Sixth Grade Interdisciplinary Unit

More than two thousand years ago Greeks developed new ideas in art, literature, mathematics, science, sports, and architecture. Today we still study and use many of their ideas. During the next two weeks you will be learning about these ancient Greek  people and their contributions.

Welcome Click to return to top

The sixth grade at Portsmouth Middle School is involved during the spring with an interdisciplinary unit on the Ancient Greek Civilizations. As an introduction to this fun filled interdisciplinary unit the students are involved with an investigative task the first few weeks of school. Students research different aspects of the Greek culture and present a campaign to their peers. This campaign involves naming the two teams of approximately 200 grade six students. Each team name nomination is presented to the two separate teams and voted on by the students. This year Team Olympians consist of the students in Mrs. Hamilton's, Mr. Hubbard's, Mrs. Wilkins', Mr. Rafferty's and Mrs. Jones' classes. Mrs. Garland, Mrs. Marshall, Mr. Bolko, Mr. Young and Ms. Graham's students are Team Titans. These names were chosen by the students and are referred to all year.

For the next two weeks our entire sixth grade will embark on a new adventure that will take us back in time to the ancient Greek civilization. Each team of students will stay with their team and rotate to all four core teachers to learn different aspects of the ancient Greeks.  Mr. Hubbard, Mrs. Jones and Mr. Bolko  will teach geometry and how it relates to the ancient Greek Civilization. A string art activity will be a large focus of this class. Mr. Rafferty's class will research mythological figures and create colorful artwork to depict these figures. Mrs. Wilkins' class will delve into two art forms - dancing and pottery.  She will teach traditional Greek dances and students will create "pottery on paper" after researching ancient pottery from the ancient Greek civilizations. Mrs. Hamilton's class will read some well known and some not so well known myths. From these readings the students will write poetry in a variety of different forms. Mrs. Garland's class will also choose different forms of poetry and write about Greece, the Greeks or mythology.

Each sixth grade homeroom will be involved in creating a Greek frieze worthy of hanging in the Parthenon! These friezes will adorn our hallways and add to the beautiful Grecian columns that were created by last years' students. This ancient art will decorate our halls for many years to come during our Greek study.

We will adopt a block scheduling format during periods one and two for these two weeks of study. All teachers will teach math period three. Students will rotate between all the teachers on their teams. Our study is interdisciplinary and encompasses math, reading, language arts, social studies and science. During this two week time period, students will attend their regular fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh period classes.

This two week period is a time of exploring, creating and just plain fun!  We ask you to become involved by helping your children research Greek Gods, Geometry, Greek Dance and Greek Art. Use this web site to explore these different areas with your children so they can more fully benefit from this unit of study. There will be a culminating activity at the end of our unit in which parents will be invited to come to school with their children to view their wonderful creations!
 

Arts Click to return to top
 
 

There are interesting visuals from the University of Richmond of Greek pottery and a summary of each one that tells a better story of the history of Greek pottery. Each example has a picture, name, date, and brief description.

Greek pottery has great archaeological importance. The University of Pennsylvania Museum helps us learn about ancient Greek life as in: house furnishings, women's life, men's life including warfare, weapons, armor and use of chariots.

Darin Glatt discusses the shapes of Greek pottery and their uses. He also talks about making pottery in ancient Greece, about the clay, shapes and pot styles and descriptions.

K. Andrus Walck of the University of Colorado provides a wealth of information and illustrations on Greek Architecture. He divides this site into time periods, types of art and important archaeological sites.

Pictures of ancient Greek buildings may be found at Kevin Matthew's site from Artifice, Inc. You will also see the name of the architect, location, date, building type, construction system, style and summary of the building.

Mark Richards takes you on a stroll of  Greek architecture through the ages. You will learn about the style and structure of the ancient buildings enhanced with colorful pictures.

The Greeks created three important architectural styles that have continued to influence buildings across continents.  The Doric Style is simple, with thick sturdy columns and plain capitals.

