Anthony F. Magaraci II
The unit provides students an opportunity to learn ancient Greek history by discovering how warfare influenced culture. Teachers present students with correlations between Greek art depicting warfare and the development of culture. Students also learn how people's thoughts and actions contributed to the unique conditions found within a particular civilization, and how these people expressed their life experiences related to warfare. Students also learn about ancient Greek traditions through mythology in relation to human conflict. Accompanying this portion of the unit is an examination of the influences Greek culture has had upon contemporary society, especially in the areas of science, math, architecture, medicine, philosophy, and government.
Students have the opportunity to become active participants throughout the entire unit. A number of activities, such as role-plays and simulations are incorporated in an attempt to further student comprehension of the historical content presented. These activities also serve to recreate the societal conditions found in the ancient Greek city-states. Students will be challenged by the prospect of having to construct value judgments when they can acquire a sense of personal awareness.
