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This book examines the progress of literacy in ancient Greece from its origins in the eighth century to the fourth century B.C.E., when the major cultural institutions of Athens became totally dependent on alphabetic literacy. By introducing new evidence and re-evaluating the older evidence, Robb demonstrates that early Greek literacy can be understood only in terms of the rich oral culture that immediately preceded it, one that was dominated by the oral performance of epical verse, or "Homer." Only gradually did literate practices supersede oral habits and the oral way of life, forging alliances which now seem both bizarre and fascinating, but which were eminently successful, contributing to the "miracle" of Greece. In this book new light is brought to early Greek ethics, the rise of written law, the emergence of philosophy, and the final dominance of the Athenian philosophical schools in higher education. ... Read more

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Genius
This author is one of the smartest people I have ever come into contact with. For insight into ancient Greek culture look no further than Professor Robb. ... Read more

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A retelling of Greek mythology and ancient history as recommended for home schoolers and for the Waldorf curriculum, classes 5-6 (ages 10-12).

This welcome new edition of Charles Kovacs’ classic work Greece: Mythology and History contains legendary stories of mythical heroes and historic figures from the dawn of western civilization. Through the fearless deeds of Heracles, Theseus and Odysseus to the Golden Age of Athens and the conquests of Alexander the Great, the narrative vividly portrays our journey from the mysteries of antiquity to the birth of modern medicine, science and philosophy. ... Read more

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Music Education: Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today is an anthology of thematically organized essays that illustrate why music education has been valued by cultures and societies from ancient times to the present. Writings by societal leaders – civic, political, royal, religious, education, intellectual – present views from many historical and current points of view. The third edition has been expanded to include such topics as feminism, diversity, cognitive psychology and the No Child Left Behind Act. This edition also includes writings about music education in countries on every continent. The global view of music education makes this book timely in a world of cultural fusion.

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The Gymnasium of Virtue is the first book devoted exclusively to the study of education in ancient Sparta, covering the period from the sixth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. Nigel Kennell refutes the popular notion that classical Spartan education was a conservative amalgam of 'primitive' customs not found elsewhere in Greece. He argues instead that later political and cultural movements made the system appear to be more distinctive than it actually had been, as a means of asserting Sparta's claim to be a unique society.

Using epigraphical, literary, and archaeological evidence, Kennell describes the development of all aspects of Spartan education, including the age-grade system and physical contests that were integral to the system. He shows that Spartan education reached its apogee in the early Roman Empire, when Spartans sought to distinguish themselves from other Greeks. He attributes many of the changes instituted later in the period to one person—the philosopher Sphaerus the Borysthenite, who was an adviser to the revolutionary king Cleomenes III in the third century B.C. ... Read more

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Good Academic Study of The History of the Agoge
This is an excellent book about the Spartan system of educating young men (The Agoge).It looks at the way the Agoge existed in the Roman period and then traces it back through the Hellenistic period to the Archaic period.It has great coverage of the various rituals such as the Endurance contest. Occasionally, it becomes weighted down with discussion of details such as the names given to Spartan age groups.This is however within the scope of the book.It was not written so much for a general reader, though it can be read by one, but rather for someone with some knowledge of Spartan history.Overall, it is well researched and documented.Kennell reaches interesting conclusions about the Agoge's ties to society and religion. ... Read more

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In a masterful study Carl Richard explores how the Greek and Roman classics became enshrined in American antebellum culture. For the first time, knowledge of the classics extended beyond aristocratic males to the middle class, women, African Americans, and frontier settlers.

The classics shaped how Americans interpreted developments around them. The example of Athens allowed politicians of the democratic age to espouse classical knowledge without seeming elitist. The Industrial Revolution produced a backlash against utilitarianism that centered on the classics. Plato and other ancients had a profound influence on the American romantics who created the first national literature, and pious Christians in an age of religious fervor managed to reconcile their faith with the literature of a pagan culture. The classics supplied both sides of the slavery debate with their chief rhetorical tools: the Aristotelian defense of slavery to Southern slaveholders and the concept of natural law to the Northern abolitionists.

The Civil War led to a radical alteration of the educational system in a way that steadily eroded the preeminence of the classics. They would never regain the profound influence they held in the antebellum era.

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Introduces the places, people, historical events, myths, culture, and philosophy of ancient Greece. Includes forty hands-on activities, such as making aaaan early Greek theater, building an Ionic temple, and pressing olives for oil. ... Read more

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Good activities...sloppy history. Don't let the errors go uncorrected!
On the positive side, this book suggests some fun activities, like making your own Minoan-style fresco or Trojan horse. The authors also present some good discussion questions for the classroom, e.g., how has the concept of heroism changed over the last 3000 years?

But this is supposed to be a history book, too, and on that count, the book has serious problems. Things get off to a bad start right away. Who were the ancient Greeks? According to the authors, they were "people from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa who met and mingled in the Greek islands." (p.8) What about the Indo Europeans who brought the Greek language (and other traditions) to the islands? They aren't mentioned here.