The Ionic Style has thinner columns than the Doric, and its capitals are decorated with two swirls (volutes).

The Corinthian Style is the most ornate. It has elaborately decorated capitals (tops) with leaves. These columns were not widely used by the Greeks but became popular during Roman times.

If you look carefully around our Portsmouth community you may notice these architectural influences. Sites to check in Portsmouth would be Strawbery Banke.
 
 
 
 

Ian Swindale, an English teacher from Rethymno, Crete has a web site that tells the fascinating story of the Parthenon Marbles. We learn some history of the Parthenon and the story of the Scottish Lord Elgin who stole about half of the marble friezes and other sculptures from the Parthenon and had them shipped to England. Now, there is a raging debate on whether or not these sculptures should be returned to Greece. Amazing story!

Tulane University's web site gives us detailed descriptions of many ancient Greek structures. Each item is described in detail with a picture.

The J. Paul Getty Trust is an exhibition of photographs documenting ancient Greek sculpture and monuments.

Poetry Click here to return to top

For Mrs. Hamilton's poetry class you will be breaking into four groups and reading four different myths. Click on the titles below to get a preview of the myths.

1.  The Weaving Contest

                           The Story of Arachne & Minerva

2.The Trojan Horse

                              How The Greeks Won the War
 
 

3.The Golden Touch

                  The Story of Bacchus & King Midas

4.Lost At Sea

            The Story of Ceyx & Alcyone

After an all class discussion, students will write a poem(s) about their favorite myth(s). Below are the four different poem styles from which you will choose.
 

• "I'd Like to be..." - This poem begins with: "I'd like to be..."

                                  Every line begins with a captial letter.

                                  You may have as many lines between the first one and the
                                              last one as you wish.

                                             The poem ends with the same line it begins with: "I'd like to be..."

"I'd Like to be..."click here for student poems using this style.
 

•  "Go Inside" - Go inside a ________________________________________________

                         See its________________________like_________________________

                                   Perhaps you'll find__________________________________________

                                    _________________________________________________________

                         Perhaps___________________________________________________

"Go Inside..."click here for student poems using this style.
 

• Circle Poem -

                                   The second line begins with the last word or two words of the first line.

                                   The third line begins with the last word or two of the second line.

                                   This goes on and on until you get to the last line.

                                   The last line is written with several words from the very first line, thus,
                                    making your circle.

                                   This is a very creative poem and once you have your first line, the rest
                                    of the poem comes easily. Trust me!!

"Circle..."Click here for student poems using this style.
 

• Acrostic Poem -

                                    Begin by thinking of a key word in your myth.

                                    Write that word vertically on the left side of your page.

                                    Using the first letter in each line, you develop words for that line.

                                    Before you know it, you have a completed poem!

                                    Use a larger and, perhaps, different font for the first letter of each line.

"Acrostic..."Click here for student poems using this style.

Odysseus

I'd like to be a great, reputable warrior
Like the competent warrior
Who unshackled Athena from Troy,
From paying tolls crossing the massive Mediterranean Sea
By winning the war with the brilliant idea of a Trojan Horse
But, I would not want to be seized by the trojans
And live there for another decade like the great, reputable Odysseus
That's too long for me to stay away for home
I'd like to experience some of the things that Odysseus did.

By: A.G. Grade 6

Bacchus

I would like to be Bacchus.
To be strong enough to be immortal.
To be strong enough to summon wishes.
To turn a touch into a touch of gold.
To know where a spell removing river flows.
To live in the heavens above.
To be able to see mighty Zeus.
To have friends who are selfish and greedy.
I would like to be me.

By: S.M. Grade 6
 

The Trojan Horse

I'd like to have the soul of a soldier
I'd like to wear the shinning armor.

        Have Bravery
        Have Courage
        Have Faith

I'd like to fight for my country's life.
        My friend's life
            My life
    Most of all...My family's life.

