk about you as Spartan warriors. Spartans only need to
be the greatest warriors and have no need of money nor any pretty decorations
or good food. All jobs other than, soldier, mother, or member of the
government are for slaves. Make fun of Athenian “philosophers” and their
cushy lives of getting rich while paying others to fight and work.
b. Then I show video of myself dressed as an Athenian citizen telling viewers why
Athens is better than Sparta. Say things like: Why risk your life as a soldier or
do hard work when you can become rich and pay others to do it? Compared to
Sparta we only need a small number of slaves to do jobs no one else wants. If
we have too many slaves then we will always worry about them fighting to be
free. Making friends, eating good food, exploring the world, working to make
houses, gold, and getting rich is better than dying as a poor Spartan soldier.
After viewing video students will form groups to research both cities using their notes from
the video and using textbook pages I give them as well as online research to find advantages
and disadvantages of each city. English learners or those with disabilities can work with a
partner to help them in their group. High students can be paired to low students in their
group.
a. Students choose which city they would rather live in as an average citizen, not as
the king, not as a slave. Those choices offer too little difference.
b. They then choose what occupation they want in their city. Students research
each city to find what jobs are needed such as soldier, police, metal, stone or
gemstone miner, metal worker, shipbuilder, fisherman, farmer, construction,
housewife etc.
EDUC 522
Lesson Plan Ancient Greece
Author: Steve Lara
Product/Assessment
Students continue working in groups. Distribute paper rubric and show it to class on class
blog before students start work. Remind students to check rubric online to make sure they
check off each requirement before turning in work. All assignments other than the essay are
turned in on class blog to be seen in class during presentations.
a. Students write 4 paragraph essay about why they choose their city and
occupation. Every student does this and they will turn this in.
b. Students record their essay on voice thread (audio only) or vodcast (video with
voice recording of essay and pictures of their city and occupation taken from
internet) to post on class blog. Students can use costumes and video themselves
doing or explaining their chosen job if they wish. Videos should be 2 minutes
max, preferably one minute.
c. Students who do not want to record their voice because they are English learners
can write their essays in a power point with pictures representing their city and
occupation instead.
d. Each group presents their online projects to class using laptop and doc cam or
other video projector connected to laptop. Every group member must have a
video, audio, or power point to show at group presentation. After each group
member shows presentations, group members can take questions from class.
Use a rubric distributed to students before students start work to grade student essays,
voice threads, and or vodcasts or power points.
For follow up lessons, students will make a 3D model of their chosen city with paper shields, buildings, ships and maps in the ancient
Greek style. They will make a play that will recreate scenes from the movie “300” that explain the Persian war and vote on a how to
deal with the Persian threat as Athenian or Spartan citizens. This will teach them about the ancient economy, religion and politics.