Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary related to the study of Ancient Greece.
Students will preview the terms and definitions and use whole class or small group discussion to demonstrate their understanding of each meaning. Then, they will create a spider map of 3-5 terms at the teacher's discretion. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
acropolis: the hill above a Greek city on which temples were built
agora: a marketplace in ancient Greece
assembly: a group of citizens in an ancient Greek democracy with the power to pass laws
Athens: current capital of Greece and the ancient Greek city-state that is considered the birthplace of democracy
chiton: a type of clothing worn by the Greeks made from a single piece of cloth with a belt at the waist
city-state: also called polis, an early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government
democracy: a form of government where citizens have a say in how they are ruled including choosing their leaders and deciding on laws
drachma: a silver coin that was a form of currency in ancient Greece. One of the earliest known currencies
ephors: five leaders in Sparta who were chosen annually to oversee the Spartan kings.
helots: the majority of the people in Sparta, they were slaves without any rights, who served the aristocracy of Sparta
hoplite: citizen-soldiers of ancient Greek city-states
Macedonia: a region in northern ancient Greece and home to Greek kings Philip II and Alexander the Great
oligarchy: a type of government where the power is held by a few people
Olympics: an athletic event held by the ancient Greeks every four years
Peloponnese: a large peninsula located in southern Greece where the Greek city-states of Sparta, Argos, and Corinth were located
stadion: the original Olympic event, the stadion was a running race that is the equivalent to the modern 200m dash. The word stadium, or stadion in ancient Greek, referred to the measurement of distance as well as the place where the race was held.
titans: in Greek mythology, the Titans were the first Greek gods and were giants. They were overthrown by their children, the Olympians who ruled afterwards led by Zeus
trireme: a type of boat used by ancient Greeks (as well as Phoenicians and Romans) with three rows of oars on each side
tyrant: the ruler of a Greek city-state, a tyrant was like a king with absolute power. In today’s meaning, it describes a ruler who abuses their power and is unjust
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that defines and illustrates key terms from ancient Greece.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Must have 3 terms, correct definitions and appropriate illustrations for each that demonstrate your understanding of the words.