I'd like to have the soul of a soldier.

by: M.H. Grade 6
 
 

The Golden Touch

Go inside a shiny yellow palace.
Discover the greed!
Be careful of wishes
Greed gets you nowhere
Greed makes you selfish
King Midas  - a prodigious old man
King Midas hospitable to Bacchus
Perhaps you'll find conceit
Perhaps you'll find courage!

by: R.S. Grade 6
 

LOST AT SEA

King Ceyx deported for a long sea voyage.

A long voyage to travel to the Oracle of Delphi.

Oracle of Delphi far away from his beloved wife Alcyone.

Alcyone worried about his voyage of two months.

Two months was so long...she wept.

She wept and dragged herself home and waited.

Waited for her husband's return.

Return for King Ceyx's ship.

King Ceyx's ship sailed upon the open sea.

The open sea waves revolted.

Revolted to cause a terrible crash that killed Ceyx.

Ceyx comes to Alcyone in a dream.

A dream that speaks of death.

Death of beloved Ceyx.

Beloved Ceyx floats into view.

Into view of Alcyone.

Alcyone flies above.

Above Ceyx...Alcyone gave Ceyx a kiss.

A kiss that awoke Ceyx.

Ceyx and Alcyone became birds and flew away.

by: J.P. Grade 6
 
 

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

"i WISH I HAD THE GOLDEN TOUCH"

THE GOLDEN TOUCH HE GOT

HE GOT GOLD WITH EVERYTHING HE TOUCHED

he touched his food and it turned to gold

gold was the food he tried to eat..couldn't..almost starved to death

death did not come to king midas

king midas was saved by bacchus

bacchus saved king midas from the golden touch
 

by h.g. grade 6
 
 

The Golden Touch

There once lived a king named King Midas
King Midas was a man of greed.

Greed left off to only one wish from Bacchus
Bacchus granted Midas's wish.

The wish was for a touch of gold,
A touch of gold was a wonderful gift.

A wonderful gift Midas loved
He loved so much he wanted more and more.

More and more he became hungry,
Hungry, he begged for Bacchus to take it back.

"Take it back?" said Bacchus, swim in the Pactolus River
The Pactolus River washed off the golden touch

The golden touch King Midas had no more,
No more would there be a golden touch.
 

by J.P. Grade 6
 
 

King with the golden touch
Instantly wanting more, although
Not poor
Greedy.

Man who loves golden nuggets
Indeed rich
Determined
Always wishing for more
Sobbing because his food turns to gold.

by K.F. Grade 6
 
 

A SPIDER
R EADY TO WEAVE
A RACHNE
C AUGHT IN HER WEB
H ANGING FOREVER
N OTHING  CAN CHANGE BEING
E NVIED BY MINERVA

     BY K.K. Grade 6
 
 

KING WITH THE GOLDEN TOUCH
INCREDIBLE POWER
NICE TO PEOPLE, YET
GREEDY.

MIGHTY
IN TROUBLE
DUMB, YET
ABSOLUTELY RICH
SPECIAL IN HIS OWN WAY.

BY E.L.
 
 

Mythology: Throughout this unit Mythological figures, heroes and the themes will be intertwined through poetry; art, class discussion and various writing activities.  Students will  have a better understanding of the significance of Greek mythology, art  of the Greek gods   that have been passed down through the generations. PJ Criss offer images and text through the art link.  Students will begin to recognize their favorite myths and how these myths have influences Greek literature, culture, and the arts. Online tours, lessons, and experiences will be explored throughout this interdisciplinary unit.
 

