Postcards from the Ancient World Project

A Greek vase.

Introduction: Ancient Greece is seen by many as one of the most influential civilizations the world has ever seen. Nearly everywhere you go in the world today you will see, hear, taste or participate in something that first developed in the Greek world.

Objective: In this project, you will:

• Examine the cultural characteristics of Ancient Greece
• Compare these cultural characteristics with the modern world (especially Chicago and the U.S.)
• Practice writing a thesis
• Practice visual and written communication methods

Ultimately, you will create a postcard to explain your journey to the class and to compare the modern world with the past.

Tasks: Each student will:

• Research a specific aspect of Greek civilization
• Compare this ancient information with the same topic in modern life
• Create a post card (following the example provided) with at least two images on the front and text description on the back. This could be created using a computer program or using the handout provided.

Products:

• Research Evidence: 2-source annotated bibliographies (one ancient, one modern) (30 point project) (Introduced Thursday)
• Synthesis of Evidence: Post card containing images and text which explain the influence of Ancient Greece on modern life OR compare life in Greece to modern life (following the example format) (50 point project)

Part 1: The Time Machine

Each student will take a virtual trip back in time to Ancient Greece. In order to take this “trip,” we will use the The British Museum's online database.

On the museum's site, you'll find a list of topics on the left hand side of the page. These include:

• Two cities (Athens and Sparta)
• One downtown area (The Acropolis in Athens)
• Daily Life
• Festivals & Games
• Religion
• War

Choose one topic. You will use this topic to complete today's research session. The assignment is worth 30 points -- make sure you keep a close eye on where you are earning points!

1. Create a new Word document. Save the document under the appropriate period for in the Y:\Ramin World Geography folder. Save your document as "Your Last Name - Your Topic Name." (2 points)
2. Put your heading at the top of your page. Title the assignment "Ancient Greece Research." (1 point)
3. Record your topic. Summarize the information on the introductory page for your topic (3 points).
4. Click on the Story link on your page. What is the main idea of this page? (2 points)
5. Go through the Story page. Record 5 specific facts about your topic (5 points).
6. Click on the Explore link. What is the main idea of this page? (2 points)
7. Go through the Explore page. Record at least 5 specific facts about your topic (5 points).
8. Click on the Challenge page. Describe what is required of you in the challenge (2 points).
9. Play through the challenge. Summarize what you learned from this activity (5 points).
10. OPTIONAL: Look through the rest of the site. If you have time, explore the different links. Choose at least one other topic which interests you and explain your response.