Transcript Greece - It`s Not That Scary! Teacher Tips

Third Grade Social Studies
Greece: It’s Not That Scary
Marlo Mong
September 16, 2008
Teaching Greece…it’s not that scary
 SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the United States
of America.
a.
Identify the influence of Greek architecture (columns on the Parthenon, US Supreme Court
building), law, and the Olympic Games on the present.
b.
Explain the ancient Athenians’ idea that a community should choose its own leaders.
c.
Compare and contrast Athens as a direct democracy with the United States as a representative
democracy.
Think
Concrete
Ideas
•Olympics
•Architecture
Abstract
Ideas
•Law
•Democracy
•Direct
•Representative
Concrete Ideas
 Your students can make immediate connections to these
ideas!
• We borrow from others all the time.
– Engage students in an activity that discusses why we do this.
• We participate in the Olympics.
– Share background info about the ancient Games.
• http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/olympics/olympicorigins.shtml
• http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_658.pdf
– Compare ancient Olympics with modern Olympics.
• Why do we continue this tradition?
• http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pdf
• http://teacher.scholastic.com/ACTIVITIES/athens_games/modern.htm
• Have your own Olympics!
Concrete Ideas
• We build buildings like ones from ancient Athens
– Show pictures of the Parthenon and US Supreme Court.
• What do they have in common? COLUMNS!
– Explore buildings in your community that have columns.
• What is special about these buildings, the Supreme Court, other monuments in
Washington DC, and the Parthenon?
• Help students think about the kind of activities that would be done in these
buildings.
• Why is this important to students? Look within our own communities to see
the influence of others.
Concrete Ideas
– Vanishing Georgia
http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/vanga/html/vanga_homeframe_default.html
Athens, early 1900s.
University Chapel on
University of Georgia campus
Macon, ca. 1935. City Hall, located at
511 First St., was erected in 1836 by
the Monroe Railroad for use as a bank.
Over the years it has been used as a
warehouse, hospital, Georgia Capitol
toward end of Civil War. It has been
renovated several times. It has been
used as the City Hall since 1860. Its
architecture is Greek Revival.
Sandersville, before Feb. 13, 1921.
Masonic hall located on Haynes Street
at the southwest corner of the square
was built ca. 1855-1856. It was the
only public building spared from
burning by General William T.
Sherman during the Civil War. About
1909 the lower floor was utilized as the
public library begun by the
Transylvania Club. On Feb. 13, 1921
the structure was destroyed by fire and
about 7000 volumes in the library were
lost, too.
Identify the influence of these ideas on the present!
Accessing Vanishing Georgia
1. Use Galileo (http://www.galileo.usg.edu) …your media specialist has your password.
2. Click on Databases A-Z, then the letter V.
3. Vanishing Georgia is the first website that will pop-up!
Search by keyword, city, or county
Search results
Image and annotation
Enlarged image
Now…back to foundations of democracy!
• Teacher background knowledge – Students do not need to know this,
this is just background info to help teachers!
• Athenian democracy
– Demokratia = people-power
– “Citizens” of Athens were allowed to participate in government.
• A radical idea of the time
• Official and jurymen were selected by “lot” to serve on Council of
500 or participate in Assembly
– More fair manner of representation by ordinary people
– Elections were thought to be corrupted by the wealthy
– Members of the Council or Assembly voted directly on laws
– http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_03.sht
ml
Abstract Ideas
• We vote in order to make decisions about our government.
– Hold a mock election to make a decision about something
important to the class.
• Everyone has a chance to vote which is a direct democracy.
• We choose our own leaders.
– Discuss why we can’t all go to the Capitol in Washington, DC to vote
on all our laws.
– Explain we vote on a person who has the same beliefs and ideals
and are experts on what makes a good law to vote on laws for us.
• Because we choose someone to represent us, we are
a representative democracy.
Abstract Ideas
• We live in a democracy.
– Explain to students we have a voice in the laws our government
makes by voting on the right person to represent our beliefs.
• Our voice is heard most in making community laws.
– Help students decide what to do if their chosen representative
doesn’t listen to their voice.
• Choose another representative or run for office
• We have a government that shares powers.
– Teach about the three branches of government.
– Discuss what checks and balances mean.
• Why do we need these?
• How does this protect our voice?
Don’t Forget the Frameworks
• Remember…
• This unit is about the
foundations of democracy.
– We’re not expecting 3rd
graders to understand the
culture of ancient or modern
Greece.
• The Greece elements of the
standard need only a few days of
instruction.
• This unit is an introduction as to
how our government in the
United States operates.