Later, the authors describe the ancient Greek language this way:

"Early Greek was a lively mix of Hebrew (now spoken in Israel, Turkish (spoken in Turkey), Arabic (spoken on the Arabian peninsula), and other languages now lost in time."

Yes, they really do say that on page 40. That's probably the most wacko statement in the book. But there are other questionable claims.

* On Minoan social life: "The art and artifacts from the time of the Minoans reveal that their culture was one of the least sexist ever. Men were free to be gentle as well as powerful..." p.21 (Reality: Kids might well wonder how this could be established from a few frescos and pots.)

* The palace complex as Knossos in Crete "seems to include a mysterious labyrinth..." p.24 (Reality: There is no maze in the palace. But some have suggested that the intricate floor plan of the palace may have given rise to the myth of a labyrinth.)


* Ancient Greek clothing was simple. "Quality material draped on the human body was all they needed to look their best." p.69. (Reality: Check out any history of ancient fashions)

* The ancient Greeks wore togas. (p.9) (Reality: The toga was a distinctive, 6-meter long garment worn by ancient Romans. Not Greeks.)

* Among other staples, the ancient Greeks ate "corn." You might think the authors are using the word "corn" in the British sense, i.e., "the seed of any cereal plant, including barley or wheat." But it's pretty clear that the authors are using the American definition of corn (i.e., "maize"), because "corn" appears in a list--"barley, wheat, millet, lentils, corn" p. 70.

I've got more (e.g., some mixed-up claims about origins of the words "barbarian" and "earth."). But let's end with something more important. The authors present this "puzzle of history" for the reader to ponder:

"You are a historian. Trusted archaeologists have found the following clues about the Minoans:

* The island of Crete has earthquakes

* Earthquakes sound like powerful bulls

* Bulls were sacred symbols to the Minoans.

Now, what do you think an earthquake meant to the Minoans? Remember, nobody knows for sure--so your educated guess is as good as anyone's!" p. 24

I don't know about you, but I hate this. The implication is that modern-day scholars depend on Monty Python-like reasoning to make claims about the past.

The bottom line? I like many of the activities. I appreciate some of the "social studies" questions the authors have posed to the reader. But the history is sloppy. If the publishers respect history--and our kids' capacity for critical thinking--they need to run their manuscripts by a fact-checker before they go to print. The "Kaleidoscope Kids" series includes some truly outstanding books--e.g., Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test (Kaleidoscope Kids). This volume isn't in that league.

Activities for teachers to use in their unit on Greece
When I was in the sixth grade we moved twice, and in all three of the schools from New Jersey to Connecticut to Japan I got to study Ancient Greece in the history part of the class.I also got a lot of mileage out of having read Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" (I still have my mythology report with my versions of all of the illustrations).But in all the times I got to study Ancient Greece before, during, and after the sixth grade I never got to do any of the fun stuff that Avery Hart & Paul Mantell come up with for "Ancient Greece!: 40 Hands-On Activities to Experience This Wondrous Age."

This Kaleidoscope Kids volume for kids ages 7-12 not only offers activities but also a variety of information about the Ancient Greeks.So this is not simply a book of activities that teachers can pick and choose from to give their students hands-on experiences, it is also a source of facts and stories that will supplement what exists in whatever textbook is being used.Throughout the book there are "Great Greeks!" and things to "Think About."After reminding young readers of the gifts that have come down to us from Ancient Greece, Hart and Mantell get students acclimated to the idea of looking at the past from the perspective of those who lived way back when.Then the book looks at key periods of Greek history.

"Meet the Minoans: The Pre-Greeks of Crete" looks at the culture that gave rise to the greatness of Greece with activities to make a Greek yo-yo, a Great Mother figure, a Hamster Labyrinth (without the Minotaur), and a fantastic fresco.That gives you an indication of the sort of activities to be found in this book before we even get to Greece itself.Other chapters are devoted to "The Age of Heroes," where you get a super-short version of "The Iliad" and can build a Trojan Horse, "Language Unites!" (including speaking "Pig Greek"), "The Dawn of a Golden Age," where you can organize a pentathlon and make a victory wreath, and "Ye Gods! Greek Religion and Mythology," where you can design your own constellation.

In the last part of the book chapters cover "Classical Athens: The Flower of Ancient Civilization," where you get to build a Greek Temple with Ionic columns (or even build the entire Parthenon), "Think For Yourself: Philosophy," where students can make a monochord or hold a symposium, and "The Amazing Arts," which covers create sculptures and painting pots in the first part and making masks to make up a Greek play in the second part.The final chapter covers "A Wider World: Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age," where you can start a library.At the end, students can appreciate how being a Greek meant standing in the center of the world (as least, as far as the Ancient Greeks were concerned).

Again, there are some key issues to be discussed to go along with the activities.Students can debate what is the difference between a hero and a celebrity, understand why every vote counts in a democracy, and decide what makes somebody beautiful.Learning how to press olives or how huge blocks of marble were transported across the sea, gives students an appreciation for how things were different way back when.Throughout the book Hart and Mantell show how ancient ideas live on in modern traditions, which remains the biggest legacy of the Ancient Greeks.

