Download Comparing Sparta and Athens

Title: Worlds Apart: Comparing Sparta and Athens
Lesson Author: Matt Barrow and Chris Pobjecky
Key Words: Oligarchy, Democracy, Tyrants, Citizens, Helots, Direct Democracy
Grade Level: 9th Grade World History
Time Allotted: 90 mins
Rationale/ Purpose (so what?)
The geography of the locations of Athens and Sparta enabled them to develop in starkly different ways.
Understanding the differences between Athens and Sparta helps the student build knowledge of how Ancient Greece
developed into different leagues with these two city-states as the respective leaders and rivals. Despite their
differences, they were able to band together to fight off Persian invaders, and thus enable Western Civilization as we
know it to develop.
Key Concepts:
Oligarchy – Rule by few
Democracy – Rule by the people
Tyrants – unjust rulers
Citizens – people who could participate in government
Helots – enslaved by Spartans
Direct Democracy – Every citizen votes on every law
NCSS Standard(s)
SOL Information (As written in the Virginia SOL “Curriculum Framework” for the grade level)
NCSS Theme (s) with indicators: People, Places, and Environment
 Enable learners to construct, use and refine mental maps of locales, regions, and the world that
demonstrates their understanding of relative location, direction, size, and shape;
 Have learners create, interpret, use, and distinguish various representations of Earth, such as maps globes
and photographs, and use appropriate geographic tools such as atlases, data bases, systems, charts, graphs,
and maps to generate, manipulate, and interpret information;
 Teach students to estimate and calculate distance, scale, area, and density, and to distinguish spatial
distribution patterns;
 Help learners to locate, distinguish, and describe the relationships among varying regional and global
patterns of geographic phenomena such as landforms, climate, and natural resources;
 Ask learners to describe how people create places that reflect culture, human needs, current values and
ideals ,and government policies
SOL: WHI.5c: The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Greece in terms of its impact on Western
civilization by identifying the social structure and role of slavery, explaining the significance of citizenship and the
development of democracy, comparing the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
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Essential Knowledge
Essential Skills
Social structure and citizenship in the
Greek polis
Use maps, globes, artifacts, and
pictures to analyze the physical and
cultural landscapes of the world and
interpret the past. (WHI.1b)
Citizens (free adult males) had political rights and
the responsibility of civic participation in
government.
Women and foreigners had no political rights.
Slaves had no political rights.
Athens
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Stages in evolution of Athenian government:
Monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, democracy
Tyrants who worked for reform: Draco, Solon
Origin of democratic principles: Direct democracy,
public debate, duties of the citizen
Identify and compare political
boundaries with the location of
civilizations, empires, and kingdoms.
(WHI.1d)
Sparta
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Oligarchy (rule by a small group)
Rigid social structure
Militaristic and aggressive society
Guiding Question:
How did the geography of Ancient Greece enable Athens and Sparta to develop so differently?
Assessment Tools:
Google Earth Activity Worksheet
Quiz
Venn Diagram
Exit Pass
Background: How does this lesson fit into a unit of study? Looking backwards, looking forwards
This would be the third lesson in a unit on Ancient Greece. Having covered the basics of the effects of geography on the
development of Ancient Greece, this lesson serves to apply those concepts to the development of the two most powerful
city-states, Athens and Sparta. This lesson would be followed by a lesson on the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.
Lesson Objective:
SWBAT:
1) Use Google Earth to
 Locate and determine the distance between Athens and Sparta
 Indentify three geographic features of each
2) correctly associate appropriate words that describe either Athens or Sparta;
3) demonstrate knowledge of Athens and Sparta by identifying their characteristics on a quiz with 80% accuracy;
4) write a brief summary describing how one geographic feature of both Athens and Sparta affected one aspect of
each city-state’s development.
Materials: Historical Sources:
Additional Materials/Resources:
Google Earth
Google Earth Activity Worksheet
Overhead notes
Venn Diagram Words
Quiz
Laptops
White board
Dry Erase Markers
Scotch Tape
Overhead Projector
Procedure/Process:
JUST DO IT! The “Hook”:
Obj #
See above.
Just do it.
(3 mins)
Transition:
(2 mins)
Objective
(20 mins)
Transition:
2 mins
Processing Activity and Procedure -include
directions, question frames, assignment detail to
be given to students (these should all be made
into explicit materials (e.g. see material A), and
time estimates
Display a picture of Spartan weapons and Athenian art.
Ask students to describe what they see and decide
Monitor student answers, correct any
whether they think the items belonged to a Spartan or
misconceptions.
and Athenian.
Explain to students that we will be comparing Athens and Sparta. Pose the questions, “Why do you
think they developed so differently? How might the geography of where they were located have
contributed to their development?”
SWBAT
Google Earth activity: On their laptops,
1) Use Google Earth to
have students run Google Earth. Instruct
 Locate and determine the distance between
them to find Athens and Sparta, and use
Athens and Sparta
their own observations to complete the
 Indentify three geographic features of each
associated worksheet (pass these out).
Now that we know how
SWBAT
2) correctly associate appropriate words that describe
either Athens or Sparta;
Objective
(63 mins)
Check for Evidence of
Understanding
-Either Formal or Informal(Checks Essential Knowledge and
Skills)
3) demonstrate knowledge of Athens and Sparta by
identifying their characteristics on a quiz with 80%
accuracy.
4) write a brief summary describing how one
Brief Lecture (20 mins): Display notes
on overhead and allow students to copy.
Venn Diagram Activity (30 mins):
Before class begins, have all the words
for this activity laminated and
individually cut out, with scotch tape on
the back of each word so that it may be
attached, removed, and reattached to
geographic feature of both Athens and Sparta affected
one aspect of their development.
white board. Draw two large concentric
circles on board, label one “Athens” and
the other “Sparta”. Have students
volunteer to come up and correctly place
one word under the appropriate
category. Award one point on the class
Points Chart (100 accumulated points in
9 weeks = extra credit on tests) if they
correctly place their word. Allow
students to volunteer, but make sure
each student goes. Have students copy
the diagram as the activity moves along.
Quiz (10 mins): pass out quiz for
students to take. This is a silent,
individual assignment. Have them turn
these in when completed.
Exit Pass (3 mins): Students will
answer the question “Describe one
geographic feature that led Athens to
develop as it did, and one geographic
feature that led Sparta to develop as it
did.” They must turn this in before they
may leave.
Modifications/Accommodations for Diverse Learners:
Closure/Writing Prompt/Rubric:
Exit Pass Activity (see attached)
Materials:
Google Earth Activity Worksheet (see attached)
Lecture Notes (see attached)
Quiz (see attached)
Venn Diagram Words (see attached)
Exit Pass (see attached)