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Shakespeare’s ancient influences

As a student of Latin and Ancient Greek, William Shakespeare was deeply influenced by the language and culture of the ancient world. This lesson looks at some language, forms and conventions of his plays and explores their origins.

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Plato & morality

A bust of PlatoWhy do humans behave themselves… or not! Discover Plato’s thoughts as he recounts the Tale of Gyges and the Ring of Invisibility. Students can then debate some modern day ethical dilemmas to explore human motivation and behaviour in a familiar context.

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Music in the ancient world

A mosaic of a Roman water organ and its playerWhat was music like in Ancient times? What instruments were available and in what settings was music played? Find out, explore the science of music and then make your own syrinx.

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The Greek gods

A statue of the goddess AthenaInvestigate the main Greek gods and goddesses, their specialist areas and their symbols. Finish up by making and playing a Greek Gods memory card game.

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The meaning of myth

A painting of PandoraWhy do cultures, including the Ancient Greeks, create myths? In this lesson, we consider three key motivators behind mythology. Then, using our inderstanding of these, students go on to create their own oral myth.

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Homer & epic poetry

A statue of an ancient Greek warriorDiscover the fascinating tales of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the foundational stories of Western literature. Explore the characters in the tales and make a set of Epic Top Trumps.

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The Greek alphabet

Greek letering on papyrusThe Greek alphabet is the ancestor of the alphabet we use today. Learn to read it and write with it.

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The Olympics

A black figure vase depicting ancient Greek runnersHow were the original Olympic Games different from the modern ones? Play a class game, listen hard and try to work out what’s true and what’s false. And when you’ve done that, explore some of the roots of Olympic vocabulary.

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Word roots worksheet

Myths through clay

A trinket dish in the stylised shape of a woman's smiling faceThe myths of Athena, Persephone and Poseidon provide the stimulus three easy clay projects: a pot adored with an owl, an imaginative sea creature and a beautiful trinket dish. Student worksheets below give a myth overview and full step-by-step details for each clay project.

Athena’s owl pot

Poseidon’s sea creature

Persephone dish

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