          Activities  Incorporating Mythology and Aspects of Ancient Greece

Poetry: The love of her native country has inspired  this site by Anna Mavromatis.  Here you will view messages of poetry and dance performances.	Daily Life:  A better understanding of the lives of ancient Greeks will be viewed and understood through the investigation of this site authored by University of Pennsylvania students.
Culture:  The Greek culture has had many contributions to the entire world. An in depth understanding of the Greek culture is within your reach through your discovery here. Within Geocities  historical features of the major cities of Greece can be explored  as well.	Olympics: Greece is famous for the birth of the Olympics. Students will study and witness many olympic activities from the ancient olympics. Students will have an opportunity to participate in a Portsmouth Middle School Grecian Olympics. The University Of Pennsylvania authored this  informative and exciting site.
Creative Writing:  An awareness and understanding of Greek civilization will enhance your learning of Greek Mythology and history.  Class discussions  and the understanding of many myths will be witnessed through students' writings.	Virtual Tours:  You have the opportunity to become a tourist in Athens, Greece.  Enter these sites and explore ancient ruins and fabulous photos by K.Glowack.

OLYMPICS Click here to return to top

Olympic Oath
"In the name of all competitors, I promise that we will take part in these Olympic games, respecting and abiding  by all the rules which govern them in the spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."

Formalities- Team Olympians will           compete against Team Titans.  All students are Olympic Athletes representing their respective team. There are five events.  Twenty five students will compete in each event.  Points will be scored for each event.  Total number of points for each event will determine Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal winners.	Event Number 2: Javelin Throw- Twenty five students will throw the nerf javelin.  The top three  distance throws will  earn  medals.  This event will be along the third base line on the softball field.	Event Number 4:  Wrestling is event 4.  This event will take some time.  It also will involve your imagination.  Five twister games will be set up in right field of the Little Field.  Five athletes will compete in each "wrestling" match.
Event Number 1: Long Jump- Twenty five students will participate from each team.  A  cumulative score of jumps will  be totaled.  There is a team score tallied.  This event will be along the first baseline of the softball field.	Event Number 3: Discus (Softball))  Twenty five students will participate from each team. The three longest throws from each team will be awarded medals. This event will  take place from home plate at the Little League field across from Portsmouth Middle School.	Event Number 5:  This event incorporates two running events.  The first event consists of running around the South Mill Pond. The top three runners from each team will receive medals.  The second event involves running with weights.  This was done in the first Olympics.  Students will partner up  and run a two legged race in a designated area along the Mill Pond.

This link provides directions for making designs with circles using a compass. The author is Suzanne Alexander. Circles By Suzanne Alejandre  Copyright© 1994-2000 The Math Forum	Cut out some geometric shapes, color them, and name them. Then compare the sizes of different shapes with fractions. Geometry and Fractions Copyright 1997-2001 by Cynthia Lanius
Read these lessons on the circumference, diameter, and radius of a circle. Then try the quiz questions. Circumference Mrs. Glosser's  Math Goodies (TM) Copyright 1998, Gisele Glosser. All rights reserved.	Test your knowledge of perimeter and area at this funbrain site.  Shape Surveyor. Copyright© 2000 The Learning Network Inc. All rights reserved

Examples of curves created with straight lines.  Curves By Richard and Donna Goldstein

Some information about string art and how to begin. String Art

Practice your knowledge of angles with your choice of games.  Angle  Games Copyright ©1998-2001 Quia Corporation

Choose a game to test your understanding of geometry vocabulary and concepts. Vocabulary Games Copyright ©1998-2001 Quia Corporation

See if you can guess the answers to these riddles using geometry vocabulary.  Geometry Jokes.

Find out about Aristotle, Thales, Euclid, Pythagoras, and other mathematicians. math or Thales

The Greeks looked for perfection in the world around them. Find out why they considered phi the perfect number. phi

Mathematicians from ancient times until today study the number pi. What makes pi so interesting? pi or 3.14

An important part of the Greek culture and history is their food. Along the coastline of Greece the soil was not very fertile, however, along the plains the soil was rich. Figs, olives and grapes were bountiful crops. Also, goats were raised to provide milk for cheese. Many recipes of Greece incorporate these foods of origin. Throughout this interdisciplinary unit food will be introduced and sampled. Team Olympians will share their knowledge of Greek Food at the annual Portsmouth Middle School Learning Fair in the Spring of 2001.

