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Model Lesson: Conquest & Cultural Diffusion: The Impact of Alexander the Great
Grade Level: 9
Curriculum Focus: Social Studies
Time Frame: 1.5 weeks
Model Lesson Description:
This model lesson focuses on Alexander the Great’s role in spreading Greek culture to
the territories he conquered. His conquests ushered in a new era in world history, the
Hellenistic Age. This lesson will also examine the intellectual achievements of the
Hellenistic Age and their impact on the advancement of knowledge and learning.
Essential Question:
What factors led to the rise, prosperity, decline, and collapse of civilizations in the
Classical Ancient World?
Focus Questions:

What is cultural diffusion?

In what ways did Alexander the Great facilitate the blending of cultures?

What is the difference between Hellenic and Hellenistic culture?

How has Hellenistic learning advanced our understanding of the world today?
Be the Historian:
When you have completed this lesson, provide an analysis of either (1) how Alexander
the Great’s efforts resulted in unprecedented cultural diffusion OR (2) how Hellenistic
learning advanced our understanding of math and the sciences.
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 Explain the role of Alexander the Great in the spread of Hellenism to Asia, North
Africa, and parts of Europe.
Digital Assets:
Videos:
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The Dream of the King of Macedonia (GL)
Alexander the Great
The Prince Learns to be a King (GL)
Alexander the Great & the Greek Ruling Class (GL)
Into the Heart of the Persian Empire (GL)
Alexander Unifies the Greek City-States (GL)
The Spread of Hellenism (GL)
The Fate of the Empire (GL)
Conquering the Persians (Alexander/GL)
Ptolemy (GL)
Hearth, Cultural Diffusion, and Regions
Alexander the Great’s Legacy
Alexander the Great - Exploration (GL)
Alexander the Great – Discovering Ancient Greece
Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt and Becomes a God (GL)
The City of Alexandria (GL)
Cleopatra’s Egypt: A Mix of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Cultures (GL)
The Rise of the Cosmopolis: A Comparison of the Hellenistic Altar of Zeus and the
Classical Parthenon (GL)
Euclid (GL)
Introduction (Apollonius) (GL)
Aristarchus: A Heliocentric Universe (GL)
Retrograde Motion (Hipparchus) (GL)
Archimedes and Greek Mechanics (GL)
Images:
Alexander the Great by Verrocchio.
The Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, 280 B.C.
A map of the Hellenistic empire under Alexander.
The great theater at Ephesus, Turkey
A large statute of Buddha with attendants
The colonnaded way in Pergamun’s Asclepium
Part of the theatre of Perge, Turkey
A Nabataean tomb at Madain Salik, Saudi Arabia
The lyric poet Posidippus
Face of Athena
Detail Head of Laocoön
Articles:
Alexander the Great
Hellenistic Age
Ptolemy
Alexandria, Library of
Hellenism
Alexandria
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Seleucus I
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Antigonus I
Epicureanism
Stoicism
Euclid
Apollonius of Perga
Aristarchus of Samos
Hipparchus
Archimedes
Audio:
The Greek & Roman World: The Mediterranean Greeks: Alexander the Great
What Do We Already Know?
Think-Pair-Share: Have students turn to their neighbors and, together, write down
everything they know about Alexander the Great. After 2-3 minutes, ask students to
share their knowledge.
Students will most likely note that he was “Greek” and that he was a conqueror.
Formulating Historical Questions: Have students turn to their partners and brainstorm 3
questions they would like to have answered about Alexander the Great. Ask some
students to share their questions.
Note that some of their questions, and others, will be addressed in a biographical video
that the class will watch as an introduction to one of the world’s greatest conquerors.
Classroom Activities:
A: What was so “great” about Alexander of Macedon? (class activity - about 45
minutes)
After completing the activity described in the “What Do We Already Know?” section
above, have the class watch the whole video Alexander the Great to provide students with
background information and create context. Use the following questions as a viewing
guide to help students follow the biography:
The Prince Learns to be a King
1. What is Philip of Macedon, Alexander’s father, most remembered for? (uniting
the Greek city-states)
2. Who was Alexander’s teacher? (Aristotle)
3. What epic poem inspired Alexander? (Homer’s Iliad)
4. Who was Alexander’s literary role model and hero? (Achilles)
5. How does Philip die? (murdered by a bodyguard)
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6. How old is Alexander when he ascends to the throne in 336 BCE? (21)
7. How does Alexander respond to a Greek revolt in Thebes? (he crushes it)
8. What adjective is used to describe Alexander by the oracle at Delphi?
(invincible)
Alexander Unifies the Greek City-States
9. What promise to the Greeks helps Alexander gain their allegiance? (to liberate
Greek city-states under Persian control)
10. In his first confrontation with the Persians, how involved is Alexander? (he fights
alongside his men)
11. What is Persepolis? (the capital of the Persian empire)
12. Who is Darius? (the Persian emperor)
13. What is a phalanx? (a fighting formation)
14. How does Alexander treat Darius’s family after he defeats the Persians at Issus?
(he accepts them into his entourage)
15. In 331 BCE, what title does Alexander receive in Egypt? (Pharaoh)
16. What city, built by Alexander in the Nile Delta, is described as a “miniature
Greece transplanted to alien soil”? (Alexandria)
Conquering the Persians
17. What was Alexander’s response to Darius’s generous peace offer? (rejected it)
18. What is the outcome of the Battle of Gaugamela? (Alexander beats the Persians)
19. Upon arriving at Persepolis, what did the Greeks realize about Persian culture?
(that it was, in some ways, more advanced than their own)
20. What does Alexander do with the treasures looted at Persepolis? (shares with his
men)
21. What did Alexander do to avenge the Persian attack on Athens that occurred
roughly 150 years earlier? (set fire to Persepolis)
22. What does Alexander do to “plant seeds of Greek civilization” in the eastern
Persian empire? (builds 10 cities)
23. What disease ultimately killed Alexander? (malaria)
24. What happened to Alexander’s empire after his death? (because he failed to name
an heir, it is divided among his generals)
Teachers may chose to discuss the video after each segment or watch the whole video in
its entirety and then discuss it. Either way, when the video is complete, ask students to
share any of their questions that were answered by the video. Then, encourage students
to “think like a historian” and jot down any questions that inspired them while they were
watching the video.
Use these questions as the basis for discussion. Some additional questions might include:




