The Balkans are an important place for students to
learn about because this region has affected American
history. When students study different parts of the
world, and cultures that contrast with their own, it
allows them to see things from perspectives they may
not have noticed before.
 Students who can understand other people’s
perspectives can help avoid conflict between cultures.
It is important that children are able to be tolerant of
others, and studying other cultures, particularly those
that are globally ignored, will help children
understand the world they live in.




The state standards are addressed in the following
lessons by studies in geography, history, art history,
civics, and inquiry.
3.1. The student will explain how the contributions of
ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present
world in terms of architecture, government (direct and
representative democracy), and sports.
USII.1. The student will demonstrate skills for historical
and geographical analysis, including the ability
to d) interpret ideas and events from different historical
perspectives; e) evaluate and debate issues orally and in
writing.

The four hemispheres, Geography of
Greece, and the Parthenon

Classic Greek Sculpture Lesson: Myron’s “Discobolus”
Sculpture

Alexander the Great
•The most frequent form of
vase was the amphora.
•It was of long cylindrical oval
shaped body, made in all sizes,
from the small drug vase two or
three inches high to the large
receiver of oil, grain, fruit, wine,
or water.
•This was a favorite vase for
decoration.
Came in three most
common forms:
Geometric, Black
Figure and Red Figure
styles.
1. What do you think is being
represented on the vases you saw?
 2. What is similar about the pictures you
saw? What is different?
 3. What common themes were present
on these vases? What does that
represent about the time period?

 1. What do you think is on the
vases you saw?
 2. What is the same about the
pictures you saw? What is
different?
 3. What do you think people did
with these vases?
The Balkan Pact was a
treaty signed by Greece,
Turkey, Romania, and
Yugoslavia in 1934.
Andrea Nikcevic, 29. Andrea grew up in a middle
class Serbian Family.
Andrea is currently a nanny in the US and she spoke to us via a Skype
interview. We talked to her about what life if like in Serbia. We asked
her about her childhood in Serbia and how it compared to childhood
in the United States. We also discussed the geography and religions
of Serbia.

Background Information: The climate in Serbia
changes from region to region, but is considered
to have a continental climate in the North, and a
more Adriatic climate in the South. This means
that winters are very cold, and summers are hot.
The geography is mountainous in some regions.
There are several major rivers that flow through
the country, including the well-known Danube
River and Sava rivers. Serbia is a European
country that borders several other countries
such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania,
and Croatia.

Background Info: Serbia is a landlocked country in Eastern
Europe, and is the gateway between Europe and the Middle East,
particularly Turkey. The climate changes from region to region,
but is considered to have a continental climate in the North, and a
more Adriatic climate in the South. This means that winters are
very cold, and summers are hot. The geography is mountainous in
some regions. There are several major rivers that flow through the
country, including the well-known Danube River. Serbia is part of
the former Soviet Union, so after WWII the country had many
economic struggles to overcome. There has been a history of civil
war that Serbia has had to overcome to be a successful country.
Construction, trades and services, and IT are all important
industries for the Serbian economy. Traditional Serbia culture
means multi-generational households and a tight-knit family.



Difficult to find a published and unpublished
documents in English that were free.
Challenging to find information about Serbia
and Bulgaria pertaining to generalities.
Overall it was hard to find information
because some of The Balkans were part of the
Soviet Union until 1991 when the Soviet
Union was disbanded.


Clay for sculpture lesson: $6.00
Digital Voice Recorder: $35.00



Third Grade SOL’s used: Several Sol’s for 3rd
grade were used in the culture kit so they can
be applied to student teaching. Ex. There is a
unit on Greece in the spring so Lesson #2 and
Artifact #1 can be applied into student
teaching.
The Inquiry lesson could be used in 5th Grade.
Artifacts could be implemented throughout
the grades.



We learned about a globally ignored region.
Had the opportunity to talk to someone from
another country.
Worked cooperatively for a common goal.
Unit planning is VERY time consuming.
Hard to find information about the topic (except
for Ancient Greece)
 A semester long group project presents
problems (scheduling, keeping track of all the
pieces, distributing work equally)


4. What is the best definition of a treaty?
a) an agreement between nations
c) something good to eat
b) independence document
1. What was Papyrus used for by the Ancient Greeks?
a. walking
b. writing
c. sewing


Which of the following is an example of and Amphora style Vase?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Through his conquests, Alexander the Great spread which of the
following elements of Greek civilization to the regions he
conquered?
a. Democracy
b. Architecture
c. Language

The study of gender roles, race, religion,
ethnicity, and class in the Balkan countries
enhances our understanding of these
countries’ people and culture and provides
greater insight into how cultures change and
persist throughout history and influence their
current social, political, and economic
struggles.