Ancient Greece

History | UKS2 | Planning Overview

Introduction
In this unit about ancient Greece, children will gain an understanding of where and when some key events during the ancient Greek
period took place. They will explore what is meant by the terms ‘trade’, ‘civilisation’ and ‘empire’ and explore how, towards the end
of the ancient Greek period, Alexander the Great grew an empire resulting in the Greek civilisation spreading more widely. When
learning about daily life in ancient Greece, children will explore what life was like for different people who were enslaved during
ancient Greek times. They will then independently research and feed back on different elements of daily life in ancient Greece.
Children will also explore the differences between life in ancient Athens and ancient Sparta. They will learn about early democracy
in Athens and take part in a debate about life in Athens and Sparta. Children will use ancient Greek pottery as a primary source to
help them gather evidence about the ancient Greek Olympics and make comparisons between the ancient Games and the modern
Olympics. In addition to this, children will learn about the beliefs of the ancient Greeks, producing fact files about the Greek gods
and exploring the messages that the ancient Greeks may have taken from myths. Children will sequence a version of the Trojan
War and will explore historical evidence relating to whether there was any truth behind the myth. Studying ancient Greece will help
children to develop their questioning skills and make comparisons; learn to use historical sources and help them to understand
how past events have helped to shape the world that we know today.

Wider Learning
It may be possible for you to arrange
a visit for the class to a museum with
ancient Greek exhibits or to attend an
ancient Greek history workshop.
Home Learning
Greek Pottery Legacies of Ancient Greece
In this task, children produce a design for a In this task, children choose a legacy of
Greek pot that demonstrates their learning ancient Greece to research themselves
about life in ancient Greece. Once they and record their findings.
have drawn their design, they describe the
scene that they have drawn on their pot
and explain what information their design
provides about life in ancient Greece.

Assessment Statements
By the end of this unit...
...all children should be able to:
• talk simply about when and where ancient Greece
took place and about daily life there;
• explain, with some support, some of the effects
that Alexander the Great’s empire had on different
people;
• use primary and secondary sources, with support,
to gather information about the ancient Greek
period;
• begin to answer simple questions about
thereliability of the historical sources they use;
...most children will be able to:
• talk about when and where the ancient Greek period
took place and about what daily life was like, using
appropriate historical language
• explain the effects that Alexander the Great’s empire
had on different people;
• use primary and secondary source to gather
information about the ancient Greek period;
• consider the reliability of the historical sources they use;
• demonstrate a good understanding of what life was
• make some simple comparisons between life in
Athens and life in Sparta and, with support, take
part in a debate on which city state would be best
to live in;
• know that the Olympic Games is one example of a
legacy of ancient Greece and, with support, explain
what is meant by a ‘legacy’;
• name some Greek gods and give some basic
information about the beliefs of the ancient Greeks.
like in Athens and Sparta to help them take an active
part in a debate on which city would be best to live in;
• know that the Olympic Games is one example of a
legacy of ancient Greece, explain what is meant by
a ‘legacy’ and name some other legacies of ancient
Greece;
• talk about some Greek gods and the symbols and
stories associated with them, explaining what the
ancient Greeks believed and how they worshipped.

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...some children will be able to:
• use appropriate historical language to explain when
and where the ancient Greek period took place and
about what daily life was like, making links with
other civilisations covered;
• independently explain the effects that Alexander
the Great’s empire had on several different people;
History | UKS2 | Ancient Greece | Planning Overview
• ask their own questions about the reliability of the
historical sources they use;
• talk in detail about a range of Greek gods, their
symbols and the stories associated with them,
explaining confidently and independently about the
ancient Greeks’ beliefs and worship.
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Lesson Breakdown

1. Who Were the Ancient Greeks? Resources

Gain and deploy a historically Lesson Pack
grounded understanding of Standard School Equipment:
abstract terms such as ‘empire’,
• Scissors
‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and
‘peasantry’ in the context of • Glue sticks
learning about the organisation of
ancient Greece.
Know and understand significant
aspects of the history of the
wider world: the nature of ancient
civilisations; the expansion and
dissolution of empires in the
context of learning about ancient
Greece and how it relates to other
periods in history.
To explore some of the key events
during the ancient Greek period.

2. Daily Life in Ancient Greece Resources

Understand historical concepts Lesson Pack
such as continuity and change,
Standard School Equipment:
cause and consequence,
similarity, difference and • Whiteboards
significance, and use them • Internet access (optional)
to make connections, draw
• Non-fiction books about ancient
contrasts, analyse trends, frame
historically-valid questions and Greece (optional)
create their own structured
accounts, including written
narratives and analyses in the
context of exploring daily life in
ancient Greece.
To research aspects of daily life
and society in ancient Greece.

3. Athens and Sparta Resources

Gain and deploy a historically Lesson Pack
grounded understanding of
Standard School Equipment:
abstract terms such as ‘empire’,
‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and • Whiteboards
‘peasantry’ in the context of • Scissors
learning about democracy in
• Glue sticks
ancient Greece,
• Two large pots or buckets, labelled
Understand historical concepts
as ‘Athens’ and ‘Sparta’ (optional)
such as continuity and change,
cause and consequence, similarity, • Pebbles or cubes - one per child
difference and significance, and (optional)
use them to make connections,
draw contrasts, analyse trends,
frame historically-valid questions
and create their own structured
accounts, including written
narratives and analyses in the
context of comparing life in ancient
Athens to life in ancient Sparta.
To make connections and draw
contrasts between life in ancient
Athens and in ancient Sparta.
National Curriculum Aim Lesson Context Child Friendly

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Lesson Breakdown

4. The Olympics Resources

Understand the methods of Lesson Pack
historical enquiry, including how
Standard School Equipment:
evidence is used rigorously to
make historical claims in the • Whiteboards
context of examining evidence on • Scissors
ancient Greek pottery.
• Glue sticks
Understand historical concepts
such as continuity and change,
cause and consequence,
similarity, difference and
significance, and use them
to make connections, draw
contrasts, analyse trends, frame
historically-valid questions and
create their own structured
accounts, including written
narratives and analyses in the
context of comparing the ancient
Greek Olympics with the modern
Olympics.
To explore the Olympics in ancient
Greek times and consider the
similarities and differences
between the Olympic Games then
and now.

5. Greek Gods and Goddesses Resources

Know and understand significant Lesson Pack
aspects of the history of the
Standard School Equipment:
wider world: the nature of
an ancient civilisations; the • Whiteboards
expansion and dissolution of
empires; characteristic features
of past non-European societies;
achievements and follies of
mankind in the context of learning
about the beliefs of the ancient
Greeks.
To explore the beliefs of the
ancient Greeks.

6. The Trojan War Resources

Understand the methods of Lesson Pack
historical enquiry, including
how evidence is used rigorously
to make historical claims, and
discern how and why contrasting
arguments and interpretations of
the past have been constructed
in the context of exploring how
we know about ancient Greek
beliefs about the Trojan War and
exploring historical evidence
relating to if there is any truth
behind the myth.
To explore what the ancient Greeks
believed about the Trojan War and
how we know about their beliefs.

National Curriculum Aim Lesson Context Child Friendly

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