This learning module is intended to provide students with an overview of Ancient Greece and its culture within the context of a middle school ancient civilizations course.
Ancient Greece; Social Studies; World History; Ancient Civilizations; Middle School; 6th Grade; Democracy; Direct Democracy; Representative Democracy; Athens; Sparta; Greek Mythology; Alexander the Great
It is not a secret or a novel idea that all human beings have a specific combination of characteristics, qualities, and life circumstances that make each of us unique. Students arrive in school possessing a host of categorical differences that teachers must try to successfully negotiate to build inclusive learning environments that meet the needs of everyone. These various traits include material conditions, such as social class, locale, and family (Kalantzis & Cope, 2016, p. 86). They also incorporate corporeal attributes, such as age, race, sex/sexuality, physical abilities, and mental abilities (Kalantzis & Cope, 2016, p. 86). Furthermore, the traits also extend to symbolic differences, including language, ethnos, communities of commitment, and gendre (Kalantzis & Cope, 2016, p. 86). The following video elaborates on these categorical differences and explains their significance to students:
Education at Illinois. (2017, May 1). Categorical differences [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bn8v8xggPQ
Despite the prevalence of diversity among learners, the education system in the United States continues to treat students with a one-size-fits-all approach through outdated practices ranging from the competition for letter grades to referencing standardized testing as the ultimate knowledge benchmark. I cannot count the number of times in my own teaching experience where we spent meetings analyzing data from district-wide and state-wide standardized testing, and using it exclusively to determine curriculum adaptations. The problem with this mindset is that if school districts primarily concentrate their energies into GPAs and test scores, then students are consequently left with fewer opportunities to take their personal preferences and learning styles to produce knowledge that is relevant to their own identities. The intention behind the following learning module is to honor learner diversity and be an example of curricular design that promotes inclusion. Kalantzis and Cope (2016) asserted that education practices have largely been built on "exclusion and assimilation, [which] are both – albeit in their different ways – discriminatory orientations to human differences" (p. 97). Therefore, a need exists for a more inclusive framework that encourages students to harness their own interests alongside the power of multimodality to create individual learning pathways. Kalantizis and Cope (2016) referred to this as civic pluralism, and describe the concept as the following:
Civic pluralism develops institutions and nurtures human dispositions that work to redress the historic inequalities and injustices that accompany differences between persons as a consequence of variable access to material resources, corporeal attributes and the ascription of symbolic meanings to personhood. (p. 97)
The subsequent video further discusses the characteristics of exclusion, assimilation, and inclusion/civic pluralism across the history of education:
Education at Illinois. (2017, May 24). Nation building and the dynamics of diversity [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxdaldVitkc
This learning module covers Ancient Greece and guides students on an exploration of this significant civilization from ancient history. As a middle school social studies teacher, the 2019-2020 school year marked my sixth time teaching the content explored throughout the module. While I have taught this material before, this will mark my first attempt at developing a learning design that offers a personalized experience for diverse learners, where they can access and produce information multimodally and have a certain level of autonomy in their creative choices. Students will be exposed to the content through an organized assortment of media resources across six teacher updates, and produce knowledge alongside their classmates through peer-to-peer comment threads and their own updates in response to the teacher updates.
Learning Outcomes: As a learner, you will be able to do the following skills upon completion of the learning module:
1) Conceptualize the historical timeline and physical space of Ancient Greece, and understand why the civilization is relevant in modern times.
2) Differentiate between direct democracy and representative democracy, and examine the overall effectiveness of democracy in contemporary settings.
3) Compare and contrast the cultures of Athens and Sparta, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of life in each city-state.
4) Identify the major Greek gods/Olympians, and use Greek mythology in a modern context.
5) Evaluate whether Alexander the Great and other historical figures should be remembered exclusively for their accomplishments and according to traditional viewpoints.
6) Conduct scholarly research and produce a project that evaluates the legacy of Ancient Greece in modern times.
Assessment and Evaluation: Your grade for this learning module will be determined based on your level of effort and your quality of knowledge production. CG Scholar's Analytics will help you keep track of your progress for the duration of the unit. The following list breaks down each of the requirements. All categories are weighted at 1 unless indicated otherwise.
Learning Outcomes: The learner will be able to do the following skills upon completion of the learning module:
1) Conceptualize the historical timeline and physical space of Ancient Greece, and understand why the civilization is relevant in modern times.
2) Differentiate between direct democracy and representative democracy, and examine the overall effectiveness of democracy in contemporary settings.
3) Compare and contrast the cultures of Athens and Sparta, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of life in each city-state.
4) Identify the major Greek gods/Olympians, and use Greek mythology in a modern context.
5) Evaluate whether Alexander the Great and other historical figures should be remembered exclusively for their accomplishments and according to traditional viewpoints.
6) Conduct scholarly research and produce a project that evaluates the legacy of Ancient Greece in modern times.
Target Learners: This learning module provides learners with an overview of Ancient Greek history and culture. The target audiences for this unit are 6th grade social studies classes that cover Ancient Civilizations. However, this content could be implemented within all middle school grade levels (6-8).
