Early Greeks and Other Civilizations
Who we now call Greeks did not always live in Greece. As a matter of fact they first lived to the Northeast of Greece. As I picture them they were mostly scholars sitting around discussing philosophical ideas and logic. They were not. Earlier Greeks were shepherds. Roaming Europe for better pastures and fields for their flocks was the pastime. Finally, they found a beautiful country that was occupied by the Aegeans. This new place was beautiful with sun all year, mild temperatures, and plenty grass for their flocks.
Since the Aegeans currently lived there then to gain the land an uncivilized tribe had to conquer it to settle there. Holding onto this wonderful, beautiful, and plentiful valleys’ proved to be a task. Other tribes wanted them for themselves. Stronger tribes took over the weaker ones and the defeated tribes left. Much time passed before they became Greeks. First they were called Hellenes and the new territory was known as Hellas.
Ancient Greece Group Mapping Activity
Provide a world map. Have one child find modern day Greece. Locate the land to the northeast. What is it called today? How far was it from modern Greece? What did travel look like? How long would travel take them?
Use this group activity time to discuss the various aspects of the Ancient Greece migration into the Aegean territory. Allow each child the chance to locate Greece and take part in the discussion. As you work on mapping skills include the strategic location of the fertile valleys, and how they would be able to hold onto the fields they wanted for their flocks.
In addition to this have each child make a map of their own. Hand each child a map, brown paper is fun and looks aged. A good place to look for large paper bags is a grocery store. If not, use brown paper or construction paper.
Early Greece Hands-On Activity
Activity 1: Dress up as Early Greeks/ shepherds. Pretend to roam the region looking for fields. Sticks can be used as staffs, and stuffed animals make great pretend sheep. In addition to this have each child pretend to herd sheep.
Next, using recycling and a lot of imagination have kids make weapons. Research what weapons would look like and add in a youtube video. This gives them several ideas. Ingenuity is fun to see unravel as they each figure out what they want to make and how to make it. I supply my kids with old bottles, tape, paint, paintbrushes and popsicle sticks.
In the past my kids have used legos, blocks, and other things to build walls, towers and other props needed to finish a project. Ancient Greece history is full of architecture. Legos’ open the door to many options of hands on projects.
Homeschool History Archaeology Discovery
Best of all we get to archaeology. Using many ways to learn gives each child a chance to learn they way best for them. Also, sometimes in this you get to dig in dirt. My kids loved it when they were little and I made dinosaur feet from coffee grounds and buried them. All day they spent digging in the sand pile. But, at the end of the day they discovered dinosaur feet of several dino’s!
All of this to say have fun with the lessons and even the older kids will enjoy learning with their younger siblings. I have been a longtime enthusiast of the one room schoolhouse. We do as much together as a family as possible. There are very few subjects that are high school specific where we do individual learning. For me, the whole point of educating together is so that we learn about how to interact with many age groups. School lessons can be added or subtracted for older or younger learners. I love learning alongside of my children.
First, take them on a virtual tour of modern day Greece. The experience is great and they will see how beautiful it is, and why the land was worth obtaining for the shepherds. At the end, have them write a paper or dictate a paper to you on the contrast between Modern Greece and Ancient Greece.
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