Students learn about the two great rivals of ancient Greece—the city-states of Athens and Sparta. They compare and contrast the two and explain which city-state they would rather belong to and why. Finally, each student chooses the role of a young Athenian or Spartan and writes imaginatively about their way of life.

Objectives:

• Describe the social, political, and economic nature of Sparta and Athens.
• Compare the city-states of Athens and Sparta.

Scene 1 — Engage

Student Activity

Students are introduced to the historical rivalry between Athens and Sparta and connect it to familiar real or fictional rivalries. They respond in a class table by naming a rivalry they know, then post on a collaborative wall explaining possible positive sides of rivalries, such as benefits of competition or teamwork.

Teacher Moves

Clarify the meaning of “rivalry” as a competitive relationship between opposing sides. Lead a discussion of student posts, highlighting ideas about how rivalries can have both negative and positive effects, and prepare students to apply this concept to Athens and Sparta.

Scene 2 — Explore 1

Student Activity

Students examine images of Athens, including the Acropolis, and read background text describing Athens as a powerful, culturally influential democratic city-state. Using the article Athens, they complete a graphic organizer with notes on places and buildings, forms of government, women, education, and citizenship in ancient Athens. They then answer multiple-choice questions about Athena’s importance to Athenians, the Acropolis, and who held voting rights.

Teacher Moves

Emphasize key features of Athenian life as students take notes, prompting them to connect details about government, education, and citizenship to the idea of democracy. Use student responses to the questions to check understanding of Athenian religion, civic structures, and who counted as a citizen.

Scene 3 — Explore 2

Student Activity

Students view images of Sparta and read an introduction explaining Sparta’s strong military focus. They watch This Is Sparta: Fierce Warriors of the Ancient World and read Ancient Greek City-State of Sparta, using a graphic organizer to record information about education and military training, social classes, Spartan women, government, and key historical events. They then respond to two polls selecting words that best describe Spartans and the lives of non-citizen males in Sparta.

Teacher Moves

Guide students to notice contrasts between Spartan and Athenian society as they complete the organizer, especially around military training, social structure, and the roles of women. Use poll results to spark brief discussion about Spartan toughness and the dangers faced by non-citizen males, and point interested students to the additional readings listed in the Student Pack.

Scene 4 — Explain

Student Activity

Students read a short explanation of the Peloponnesian War and how Athens and Sparta used different military strengths. They then complete a three-part Venn diagram comparing and contrasting Athens and Sparta, identifying unique and shared characteristics. Next, they post on a class wall explaining whether they would rather be an Athenian or a Spartan, using evidence from the experience, and respond to at least two classmates with questions, differing viewpoints, or positive comments.

Teacher Moves

Discuss student entries in the Venn diagram, acknowledging a range of valid comparisons beyond the sample answers. Facilitate the class wall discussion by prompting students to support their preferences with specific evidence and by encouraging respectful dialogue and follow-up questions in peer responses.

Scene 5 — Elaborate

Student Activity

Students choose to imagine themselves as a young person in either ancient Athens or ancient Sparta and write a letter to a friend describing their daily life. In the letter, they include what they like and dislike about their situation, drawing on evidence from the lesson to describe social roles, education, and opportunities in their chosen city-state.

Teacher Moves

Review student letters and select interesting or exemplary responses representing both Athens and Sparta to share with the class. Use these examples to prompt discussion about how life experiences would differ between the two city-states.

Scene 6 — Evaluate

Student Activity

Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.

Teacher Moves

Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.

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