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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Describe how archeology and cultural anthropology play in documenting history.
• Apply strategies for “reading” an artifact.
• Collect and analyze ancient Greek artifacts.
• Break down the procedures for excavating artifacts from a virtual dig site.
• Analyze common themes and artistic styles in ancient Greece.
• Describe the characteristics of Greek art and architecture that reflect the history, values, and ideals.
• Write archeological statements about an artifact. 
• Create art that reflects ancient Greek history, values, and ideals. 
• Present original art to an audience. 

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Websites

Artifact Examples

Video

• Celia Ledón: Costume Designer

Teacher Background

Teachers should be familiar with the general study of and how archeological evidence is retrieved from ancient Greece.

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with the ways artifacts are excavated and interpreted, as well as an understanding of Greek values, ideals, and history. 

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies for the research and art-making process. Provide preferential seating for visual presentations and allow extra time for task completion.

Engage

1. Display or share the resources showing ancient Greek artifacts. Ask students to explore the artifacts and try to “decode” the meaning of the artifact. 

2. Select a few artifacts to display and discuss with students or use the examples listed below. Distribute the resource to facilitate discussion about the original purpose or use of the object: ; ; ; ; .

3. Take students on a virtual field trip. Share the resource . Tell students that Zominthos is a city in Crete, the largest of the Greek islands. Through the interactive students will be able to explore the history of Zominthos, excavation history, archeologist field notes, view special finds, and understand the daily life of the multidisciplinary team working in the area. 

4. Brainstorm a class list of themes found in ancient Greek artifacts. Throughout each period (Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenism), many themes remained while new ones were introduced. Ask students: What values, themes, or figures were present in the artifacts you explored? How does Greek sculpture portray emotion? How was nature reflected in art? What relationships existed between the gods and humans? How were their values reflected? What technologies were documented? What can be inferred about social interactions and class structures?

Build

1. Have students select two to three ancient Greek artifacts to research. Distribute the to students. Tell students they will locate an artifact and gather both important and interesting information about the pieces. 

2. Engage students in a discussion about the artifacts they researched. Ask students: What was an important part of Greek life? What did the artifacts tell you about the people? What artifacts were considered a luxury? How were the notions of order, balance, and symmetry demonstrated in Greek architecture?

3. Select one artifact to print. Once students have their prints, they will use their research to write an archeologist statement about the piece. They will write from the perspective of an archeologist in the field. Students can refer to the and for ideas. 

Apply

1. Create ancient Greek-inspired art. Tell students they will select one of the following art forms to present alongside the ancient artifact print and archeologist statement. Ensure all students have the appropriate materials for the activities. 

Ceramic: Create a jar, vase, pot, or bowl with ancient-Greek features. Add painted designs to the ceramic that reflect colors, themes, and shapes found in a specific period. 

Clay Sculpture: Create a sculpture representing a value, theme, or figure. Apply ancient Greek characteristics and features.  

Painted Tile: Paint a scene, event, or value found in ancient Greek artifacts. Use colors and shapes related to a specific period.

Fashion: Design a modern-day fashion piece (hat, dress, shoes, gown, pants, belt, jacket, bracelet, etc.) inspired by the art and history of ancient Greece. For example, paint designs on fabrics, sew a new piece, decorate a contemporary clothing item, draw a flat sketch, or use graphic design software to plan an idea. Note: If students choose the fashion option, they can learn how Celia Ledón: Costume Designer uses a range of materials to create dramatic designs.

2. Allow time for students to plan and work on their projects. Students should use their research, discussions, and the themes brainstormed to inform their work. 

3. Plan and design an exhibit called, “Then and Now: Archeological Dig Site.” Students will display their archeological prints and archeologist statements with their ancient Greek-inspired art.

Reflect 

1. Invite other classes and families to visit the exhibit. Students should be available to answer questions as an archeologist and as an artist. 

2. Assess students’ knowledge of ancient Greece and the way archeologists make sense of artifacts. Students can reflect in the form of an essay, written response, or oral presentation. Ask students: What can art tell you about life in ancient Greece? What skills and techniques are required to interpret and preserve ancient Greek artifacts?

Extend

1. Visit a local archeological dig. If an archeological dig is underway in the school area, consider scheduling a field trip to observe the processes of a dig, recover, and “read.” In some places, students can be active participants in the process.