Unit 2.2

Why should we learn about the
Greeks and Romans?
 These two civilisations formed the foundation of “Western” civilisation in Europe
WHAT??
Another two civilisations to study?
 Much of our world today – from democracy to sports – was influenced by them
 Your English, Math and
Science classes all bear the imprint of their legacy – even
P.E., Art and Music

c. 3500 BC
Sumerian civilisation begins c. 2550 BC
Great Pyramid built
AD
1
AD 476
Fall of Rome
AD 2014
 How many years are there between the end of Roman civilisation and…
 The beginning of Sumerian civilisation?
  3976
 The building of the Great Pyramid?
  3026
 Our current year?
 1538

Welcome to…

Lesson 1
Introduction
Ancient
Greece
Lesson 2
Legacies

At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to :-
(1) identify the achievements of the ancient
Greek civilisation
(2) identify at least one legacy of the ancient
Greeks
(3) work effectively in pairs / groups
(4) value the triumph of human ingenuity and resourcefulness

 Activity 1
Video : ‘History of Ancient Greece’
 Guiding questions as you watch the video…
1) Recall the earlier lesson on ‘Introduction to
Ancient Civilisations’ on the discovery of Troy by an amateur German archaeologist
2) What were some of the reasons for the practices, architecture and beliefs of the ancient Greeks?

 Activity 2
Video : ‘Who were the Greeks?’
 Guiding questions as you watch the video…
1) What are some similarities that you can see between Ancient Greece and Singapore?
2) What are some relevant NE Messages that can be applied from the lessons that we can learn from the Ancient Greeks?

Activity 2
Video : ‘Who were the Greeks?’
 Do I agree with this statement?
 How did I feel when I did/did not win at something?
 What might be the good and bad consequences of this?
 Would you like to live in such a society?
 How should we treat those who do better or worse than us?

 Activity 3
Video : ‘Engineering an empire : Greece’
 Guiding questions as you watch the video…
1) How is the value of ‘loyalty’ displayed by the ancient Greeks?
2) In the present day, why are wars and battles detrimental for many countries?
3) How can we show loyalty to our country?

 Activity 4
DVD : ‘Ancient Civilizations for Children –
Ancient Greece’

 Activity 5
1) K-W-L worksheet
2) Timeline worksheet

 Think-Pair-Share
Step 1 : Read Coursebook 5A pg 88 – 93 individually
Step 2 : Pair up with a partner
Step 3 : In your pair,
(a) complete the worksheet ‘Who were the Greeks?’
(b) highlight 2 things that reflect the
*resourcefulness and *ingenuity of the ancient
Greeks
Step 4 : Be prepared to share with the class
* Resourcefulness - the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties
* Ingenuity - quality of being clever, original, and inventive

Each pupil will be assigned 1 category to research on:
1) Architecture & Arts
2) The Sciences
3) Ideals & Practices (e.g. the Olympics)
4) Language & Writing
5) System of Governance

Research – Legacy of the Greeks
 Find out and reflect on:
 WHAT the Greeks have given us
 WHY this was a great achievement
 WHY this legacy is important to you

Primary source of research  5A Coursebook
The following 3 websites should be the primary source for online researches
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/
 http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/
 http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/history/greece/
Be prepared to present your research to the class in the next lesson
Book is available in the school SS Treasure Shelf

 “Greece” consisted of about 1500 city-states
(polis)
 The most prominent cultural centre: Athens
 The most warlike: Sparta
 Each was a city surrounded by farmland
 Each self-sufficient economically
 Need for alliances amidst constant rivalry

 Same language
 Same religious beliefs
 Same holy places – provided opportunities for interaction
 Rivalry and warfare
 Olympics – suspended warfare every 4 years
 United to fight a common enemy - Persians

 Literally “Upper / Higher
City” in Athens
 Used as a palace, temple and fortress
 Surrounded by other temples

The Greco-Persian Wars (499-449
BC)
 For 50 years, Greek states fought invasions from the powerful Persian Empire
 At several famous battles, Greek armies won impossible victories against larger Persian armies
 If Greece had been conquered, many of its achievements in philosophy, science and the arts would never have been created

 We are also a small City-State
 A strong defence allows every area of our culture to grow securely
 Everyone is needed for Total Defence
 We need alliances with friendly nations

 Included Mesopotamia and Egypt

Ancient Sumer and Egypt – contributions to Greece
 Division of Time
 Greece copied the 24-hour Day from Mesopotamia
 Water clocks and Sundials
 Both were used in Greece
 Water clocks were used in court cases to make sure speakers had exactly the same amount of time
 Papyrus
 The Greeks imported it from Egypt as writing material
 The Greek word for the Papyrus plant - “Papuros” - gave us the English word “Paper”
 The Greeks also called the plant “Biblos” – which gives us the
English word “Bible” (book)

 Eventually, a rising new power – Rome – conquered the Greek city-states
 However, this actually helped to spread Greek culture
 The Romans began to worship Greek gods
 One Roman Emperor – Hadrian – even rebuilt
Athens
 Romans often travelled to Greece as tourists, as we would today!

• The ancient Greeks were communities of people who lived in present-day Greece .
• They adapted to their environment and built cities near the sea.
• They planted crops that suit the climate and land conditions such as grapes and olives.
• They interacted with one another through sea travel .
• The ancient Greeks influenced thinking, architecture, the arts and sciences and the lives of many people who lived throughout the Greek empire.