Exploring Ancient Greece (2021)

Lesson 1
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ELA

Unit 6

2nd Grade

Lesson 1 of 23

Objective


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.

Readings and Materials


  • 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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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

Describe Athens and Sparta. What was similar about the two city-states? What was different?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • 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:

    • Paragraph 2, p. 14: What was the main topic of this paragraph?
    • Paragraph 3, p. 14: What was the main topic of this paragraph?
    • Paragraphs 4 and 5: What were the main topics of these paragraphs?
    • What is the picture on p. 15 of? What paragraph or idea about ancient Athens is it connected to?
  • 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?

Vocabulary


rule

v.

to govern over

citizen

n.

a person who is a member of a country because they were born there

rival

n.

a competitor

democracy

n.

a government in which people have the power, not a king

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Common Core Standards


  • 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.

Supporting Standards

L.2.1.f
RI.2.1
RI.2.5
RI.2.10
SL.2.1
SL.2.2

Next

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.

Lesson 2
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Lesson Map

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