Subject: history
Key stage: ks2
Year: year-4
Description: In this unit, pupils develop their understanding of historical significance whilst examining the legacy of ancient Greek civilisation. They build knowledge of various facets of ancient Greek civilisation: its philosophers, the Olympics, Athenian democracy, its language and architecture.
Why this, why now: This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of ancient Greek civilisation that they developed in the previous unit. Pupils' understanding of Athenian democracy is deepened and enriched, as is their knowledge of various aspects of ancient Greek society and culture. Due to the manner in which the Romans adopted many elements of Greek culture, this unit prepares pupils for future units on that civilisation. It also helps pupils to understand the desire of Muslim rulers of Baghdad to seek out and collect rescue knowledge from the Greek world in year 5 units about Baghdad.
Prior knowledge requirements: Pupils need to understand that some things from the past continue to have an influence in the present. Pupils should have a basic grasp that present societies and cultures choose which aspects of the past to remember and celebrate. Pupils need to have some knowledge of Ancient Greek culture and society.
National curriculum content: Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
Unit lessons: