Third Grade Social Studies Greece: It

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Third Grade Social StudiesGreece Its Not That
ScaryMarlo MongSeptember 16, 2008
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Teaching Greeceits not that scary

• SS3H1 The student will explain the political
  roots of our modern democracy in the United
  States of America.
• Identify the influence of Greek architecture
  (Parthenon, US Supreme Court building), law, and
  the Olympic Games on the present.
• Explain the ancient Athenians idea that a
  community should choose its own leaders.
• Compare and contrast Athens as a direct democracy
  with the United States as a representative
  democracy.

Think
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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/olympicor
  igins.shtml
• http//multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_658.pd
  f
• Compare ancient Olympics with modern Olympics.
• Why do we continue this tradition?
• http//multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_668.pd
  f
• http//teacher.scholastic.com/ACTIVITIES/athens_ga
  mes/modern.htm
• Have your own Olympics!

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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.

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Concrete Ideas

• Vanishing Georgia
• http//dlg.galileo.usg.edu/vanga/html/vanga_homefr
  ame_default.html

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.
Athens, early 1900s. University Chapel on
University of Georgia campus
Identify the influence of these ideas on the
present!
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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!

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Search by keyword, city, or county
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Search results
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Image and annotation
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Enlarged image
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Nowback 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/greekd
  emocracy_03.shtml

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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 cant 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.

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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 doesnt 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?

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Dont Forget the Frameworks

• Remember
• This unit is about the foundations of democracy.
• Were 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.