Topic: Athenian democracy

Author of the script: Katarzyna Kuczyńska

Target group

5th grade student of elementary school

Core curriculum

I. Ancient civilizations. Student:

2. locates civilizations of ancient Greece in time and space

3. characterizes the structure of society and the belief system in (...) Greece, (...) explains the difference between polytheism and monotheism;

4. locates in time and knows various systems of governance and organization of society in (...) Pericles of Athens;

5. characterizes the most important achievements of the material and spiritual culture of the ancient world in various fields: philosophy, science, law, architecture, art, literature;

The general aim of education

Student gets to know the rules of Atenian democracy.

Key competences

• communicating in a foreign language;

• communicating in the mother tongue;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Learning outcomes

Student:

• talks about the principles of Athenian democracy;

• explains the notion of political exclusion (understands the process of excluding groups of people from the democratic order);

• relates the principles of democracy to school realities.

Methods/techniques

• programmed methods: using e‑textbook;

• problematic and activating methods: discussion, developing questions, preparing and presenting roleplays;

• practical methods: working with text, text exercises;

• exposing methods: elements of a lecture, explanation of concepts.

Forms of work

• collective activity;

• activity in groups;

• individual activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/ felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• multimedia material with Pericles' speech or printed text of the speech.

Before classes

Students read the sections of the e‑textbook entitled “Ancient Greece” and “Athenian Democracy”.

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

1. The teacher determines the purpose of the classes. He/she gives the students the criteria for success.

2. At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher, using a map from the e‑textbook, asks the students about the location of ancient Greece in space and time. The teacher may use questions from Instruction 1, paying special attention to the location of Athens.

Realization

1. Students hear/ read the fragment of Pericles' speech (Instruction 2). The teacher divides the students into four groups, each of which prepares, based on Pericles' speech, a rolepaly entitled “Living in Athens of Pericles”. Each group prepares scenes for the following areas of life:
   (a) decision making;
   (b) dispute resolution;
   (c) gaining respect and regard;
   (d) service to the Homeland.
   Then the students present their roleplays to the whole class.

2. The teacher asks the students to look at the illustration in the “Athenian democracy” section. Then, the teacher opens a discussion on the role and functioning of Athenian democracy. Students fulfill Instruction 3. The teacher confronts the students' reading experiences with their interpretation of Pericles' speech: Did something surprise them? Was democracy in the Pericles’ times the democracy “for all”? What do you think if citizens were judged for their virtues, actions and merits, why was it decided that women and slaves could not be citizens? The teacher may introduce the concept of political exclusion by referring to a situation when a group of people is considered worse and, on this basis, denied the right for political action (determining the fate of the community). Depending on the capabilities of the group, the question may be asked as to whether contemporary democracies exclude certain groups of people.

3. The teacher continues with the topic of Athenian democracy, drawing attention to the requirement of interviewing candidates for officials. Together, the students write down the requirements that were placed on the candidates for officials. The teacher asks them if the list seems sufficient to them; whether they think that the examination is a better process for selecting officials than the drawing of lots.

4. Using Instruction 4, the teacher transfers the discussion from the ancient form of democracy to school democracy. Is everyone equal in the school community or are any groups excluded from the right to decide about themselves and the fate of the school? How do you gain respect and resolve disputes? Are people dedicated to their “school homeland” valued? Students in groups develop questions to be heard by the candidate for the head of the class self‑government, the treasurer, the guardian of the school self‑government, etc. Depending on the capabilities of the group, students may create a staging of such an interview.

Summary

At the end of the lesson, the teacher and the students summarize the information gained during the lesson. They perform together or individually (if each student has access to a computer/tablet) Exercise 1 - completing the text. The teacher recalls the 7 wonders of the ancient world, 2 of which (the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Great Pyramid of Giza) have already been presented to the students, and, as a homework, he/she asks the students to look at the interactive map.

Summary of the most important contents of the lesson

1. Presentation and discussion of the principles of Athenian democracy.

2. Indication of the exclusionary nature of Athenian democracy - showing the phenomenon of political exclusion.

3. Recognition of democratic and undemocratic principles in the functioning of the school community.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Athenian democracy

Greece (Hellas) is a country located in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. Its inhabitants, the Hellenes, had a sense of cultural community. Still, they did not establish a single state, but a few hundred city‑states called poleis (sing. polis). Athens was a major Greek polis. Democracy or the rule of the people was developed there. In this system of government, decisions are taken by casting votes. All citizens could vote. However, only men born in Athens were citizens. Athens enjoyed its golden age under Pericles.