Ideally, this learning module would represent the seventh unit of an ancient civilizations course at the middle school level. Students should come into this learning module with a foundational understanding of the social sciences (civics, economics, geography, and history) and background knowledge of human lifestyles and behavior during prehistoric times. Furthermore, students should grasp the significance behind the contributions of the early river valley civilizations in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China.
Learning Standards: This module will be using the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science 6-8. For more information on the standards as a whole, please reference the following PDF attachment. The selection of standards for the entire module are also listed below, while those that are specifically aligned with each lesson/update will be identified in the “For the Teacher” column.
SS.IS.4.6-8.MC / Gathering and Evaluating Sources: Gather relevant information from credible sources and determine whether they support each other.
SS.IS.5.6-8.MdC / Developing Claims and Using Evidence: Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting its limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.LC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging their strengths and limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MC / Communicating Conclusions: Present arguments and explanations that would appeal to audiences and venues outside the classroom using a variety of media.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.IS.8.6-8.LC / Taking Informed Action: Analyze how a problem can manifest itself and the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address it.
SS.CV.1.6-8.LC / Civic and Political Institutions: Identify roles played by citizens (examples: voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters and office holders).
SS.CV.1.6-8.MdC / Civic and Political Institutions: Describe the roles of political, civil and economic organizations in shaping people’s lives.
SS.CV.1.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
SS.CV.2.6-8.LC / Civic and Political Institutions: Describe the origins, purposes, and impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements.
SS.CV.2.6-8.MdC / Civic and Political Institutions: Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution and other systems of government.
SS.CV.2.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Analyze the power and limits of governments, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and other countries.
SS.CV.3.6-8.LC, MdC, MC / Participation and Deliberation: Applying Civic Virtues and Democratic Principles: : Compare the means by which individuals and groups change societies, promote the common good, and protect rights.
SS.CV.4.6-8.LC / Participation and Deliberation: Applying Civic Virtues and Democratic Principles: Explain the connection between interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when addressing issues in government and society
SS.CV.6.6-8.MdC / Processes, Rules, and Laws: Analyze the purposes, implementation, and consequences of public policies in historic and contemporary settings.
SS.G.1.6-8.LC / Geographic Representations: Spatial Views of the World: Use geographic representations (maps, photographs, satellite images, etc) to explain the relationships between the locations (places and regions) and changes in their environment.
SS.G.1.6-8.MdC / Geographic Representations: Spatial Views of the World: Use mapping and graphing to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.2.6-8.MC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Evaluate how cultural and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
SS.G.3.6-8.LC / Human Population: Spatial Patterns and Movements: Explain how environmental characteristics impact human migration and settlement.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.LC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.1.6-8.MC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
SS.H.2.6-8.LC / Perspectives: Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.
SS.H.2.6-8.MdC / Perspectives: Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
SS.H.4.6-8.MC / Causation and Argumentation: Organize applicable evidence into a coherent argument about the past.
Duration and Material Requirements: The length of time to complete the module will vary, depending on if the teacher chooses to use the following content exclusively, or provide students with supplemental materials and activities outside the learning module. Students' academic abilities, particularly when it comes to writing frequent comments and updates, will also play a role. Consequently, the schedule could range between 3-4 weeks. Classes will need daily access to laptops or other digital devices at both school and home in order for all students to fully realize the potential of the learning module. It needs to be considered in advance how students without a reliable Internet connection at home will be able to engage with the material, especially if significant time is not allotted during the school day, or if the students' school district is participating in full-time remote learning due to COVID-19. If face-to-face learning is feasible, students should be made aware of options such as school libraries, school media centers, and public libraries.
Assessment and Evaluation: Students' grades for this learning module will be determined based on their levels of effort and their quality of knowledge production. CG Scholar's Analytics will help you keep track of their progress for the duration of the unit. The following list is an outline of suggested requirements, although these can be adapted based on the needs of a teacher and his/her students. All categories are weighted at 1 unless indicated otherwise.
Learning Objective: Conceptualize the historical timeline and physical space of Ancient Greece, and understand why the civilization is relevant in modern times.
Please complete the survey before proceeding to Update #1. The survey contains a series of questions to assess your prior knowledge of Ancient Greece before starting the learning module. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being "Strongly Disagree" and 5 being "Strongly Agree," rate your level of understanding regarding each of the following statements. The data collected will be used to make future adjustments to the learning module. Click pre-survey to open the link.
Ancient Greece arguably has one of the strongest influences among ancient civilizations in the modern world. Its people were responsible for numerous achievements and advancements that shape current conditions across societies. For example, if you live in the United States, think about the nation's capital in Washington DC. Some of its most famous buildings, such as the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, share similarities to Greek architecture like the Parthenon. Additionally, the format of our national government that resides there is a version of democracy, which came from the Greek city of Athens. Ancient Greece has impacted our stories and ideas of heroism with characters from its mythology, such as Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, and Hades, as well as real-life figures, such as Pericles and Alexander the Great. Mathematical formulas, such as the Pythagorian Theorem, and discussion techniques, such as the Socratic Method, stem from the Greeks as well. In short, the influences of Ancient Greece can be felt throughout our culture today.
The history of Ancient Greece stretches back to the Mycenaeans and Minoans as early as 2000 BCE. However, several of the major developments of Ancient Greek culture, such as the rise of democracy and powerful cities such as Athens and Sparta, occurred in what is known as the Classical Age, roughly between 500 BCE and 323 BCE. The following video from Khan Academy discusses the Classical Age and more within the context of the overall narrative of Ancient Greek history.
