Resources for Teachers
Introduction
This lesson is designed to introduce Ancient Greece to students. It is not a comprehensive tour of Ancient Greece, but a collection of highlights to pique students’ interest in the topic. The overarching goal is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about the Ancient Greek Civilization and how the 2,500 year old civilization continues to impact our daily lives today.
Content Area
Middle School Social Studies
Objective
Students will gain an understanding of the Ancient Greek Civilization. They will begin to identify key contributions made by the ancient Greeks and they will be able to explain how those contributions are still impacting the world today.
Standards to Be Addressed
§113.18. Social Studies (Texas)
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) History. The student understands that historical events influence contemporary events. The student is expected to:
(A) trace characteristics of various contemporary societies in regions that resulted from historical events or factors such as invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration, and trade; and
(B) analyze the historical background of various contemporary societies to evaluate relationships between past conflicts and current conditions.
(2) History. The student understands the influences of individuals and groups from various cultures on various historical and contemporary societies. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the influence of individual or group achievements on various historical or contemporary societies such as the classical Greeks on government and the American Revolution on the French Revolution; and
(B) evaluate the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions of individuals and groups from various societies, past and present.
(11) Government. The student understands the concepts of limited and unlimited governments. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments such as constitutional (limited) and totalitarian (unlimited);
(B) compare the characteristics of limited and unlimited governments;
(12) Government. The student understands various ways in which people organize governments. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and give examples of governments with rule by one, few, or many;
(B) compare ways in which various societies such as China, Germany, India, and Russia organize government and how they function; and
(C) identify historical origins of democratic forms of government such as Ancient Greece.
(22) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
(A) use social studies terminology correctly;
(B) incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication based on research;
(D) create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies based on research;
(E) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; and
(F) use proper citations to avoid plagiarism.
(23) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:
(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution;
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§126.14. Technology Applications
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Creativity and innovation. The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge, generate new ideas, and create products. The student is expected to:
(A) identify, create, and use files in various formats such as text, raster and vector graphics, video, and audio files;
(B) create original works as a means of personal or group expression;
(2) Communication and collaboration. The student collaborates and communicates both locally and globally to reinforce and promote learning. The student is expected to:
(A) participate in personal learning networks to collaborate with peers, experts, or others using digital tools such as blogs, wikis, audio/video communication, or other emerging technologies;
(B) communicate effectively with multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
(3) Research and information fluency. The student acquires, analyzes, and manages content from digital resources. The student is expected to:
(A) create a research plan to guide inquiry;
(B) discuss and use various search strategies, including keyword(s) and Boolean operators;
(C) select and evaluate various types of digital resources for accuracy and validity; and
(D) process data and communicate results.
(4) Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. The student makes informed decisions by applying critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and define relevant problems and significant questions for investigation;
(B) plan and manage activities to develop a solution, design a computer program, or complete a project;
(5) Digital citizenship. The student practices safe, responsible, legal, and ethical behavior while using technology tools and resources. The student is expected to:
(A) understand copyright principles, including current laws, fair use guidelines, creative commons, open source, and public domain;
(B) practice ethical acquisition of information and standard methods for citing sources;
(C) practice safe and appropriate online behavior, personal security guidelines, digital identity, digital etiquette, and acceptable use of technology
The above TEKS are from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills put forth by the Texas Education Association (TEA)
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter113/ch113b.html
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter126/ch126b.html
Relative Advantage
The virtual tour content is engaging for students. Students will receive an experience that is rich in content. The tour guide and the game activity will keep students engaged and make it easier for them to understand the material, the time period, culture, and geography. These concepts are harder to convey without the use of these types of resources. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).
Timeline
The lesson will take 3 classroom days.
Materials
The Ancient Greece Virtual Tour
http://ancientgreecevtour.weebly.com/
Additional Online Resources:
Edmodo (For this instructor’s lesson - any Learning Management System may be used in a similar manner)
morguefile.com A repository of open source images
freepik.com A collection of images that are free to use as long as proper attribution is made.
ipiccy.com A slick photo editing web application
imgflip.com An easy to use web app that allows the user to create animated gifs
pixlr.com A powerful photo editing/drawing tool. Similar to photoshop but online and free.
