Lesson Topic: _Sparta v. Athens___ Grade level:_11 th grade_
Length of lesson: _50 min.___
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Content Standard(s):
Standard 8: The development of interregional systems of communication and trade facilitated new forms of social organization and new belief systems.
(Classical Traditions, Belief Systems and Giant Empires: 2000 BCE – 600 CE)
9.4.3.8.2
Describe the development, characteristics, and decline of civilizations in
Southwest Asia and around the Mediterranean Sea (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia,
Greece, Rome); describe their interactions. (Classical Traditions, Belief Systems, and Giant
Empires: 2000 BCE – 600 CE)
Understanding (s)/goals
Students will understand:
•
The conflict between the Persians and Greeks
•
Greek city-states and how they contributed to the trade along the
Essential Question(s):
•
•
How do historians’ biases influence our perceptions of the Ancient
Greeks?
Why are the Ancient Greeks idolized in Western Culture still today?
Mediterranean
•
Social Organization and new beliefs within the two prominent
City-States (Athens and Sparta)
Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:
-Identify key characteristics of each Ancient Greek City State (Sparta and Athens)
-Compare and Contrast these characteristics
Performance Task(s):
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Other Evidence:
•
•
Assignment #3
Pros and Cons tables
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Materials: http://www.mitchellteachers.org/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/Images/AgriculturalValley
SpartaTrans.jpg (Handouts for Cooperative learning activity, paintings of
Sparta and Athens-Similar to what it would have looked like)

Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McwmRQUTfKk (Hoplite Tactics) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLyW5UYPYYs (Wife Swap) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEItBM1dc9o&feature=related (Spartan Teacher
Conference)
Learning Activities:
Introduction Activities: (10 min.)
1.
Assignment #3 (4 min.)
-Who was the city-god of Athens?
-Who was the city-god of Sparta?
-What might this tell you about the difference in cultures?
Answer: Ares (God of War) Artemis (Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of
Animals)-Sparta
Athena (Goddess of Wisdom & War), Dionyses (Theatre of Dionyses/God of
Winemaking)-Athens
2.
Polis: Teacher will briefly describe the characteristics of a Polis (ppt. slide)
(1min.)
3.
Horrible Histories: Wife Swap: Spartans and Athenians (5 min.)
Developmental Activities: (32 min.)
1.
Visuals of sources that reflect how Athens and Sparta looked historically (5 min.)
2.
Cooperative Learning: Who you will align with Activity
-Teacher will discuss city-states in Ancient Greece
-Define Neutral City states (they need protection from the Persians) (2 min.)
-Split students into groups of four by counting them off by 10. Then they must move to the placard that corresponds with their number. (5 min.)
-First, students must read a description of their neutral state and create a symbolic flag based on the key characteristics of that city-state. (5 min.)
-Each person in the group will receive a different handout. They must complete the table of pros and cons and decide who (Sparta or Athens) they will align with based on the evidence from the articles. This is Individual work. (10 min.)
-Then, as a group, they will discuss their pros and cons tables and decide who they will align with (Sparta or Athens) (5 min.)
Conclusion Activities: (7 min.)
-Student groups will share with the class which city-state they aligned with (Athens v.
Sparta) and briefly why. (5 min.)
-Wrap up: Tomorrow we will be looking at different aspects of Ancient Greek Daily life.
Keep in mind that some of the articles we will be looking at are generalized for all of
Greece. However, each city-state was extremely different based on culture and political structure. It is like looking at the United States and saying that each state has the same culture. (2 min.)

Extra Activities: The teacher will briefly lecture on Athenian and Spartan city-states as well as show a short video on hoplite tactics.