Khan Academy. (2016, December 6). Overview of ancient Greece | World history | Khan Academy [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I114S4KiOn8
The video mentions that Ancient Greece, unlike several other civilizations, did not develop as one society, but rather as a collection of city-states that functioned separately from one another. A city-state is a city and its surrounding countryside that operates under its own independent government. It was commonplace for people in city-states such as Athens or Sparta to identify first and foremost with their city, as opposed to a single Greek identity. The physical map of Greece below helps to illustrate why this was the case. The mainland of Greece was largely covered by mountains, which divided the land into separate areas and made all travel and communication very difficult. As a result, Greek cities evolved quite differently and developed unique cultures that were not always compatible with one another.
Comment: Many people in Ancient Greece chose to identify themselves by their city-states. In your point of view, how much does your city or country figure into your self-image? Explain what markers or classifiers play the most important role in shaping your identity.
Create an Update: Pick one element of Greek culture of interest to you that plays a significant role in society or your own life today. This could be one of the concepts mentioned in this update, or another related idea of your choice. Analyze how your life would change if your chosen concept was removed from existence.Your response should be at least 150 words and include at least one multimedia object (video, image, etc.) to support your argument.
After you have completed your update, respond to at least three other students' updates. Explain why you agree or disagree with your peers' analysis, while providing a clear rationale supporting your own perspective.
Method: Start the module by having students complete the pre-survey. This should be informational, and not assessed for a grade. The data will be used to gauge the prior knowledge of the class, and possibly make adjustments to the learning module. Students can then proceed to read Update #1, view the attached videos, answer the comment, and create their own update.
Each update will conclude by asking students to answer a comment that directly reviews the material, and make their own update that uses the teacher update prompt as a reference point for creating their own content. The teacher can use student comments and updates as formative assessments, and feedback will be offered either directly to commenters themselves, or on a whole-group level during class discussion prior to the next update. Additionally, the Analytics feature in CG Scholar will track the total number of comments and updates that each student produces throughout the course. All comments and updates will be posted using the “Post Student Content to a Community” button, so students and the teacher can access each other’s work in the Community area on Scholar.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" The beginning of the update asks students to complete an information survey that assesses students' prior knowledge on Ancient Greece. Moreover, the text in the update itself references several concepts, such as democracy, Zeus, and the Pythagorian Theorem, that students may have learned about in other contexts. The update provides scaffolds to new information by giving brief descriptions of new terminology, reinforcing those descriptions with embedded media, and asking students to create a comment and an update that springs off the material.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The update offers explicit definitions for concepts that are likely unfamiliar to students, such as city-state and the Classical Age. The Khan Academy video helps students conceptualize Ancient Greek history through a timeline with embedded historical images. The physical map of Greece enables students to spatially analyze the landscape and environment that influenced the development of separate city-states, as opposed to one unified civilization.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" The Comment prompt asks students to connect how their home and community influences their identity or view of themselves. The Update prompt requires students to take a concept of Ancient Greece and think about how it impacts life on an individual and societal level. Furthermore, they must think critically of how a society would function without the concept under analysis, thus highlighting its importance.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" The knowledge that students gain about Ancient Greek history can be utilized in the peer review project at the end of the learning module. Additionally, students must apply the idea of identity, which is originally brought up in relationship to city-states, and reflect upon it through the context of their own lives.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.G.1.6-8.LC / Geographic Representations: Spatial Views of the World: Use geographic representations (maps, photographs, satellite images, etc) to explain the relationships between the locations (places and regions) and changes in their environment.
SS.G.1.6-8.MdC / Geographic Representations: Spatial Views of the World: Use mapping and graphing to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics.
SS.G.2.6-8.LC / : Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Explain how humans and their environment affect one another.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.3.6-8.LC / Human Population: Spatial Patterns and Movements: Explain how environmental characteristics impact human migration and settlement.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.1.6-8.MC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
Learning Objective: Differentiate between direct democracy and representative democracy, and examine the overall effectiveness of democracy in contemporary settings.
As mentioned in Update #1, Ancient Greece created the oldest known version of democracy in the city-state of Athens during the 400s BCE. A democracy is a type of government where the people are responsible for making political decisions. What made democracy so revolutionary during ancient times was that most governments (including Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China) had operated as monarchies, where a single ruler (king, queen, emperor, empress, etc.) made all the laws and policy choices for the civilization. Contrastingly, democracies introduced a number of affordances to the political process that gave citizens a voice in the political process, such as debates, votes, and elections.
Many countries today, including the United States, have modeled their governments after the democracy established in Athens. However, a key difference is that the Athenians used a direct democracy due to its relatively small population. A direct democracy, sometimes known as "pure democracy", gives each citizen the power to directly vote on laws and decisions. Meanwhile, the United States and other nations with huge populations use a representative democracy, or a republic. A representative democracy is a type of democracy where elected officials represent groups of people. Essentially, you vote for the person who most closely shares your political opinion, in hopes that they create policies that reflect your views. The following infographic illustrates the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy.
