A Day at the Ancient Olympics
Grade Levels: 6 - 8
Overview
Students explore an online resource and learn how athletes from different
ancient Greek city-states would behave at the Olympic Games.
Objective
Students will learn about the lifestyles, attitudes, and behavior of people in an ancient civilization.
Materials
Procedures
- Begin the lesson by having students share what they know about the Olympic Games. Where did they begin? When did they begin? What was their original purpose? Tell students that they are going to write a screenplay for a television drama about the Olympic Games in ancient Greece.
- Have students form pairs or small groups and distribute the A Day at the Olympics worksheet. Tell students to find profiles of the Olympic participants from each city-state and to use the worksheet to take notes on them. These notes will help students develop characters for their screenplay later on.
- When students have finished taking notes, give them ample time in their
groups to plan their screenplays. Instruct them to begin by writing brief
sketches of the characters and a short synopsis of the plot. Encourage them
to base their sketches and plots on the information they acquired from the
site as well as on their own imaginations. If time allows, have them write
complete screenplays and read them aloud, or circulate
them for others to read.
Extension
- Discover cross-curricular lessons and activities in the Olympics theme.
- If you have access to equipment, students can produce videos based on their screenplays. Have them cast each other in the roles.
Provided by Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson, the world's leading elementary educational publisher. Its line of educational resources supports teachers and helps schools and districts meet demands for adequate yearly progress and reporting.
Related Links
July Events
Find educational resources for every day in July. Fill your July lessons with activities for the Summer, Independence Day (July 4), First World Cup Soccer Tournament (July 13), Ice Cream Day (July 19), First Moon Landing (July 20), Parents Day (July 26), and Beatrix Potter's Birthday (July 28).
Make Learning Fun with Sylvan
Introducing all-new Sylvan Workbooks and Learning Kits. Help children catch up, keep up, and get ahead! Click here to learn more about Sylvan Learning Products.
Free Summer Learning Guides – Gr. K-6
Make sure that your incoming students are prepared for the new school year with these packets of fun activities and skill-builders — perfect summer activities to prepare for back-to-school.
What Can Dominican U. Do for You?
Classroom Teachers: Regionally Accredited Dominican University can help keep your career on course with a MAEd in ESL, Elementary Ed, or Reading—100% online. Earn your MAEd in as little as 18 months! Find out more.
Dealing with Germs in the Classroom
Communicable diseases spread quickly among students in the classroom. We've gathered printables and advice for germ prevention in school. Find tips on how to keep your classroom clean and educate students on preventing diseases, from Swine flu to the common cold.
Educational Clip Art
TeacherVision and DK have teamed up to offer you DK's widely-recognized photographs as downloadable clip art. Find images for the human body, space, holidays, ancient Rome, and more. Feel free to use this clip art for school projects, reports, to create holiday cards, or just for fun!
Top-Ranked Educational Program—100% Online
Equip your faculty with today's best practices through an MS in Curriculum and Instruction or an MS in Educational Administration—100% online from The University of Scranton. Find out more!