Was Alexander Greek or Macedonian?
What qualities made Alexander a good leader?
Were these qualities unique to Alexander or are they shared by all good leaders?
In your opinion, what was Alexander’s greatest decision? His poorest?
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
Predict what additional accomplishments Alexander might have achieved if he
had not died.
Optional extensions: Teachers who wish to explore this topic beyond class discussion
may assign a project in which students create an avatar of Alexander, depicting the
qualities that made him a great military leader. Require a narrative that explains the
choices they made in their design.
Another possibility is to have students create a graphic comparison/contrast in which they
compare Alexander the Great’s role as conqueror to the president’s role as Commanderin-Chief. Use this graphic-organizer to depict how the roles of military leaders have
changed and stayed the same over time (Change and Continuity).
B: Alexander’s conquests: a vehicle of cultural diffusion (whole class/small group
activity – approximately 90 minutes)
Begin this segment of the lesson plan by showing the video Hearth, Cultural Diffusion,
and Regions. Ask students to define and provide examples of each term – hearth,
cultural diffusion, and regions – in their Interactive Vocabulary Journals.
In the preceding activity, students discussed the qualities that made Alexander a good
leader. While the video mostly focused on Alexander’s conquests, it explored briefly his
efforts to spread Greek culture throughout the lands he conquered. These efforts resulted
in cultural diffusion – the spreading of Hellenism, or Greek culture, to Asia, North
Africa, and parts of Europe.
In pairs or small groups, students will view images and videos and read articles to gather
evidence that Alexander’s conquests resulted in cultural diffusion. As they use the
following assets, students should document examples of cultural diffusion in a journal/log
(one possibility is to set up a blog that each group can post observations to). These
examples may include strategies used by Alexander to spread Greek culture in addition to
examples of Greek culture penetrating other regions.
Videos:
Alexander the Great’s Legacy
Alexander the Great - Exploration
Alexander the Great – Discovering Ancient Greece
Alexander the Great and the Greek Ruling Class
Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt and Becomes a God
The City of Alexandria
Cleopatra’s Egypt: A Mix of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Cultures
Images:
A map of the Hellenistic empire under Alexander.
Alexander the Great by Verrocchio.
The Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, 280 B.C.
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The great theater at Ephesus, Turkey
A large statute of Buddha with attendants
The colonnaded way in Pergamun’s Asclepium (Turkey)
Part of the theatre of Perge, Turkey
A Nabataean tomb at Madain Salik, Saudi Arabia
Articles:
Alexander the Great
Hellenistic Age
Ptolemy
Alexandria, Library of
Hellenism
Alexandria
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Seleucus I
Antigonus I
Conclude this segment of the lesson plan with a 15-20 minute discussion in which
students share concrete examples of cultural diffusion. To facilitate this discussion,
teachers might ask the following questions:

When examining images, did you see any Greek influence on art and
architecture?

