Cody Polk

3rd Grade ECED 511 Class Model

Lesson Given: 4/3/17
Submitted: 3/6/17
Title: Build Your Own Parthenon
Context of Activity (From VSOL):
There are several major concepts revolving around the chosen SOL on Ancient Greece.
Contributions are the act of giving or doing something. Students will be introduced to the
contributions that Ancient Greece made in the United States today. The first is that Ancient
Greece is responsible for the giving us the contribution of columns that were shown primarily in
their Parthenon, which still is around today. This ties into concepts of art and sculptures being
displayed on buildings, which was also a major contribution of Ancient Greece. This is shown
today in buildings like the Lincoln Memorial. Another key contribution of Ancient Greece is that
it was the birthplace of direct democracy or government by the people. The key term to know is
that direct democracy means a government where people vote to make their own rules and laws.
The last key contribution is that our Olympic games are modeled after the Olympic games
played in Ancient Greece centuries ago. The overarching context is that Ancient Greece has
made has influenced the lives of people today. The focus of this lesson will be on the architecture
of Ancient Greece including columns, artwork/mosaics, and sculptures. The chosen activity was
created by myself.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to name three major elements of Ancient
Greece architecture. Students will be able to understand that Greece provided us with the
contributions of columns, sculptures on buildings, and artwork displayed on buildings. Students
will be able to participate in a classroom Olympic game of build your own Parthenon. Students
will be divided into two teams who will use the classrooms block center to build the most
elaborate Parthenon structure. Each team will be provided with blocks, empty paper towel rolls,
paper, playdough, colored pencils and crayons, a box, and tape. Each group will have to work
together as a team to build their Parthenon, however, it must contain columns, display artwork,
and contain a sculpture. Each team will have builders, sculptors, and artists. It is up to the team
to decide who is who. The builders must build the structure of the Parthenon containing columns,
the sculptor must create a sculpture to display in or on the building, and the artist must draw
artwork or mosaics to hang on the outside of the building. The overall goal of the activity is for
students to understand that Greece built structures like the Parthenon that were designed with
columns that had artwork and sculptures built into the structure. Students will be asked at the end
of the lesson to list the three major contributions of Greek architecture on an exit slip. I would
expect to see artwork or mosaics, sculptures and columns listed on an index card. If they are able
to receive a check next to each one of those items on the assessment card, then the objective of
the lesson would be met.
Terms to know:
 Contribution
Architecture
Columns
Mosaic
The learning objectives are as follows:

Understand
Ancient Greece provided us
with major contributions that
are still prevalent today. Three
architectural contributions
made by ancient Greece
include columns, sculptures,
and artwork/mosaics in
buildings.
Know
That the major contributions
Ancient Greece had on todays
architecture were columns,
sculptures, mosaics, and
artwork.
Do
Students will create model
sized Parthenon in a group in
order to show these
characteristics. Each model
will be made with columns,
artwork/mosaics, and a
sculpture.

Assessing Learning:
Students will be assessed on their learning by their ability to include the major architectural
contributions of Ancient Greece in their models. Each model should contain the structure itself
including columns in the design, artwork or mosaics hanging on the outside, and a sculpture.
While grading each students sculpture, a simple checklist will be used to determine whether or
not they included those elements. If they are included, they will receive a check. I am looking for
students to be creative in their Parthenon structure. When sharing their Parthenon structure with
the rest of the class it should have a name, the sculpture should be identified in terms of what it
stands for as well as the artwork. Students will be given checkmarks for each of these elements.
Lastly, an exit slip in the form of an index card will be given to each student. They will have to
list three contributions of Ancient Greece in terms of architecture. I will be looking for columns,
artwork/mosaics, and sculptures. This will be collected as an assessment.
Related Virginia SOL standard
History
3.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced
the present world in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy),
and sports.
NCSS Theme 9
Global Connections - Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the
study of global connections and interdependence.