Tackk.com A tool that allows users to publish content quickly and easily. Allows for commenting.
Twiddla.com An online collaborative whiteboard
Greek Heroes Game An adventure game set in Ancient Greece.
Grouping Strategies:
The classroom has a 1:1 student to computer ratio. Students will work independently.
Learning Activities
Content Acquisition: Students will navigate through the virtual tour and play the Ancient Greek Heroes Game
Recording Information: Students will record information in Google Docs or Twiddla and submit their information via 3 separate Google Forms.
Preparation: Students will organize their information to suit their need to produce a product.
Synthesis: Students will create a Tackk that includes information on various aspects of Ancient Greece.
They will post about (Part 1) daily life, religion or the ancient Greeks in general.
(Part 2) Students will explain the differences of either daily life, kid's life, or the military for each of the three city states visited in the game.
Assessment
Students will assessed via keys that can be used to grade the embedded forms. Students will also be assessed via a blog post that requires students to post about one aspect of the civilization of the ancient Greeks and a second part of the post that calls for an explanation of the differences between Athens and Sparta. Students will be assessed on content accuracy, thoroughness, grammar, and on critical thinking and application (Question 5). Students will receive a grade for each Google form and for the Blog post. (25 points each).
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
Students who are receiving ELL services could benefit from being allowed to use Google Translate on all of the documents. Transcripts of the tour guide's can also be provided to students. Pairing an ELL student with a native speaker who also speaks their first language may help a student overcome a potential language barrier.
Students with other special physical needs would be based on whatever is on the IEP. It could be that we need to provide overlays, graphic organizers, extended time etc. We might also need to provide an oral assessment after the completion of the tour rather than using the Google form.
Students who are hearing impaired would need transcripts of all tour guide discussions and would need one on one assistance on using Tack if they are not familiar with the tool.
Web 2.0 Integration
Google Docs Used to have students take notes. Google Forms is also used.
Tackk Used to have students publish their research.
Twiddla Used to have students take notes and collaborate.
Weebly (Virtual Tour) The virtual tour website was created in Weebly
This lesson is designed to introduce Ancient Greece to students. It is not a comprehensive tour of Ancient Greece, but a collection of highlights to pique students’ interest in the topic. The overarching goal is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about the Ancient Greek Civilization and how the 2,500 year old civilization continues to impact our daily lives today.
Content Area
Middle School Social Studies
Objective
Students will gain an understanding of the Ancient Greek Civilization. They will begin to identify key contributions made by the ancient Greeks and they will be able to explain how those contributions are still impacting the world today.
Standards to Be Addressed
§113.18. Social Studies (Texas)
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) History. The student understands that historical events influence contemporary events. The student is expected to:
(A) trace characteristics of various contemporary societies in regions that resulted from historical events or factors such as invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration, and trade; and
(B) analyze the historical background of various contemporary societies to evaluate relationships between past conflicts and current conditions.
(2) History. The student understands the influences of individuals and groups from various cultures on various historical and contemporary societies. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the influence of individual or group achievements on various historical or contemporary societies such as the classical Greeks on government and the American Revolution on the French Revolution; and
(B) evaluate the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions of individuals and groups from various societies, past and present.
(11) Government. The student understands the concepts of limited and unlimited governments. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments such as constitutional (limited) and totalitarian (unlimited);
(B) compare the characteristics of limited and unlimited governments;
(12) Government. The student understands various ways in which people organize governments. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and give examples of governments with rule by one, few, or many;
(B) compare ways in which various societies such as China, Germany, India, and Russia organize government and how they function; and
(C) identify historical origins of democratic forms of government such as Ancient Greece.
(22) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
(A) use social studies terminology correctly;
(B) incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication based on research;
(D) create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies based on research;
(E) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; and
(F) use proper citations to avoid plagiarism.