Explore these web pages to find out about the different types of garments worn in Greece over two thousand years ago.  Ancient clothing	Find out about the way men and women dressed and wore their hair in ancient Greece. Men and Women
See examples of the jewelry worn in ancient Greece.  jewelry	copyright © Add Information Systems Ltd.

Curriculum Standard #1:  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of government and how government is established and organized.

1. Explain why it is important for nations to work together to resolve problems.
2. Analyze how language, tradition, and other cultural elements shape people.
 
 

Curriculum Standard #10: Students will demonstrate the ability to use maps, mental maps, globes, and other graphic tools and acquire, process, report, and analyze geographic information.

1. Analyze how language, tradition, and other cultural elements shape peoples' perceptions and opinions about places and regions.
2. Define the major components of culture and write a description of their culture.
3. Identify and discuss, using historical and contemporary examples, connections between the location of human systems and natural resources.
4. Identify, using maps illustrations, photographs, and documents from different time periods, how land use in their community has changed and discuss reasons for these changes.
 
 

Curriculum Standard #16. Students will demonstrate the ability to employ historical analysis, interpretation, and comprehension to make reasoned judgments and to gain an understanding, perspective, and appreciation of history and its contemporary uses.

1. Locate events in time: past,, present, and future, by using basic chronological concepts including calendars, elapsed time, and story sequence (beginning, middle, end).
2. Interpret data presented in time lines in order to determine when events took place.
3. Identify and discuss the main ideas in historical narratives, their purpose, and the point of view from which they were constructed.
4. Examine historical data related to ideas, events, and people from a given time -frame in order to reconstruct a chronology and identify examples of cause and effect.
5. Demonstrate an understanding that people, artifacts, and documents represent links to the past and that they are sources of data from which historical accounts are constructed.
6. Examine historical documents, artifacts, and other materials and classify them as primary or secondary sources of historical data.
7. Understand the significance of the past to themselves and to society.
8. Display historical perspective by describing the past through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as related through their memories,
literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, maps, and artifacts.
9. Discuss the importance of individuals and groups that have made a difference in history, and the significance of character and actions for both good and ill.
10.  Recognize the difference between fact and conjecture and between evidence and assertion.
11. Frame useful questions in order to obtain, examine, organize, evaluate, and interpret historical information.
12. Demonstrate basic understanding of the origin, development, and distinctive characteristics of major ancient, classical, and agrarian civilizations including the Greek Civilizations.
13.   Discuss the connections among civilizations from earliest times as well as the continuing growth in interaction among the world's people including the impact of changes in transportation and communication.
 
 

Reading Curriculum Standard #1: Students will demonstrate the interest and ability to read age appropriate materials fluently, with understanding and appreciation.

1. Make and examine complex predictions to increase their level of understanding.
2. Go beyond the literal meaning and develop reasoned inferences and judgments, of texts identifying main ideas, supporting details, characters, mood, tone, internal and external conflicts, foreshadowing of events, turning point, suspense, subplots, and climax.
3. Understand that the standard meaning of words may be changed by the use of non-standard English, dialect, idioms, and specialized vocabulary.
4. Identify and use text structure and organization to enhance comprehension.
5. Identify and understand the use of a variety of types of figurative language including analogies, personification, hyperbole, and alliteration.
 

Writing Curriculum Standard #2: Students will demonstrate the interest and ability to write effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences.

1. Initiate creative, expository, narrative, persuasive, and practical writing for a variety of purposes and audiences.
2. Identify the topic to be addressed in a written work and employ an appropriate organizational pattern such as chronological order and comparison and contrast.
3. Construct, evaluate, and revise written reference based reports with documented sources.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the format and characteristics of various forms of writing including poetry.

Speaking, Listening, and Viewing Curriculum Standard #3: Students will demonstrate the interest and ability to speak purposefully and articulately, as well as listen and view attentively and critically.

1. Contribute to verbal discussions and interactions, using evidence to present, support, and defend their ideas and points of view.
 

Literature Curriculum Standard #4: Students will demonstrate competence in understanding, appreciating, interpreting, and critically analyzing classical and contemporary American and British literature as well as literary works translated into English.
 