It is important to note that direct democracy does not automatically include all members of a civilization among its voting ranks. On the contrary, the Athenian direct democracy blocked women, enslaved people, immigrants, and youth under 18 years old from citizenship, which equaled participation in government. An eligible individual could not actually vote until reaching 30 years of age.
Furthermore, all eligible citizens were entered into a lottery to hold seats in the 500 member Council, or Boule, which set the agenda and evaluated proposals for regular meetings of as many as 6,000 people. Additionally, a lottery was also used to determine other roles, such as jurors. Contrastingly, citizens in representative democracies, such as the United States, are not directly involved in government, and are not even required to exercise their right to vote for officials. The TED-Ed video provides further details on the inner workings of democracy in Athens.
TED-Ed. (2015, March 24). What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fivQUlC7-8
Comment: Do you feel that direct democracy or representative democracy should be considered the "gold standard" for a quality government? Or, do you believe that another type of government works as a more efficient model? Create an argument that defends your position.
Create an Update: The TED-Ed video inquires whether, "reviving election by lottery [could] lead to more effective government through a more diverse and representative group of [lawmakers]? Or, does modern political office, like Athenian military command, require specialized knowledge and skills?" Your response should be at least 150 words and include at least one multimedia object (video, image, etc.) to support your argument.
After you have completed your update, respond to at least three other students' updates. Explain why you agree or disagree with your peers' analysis, while providing a clear rationale supporting your own perspective.
Method: The teacher may want to give an opportunity at the beginning of class for students to have a face-to-face discussion regarding their Comments and Updates, and give any students the chance to make or seek clarifications about peer responses in the Community space. Additionally, this could be a time where the teacher responds to any questions from students about the previous update. Finally, students will read Update #2, view the embedded media, answer the comment, and create their own updates.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" The update references the knowledge that students learned from the video in the previous update regarding democracy. Additionally, the update tries to emphasize the revolutionary nature of democracy by differentiating it from the monarchies that students learned about in previous ancient civilization learning modules. The update connects new knowledge about Athenian democracy to previous information that students have on government in the United States.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The learning module offers direct definitions to students for a variety of governments, including direct democracy and representative democracy. Furthermore, the update includes a diagram that helps students visualize how direct democracies and representative democracies function differently from each other. The TED-Ed video illustrates how democracy in Athens operated similar to a lottery.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" The Comment asks students to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of direct democracy, representative democracy, and other types of government, in order to determine which is the most effective system. The Update prompt encourages students to ask philosophical questions about a lottery-based government, and students are given the opportunity to debate among themselves whether or not such a government could exist today.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" The nature of the Update prompt, based on the TED-Ed video, forces students to consider a randomized lottery to determine government officials. The idea alone would certainly be a radical application within modern politics. Later, students can use the knowledge gained from this update in the peer review project at the conclusion of the learning module.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.IS.8.6-8.LC / Taking Informed Action: Analyze how a problem can manifest itself and the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address it.
SS.CV.1.6-8.LC / Civic and Political Institutions: Identify roles played by citizens (examples: voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters and office holders).
SS.CV.1.6-8.MdC / Civic and Political Institutions: Describe the roles of political, civil and economic organizations in shaping people’s lives.
SS.CV.1.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
SS.CV.2.6-8.LC / Civic and Political Institutions: Describe the origins, purposes, and impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements.
SS.CV.2.6-8.MdC / Civic and Political Institutions: Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution and other systems of government.
SS.CV.2.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Analyze the power and limits of governments, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and other countries.
SS.CV.4.6-8.LC / Participation and Deliberation: Applying Civic Virtues and Democratic Principles: Explain the connection between interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when addressing issues in government and society
SS.CV.6.6-8.MdC / Processes, Rules, and Laws: Analyze the purposes, implementation, and consequences of public policies in historic and contemporary settings.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.2.6-8.MC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Evaluate how cultural and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.LC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
Learning Objective: Compare and contrast the cultures of Athens and Sparta, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of life in each city-state.
Democracy was certainly a significant contribution from Ancient Greece, but it did not define the entire region. As mentioned in Update #1, Ancient Greece did not share a unified identity and was divided up into separate city-states with their own governments and customs. The two most arguably iconic city-states, Athens and Sparta, could not have been more different from each other. The Athenians, as discussed in Update #2, originated democracy as a form of government. Additionally, they placed extraordinary value on education, philosophy, science, music, theater, and architecture. Meanwhile, the Spartans were primarily concerned with producing a tough, militaristic people with the instincts to survive with minimal possessions in warlike conditions. The attached comic strip takes a further look at the differences between Athens and Sparta through the eyes of Cylon and Draco, two fictional friends who discuss their upbringing and livelihood in quite opposite environments.
The comic strip indicates that Athenian men and Spartan men were held to contrasting expectations. This is made quickly apparent in childhood, where Athenian boys enjoyed springtime festivals with gifts and the opportunity to go to school, while Spartan boys deemed worthy of survival at birth were sent to military camps to endure intense training that included whippings. Similarly, women faced alternate realities depending on their city-state of residence. The following video offers a humorous perspective on these differences by following two fictional families in a "historical wife swap". This is a compilation video with other topics unrelated to Ancient Greece, so you will specifically watch 7:53-12:08.
