Games of Ancient Greece and Rome

Active learning helps students grasp the stark contrasts in childhood experiences during the Victorian era by making abstract social and economic differences concrete. Through hands-on play and comparison, students better understand how industrialization shaped everyday life for children across classes.

• 3rd Year
• Exploring Our Past: From Stone Age Ireland to Ancient Civilizations
• 3 activities
• 30 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

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

Stations Rotation

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

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.

Prepare & details

Explain how ancient sports prepared young people for adult life or war.

Facilitation Tip: In Role Play: The Nursery vs. The Street, provide props like fabric scraps or simple wooden toys to help students stay in character and focus on historical authenticity.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 35 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.

Prepare & details

Analyze the role of theatre and performance in Greek and Roman society.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Role Play

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

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.

Prepare & details

Compare the Olympic Games of ancient Greece to modern Olympics.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Start with concrete examples of Victorian toys to build background knowledge before moving to abstract concepts like social inequality. Use timelines to show how industrialization changed production methods over time. Avoid romanticizing poverty; emphasize resilience while acknowledging hardship.

What to Expect

Students will analyze how toys and games reflected social inequality and the impact of industrialization. They will justify their ideas with evidence from activities, demonstrating empathy for children from different backgrounds and historical periods.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation: The Toy Catalog, watch for students dismissing homemade games as 'boring' or unimportant.

What to Teach Instead

Ask students to compare the materials and effort required to make a porcelain doll versus a rag doll, guiding them to see the ingenuity in simplicity.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Collaborative Investigation: The Toy Catalog, 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.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to design a toy catalog page for a middle-class Victorian family, including both factory-made and handmade items, with prices and descriptions.
• For students who struggle, provide a word bank of Victorian terms (e.g., 'porcelain', 'rag doll') to support their descriptions.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research a specific Victorian toy manufacturer and present how industrialization changed its production process.

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.