Materials Needed
 Blocks for the Parthenon structure (Provided in classroom)
Paper towel rolls that can be used for columns (Myself)
Play dough for a sculpture to be displayed on the Parthenon (Myself)
Paper for drawing artwork/mosaics to be displayed (Classroom)
Colored pencils/Crayons/Markers for artwork (Classroom)
Tape for hanging pictures or helping with construction (Classroom)
Scissors if needed (Classroom)
2 boxes to serve as frame for structure if needed by students (Classroom)
Colored tissue paper for a mosaic (Classroom)
Procedures:
First students will be presented with a slideshow of pictures of Greek structures. Pictures will
include the Parthenon, Greek columns, the Lincoln Memorial, a Greek sculpture, Greek artwork,
and mosaics in that order. Conversations will go as follows:
Me: First, can anyone tell me what a contribution is?
Students respond
Me: A contribution is an act of giving or doing something. Today we will be looking at major
contributions (or things that were given to us) by Ancient Greece. Now, are these things they
handed to us or that they texted to us how to do?
Students respond
Me: No is right, they were given to us by examples they made many years ago that we learned
about or that we can still see.
First Slide
Me: Does anyone know what this building is?
Students respond
Me: This building is the Parthenon, and it is one of Ancient Greeces still remaining structures.
There are long structures in front made up of a rock named marble, can anyone tell me what
these structures are called?
Students respond
Me: Its called a column, and many Ancient Greek Buildings were made with them. Does
anyone know what they are used for?
Students respond
Me: They were used to help support the building as well as for decorative purposes in the design.
Next slide
Me: Here is a close-up look at one of the columns from the Parthenon.
Next Slide
Me: These columns are still used in buildings today, does anyone know what this building is?
Students respond
Me: This is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC built in honor of Abraham Lincoln. It was
built with columns like Ancient Greek buildings. Does anyone know any other buildings that
have columns?
Students respond
Me: The White House is another great example.
Next Slide
Me: Here is a sculpture of who the Parthenon is dedicated to. Does anybody know who this is?
Students respond
Me: This is Athena, she was the Greek goddess of wisdom and military victory. Just like we
have churches that honor important religious figures, that is why the Parthenon was built. This is
a sculpture of her.
Next Slide
Me: Ancient Greek buildings also had artwork. This is an example of the type of artwork seen in
ancient Greece.
Next Slide
Me: Another type of art was a mosaic, does anyone know what that is?
Students respond
Me: A mosaic is a picture or pattern that is made from a hard material like stone or glass. This is
an example of what a mosaic looks like.
Me: Now were going to break into 2 groups. Each table will be a group. Yesterday we talked
about Olympic games; so today we are going to have a mini Olympic game with a Parthenon
building contest. Each group will use blocks and other materials to build their own Parthenon. It
should have its own name and be in honor of whoever or whatever you want. There are only
three rules for what it has to have, columns, artwork or a mosaic, and a sculpture. Each team will
have builders, sculptors, and artists. The builders will have to build the Parthenon using the
provided materials with columns, the artist will have to create the artwork or mosaic to hang, and
the sculptor will have to make a sculpture for the building. You can divide the jobs however you
want. There are boxes to help with the frame and support of the building, and play dough for the
sculpture. Are there any questions?
I will monitor the students as they work using a simple checklist to determine whether they
are including all the elements. Little instruction will be given during the creation process. After
each group has finished, they will have a chance to present their Parthenon. During this time I
will finish assessing whether they included all the required elements. Students will then clean up
the materials and can keep their sculpture if they like. After clean up they will receive an exit slip
where they will have to list three major contributions of Greek Architecture. This will be used as
another assessment.
Modifications:
Special modifications can be made in this activity. If students are having issues working together
as a team, they can have individual incentives for completing the task such as extra reading time
later. There are always a few students who do not do as well in teams as they do individually, so
there will be further opportunities in later days with other activities that require a more individual
focus. The exit ticket is a modification to overcome groupthink. One student may be
participating but not actually understanding the content area. By providing an exit ticket, each
student is now required to tell what he or she knows at the end of the day. The last major
modification is for any student with physical disabilities that do not allow them to build or use
their hands in a way that aids them in this activity. They could be given the role of the building
manager who gives the primary input for where pieces should go. This way they are vital to the
team while still being able to contribute.
What Could Go Wrong:
There are several things that could go wrong in this lesson. First, there could be a fire drill, in
which case the project would be continued when the students come back into the room. If the
structure made from blocks is unable to stay steady and it keeps falling over, the class could use
the box as the frame and build on from that. If there is disagreement within the group about
which job they want, the jobs could be chosen by myself so that nobody gets to choose
individually unless they come to a mutual agreement. If groups are uneven due to somebody
being absent, I can pull students from one group to the other in order to make even teams.
Reflection:
I. How did your actual teaching of the lesson differ from your plans? Describe the
changes and explain why you made them.

The first major change I noticed that was different from my original lesson was
the students implementation of the Parthenon structure. One group did exactly what I
expected them to do with the materials provided by using blocks as the framework of
the structure; however, another group used materials in a way I was not expecting.
Instead of using blocks for the main frame, they used the paper towel rolls as the
frame and built around them with paper. It was interesting to see the difference in
thought processes between the two groups opposed to what I was originally
intending. In addition, another difference in the structure design came from the last
minute change I made to the materials I was providing. Instead of providing boxes for
the framework of the structure, I decided to omit them from the project because I
wanted the students to have a chance to explore the materials and build their own
structure rather than having one provided to them. Lastly, the model lessons that went
before mine took longer than originally planned, which limited the amount of time I
had available to teach. To accommodate the time, I shortened my presentation in
order to allow more time for student exploration within the building part. In my mind,
the students exploration of the materials was the most engaging part of the lesson
that I felt would stick with them for the longest amount of time afterward. Much like
a real classroom, I will not always have the full time I planned for so this was a great
experience of teaching effectively within a shortened amount of time.