English Language Uses Curriculum Standard #5: Students will demonstrate competence in using the interactive language processes or reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing, to gather and organize information in a variety of subject areas.

1. Access information from multiple sources and information retrieval systems and cite references appropriately.
 

Curriculum Standard #6: Students will demonstrate competence in using the interactive language processes of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing to communicate effectively.

1. Use figurative language including analogies, personification, hyperbole, and alliteration.
 

Curriculum Standard #7: Students will demonstrate competence in applying the interactive language processes of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing to succeed in educational, occupational, civic, social, and everyday settings.

1. Apply information derived from written, spoken, and multi-media materials to both everyday and school related problems and situations.
 
 

Portsmouth School District Language Proficiencies To Be Taught By Everyone

1. Generate questions before, during, and after reading to enhance understanding and recall.
2. Correctly spell commonly used words and applies rules of grammar and usage, (for example, verb tense, parts of speech, subject verb agreement) in their writing.
3. Use a variety of methods of written and oral expression.
4. Use new vocabulary acquired through reading and listening.
5. Express ideas clearly and concisely.
6. Use oral and written language to participate appropriately in social situations.
7. Write for different audiences.
8. Use writing as a tool for learning across the curriculum.
9. Express ideas and opinions using an expanding vocabulary.
10. Use language appropriate to the situation.
11. Use language as an aid to learning in all subject areas.
 
 

Curriculum Standard #1a: Students will use problem solving strategies to investigate and understand increasingly complex mathematical content.

1. Use problem solving approaches to investigate and understand mathematical content.
 

Curriculum Standard #1b: Students will use mathematical reasoning.

1. Use models, known facts, properties, and relationships to explain their thinking.
2. Explain conjectures, solution processes, and answers.
3. Appreciate the pervasive use and power of reasoning as a part of mathematics.
4. Show increasing ability to understand and apply reasoning processes and spatial reasoning (symmetry, reflections, motions in the plane, and identifying three-dimensional objects from two-dimensional drawings).
 

Curriculum Standard #2a: Students will communicate their understanding of mathematics.

1. Relate everyday language to mathematical language and symbols.
2. Discuss, illustrate, and write about mathematical concepts and relationships.
3. Use language to reflect on, clarify, and articulate thinking about mathematical ideas and situations.
4. Demonstrate mathematical communication through discussion, representation, reading, writing, listening, and responding, individually and in groups.
 

Curriculum Standard #2b: Students will recognize, develop, and explore mathematical connections.

1. Recognize relationships among different topics in mathematics.
2. Link concepts and procedures (for example, know when to use the formula for area of a geometric shape, and when to use the formula for perimeter).
 

Curriculum Standard #3c:  Students will compute.

1. Multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals.
2. Given a problem, select an appropriate computational technique to solve the problem and determine the reasonableness of the result.
 

Curriculum Standard #4a: Students will name, describe, model, classify, and compare geometric shapes and their properties with an emphasis on their wide applicability in human activities.

1. Explore discuss and describe properties of common two- and three- dimensional figures.
 

Curriculum Standard #4b: Students will develop spatial sense.

1. Explore transformational geometry through the use of slides, flips, and turns.
2. Explore classification of two- and three- dimensional figures based upon properties.
 

Curriculum Standard #4c: Students will develop an understanding of measurement and systems of measurement through experiences which enable them to use a variety of techniques, tools, and units of measurement to describe and analyze quantifiable phenomena.

1. Explore and discover formulas for finding area and volume.
2. Explore estimation strategies for finding area and volume.
 

Curriculum Standard #7a: Students will be able to use concepts about mathematical change in analyzing
patterns, graphs, and applied situations.

1. Explore sequences involving number and geometric patterns.
 
 

Web masters:  Kent Hubbard Deb Jones Alison Hamilton Questions or comments please e-mail us at: a.hamilton@portsmouth.k12.nh.us