By Grade 5 Lead Teacher Aaron Fischlowitz-Roberts
As part of our study of ancient Greece, Grade 5 students compared what life was like in the two largest city-states, Athens and Sparta in a spirited debate format.
Students worked together in small groups to prepare their arguments for which city-state was a better place to live.
A new feature of our debates had students dressing up as someone from Athens or Sparta, complete with props and signs, which added an extra element of excitement during the debates.
Social studies in the Grade 5 begin with a study of prehistory and moves to ancient civilizations. Through an examination of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece, our students explore the defining characteristics of a civilization and the impact of geography on the development of a civilization. An additional focus is the idea of historical legacy, how civilizations have influenced one another and how those influences remain alive today.