Horrible Histories. (2019, August 8). Horrible Histories - Historical wife swap | Compilation [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oial3aYTGoE
As depicted in the video, Athenian women were largely restricted to a life in the home, where they learned skills such as sewing, and could not vote or otherwise freely enter the public sphere. On the contrary, Spartan women were expected to attend school and learn how to fight, hunt, and use weaponry. It is clear that circumstances were highly variable among the Greeks based on factors such as gender and location.
Comment: If you could move your family across time and space to live in Ancient Greece, would you settle in Athens or Sparta? Be sure to consider the text, media, your own perspective, and additional research if needed.
Create an Update: The text and media depict examples of how the behavior of men and women in Athens and Sparta were shaped by norms, or standards of what is considered to be "normal". Identity norms in your own community and analyze how they shape expected behavior or values among its members. Your response should be at least 150 words and include at least one multimedia object (video, image, etc.) to support your argument.
After you have completed your update, respond to at least three other students' updates. Explain why you agree or disagree with your peers' analysis, while providing a clear rationale supporting your own perspective.
Method: The teacher may want to give an opportunity at the beginning of class for students to have a face-to-face discussion regarding their Comments and Updates, and give any students the chance to make or seek clarifications about peer responses in the Community space. Additionally, this could be a time where the teacher responds to any questions from students about the previous update. Finally, students will read Update #3, view the embedded media, answer the comment, and create their own updates.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" This update attempts to help students build new knowledge by recalling themes from each of the first two updates. For example, the update introduces Athens and Sparta as examples of the city-state concept from the first update. Additionally, the update identifies the connection between Athens and the idea of democracy that was discussed in the second update. Students learn about Athens and Sparta through formats that are likely familiar to them, including a comic strip and a reality television parody.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The text within the update defines basic characteristics of Athenian and Spartan culture. Moreover, the comic strip and Historical Wife Swap video give students the opportunity to visualize the differences between the two cultures across multiple instances within the lives of both men and women.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" The Comment asks students to determine whether Athens or Sparta would be a better place to live. It is expected that students use the available information to logically infer that men would generally be better off in Athens, while women would have a higher quality of life in Sparta. Furthermore, the Update prompt requires students to think critically about unspoken norms in their own communities, and how these norms influence their behaviors.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" Students may initially identify norms with Athens and Sparta, but they eventually reflect on norms within the context of their communities, and how these norms influence their lives. Additionally, students can use the knowledge gained in this update in the peer review project at the conclusion of the learning module.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.6.6-8.LC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging their strengths and limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.CV.1.6-8.LC / Civic and Political Institutions: Identify roles played by citizens (examples: voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters and office holders).
SS.CV.1.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.2.6-8.MdC / Perspectives: Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
Learning Objective: Identify the major Greek gods/Olympians, and use Greek mythology in a modern context.
The Ancient Greek religion, while it is no longer a formalized belief system, has had a profound impact on storytelling and literature in the United States and other countries today. Ancient Greece had a polytheistic religion, which meant that they worshipped many gods and goddesses. The major gods were known as the Olympians, as they were believed to live on Mt. Olympus. (We will also include Hades in this group. He may not have lived on Mt. Olympus, but he is closely linked with the other gods who were believed to live there.)
The Greek gods were different from some of the popular religious figures today. There was no religious book (Bible, Qur’an, Torah, etc.) that told the Greeks how to worship their gods. Usually, the Greeks honored their gods with prayers, festivals, and temples. For example, the Athenians honored their goddess, Athena, by building the Parthenon. These actions were taken partially because the gods were believed to have human qualities. This meant that they could often be jealous, greedy, and unpredictable- including their behavior toward the Greeks. It was better to be cautious and keep the gods happy!
It is important to recognize that the Greek gods and goddesses are part of Greek mythology and are not part of real-life historical events. Mythology is a collection of stories that are used to explain the unexplainable natural events and early history of the time. The stories about gods and heroes helped answer questions such as “Why are there four seasons?” or “How was fire created?” This may seem strange today, but keep in mind that it takes time to make discoveries and answer big questions. Humans that are alive 3,000 years in the future will think that we are silly for the knowledge we have not learned!
The subsequent infographic provides a basic overview of the Olympians. The gods in the back row (Demeter through Poseidon) are all siblings, while the family relations of the gods in the front row are noted in the individual captions. Additionally, the chart also notes the attribute of each god. This basically means what a particular individual is the god of, such as the sea or wisdom.
The following video reinforces the attributes of most of the Olympians, while providing additional information regarding their personalities, family relations, and other major characteristics. Warning: the music is both incredibly cheesy and kind of catchy!
Blake, J. (2012, October 7). Greek god rap [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71ywBHK6wQ
Comment: Discuss how the qualities of Greek mythology and its gods make the subject timeless and relevant to modern audiences.
Create an Update: Create your own Greek myth that explains a particular phenomenon or event in the world. For example, your story might explain why we have different types of weather patterns, such as thunderstorms or earthquakes, or it might describe the origin of a particular community, such as a school, a city, or maybe even your ancestors! Feel free to get creative! Incorporate at least four Greek gods in your myth, which may be a combination of the Olympians and other gods of your choice. Try to relate the story to the qualities of the gods included in it. Your myth should be at least 150 words and include at least one multimedia object (video, image, etc.).