What measures did Alexander take to facilitate the spread of Greek culture?

Can you recall any examples of ways Alexander was influenced by the cultures of
the people he conquered?
Ideally, students will note that just as Alexander spread culture to his conquered
territories, so was he influenced by their cultures.
Classroom Connections:
A: Cultural syncretism - the Hellenistic Age (whole class/small group activity – about
90 minutes)
Explain to students that cultural diffusion is not a one-way street, and that just as
Alexander spread Hellenic culture to the areas he conquered, he was likewise influenced
by the cultures of his conquered territories. As a result, cultural syncretism – the
blending of two or more cultures – birthed the Hellenistic Age.
Based on what they have learned so far, ask students to speculate about the differences
between Hellenic (Greek) and Hellenistic (Greek-like) culture. Emphasize that the
Hellenistic Age infused Egyptian, Persian, Hebrew, and Greek culture and that it yielded
its own unique accomplishments in art, architecture, math, science, and literature.
Show students the following video to highlight some of the differences between Hellenic
and Hellenistic culture:
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The Rise of the Cosmopolis: A Comparison of the Hellenistic Altar of Zeus and the
Classical Parthenon
Note that Hellenistic culture, while Greek in origin, was distinct from Greek culture.
In this activity, students will use assets to complete a chart that examines other aspects of
Hellenistic culture and achievement. Divide the class into 10 groups of 2-3 students
each. Assign each group one block of assets from the chart below. Give students
approximately 15 minutes to view/read their assets and create a poster-size visual,
complete with a caption, that reflects what they learned about Hellenistic contributions to
world history.
After 15 minutes, each group should present its findings; other students should record
notes to complete their charts.
Discipline
Assets
Architecture
The Rise of the
Cosmopolis: A
Comparison of the
Hellenistic Altar of
Zeus and the Classical
Parthenon (video)
Art
Compare/contrast the
images:
Face of Athena (image
- Hellenic)
Detail Head of
Laocoön (image Hellenistic)
Literature
The lyric poet
Posidippus (image)
Philosophy
Epicureanism (article)
Stoicism (article)
Math
Euclid (article)
Euclid (video)
Apollonius of Perga
(article)
Notes on characteristics of the Hellenistic Age
– key points to remember
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Introduction
(Apollonius) (video)
Science
Aristarchus of Samos
(article)
Aristarchus: A
Heliocentric Universe
(video)
Hipparchus (article)
Retrograde Motion
(Hipparchus) (video)
Archimedes (article)
Archimedes and Greek
Mechanics (video)
To conclude this portion of the lesson, discuss the impact of the Hellenistic Age on
human progress. Possible questions to facilitate this discussion might include:





How did art evolve from the Hellenic to the Hellenistic periods? Which art form
is better represented in contemporary art forms?
Stoic and epicurean are words that sometimes occur on the SAT. What is the
origin and meaning of each word?
How would the world be different if Euclid and Apollonius had not made
advancements in geometry?
Which Hellenistic achievements in astronomy increased our understanding of the
universe?
What inventions by Archimedes are still used today?
Humanities Extension:
The world of mythology began in ancient Greece. Their world of gods, myths, and
explanations for the supernatural was an integral part of their culture. From the following
list of known and unknown mythological characters, choose two familiar and one
unfamiliar. Research the history of each god, including their importance in the culture.
Then chart each one in a PowerPoint (PPT) presentation to show their likenesses and
differences and their influences on today’s language. Lastly, compare those individuals to
individuals of today that might be considered as heroes or villains. List: Achilles,
Adonia, Asclepius, Arachne, Jason, Heracles, Lycaon, Odysseus, Narcissus, Perseus,
Pygmalion, Thesus, Triptolemus
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Projects:
Students may select a project from the suggestions below or may propose their own.
Teachers may opt to provide class time to complete this project, or they may choose to
assign it as homework.
Cause and Effect: Using Publisher or similar presentation software, create a 1-page
newsletter, complete with news articles, that addresses the methods Alexander the Great
used to spread Hellenic civilization to the areas he conquered and the results of his doing
so. At least one article must define cultural diffusion.
Change and Continuity: Using PowerPoint (PPT) or similar presentation software,
create a slideshow that applies what you learned in this lesson and what you learned
previously about Athens to compare and contrast aspects of Hellenic and Hellenistic
civilization. Note the characteristics that Hellenistic civilization adopted from Hellenic
civilization (continuity), and those characteristics that were uniquely Hellenistic
(change).
Using the Past: Using PowerPoint (PPT) or similar presentation software, create a
slideshow that overviews how Hellenistic learning has influenced our understanding of
the world today. Make direct connections between the past and the present, finding and
using appropriate images to illustrate these bonds.
Through Their Eyes:
Complete one of the following tasks:

Write a blog or journal entry from the perspective of a soldier fighting for
Alexander the Great. Include how he is viewed as a leader.

Write a blog or journal entry from the perspective of a person living in a territory
conquered by Alexander the Great. Include how you feel about his reign.

Design a website that presents information about how Alexander the Great’s
background, values, and skills impacted his leadership style.
Extension:
Alexander the Great was considered to be one of the greatest governmental and military
leaders of the ancient world. Read the quotations below and decide how his statements
give students an understanding of a great leader today. Select one quote and create a
Digital Report, comparing, contrasting, and evaluating Alexander the Great with a chosen
modern world leader. Use the digital assets and other available resources, incorporating
appropriate documentation.
“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of
sheep led by a lion.”
OR
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“I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the
extent of my powers and dominion.
Interactive Vocabulary Journal:
You always study vocabulary, but this time let’s make it yours and make it fun. Create an
Interactive Vocabulary Journal (IVJ), using the lesson vocabulary below. You may use
any of the digital assets in this unit, and you may use other resources you find in and
outside of class. For example, you may take your own photographs and incorporate them
into your IVJ.
Hellenism/Hellenic
Hellenistic Age/Era
Alexander the Great
Philip of Macedon
Aristotle
Homer
Iliad
Achilles
Cultural diffusion
Cultural syncretism
Phalanx
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Seleucus I
Antigonus I
Euclid
Apollonius of Perga
Aristarchus of Samos
Hipparchus
Archimedes
Epicureanism
Stoicism
Alexandria
Persepolis
Pharaoh
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Assessment Rubric:
This rubric is on a four-point scale and uses as references The Skillful Teacher by Jon
Saphier and Robert Gower and Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History and
Instruction by Nikki Mandell and Bobbie Malone.
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3
2
1
1.
consistent
use
of
1.
relies
on
multiple
1.uses
one
1.
states
facts
Questions
Evidence
Interpretation
multiple historical
facts, perspectives,
evidence
2. uses variety of
methods for
supporting evidence
3. relies on
identification,
evaluation, and
comparison/contrast
4. relies on historical
context and change
1.relies heavily on
primary and secondary
sources from a variety
of resources
2.uses deftly research
skills in documenting
authorities and their
impact on
work/project
3.uses analysis,
evaluation, synthesis
throughout the
work/project
4.uses
comparison/contrast to
weigh impact of
sources on
work/project
historical facts,
perspectives, evidence
2. use of supporting
evidence
3. use of
differentiation
between and among
statements
historical fact
or evidence
2. limited
support
3. limited use of
the historical
context
w/no support
2.little or no use
of the historical
context
1.uses some
primary/secondary
sources
2.uses limited number
of other resources
3. uses research skills
on work/project with
limited assessment of
evaluation of source
4.uses identification
and explanation from
the sources on
work/project
1.uses very
limited
secondary
sources—one
or two
2.uses very
limited or no
primary sources
3.no attention
to research
skills
evaluating
authorities and
their impact on
work/project
1.if secondary
sources are
used, they are
traditional:
encyclopedia,
for example,
and very
limited use
2. one or no
primary sources
3.no evaluation
of credibility of
sources
1.uses analysis and
synthesis of evidence
completely supported
from variety of
sources and resources
2.relies on explication
of context for
historical changes
3.provides rationale
for using multiple
sources and resources
to accomplish
work/project
4.evaluates and
explains intricate
1.addresses the
essential questions:
who, what, why,
when, where
2.will present one or
two historical
perspectives or
historical
events/timelines that
are different to chart
similarities
3.uses limited multiple
sources and resources
to accomplish
work/project
1. addresses in
limited and
cursory fashion
the essential
questions: who,
what, why,
when, where
2. uses only
identification
and description
3.little to no use
of supporting
evidence
1.no addressing
of the essential
questions: who,
what, why,
when, where
2. no use of
supporting
evidence
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connections between
people, events, and
ideas—both past and
present
4. does not evaluate
and explain intricate
connections between
people, events, and
ideas—both past and
present
5.presents in
generalities, thereby
