Learning about ancient Greece can support a better understanding of the development of civilization. In fact, the ancient Greeks laid much of the groundwork for our modern society. For example, democracy, philosophy, and theater all came from this ancient civilization.
Below, you will find 20 ancient Greece activities to keep your middle school students engaged in this fascinating historical topic.
1. Compare the Modern & Ancient Olympics
The Olympics is a key feature of ancient Greek culture that our modern society still participates in today. Teach your students about the customs and traditions of the original Olympics and have them compare these to the present-day Olympics.
Learn More: Kids Discover
2. Politics & Pottery
Arts and crafts activities can be a great way to get your students excited to learn about ancient cultures. Teach your students about ostracon (i.e., pottery pieces used for writing by the ancient Greeks). Better yet, get them to create their own ostracon.
Learn More: Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
3. Learn the Ancient Greek Alphabet
What's better than writing random greek letters on pottery? Actually understanding what you are writing. You can teach your students about the history and significance of the greek alphabet while also teaching them how to read and translate.
Learn More: Elephango
4. Ancient Greek Mask
Ancient Greece literally set the first stage for entertainment in the theater scene. Therefore, learning about ancient Greek theater is an essential part of understanding their culture. Students can make their own comedic or tragic theater masks in this fun, hands-on activity.
Learn More: Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
5. Create a Spider Map
Spider maps can be a great way for students to learn and connect different concepts to each other for any classroom topic. Students can make a spider map about ancient Greece's politics, religion, or economics using this website's digital option.
Learn More: Storyboard That
6. Project Passport: Ancient Greece
If you are looking for a complete lesson plan on ancient Greece, look no further. This set includes over 50 engaging activities for your middle school kids. Learn about everyday life, philosophy, Hellenistic culture, and more.
Learn More: Home School in the Woods
7. Read "D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths"
What captivated me the most when I was in middle school and learning about ancient Greece was reading about Greek mythology characters. The myths will certainly entertain and possibly even inspire your students.
Learn More: Homeschool Connections
8. Greek Mythology Allusions
Does "Achilles heel", "cupid", or "nemesis" ring a bell? These are allusions that were derived from ancient Greek times. Your students can study and present their favorite Greek allusions to the class.
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9. Create an Advertisement for a Greek Invention
Did you know that the alarm clock and odometer were invented in ancient Greece? It could be a fun activity to have your students choose one of the various Greek inventions and create an advertisement.
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10. Scrapbook: Ancient Greece Timeline
It can be a challenge for students to remember the dates of historical events. Creating a timeline could be an effective strategy for your students to improve their memory of when and how the events of this ancient civilization played out.
Learn More: Homeschool in the Woods
11. Read "Groovy Greeks"
If you want to add some humor to your classroom, you could try this amusing read. Your students will learn the more strange and unconventional aspects of ancient greek life, such as the reason why doctors tasted their patients' ear wax.
Learn More: Best Homeschool Resources
12. Read "The Life and Times of Alexander the Great"
No ancient Greece unit is complete without learning about Alexander the Great. This short novel provides an engaging biography of the revolutionary Greek man.
Learn More: Good Reads
13. Write About a Historical Greek Topic
Sometimes reading students' writing is the best way to assess their knowledge about a topic. You can use these pre-made writing prompts about ancient Greece city-states (polis) and literary or theatrical works.
Learn More: School History
14. Science Experiment
Ancient Greece is not only for social studies and history classes. You can learn about the ancient Greek scientist, Archimedes, when learning about buoyancy and surface tension. Explore these physical properties through this artistic science experiment.
Learn More: Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
15. Watch "The Greeks"
Need an easy, low-prep activity option? Watching documentaries are among my favorite things to do inside and outside of the classroom. This National Geographic series on the wonders of ancient Greece is a great option to both captivate and educate your students.
Learn More: PBS Learning Media
16. Create a City State
City-states, or polis, are an essential feature of ancient Greek civilization. Students can create their own city-state using the G.R.A.P.E.S mnemonic to learn about geography, religion, achievements, politics, economy, and social structure.
Learn More: The Colorado Classroom
17. Put on a Play
One of the best ways to learn about ancient Greek mythology is to act it out! This team-building activity can be completed as a whole class or in smaller groups, depending on the chosen play. Hercules is my personal favorite greek mythology figure.
Learn More: Drama Notebook
18. Create a Greek Chorus
Not a chorus as in the main part of a song. The ancient Greek chorus was a group of people who narrated background information to the audience. Get your students into groups to create a greek chorus for an everyday task, like brushing your teeth.
Learn More: Theatrefolk
19. Play Ancient Greece Style Go Fish
Do your students like Go Fish? Maybe they would enjoy the ancient Greece-style version. This is a fun review activity to refresh your students' knowledge about the people, artifacts, and traditions of this ancient civilization.
Learn More: Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
20. Watch "A day in the life of an ancient Greek architect"
Watch this short 5-minute video about the Greek architect responsible for designing the famous Parthenon. You can find other educational videos about ancient Greece and other ancient civilizations on Ted-Ed.
Learn More: Ted Ed
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