After you have completed your update, respond to at least three other students' updates. Explain why you agree or disagree with your peers' depiction of their chosen Greek gods, while providing a clear rationale supporting your own perspective.
Method: The teacher may want to give an opportunity at the beginning of class for students to have a face-to-face discussion regarding their Comments and Updates, and give any students the chance to make or seek clarifications about peer responses in the Community space. Additionally, this could be a time where the teacher responds to any questions from students about the previous update. Finally, students will read Update #4, view the embedded media, answer the comment, and create their own updates.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" Based on my past experience teaching the Ancient Greece unit, a large percentage of students come into the Greek mythology portion with some prior background knowledge. The update does refer to the definition of polytheism, which students should be familiar with after completing units on other polytheistic societies such as Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. It also tries to show how the Greek gods, despite their divine status, were believed to share the same types of positive and negative emotions as real-life human beings. The module uses relatable modes of communication, such as a song, to help students learn about the different Greek gods.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The learning module provides concrete definitions for terms such as polytheism, Olympian, and mythology. The update uses an infographic to conceptualize the major attributes of the Olympians, and reinforces this knowledge with the rap video.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" Greek mythology is still prevalent in our society today through media such as the Percy Jackson series, so students are asked to reflect on why the Greek gods have such staying power. The Comment prompt might lead to answers that make connections between the Greek gods and the superheroes from comic books.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" Students take the information regarding the attributes, personalities, and relationships between the gods to construct their own unique myths. Students show their understanding of the material in the way that they depict the gods in their stories. Later, students can also use the knowledge gained in this update in the peer review project.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MC / Communicating Conclusions: Present arguments and explanations that would appeal to audiences and venues outside the classroom using a variety of media.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.LC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.1.6-8.MC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
Learning Objective: Evaluate whether Alexander the Great and other historical figures should be remembered exclusively for their accomplishments and according to traditional viewpoints.
Ancient Greece has left its mark on our society in terms of its mythological characters and heroes, but it has also developed real-life people that significantly altered the course of world history. One of the most famous of these historical figures, King Alexander of Macedonia, is even recognized by name for his contributions as "Alexander the Great". However, it should be noted that greatness is a subjective opinion that differs from one person to another. This update will provide an overview of Alexander's life, and you will need to use the information to form your own conclusions on his greatness, just like an actual historian.
Alexander was born in 356 BCE to King Phillip and Olympia in Macedonia, a kingdom located to the north of Greece. From a young age, Alexander was groomed to assume leadership over his father's lands, as he received a private education from Aristotle, who was one of the most famous philosophers in Ancient Greece. After Phillip was assassinated in 336 BCE, Alexander inherited his father's kingdom and battle-heartened army, which had just conquered the entire Greek mainland, at the age of 20. For context, many people today are either taking college classes or just moving out of their parents' houses at that age!
The newly anointed king wasted little time in choosing a passion project. Alexander made it his objective to follow in his father's footsteps as a conqueror, and intended to form a Macedonian empire. He would accomplish this with a military strategy known as a phalanx. A phalanx is a battle formation composed of soldiers lining up in tight rows, with each person individually armed with a spear and shield. Together, the soldiers form a nearly impenetrable wall, as shown in the image below.
Over the course of a decade, Alexander successfully formed an empire that covered parts of three continents in Europe, Africa, and Asia. His numerous lands included Greece, Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, Persia, and even the Indus River in modern-day Pakistan off the border of India. The following map illustrates the scale of Alexander's empire, as well as the route of his army and major battle sites. Please note that you will need to zoom in on the map in order to see its details.
Unfortunately for Alexander, he passed away for historically unknown reasons in 323 BCE at only 32 years old. Some of the most commonly proposed explanations are fever, malaria, and alcohol poisoning. In the absence of a successor to the kingdom, Alexander's empire was divided up among his top generals. Alexander had made some controversial decisions to maintain unity among his empire, such as forcing his soldiers to marry women from conquered lands. The empire ultimately collapsed within the next decade, but Alexander's exploits did result in the spread of Greek culture and ideas across northeastern Africa and central Asia, which ushered in a time period historians call the Hellenistic Era. The following video recaps the story and overall legacy of Alexander the Great.
Eudaimonia. (2016, January 25). Alexander the Great: A very short introduction | Animated book summary [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFGevZ0aCPo&t=148s
Comment: Should we remember and recognize Alexander as "the Great" in modern times? Do Alexander's accomplishments warrant such a title, or are there other factors that should ultimately transform our historical interpretation? Be sure to consider the text, media, your own perspective, and additional research if needed.
Create an Update: Choose a historical figure that you feel is deserving of a reevaluation to determine if their positive (or negative) legacy still holds up today. For example, are the popularized narratives of "heroes", such as Abraham Lincoln or "controversial figures", such as Malcolm X, accurate portrayals of the facts? Your response should be at least 150 words and include at least one multimedia object (video, image, etc.) to support your argument.
After you have completed your update, respond to at least three other students' updates. Explain why you agree or disagree with your peers' analysis, while providing a clear rationale supporting your own perspective.