I teach Classical Greek & Roman Mythology (not to be confused with Modern Greek & Roman Mythology apparently) but I teach it online so I do not really have any opportunities to have my students engage in hands-on activities.But that does not mean I cannot do them in the privacy of my own home or that elementary school teachers will not find these extremely useful for their unit on Ancient Greece.Although I am suddenly reminded of coming up with the "Sparthens" (a.k.a. the warriors with the brains) in elementary school.But that is another story. ... Read more

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This book offers students a complete overview of key writings on music education, from the ancient Greeks to contemporary American thought (with the emphasis on writings from the last 100 years). Designed to complements the standard music pedagogy course, the selections range from Plato's Republic through William Billing's writings on Colonial American Music Education through today's advocacy for music education. In five sections, each part of the book is introduced by a brief essay giving an overview of the material covered and information placing it within the critical context of its day. Individual articles are also prefaced with informative headnotes. ... Read more

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Music Education:Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today
This is an excellent history of music.It could be more complete; however; I found it to be very useful in the music classes, in the Humanities classes, and the Education classes that I teach at the college level. ... Read more

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Combining teacher notes, historical information, high-quality reproducible activity pages and detailed drawings, Ancient Greece brings this ancient civilization to life in your classroom. Subjects covered include geography, agriculture, domestic life, culture and society, religion and so much more! Many hands-on activities included. Grades 4 to 7.

Also in this series are Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome, both for grades 4 to 7. ... Read more

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Bilingualism and Multiculturalism in Greek Education investigates the factors affecting language maintenance/shift among second-generation Albanian and Egyptian migrant pupils in Athens. Using a combined quantitative and qualitative methodology, it explores the influence of three sets of variables on language maintenance. These are a) ethnolinguistic vitality, defined by the demography, status and institutional support of each group in Greece, as well as migrant and Greek pupils perceptions regarding these factors; b) migrant parents attitudes to language maintenance and their role in language transmission in the home; and c) the attitudes of teachers and the institutional approaches of mainstream Greek education to linguistic and cultural diversity. Results indicate that: knowledge of Greek is common among today s children of Albanian and Egyptian immigrants and preference for that language is dominant; bilingualism varies slightly between Albanian and Egyptian second-generation pupils with Egyptians being more dominant in the parental language, due to their higher degree of identification with their ethnic group in comparison to the Albanian pupils; the school context plays a significant role in the ability of second-generation youths to achieve and maintain bilingual fluency. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: G. E. Stechert; Publication date: 1911; Subjects: Education, Greek; Education / General; Education / History; History / General; History / Ancient / Greece; History / Europe / Greece; ... Read more

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Ancient Greece is one of the units in the new Cambridge Primary History series, which covers the Study Units identified by the revised national curriculum at key stage 2.Each unit in the series is written around a main historical enquiry and provides pupils with the knowledge, concepts and skills to complete their investigation. Ancient Greece uses the Olympic Games as a means of exploring different facets of life in the ancient world. Many important aspects of life are revealed, ranging from religion, art and architecture to trade, theatre and the relationships between the city states. This gives pupils a clear picture of what was important to the ancient Greeks, and the nature of their daily life.The Teacher's Book provides background information and a description of the work involved in each unit of the pupil's book. It also includes photocopiable worksheets which support or extend the enquiry, suggestions for further and cross-curricular work, and advice on assessment and reporting. ... Read more

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Ancient Greece covers the period from the Mycenaean Age which began in 1600 B.C. to 404 B.C. when Athens was occupied by Sparta. It examines the origins and structure of Spartan and Athenian society, significant people in Ancient Greece including Pericles and Socrates, the development of Spartan and Athenian governments and the Greek city states, the nature of citizenship, catastrophes that shaped events in the 5th century including warfare, plague and an earthquake, religious beliefs and values, daily life, and the contribution of the ancient Greeks to the modern world. The book is full colour throughout, draws on a wide range of sources and contains learning outcomes and focus issues. The activities will help to build students' historical skills while ensuring that history remains fun! ... Read more

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While Greek myths are well known and amply represented, very few Greek folktales have been published in English. Now these acclaimed authors make 20 captivating folktales accessible to readers outside of Greece. Newly translated and retold, the stories range from the profound to the lighthearted, the haunting to the hilarious, and the spiritual to the secular. Numerous accompanying photographs and drawings illustrate aspects of Greek life and traditional folklore motifs. Perfect for storytimes and read-alouds, the tales will appeal to both young and old. ... Read more

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The book presents, in an innovative and effective way, a detailed coverage of Greek history from the period of colonisation through to the death of Alexander the Great.A prologue introduces the reader to the various types of source material used by historians and, wherever possible, the most relevant examples of this, both written and archaeological, have been provided or referred to, giving the benefit of first-hand contact with the sources.The books contains many photographs, maps and diagrams, and included time lines, summaries, mapping exercises and study questions through which the reader comes to grips with the major issues. ... Read more