Ancient Greece Lesson Plans

Lesson One: Be the Archaeologist

I. General Information:
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Discipline: Social Studies/History
Unit Topic: Ancient Greece
Time Frame: One 60 minute class period
Text: The Ancient Greeks by Allison Lassieur
Other Materials:
Anchor text The Ancient Greeks
Computer and projector
Sentence strips and markers
Six shallow trays
Sand and/or dirt
Six color copies of the pictures from History of the
World in 1,000 Objects (one set for each tray).
At least six copies of the book History of the World in
1,000 Objects
Twenty-four mini brushes
Twenty-four forceps/tweezers
Six copies of the poster board chart
II. Standards/Indicators:
SS.5.0.2: Analyze the emergence and enduring influence of
Aegean Civilizations.
RH.6-8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to
domains related to history/social studies.
RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts.
WHST.6-8.10: Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time

frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of

discipline specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

III. Lesson Objectives:

The students will be able to use at least two new vocabulary
words while speaking and writing in order to gain and extend
content knowledge.
The students will be able to identify at least one artifact
related to Greek civilizations.
The students will be able to explain orally and/or in writing
how at least one of the artifacts was used by the Ancient
Greeks
IV. Procedures:
Introduction:
The students will watch the two minute video
Introduction to PBS series The Greeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6i6JBIbuyc
Teaching/Activities:
1)
2)

3)
4)

Students will partner read pages 5 9 in the

anchor text, The Ancient Greeks.
The teacher will teach six vocabulary words
found in the text Acropolis, Parthenon,
democracy, city-states, archaeologists, and
excavate.
The teacher will write each word on a sentence
strip and add them to the Ancient Greece
bulletin board.
The teacher will focus on archaeologists and
excavate.

5)
6)

7)

8)

9)
10)

11)
12)
13)

The teacher will explain that they only reason

we know about Ancient Greece is because
archaeologists excavated artifacts.
The teacher will tell the students that today
they will be archaeologists in Greece and will be
excavating seven different artifacts that
represent Ancient Greek life.
The teacher will divide the class into groups of
four. Each group will go to their excavation
site where they will find a shallow tray filled
with sand. (The teacher has hidden the pictures
in the sand ahead of time.), mini-brushes, and
forceps/tweezers.
The teacher will have the students gently brush
the sand away as they search for the artifacts.
They will use forceps/tweezers to remove the
arifacts and place them on the side.
When all artifacts have been discovered, each
group will take their artifacts and return to their
desks.
The teacher will pass out a copy of the poster
board chart to each group. The teacher will
explain each column. The first column is where
they glue their artifacts. The second column is
where they record what they think the artifacts
were for, and the third column is where they will
record what the artifacts were actually for.
The teacher will have the students fill out the
first two columns together in class first.
The students will discuss in their groups as the
teacher moves among the groups to listen and
offer assistance as needed.
After all of the groups have completed the first
two columns, the teacher will pass out copies of
History of the World in 1,000 Objects. The
students will use this book to find the artifacts
and record what they were actually used for in
the third column.

14)
15)

Then in groups, students will discuss why the

items are important.
Then, individually, each student will choose
which artifact they feel is most important to
Greek life. They will explain why by supplying
reason and facts. Below grade level students
need at least 1 reason, On grade level students
need at least 2 reasons, and Above grade level
students need at least 3 reasons.

Closure: Studnets will share with a partner which

artifact they chose. They will start by using the vocabulary
words As an archaeologist I excavated ___________. I feel
that this artifact is important to Ancient Greek life because
______________.
VI. Evaluation/Assessment:
Assessment of Objectives
The summative assessment will be based on their group
chart, their group discussions, and their individual written
explanation.

Item
We excavated

What We Think It
Was For

What It Actually
Was For