avoiding any
specificity or proof of
thesis for work/project
Cause and
Effect
1.identifies, evaluates,
and analyzes multiple
causes/effects—both
stated and inferred—
intended/unintended—
short term/long term
2. differentiates and
evaluates how
different groups act
differently and why
1.identifies multiple
causes/effects—both
stated and inferred—
intended/unintended—
short term/long term
2. identifies how
different groups act
differently and why
1.addresses
multiple
causes/effects
2. addresses
only short
term/long term
causes/effects
1.addresses
only one or two
causes and/or
effects
2. addresses
only short term
causes/effects
that are obvious
or intended
Change and
Continuity
1.understands that
change and continuity
are inextricably linked
to specific events
and/or developments
2. evaluates change
and continuity from
variety of
perspectives,
including but not
limited to social,
political, economic,
cultural levels
3. includes in the
analysis trends,
movement, patterns
1.distinguishes,
analyzes, synthesizes
elements and patterns
in historical periods
that compare and
contrast to the present
2. uses knowledge of a
past event or period to
infer and thereby draw
conclusions about a
modern event or
period
1.understands that
change and continuity
are inextricably linked
to specific events
and/or developments
2. addresses change
and continuity in
terms of trends and
patterns
3.may address one of
the following
perspectives: social,
political, economic,
cultural levels
1.links change
and continuity
to one event or
series of
developments
2.limited
discussion and
exploration of
one of the
following:
social, political,
economic,
cultural levels
1.addresses
change or
continuity but
not both
2.relationship
between change
or continuity to
an event or
series of
developments
not clearly
developed or
supported
1.chronicles the
developmental
relationship
throughout time and
space between
patterns and
contemporary events
2.identifies which
factors contributed to
historical changes
over time
1. makes linear
connections
between past
event and
modern issues
2. may see
similarities
and/or
differences
3.will not
address the
import of these
connections or
intervening
developments
1.sees and
therefore
cannot make
any connections
between the
past and the
present
Using the Past
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Identifying
with the Past
1.construct and
compare/contrast how
those from the past
understood and
responded to their
concerns, i.e.,
problems,
opportunities, choices,
defining moments of
action
2. recognizes that their
own eyes contribute to
their understanding of
the past
1. recognizes that
seeing their past
through the eyes of
people from the past
provides them with a
variety of new
perspectives and
questions
2. may not be able to
connect these
perspectives to
important historical
developments
1.recognizes
that people’s
lives in the past
differ
significantly
from their own
lives in the 21st
century
2. considers 21st
issues such as
gender, race,
ethnic attitudes,
standard of
living, for
example, are
quite different
3.may attempt
to make these
connections
personal
1. recognizes
only 21st
century values
and ideals and
knowledge
inform and
make sense of
the past—in
both actions
and decisions
Academic Standards:
This model lesson uses Indiana State Standards and the standards developed by National
Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) to provide guidance for teaching social studies.
To view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org
Indiana State Standards
 Explain the role of Alexander the Great in the spread of Hellenism to Asia, North
Africa, and parts of Europe.
NCSS
 Describe how people create places that reflect cultural values and ideals as they
build communities, neighborhoods, and the like
 Indentify and use key concepts such as chronology, causality, change, conflict,
and complexity to explain, analyze, and show connections among patterns of
historical change and continuity
 Identify and describe selected historical periods and patterns of change within and
across cultures, such as the rise of civilizations, the development of transportation
systems, the growth and breakdown of colonial systems, and others
 Identify and use processes important to reconstructing and reinterpreting the past,
such as using a variety of sources, providing, validating, and weighing evidence
for claims, checking credibility of sources, and searching for causality
 Compare similarities and differences in ways groups, societies, and cultures meet
human needs and concerns
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
Explain and give examples of how language, literature, the arts, architecture,
other artifacts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behaviors contribute to the
development and transmission of culture