Exploring Our Past: From Stone Age Ireland to Ancient Civilizations · 3rd Year · Games and Pastimes Through Time · Summer Term

Games of Ancient Greece and Rome

Investigating the sports, toys, and theatrical performances of classical civilizations.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Life, society, work and culture in the past
• NCCA: Primary - Continuity and change over time

About This Topic

The Victorian era (1837-1901) saw a massive gap between the lives of wealthy and poor children. This topic compares the expensive, mass-produced toys of the rich, like rocking horses and porcelain dolls, with the homemade games of the poor, such as 'hoop and stick' or 'knucklebones'. This aligns with the NCCA 'Life, Society, Work and Culture' and 'Change and Continuity' strands. Students investigate how the Industrial Revolution changed how toys were made and who could afford them.

Students also explore the concept of 'leisure time'. While wealthy children had nurseries full of toys, many poor children worked long hours in factories or mines and had very little time to play. This topic comes alive when students can physically compare Victorian toys or participate in a role-play about the daily life of a Victorian child.

Key Questions

1. Explain how ancient sports prepared young people for adult life or war.
2. Analyze the role of theatre and performance in Greek and Roman society.
3. Compare the Olympic Games of ancient Greece to modern Olympics.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the social and cultural significance of specific ancient Greek and Roman games and theatrical performances.
• Compare and contrast the rules, objectives, and participant demographics of ancient Olympic Games with modern Olympic Games.
• Explain how participation in ancient sports and games prepared young people for roles in adult life or military service.
• Identify common themes and purposes across different forms of entertainment in ancient Greece and Rome, such as drama, athletics, and chariot racing.

Before You Start

Daily Life in Ancient Greece

Why: Students need a basic understanding of Greek society, including the roles of citizens and the importance of physical fitness, to contextualize games and sports.

Daily Life in Ancient Rome

Why: Prior knowledge of Roman social structures and entertainment practices, such as gladiatorial contests or public baths, provides a foundation for understanding Roman pastimes.

Key Vocabulary

Pankration	An ancient combat sport combining boxing and wrestling, with very few rules, considered a demonstration of strength and skill.
Amphitheater	A large, open-air venue used for performances and spectacles, featuring tiered seating around a central stage or arena.
Gymnasium	An ancient Greek facility for physical training and education, often including spaces for wrestling, running, and other athletic activities.
Tragedy	A form of drama in ancient Greece that explored serious themes and often depicted the downfall of a protagonist, typically involving suffering and catharsis.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

All Victorian children were miserable and never played.

What to Teach Instead

Even children who worked found ways to play with simple things like stones or rags. A 'creative play' activity where students have to invent a game using only a piece of string helps them see the resilience of children.

Common Misconception

Victorian toys were boring because they didn't have batteries.

What to Teach Instead

Many were very clever, using clockwork or mirrors to create movement and illusions. Showing a video of a working Victorian automaton or making a simple optical toy helps students appreciate the 'high-tech' of the 1800s.

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation: Victorian Playtime

Set up stations with different Victorian-style activities: playing 'hoop and stick' (using a hula hoop), making a 'thaumatrope' (optical toy), and playing a game of marbles.

50 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Toy Catalog

Groups look at an old Victorian toy advertisement and a list of wages for the time. They must calculate how many weeks a poor family would have to work to buy one expensive doll.

35 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The Nursery vs. The Street

Divide the class into 'Wealthy' and 'Poor' Victorian children. They act out a scene where they describe their favorite toy and how much time they have to play each day.

30 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Museum curators specializing in classical antiquities, like those at the British Museum, analyze artifacts such as discus throwers or theatrical masks to understand ancient Greek and Roman leisure activities.
• Sports historians researching the origins of modern athletic events can trace the lineage of competitions like running, wrestling, and discus throwing back to the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece.
• Directors staging classical plays, such as Sophocles' 'Antigone' in a modern theater, must consider the original context of Greek tragedy and its role in Athenian society.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a scenario: 'Imagine you are a 10-year-old in ancient Athens. Choose one game or sport you would like to train for. Write 2-3 sentences explaining why you chose it and how it might help you when you grow up.'

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How did the purpose of ancient Greek theatre differ from the purpose of a movie or play today?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to cite specific examples of ancient plays and their social functions.

Quick Check

Display images of ancient Roman toys (e.g., dice, spinning tops) and Greek athletic equipment (e.g., discus, jumping weights). Ask students to write down one similarity and one difference between these items and toys or sports equipment used today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was a 'Hoop and Stick'?

It was one of the most popular street games. Children used a wooden or metal stick to keep a large hoop rolling along the ground. It required a lot of skill and balance to keep it going through crowded Victorian streets.

Why did Victorian toys often look so scary?

Dolls were often made of wax or porcelain and were designed to look like mini-adults rather than babies. They weren't meant to be 'cuddly' like modern teddy bears (which weren't invented until the very end of the Victorian era!).

Did Victorian children play board games?

Yes! They loved games like 'Snakes and Ladders' and 'Ludo'. Many Victorian board games were designed to teach children 'good morals', so if you landed on a 'bad' square, you were punished for being lazy or untruthful!

How can active learning help students understand Victorian playtime?

The 'Toy Catalog' math activity is a powerful active learning tool. When students have to work out the cost of a toy relative to a worker's wage, the inequality of the Victorian era becomes a concrete reality. This makes the social history of the time much more impactful than just looking at pictures of different toys.