Method: The teacher may want to give an opportunity at the beginning of class for students to have a face-to-face discussion regarding their Comments and Updates, and give any students the chance to make or seek clarifications about peer responses in the Community space. Additionally, this could be a time where the teacher responds to any questions from students about the previous update. Finally, students will read Update #5, view the embedded media, answer the comment, and create their own updates.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" The update transitions from the mythology-based figures in Ancient Greece introduced in the previous update to a historically-based figure in Alexander the Great. Furthermore, the update seeks to engage students by questioning Alexander's greatness, a discussion that they have likely had with friends and family about people in other contexts, such as athletes or entertainers. The update works within the students' zone of proximal development by gradually introducing new information on Alexander's life, and offering opportunities for reinforcement through the embedded media.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The update defines concepts in the text, such as phalanx and Hellenistic Era. Images are included that help students conceptualize how a phalanx works, the vast size of Alexander's empire, and his army's travel route across three continents.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" The Comment pushes students to argue whether or not history should remember Alexander as "the Great". Students must use evidence from the update, their research, and their own logic to inform their analysis.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" The Update prompt asks students to take the "great or not" question from their analysis of Alexander, and apply it to a completely different historical figure of interest to them. Hopefully, students will discover that their person is not simply one-dimensional, and "good vs. bad" is too simplistic of a judgement on one's historical value.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.5.6-8.MdC / Developing Claims and Using Evidence: Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting its limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.LC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging their strengths and limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.CV.2.6-8.MC / Civic and Political Institutions: Analyze the power and limits of governments, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and other countries.
SS.CV.3.6-8.LC, MdC, MC / Participation and Deliberation: Applying Civic Virtues and Democratic Principles: Compare the means by which individuals and groups change societies, promote the common good, and protect rights
SS.G.1.6-8.MdC / Geographic Representations: Spatial Views of the World: Use mapping and graphing to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.LC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.1.6-8.MC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
SS.H.2.6-8.LC / Perspectives: Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
Learning Objective: Conduct scholarly research and produce a project that evaluates the legacy of Ancient Greece in modern times.
Please complete the survey before proceeding to Update #6. This post-survey contains the same questions as the pre-survey in Update #1. The rationale behind taking the survey again is to assess your progress and learning mastery since the start of the module. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being "Strongly Disagree" and 5 being "Strongly Agree," rate your level of understanding regarding each of the following statements. The relationship between the data collected in the pre-survey and post-survey will be used to make future adjustments to the learning module. Click post-survey to open the link.
Comment: In the post-survey, you rated your understanding of each of the main topics outlined in this learning module. Briefly explain your major takeaways regarding some or all of these topics. Basically, what knowledge did you gain that you consider valuable, or what new findings have you uncovered through your particular learning path?
Create an Update / Peer Review Project Instructions: Create a project that evaluates the impact of Ancient Greece's legacy on the world today. The project should include three topics related to the civilization, which can be from this learning module and/or your own independent research. Your project should provide a comprehensive overview of each topic, examine the relevance of each topic within modern times, and evaluate how each topic is significant in the present.
Your topic choices include, but are not limited to the following:
Your project will be peer reviewed and undergo revisions prior to your final submission for a grade and publication to your Scholar profile page. The assignment criteria includes the following:
1) Concepts & Context: The project should provide available historical background information regarding each of the three chosen topics. Basically, discuss the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your topics. This information should come from researched primary and/or secondary sources.
2) Modern Applications: Discuss how Ancient Greece's legacy is relevant to modern times. Make connections between your three topics and current cultural values. Are there lessons to be learned from Ancient Greece that are applicable to your own life, or the lives of other members in society?
3) Evaluation: Create an argument that defends, challenges, or qualifies the impact of your three topics on Ancient Greece and present-day society. What are the benefits and drawbacks offered by your topics? Do your topics have a positive or negative impact on past and present society, or has it changed over time?
4) Communication & Creativity: The project can be presented in a variety of formats across the multimodal spectrum (essay, song, website, infographic, movie script, slide show, video, podcast, etc.) Regardless of format, the project should be logically organized and easy to follow for the reader/viewer. There is no required length- the goal of the assignment is to clearly and effectively communicate all criteria in the rubric.
5) Sourcing: Multiple sources should be utilized in the project. Use at least five sources total. Sources may be any combination of websites, articles, or media. All information should be clearly quoted and/or cited throughout the project transcript and/or referenced in the presentation.
Method: The teacher may want to give an opportunity at the beginning of class for students to have a face-to-face discussion regarding their Comments and Updates, and give any students the chance to make or seek clarifications about peer responses in the Community space. Additionally, this could be a time where the teacher responds to any questions from students about the previous update. Finally, students will read Update #6, fill out the post-survey, answer the comment, and complete the cumulative peer review project.
This post-survey contains the same questions as the pre-survey at the beginning of the learning module. Consequently, the data should be used to measure the learning progression of each student and the overall effectiveness of the learning module. The teacher can use the results to conduct necessary learning interventions, as well as make adjustments to the learning module for future implementations. However, the post-survey should be purely informational, and not assessed for a grade.
Once a student has demonstrated learning mastery, he/she will complete the Ancient Greece Legacy Project. The grade for the assessment could technically be counted as a summative, but the framework will be founded upon the pedagogical practices of recursive feedback and formative assessment.
