Ancient Greece Unit Study with Books, Activities, and Videos

I did this Ancient Greece study with my boys a couple of years ago when they were in 2nd and 4th grade.  It is really a myth-focused study rather than history-focused, but I found it to be a great introduction to the stories and literature of ancient Greece.Earlier this month I realized that even through we spent an entire school year on ancient Greece, I hadn’t posted our study or much about it at all.  I checked out so many books from the library attempting to determine the best books for the stories.  My kids really enjoyed our year in ancient Greece.  Because it has been a couple years, some of the video links no longer work.  I’ve attempted to find new ones if I remember what the video was supposed to be.  Also, I had my kids watch some documentaries about ancient Greece at the end of the year, but I didn’t write down the video names at the time.

The study is listed chronologically, but there were times where we deviated from the order because a library book wasn’t available at the moment we came to the book in our list.  Sometimes we had to substitute a book because the library book I had chosen was lost and no longer in their system.

1. Locate Greece on the map
2. Ancient World pg 20-23
3. Watch End of Minoan Civilization video on Youtube (sorry link is no longer working).
4. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – In the Beginning and Pandora’s Box pg 9-14
   
5. Ancient World pg 24-27
6. Mycenaean buildings video on Youtube (sorry link is no longer working)
7. Watch Mycenaeans- Homer, archaeology, Troy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5VTmNK9o80
8. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Persephone and the Pomegranate Seeds pg 15-20
9. Watch Waif of Persephone http://vimeo.com/7965460
   
10. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Echo and Narcissus pg 21-25
11. Watch Echo and Narcissus video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztn9tH20dP4
12. Wings by Jane Yolen and Dennis Nolan – story of Icarus and Daedalus (the man who invented the labyrinth for Minotaur)
13. Watch The Storyteller Greek Myths Daedalus and Icarus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yp_igX-sDs
14. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Arachne the Spinner pg 32-35
15. Watch Arachne http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW3Bbav7w4A
16. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – King Midas pg 36-40
    
17. Watch King Midas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM9ZriTXZPcand The Golden Touch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1CmVmslJ1818 min total
18. Perseus by Warwick Hutton – picture book mythology (Medusa’s head, Andromeda, and King Polydectes)
19. Wathc Storyteller Greek Myths – Perseus and Gorgon http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqh0zs_the-storyteller-greek-myths-perseus-the-gorgon_school
20. Pegasus, the Flying Horse by Yolen
    
21. The Twelve Labors Of Hercules by Riordan and Balit.  Story book with pictures.
22. Watch The Labors of Heracles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPJBovmveOA
23. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Apollo and Daphne pg 60-61
24. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xTtoX9e6447 min
25. Watch Storyteller Greek Myths – Theseus and the

    Minotaur http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqh152_the-storyteller-greek-myths-theseus-and-the-minautor_school
26. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Jason and the Golden Fleece pg 66-70
27. Watch Jason and the Argonauts 1963 version
    
28. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths – Orpheus and Eurydice pg 71-74
29. Watch The Storyteller Greek Myths Orpheus and Eurydice http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqh16c_the-storyteller-greek-myths-orpheus-and-eurydice_school
30. The Race of the Golden Apples by Claire Martin
31. Watch Atalanta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-77_cVnmUQ
32. Read Aesop’s Fables for Children –  The Wolf and the Kid through Belling the Cat
33. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ by Rosemary Sutcliff– The Golden Apple pg 6-13
34. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Eagle and the Jackdaw through The Fox and the Grapes
    
35. Watch The Country Cousin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTUElAXvKFI
36. Watch The Fox and the Grapes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op6_4e0mMN0
37. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Ship-Gathering and Quarrel with the High King pg 14-22
38. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Bundle of Sticks through The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
39. Watch Peter and the Wolf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siWFe7FXo7Y
40. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Single Combat pg 23-33
41. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Gnat and the Bull through The Lion and the Ass
42. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – The Women of Troy and The High King’s
    