II. Based on the assessment you created, what can you conclude about your impact
on student learning? Did they learn? Who learned? What did they learn? What
evidence can you offer that your conclusions are valid?

Based on the assessment that I created, students should have a means of

understanding the three main contributions of Greek architecture. If they were able to
list sculptures, artwork or mosaics, and columns on their index card exit slip, it is
assumed they will remember this part of ancient in terms of architecture. Due to the
fact that this was a mock lesson, my classmates did not fill out the exit slip, however,
they verbally stated the three major contributions. From observations of student
created Parthenon structures, they all contained the three elements that were asked of
them. Due to the limited amount of time, students did not have time to fully decorate
their structures or build onto them to make them larger, however, they were still able
to implement the three elements into their creation. Students in a real classroom
setting should be able to incorporate these as well while allowing the time to create
larger and more intricate structures.
III. Describe at least one way you could incorporate developmentally appropriate
practice in a better or more thorough way if you were to teach this lesson again.

If I were to do this lesson again in a classroom setting, I would include more

images on the presentation. I feel that for young students they would need more
visual representation than just a few pictures that I included for the mock lesson. If I
had more examples of ancient Greek architecture, they would have more ideas to
relate back to during their project. I would also extend the project into more elaborate
building designs by challenging students to add more to their structures and continue
the project into the rest of the week. Standards for writing could be implemented in
this lesson by having students write about their structure. Math would be another
great subject to include the structure as students could measure and figure out the
shapes in their structure. I feel as if a lesson such as this should be extended to allow
for more student creation and exploration.

IV. Based on the assessment data you collected, what would you do/teach next if you
were the classroom teacher?

If I were the classroom teacher, I could have the students draw their plans with a
group the day before, or even plan out through writing how they want to design their
structures. This could be done in groups to generate an emphasis on team building
and allow students a chance to practice communication skills. The lesson could then
span the course of two days, and possibly even more if other subjects such as writing
and math are incorporated into the project. I would like to give the students a chance
to even combine their two structures into an ancient Greek city so they could explore
and write about the people that live there, the location of the city also what services
the city provided the world according to ancient Greece standards. Mainly, I feel
leaving the lesson to one day would leave out so much that could be taught using the
structures.

V. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had
reinforced about young children as learners?

Overall I learned that no matter what lesson you prepare, students are always
going to come up with their own ideas to use the materials provided. Children have
very creative minds, and they love to take what is given them and go outside the box
to generate something the teacher never dreamed. Students should be allowed this
time to explore and be creative while addressing the necessary components of the
topic. That is why I feel this lesson can be effective due to the fact that it allows for
that freedom and exploration of materials. Too often students are expected to
memorize fact without actually having the chance to experience it. Hopefully, I can
design other lessons such as this one to give students this opportunity.
VI. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had
reinforced about teaching?

Building on what I took away from children as learners, I feel that teachers need
to be willing to step out of their comfort zone and allow children to explore. Many
teachers prefer I very tightly structured classroom that does not allow for a lot of
student exploration. Teacher-centered classrooms are not an enriching learning
environment for children, which sadly is the way I feel many teacher structure their
lessons. I feel many teachers would be weary of a lesson like this because they give
up some of the control. However, I feel many teachers could benefit greatly from
giving up some control and allowing students to explore the materials and generate
their own creations and ideas. I also learned that repetition is a great cue to use when
teaching students about a new topic. My classmates said one of the easiest ways they
remembered the three major contributions was due to the fact that I had them repeat it
multiple times throughout the lesson.

VII. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had
reinforced about yourself?

Overall, I feel as if allowing for student-centered and creative projects fits my

personality more and more as I plan to create more lessons such as this one. It is
incredibly rewarding to not only see what students create within the parameters of
what you assign but to see what they create outside of what you told them to do. I feel
that giving up some of the control as the teacher to let students generate their own
creations, allows me as the teacher to come up with even more why? questions to
ask them. These are not artificial questions, but rather ones I can develop in the
moment allowing them to be more through provoking and engaging because they are
based on what the student is actually doing. I can question their thinking and
understanding of the concept while they work, which helps me see their problem-
solving strategies and whether or not they are grasping the content. I will continue to
use lessons such as this one throughout my time as a teacher because it not only fits
my style well, it, more importantly, helps the students think critically.