Curriculum / ELA / 2nd Grade / Alternate Unit 6: Exploring Ancient Greece / Lesson 1
ELA
Alternate Unit 6
2nd Grade
Lesson 1 of 23
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Describe Athens and Sparta and what was similar and different about the two city-states by identifying the main focus of specific paragraphs within a text.
Book: Ancient Greece and the Olympics: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce — Chapter 1
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved
Describe Athens and Sparta. What was similar about the two city-states? What was different?
An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.
Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
How does the illustration on pp. 12-13 help a reader better understand life in ancient Greece?
Read the heading "Athens." What do you think the main topic of this section will be? How do you know?
After reading ALL of the section "Athens" aloud, ask the following prompting questions. Consider Thinking Aloud to model for students how to determine the main topic:
Read the heading "Sparta." What do you think the main topic of this section will be? How do you know?
What was the main topic of the section "Sparta?"
How does the map on pp. 18-19 help a reader better understand Athens and Sparta? Why?
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
rule
v.
to govern over
citizen
n.
a person who is a member of a country because they were born there
rival
a competitor
democracy
a government in which people have the power, not a king
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RI.2.2 — Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
RI.2.7 — Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.2.1.f — Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences (e.g., The boy watched the movie; The little boy watched the movie; The action movie was watched by the little boy).
RI.2.1 — Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.5 — Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
RI.2.10 — By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2—3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
SL.2.1 — Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.2.2 — Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
Lesson 2
RI.2.2 RI.2.7
Identify and explain the evidence an author uses to support the idea that “religion was a big part of Greek life” by identifying and describing how reasons support particular points the author makes in a text.
RI.2.2 RI.2.7 RI.2.8
Describe two gods and what made them unique by identifying and explaining details the author includes to support the main points in a text.
RI.2.2 RI.2.6 RI.2.9
RI.2.2 RI.2.6 RI.2.7
Writing
Argue which god or goddess is the most powerful by using details from the texts about their personality, actions, and relationship with others.
RI.2.2 W.2.1 W.2.8
Analyze the evidence the author includes to support the statement, “The ancient Greeks had busy lives,” by identifying and describing how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
Explain how ancient Greeks loved learning, fun, and beauty by identifying and describing how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
RI.2.2 RI.2.8
Analyze how the evidence from Growing Up in Ancient Greece builds on information from Ancient Greece and the Olympics by comparing the most important information presented by two texts on the same topic.
RI.2.2 RI.2.8 RI.2.9
Explain what life was like in ancient Greece by writing an informational text with a strong introduction, details from the text, and a conclusion.
RI.2.2 SL.2.1 W.2.2 W.2.8
Explain the statement, “The ancient Greeks left gifts for the whole world to enjoy,” by identifying and describing how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
Project
Using information from the video and book, recreate a Greek vase to show a detailed illustration of life in ancient Greece.
RI.2.7 SL.2.5
Explain how and why the Olympics became the most popular festival in Greece by identifying the main topic and details within a text.
Defend if the Olympics were important to everyone in ancient Greece by identifying the reasons an author states to support a point.
RI.2.2 RI.2.6 RI.2.7 RI.2.8
Describe two different Olympic events by identifying the main focus of specific paragraphs and the key details within them.
Argue which event in the Ancient Olympics was the most difficult by using details from the text.
W.2.1 W.2.8
Explain why the author says, “When the winners returned home, they were greeted like heroes,” by analyzing and describing how reasons from the entire text support specific points the author makes in a text.
Using information from the unit, recreate a Greek vase to show a detailed illustration of an Olympic event.
Defend if the Olympic Games of today are exactly the same as the early Olympic Games by explaining the reasons an author gives to support a point in a text.
RI.2.8
Discussion
Debate and discuss unit Essential Questions by stating a claim and supporting it with evidence from the entire unit.
L.2.6 SL.2.1 SL.2.2 SL.2.6 W.2.2
Writing – 3 days
Research and present on a specific aspect of ancient Greek society.
RI.2.10 SL.2.3 SL.2.5 SL.2.6 W.2.2 W.2.5 W.2.7 W.2.8
Assessment
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