Students will complete a first draft of their project that will be submitted for peer feedback. It is expected that students attempt to develop a finished version of their project, so that they can use the revision process to make edits, as opposed to simply completing it. All students will then complete peer reviews for two of their classmates' work. Students should view the entirety of the projects, and use the rubric with its criteria and level descriptors to make informed evaluations. Furthermore, students should leave comments that provide the rationale behind their ratings regarding each criteria. After students have received peer feedback, they will use the second rubric to review the quality of their reviewers' critiques, which will include comments elaborating upon their ratings. Finally, students can use the peer feedback to make revisions before submitting their projects for a grade and publication to their Scholar profile pages. The teacher may need to spend some time instructing students on how to give effective and meaningful feedback prior to starting the peer review process.
Pedagogy:
"Experiencing the Known & New:" The peer review project asks students to take their newfound knowledge of Ancient Greece (direct democracy, representative democracy, Athens, Sparta, Greek mythology, Alexander the Great, etc.) and determine how the legacy of the civilization impacts society in the present. Moreover, students will likely need to do additional research, in conjunction with their previous knowledge, to create the final project.
"Conceptualize by Naming & with Theory:" The key concepts have been defined throughout the learning module, and learners can use these concepts to research potential leads to new information. The peer review rubric helps students to conceptualize the components required for the final project.
"Analyzing Functionally & Critically:" The peer review process allows students to critique the work of their peers, and make recommendations for improving it. Students can then utilize peer feedback and thoughtfully implement it during the revision process.
"Applying Appropriately & Creatively:" Students may put a creative twist on this project and share the information in a variety of formats: essay, song, website, infographic, movie script, slide show, video, podcast, etc.
Learning Standards:
SS.IS.4.6-8.MC / Gathering and Evaluating Sources: Gather relevant information from credible sources and determine whether they support each other.
SS.IS.5.6-8.MdC / Developing Claims and Using Evidence: Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting its limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.LC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging their strengths and limitations.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MdC / Communicating Conclusions: Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.
SS.IS.6.6-8.MC / Communicating Conclusions: Present arguments and explanations that would appeal to audiences and venues outside the classroom using a variety of media.
SS.IS.7.6-8 / Critiquing Conclusions: Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others).
SS.CV.3.6-8.LC, MdC, MC / Participation and Deliberation: Applying Civic Virtues and Democratic Principles: Compare the means by which individuals and groups change societies, promote the common good, and protect rights.
SS.G.2.6-8.MdC / Human-Environment Interaction: Place, Regions, and Culture: Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.
SS.G.4.6-8.LC / Global Interconnections: Changing Spatial Patterns: Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.
SS.H.1.6-8.LC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.
SS.H.1.6-8.MdC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
SS.H.1.6-8.MC / Change, Continuity, and Context: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
SS.H.4.6-8.LC / Causation and Argumentation: Explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.
SS.H.4.6-8.MC / Causation and Argumentation: Organize applicable evidence into a coherent argument about the past.
Blake, J. (2012, October 7). Greek god rap [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71ywBHK6wQ
Caicedo, A. (2018). The Greek gods infographic poster [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://ac4174.myportfolio.com/the-greek-gods-infographic-poster
Education at Illinois. (2017, May 1). Categorical differences [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bn8v8xggPQ
Education at Illinois. (2017, May 24). Nation building and the dynamics of diversity [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxdaldVitkc
Eudaimonia. (2016, January 25). Alexander the Great: A very short introduction | Animated book summary [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFGevZ0aCPo&t=148s
HMH. (2019a). Alexander the Great's Empire, c. 323 BC [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.hmhco.com/content/hmof/social_studies/hmhss/na/gr6-8/ms_awc_ese_9780544674233_/#lesson01--alexander_builds_an_empire/
HMH. (2019b). Physical Map of Greece [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.hmhco.com/content/hmof/social_studies/hmhss/na/gr6-8/ms_awc_ese_9780544674233_/#lesson01--geography_shapes_greek_civilization/https://www.hmhco.com/rce/toc/
Horrible Histories. (2019, August 8). Horrible Histories - Historical wife swap | Compilation [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oial3aYTGoE
Illinois State Board of Education. (2017). Illinois learning standards for social science-6-8 [Infographic]. Isbe.net. https://www.isbe.net/Documents/ss-stds-6-8-012716.pdf
Kalantzis M., & Cope, B. (2016). Learner differences in theory and practice. Open Review of Educational Research, 3(1), 85-132. https://doi.org/10.1080/23265507.2016.1164616
Khan Academy. (2016, December 6). Overview of ancient Greece | World history | Khan Academy [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I114S4KiOn8
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (n.d.). The Ancient Greeks: Peloponnesian Strangers! [Digital image] Retrieved from http://www.glencoe.com/sites/california/student/socialstudies/assets/pdfs/dp6ign.pdf
Mitchell, F. (1984). Depiction of a Macedonian phalanx [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Makedonische_phalanx.png
TED-Ed. (2015, March 24). What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg [Video file]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fivQUlC7-8
WorldPost. (n.d.). Direct democracy vs. representative democracy [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.berggruen.org/the-worldpost/articles/weekend-roundup-italy-and-california-test-hybrid-democracy/