Wisdom begins in wonder.
Socrates
You’ve made it to Lesson 5! Take a beat to reflect on everything you’ve learned before jumping into the activities for this lesson.
Lesson 5 is all about interpreting sources. You will now be able to use the skills and knowledge you have mastered in earlier lessons – acknowledging sources, understanding Ancient Grecian society, considering cause and effect, amongst others – to make your way through the activities here with ease.
By the end of this lesson you will be well on your way to being able to interpret historical sources and create a source which reflects life in ancient Greece.
First, we need to remind ourselves of what is a primary source versus a secondary source. This knowledge will equip you with the ability to understand historical perspectives “through exploring the point of view, attitudes, values and beliefs of people in the past”. Watch this video below for a refresher on the importance of knowing the differences between sources.
QUICK QUIZ:
Read through the following list and decide whether these are a primary source or a secondary source. Post your responses in the comments!
- A piece of pottery dating back to 600 B.C.
- A newspaper article about Santorini’s tourism industry in the 21st century
- A photograph of a beach in Ios, Greece
- The Parthenon temple in Athens
- An original portrait of a Spartan family in 750 BC
Your task now is to read through the following document from Scholastic: Child Soldiers of Sparta. Take note of the daily lives and expectations of Spartan children, and consider the images included too – all of this will be important for your task!
It’s time for an activity! Your task now is to create a diary entry (aim for at least 3-4 paragraphs) pretending you are a young Spartan child.
What do you think your day will be like? What activities will you undertake? (Hint: you will find inspiration in the Child Soldiers of Sparta document, and in previous lessons!) Once you’ve written your diary entry, post it here in the comments.
For homework, complete the below vocabulary activity. (You might want to use some of these terms in your diary entries!)
Ancient Greece Activity Centre 