The wonders of ancient Greece came to life for children at Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate to mark the end of their long exploration of civilisation.
Year 5 pupils and teachers took part in a special Greek day and marked the occasion by dressing up as their favorite god or mortal, with characters ranging from Cyclops to Zeus seen in and around the school.
They also acted out their favorite myths and legends, tasted and rated Greek cuisine and tried their hand at traditional Greek dancing.
It was a lively and enthusiastic ending to the subject of Gods and Mortals that began with a Greek-inspired Olympic Games after the children studied the origins and heritage of the sports that emerged at Olympia. They also made connections to its influence on the Western world and the modern Olympic Games.
Throughout their history learning, they learned about ancient Greek government and the idea of democracy – where it began in ancient Athens, where issues were discussed and then voted on. They also compared this to the idea of democracy in today’s Western world.
The wonderful myths and legends were a great favorite and were linked to the specific English text of The Adventures of Odysseus. They explored a series of stories about Perseus, Pandora and Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur and discussed their influence on life in ancient Greece and how these stories were passed down through time. They also looked at people’s beliefs, their views on the afterlife and how this affected the way they lived their daily lives.
They also studied a series of architectural structures such as the Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian, thinking about why they were built and the influence they had on modern architecture. They also created their own traditional-style clay pots and designed and made elaborate mechanical models.
In addition to exploring the past to celebrate and discover the nation’s culture and heritage, the subject has been integrated into the school curriculum to encourage students to delve deeper into the subject and provide a comprehensive educational exploration of ancient Greece.
