Title Bar for "The Arts of Ancient Greece: Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries"

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Ancient Greece Unit Time Line

Day 1: Introductory Activities – Using modern artifacts and primary sources students develop connection between modern and ancient culture (See Attached)

WebQuest to develop historical background.

Day 2: Focus on dramatic tradition

- Talk about the use of theater and its purpose in Greek society, including religious connotation

- Show primary source materials such as vase paintings, architecture, etc.

- Talk about the fable, brainstorm about various fables, why we use them – read some traditional fables

- Work on the idea of dramatic adaptation (videos of different versions of fables or myths, Bugs Bunny, Hercules.

Day 3: Writing

- Students adapt a fable of choice to a playlet (Work in teams)

- Dialog, setting, costuming (Suggestion: A good place to reinforce geography and architecture component).

Day 4: Mask and emotion activity, making and performing in paper masks (including body movement component)

- Use as preparatory for studio activity – papier mache mask as costuming for dramatization.

Day5-13: Visual arts would continue with papier mache activity for 1-2 weeks including time to revise, proofread and publish dramas (use full writing process) rehearsals of dramas and session on clothing.

Day 14: Performance – video tape and photograph; have students review each play

Day 15: Return to idea of vases and show primary sources again. Final project introduction: classical vases portraying images from their own plays in collage (about 2-5 days depending on the project). This could be related to modern representation of drama (like movie posters, advertisement, etc.).

Final project should demonstrate an understanding of the art conventions of vase painting and can include components of setting, clothing (Including important architectural components)

Day 20: Complete project with reflection on process. Visual Art would include a critique.

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Last updated August 1, 2002.