    Embassy pg 34-46

43. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Frogs who wished for a king through The Boys and the Frogs
44. Watch the Rat and the Elephant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__Fcesevso (sorry, no longer working)
45. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – The Horses of King Rhesus and Red Rain pg 47-56
46. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Crow and the Pitcher through The Ass and the Load of Salt
    
47. Watch the Grasshopper and the Ants http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM1DgihKHVI
48. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Battle for the Ships and the Armour of Achilles pg 57-68
49. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Lion and the Gnat through The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
50. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Vengeance for Patroclus and Funeral Games pg 69-78
51. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat through The Fox and the Stork
    
52. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Ransom  for Hector and the Luck of Troy pg 79-91
53. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Travelers and the Sea through The Wolf and the Lean Dog
54. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Warrior Women and The Death of Achilles pg 92-103
55. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Fox and the Lion through The Wolf and the Ass
56. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – Poisoned Arrow pg 104-108
57. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Monkey and the Cat through The Fox and the Leopard
58. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ – The Wooden Horse pg 109-117
59. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Heron through The Mule
    
60. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ –The Fall of Troy pg 118-125
61. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Fox and the Goat through The Farmer and His Sons
62. Watch Helen of Troy
63. Make Trojan Horse pinata (see post about this art activity)
64. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Two Pots – The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
65. Watch Goose Golden Egg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-sEKSMT5w
66. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey – The Cyclops  – 17
67. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Spendthrift and the Swallow – Mercury and the Woodman
68. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey The Lord of the Winds – The Enchantress
69. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Frog and the Mouse – The Eagle and the Beatle
    
70. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey  The Land of the Dead – Sea Perils
71. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Old Lion and the Fox – The Goatherd and the Goat
72. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey Telemachus Seeks his Father – Farewell to Calypso
73. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Miser – The Fox without a Tail
74. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey The King’s Daughter – Phaeacian Games
    
75. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Mischievous Dog – The Fox and the Pheasants
76. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey  – Return to Ithaca – The Beggar in the Corner
77. Aesop’s Fables for Children – Two Travelers and a Bear – The Eagle and the Kite
78. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey  – The Archery Contest – The Slaying of the Suitors
79. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Stag, the Sheep, and the Wolf – The Bees, the Wasp, and the Hornet
    
80. Watch Bill Cosby’s Aesop’s Fables http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jON9jB6KPws25 minutes
81. The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey Peace in the Islands – end
82. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Lark and Her Young Ones – The Ant and the Dove
83. Watch the Fox and the Crow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYx5Uw6TWiQ
84. Watch the Ant and the Dove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-1MQij1bK8
85. Odysseus And The Cyclops by Warwick Hutton – picture book on Odysseus and Cyclops
    
86. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Man and the Satyr – The Lion’s Share
87. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths  – Freedom for Prometheus
88. Aesop’s Fables for Children – The Mole and His Mother – The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle
89. Ancient World pg 50-55
90. Life in a Greek Temple by Shuter
91. Watch Secrets of the Parthenon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLCW0zKR4xk
92. Make Parthenon out of rice krispie treats and cookies (this one worked for a few minutes until it

    started falling apart!

    
93. Watch documentary about ancient Greece
94. How Would You Survive as an Ancient Greek? By MacDonald
    
95. You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Slave in Ancient Greece! By MacDonald
96. Watch documentary about ancient Greece
97. How to Be an Ancient Greek Athlete by Morley
98. The Spartan Hoplites by Park and Love
99. Watch The 300 Spartans
100. Ancient World pg 56-57
101. Alexander: The Boy Soldier Who Conquered the World by Adams
102. Watch Alexander the Great documentary
103. The Life of Alexander the Great by Nicholas Saunders
104. Decisive Battles of the Ancient World of Greek battles (Gaugamela, Marathon, Thermopylae)
105. Complete timeline