(23) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:
(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
§126.14. Technology Applications
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Creativity and innovation. The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge, generate new ideas, and create products. The student is expected to:
(A) identify, create, and use files in various formats such as text, raster and vector graphics, video, and audio files;
(B) create original works as a means of personal or group expression;
(2) Communication and collaboration. The student collaborates and communicates both locally and globally to reinforce and promote learning. The student is expected to:
(A) participate in personal learning networks to collaborate with peers, experts, or others using digital tools such as blogs, wikis, audio/video communication, or other emerging technologies;
(B) communicate effectively with multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
(3) Research and information fluency. The student acquires, analyzes, and manages content from digital resources. The student is expected to:
(A) create a research plan to guide inquiry;
(B) discuss and use various search strategies, including keyword(s) and Boolean operators;
(C) select and evaluate various types of digital resources for accuracy and validity; and
(D) process data and communicate results.
(4) Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. The student makes informed decisions by applying critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and define relevant problems and significant questions for investigation;
(B) plan and manage activities to develop a solution, design a computer program, or complete a project;
(5) Digital citizenship. The student practices safe, responsible, legal, and ethical behavior while using technology tools and resources. The student is expected to:
(A) understand copyright principles, including current laws, fair use guidelines, creative commons, open source, and public domain;
(B) practice ethical acquisition of information and standard methods for citing sources;
(C) practice safe and appropriate online behavior, personal security guidelines, digital identity, digital etiquette, and acceptable use of technology
The above TEKS are from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills put forth by the Texas Education Association (TEA)
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter113/ch113b.html
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter126/ch126b.html
Relative Advantage
The virtual tour content is engaging for students. Students will receive an experience that is rich in content. The tour guide and the game activity will keep students engaged and make it easier for them to understand the material, the time period, culture, and geography. These concepts are harder to convey without the use of these types of resources. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).
Timeline
The lesson will take 3 classroom days.
Materials
The Ancient Greece Virtual Tour
http://ancientgreecevtour.weebly.com/
Additional Online Resources:
Edmodo (For this instructor’s lesson - any Learning Management System may be used in a similar manner)
morguefile.com A repository of open source images
freepik.com A collection of images that are free to use as long as proper attribution is made.
ipiccy.com A slick photo editing web application
imgflip.com An easy to use web app that allows the user to create animated gifs
pixlr.com A powerful photo editing/drawing tool. Similar to photoshop but online and free.
Tackk.com A tool that allows users to publish content quickly and easily. Allows for commenting.
Twiddla.com An online collaborative whiteboard
Greek Heroes Game An adventure game set in Ancient Greece.
Grouping Strategies:
The classroom has a 1:1 student to computer ratio. Students will work independently.
Learning Activities
Content Acquisition: Students will navigate through the virtual tour and play the Ancient Greek Heroes Game
Recording Information: Students will record information in Google Docs or Twiddla and submit their information via 3 separate Google Forms.
Preparation: Students will organize their information to suit their need to produce a product.
Synthesis: Students will create a Tackk that includes information on various aspects of Ancient Greece.
They will post about (Part 1) daily life, religion or the ancient Greeks in general.
(Part 2) Students will explain the differences of either daily life, kid's life, or the military for each of the three city states visited in the game.
Assessment
Students will assessed via keys that can be used to grade the embedded forms. Students will also be assessed via a blog post that requires students to post about one aspect of the civilization of the ancient Greeks and a second part of the post that calls for an explanation of the differences between Athens and Sparta. Students will be assessed on content accuracy, thoroughness, grammar, and on critical thinking and application (Question 5). Students will receive a grade for each Google form and for the Blog post. (25 points each).
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
Students who are receiving ELL services could benefit from being allowed to use Google Translate on all of the documents. Transcripts of the tour guide's can also be provided to students. Pairing an ELL student with a native speaker who also speaks their first language may help a student overcome a potential language barrier.
Students with other special physical needs would be based on whatever is on the IEP. It could be that we need to provide overlays, graphic organizers, extended time etc. We might also need to provide an oral assessment after the completion of the tour rather than using the Google form.
Students who are hearing impaired would need transcripts of all tour guide discussions and would need one on one assistance on using Tack if they are not familiar with the tool.
Web 2.0 Integration
Google Docs Used to have students take notes. Google Forms is also used.
Tackk Used to have students publish their research.
Twiddla Used to have students take notes and collaborate.
Weebly (Virtual Tour) The virtual tour website was created in Weebly
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (6th ed. ed., pp. 25-26). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc. United States.
