Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Art: Ancient Greece

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This stage of the lesson plan aims to clearly establish the learning objectives, providing a solid foundation for students to effectively direct their practical and interactive activities. It ensures that everyone understands what is expected in terms of knowledge and skills by the end of the lesson.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the concept of Greek art and its main characteristics.

2. Analyze mythological representations in Greek art and how they influenced other eras.

3. Explore the influence of Greek art in antiquity, the Renaissance, and the present day.

Side Objectives

1. Develop research skills using digital tools.
2. Appreciate the relevance of Greek art in contemporary culture.

Introduction

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to warm up the students for the lesson's theme, using digital tools to connect Greek art with the current context. The key questions will help initiate a fruitful debate, reinforcing prior knowledge and creating a collaborative learning environment. 

Warming Up

Introduction to the Theme - Art in Ancient Greece 

Start the lesson by contextualizing the students about the grandeur and relevance of Greek art in the development of Western culture. Highlight the importance of mythological representations and how they served to illustrate values, beliefs, and stories in Greek society. Then, ask students to use their cell phones to find an interesting fact about Greek art and share it with the class. This will help engage students and deepen their interest in the topic. 

Initial Reflections

1. What are the main characteristics of Greek art?

2. How did mythological representations influence Greek culture?

3. In what ways did Greek art impact the Renaissance?

4. What is the relevance of Greek art today?

5. What elements of Greek art can you identify in modern works?

Development

Duration: 70 to 80 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with a practical and immersive experience, where they can creatively apply the knowledge acquired. The proposed activities aim to engage students through the use of technology and modern dynamics, connecting Greek art and mythology to the current world.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 -  Creating an Instagram of Greek Gods 

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Understand the influence of Greek myths on art and culture over time in a playful and modern way, using social media as a communication vehicle.

- Description: Students will create fictional profiles of Greek gods and goddesses on a simulated social media platform, like Instagram. Each group must choose a deity and develop content that exemplifies its characteristics, stories, and influence in Greek mythology, the Renaissance, and today.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people and assign a Greek god or goddess to each group.

• Students should research their chosen deity in depth, using phones and computers.

• Each group must create a ‘profile’ using an online design tool or presentation app (Canva, PowerPoint, etc.), including: Biography, ‘Photo’ Posts, Stories, Comments from other gods/goddesses, Relevant Hashtags (#Zeus #Thunder #EternalMyth).

• Encourage students to be creative and use memes, gifs, and short videos to make the profiles more engaging.

• After creation, each group will present their profile to the class, explaining how their posts reflect the deity's influence in antiquity, the Renaissance, and today.

Activity 2 -  Gamifying Greek Art 

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Explore Greek art and mythology in an interactive and fun way, using gamification to make learning more dynamic and engaging.

- Description: Students will develop a simple digital game using a game creation platform (Scratch, Roblox, etc.), where the characters are Greek mythological figures and the scenes are based on famous works of art from Ancient Greece.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people and ask them to choose Greek mythological characters and famous scenes.

• Students should research the selected characters and scenes using phones and computers.

• Use a game creation platform to develop the game, with each group responsible for a different aspect (character design, scene creation, basic programming).

• Students must incorporate elements of the stories and characteristics of the mythological characters into the missions and challenges of the game.

• Each group will present and demonstrate their game to the class, explaining how Greek art and mythology influenced the game's design and narrative.

Activity 3 -  Storytelling in Podcast: Greek Myths Today ️

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Develop students' storytelling and communication skills while exploring the ongoing relevance of Greek myths in contemporary culture.

- Description: Students will create a podcast where each group tells a Greek mythological story, connecting it with current events or contemporary themes. The idea is to show how Greek myths are still relevant today.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people and assign different Greek myths to each group.

• Students should research and delve into the mythological stories using phones and computers.

• Each group must write a script for their podcast episode, including the narrative of the myth and connections with contemporary themes (e.g., justice, love, revenge).

• Record the podcast using available recording and editing apps on phones or computers.

• Students should add sound effects and music to make the podcast more engaging.

• After recording, each group will present their podcast to the class and discuss the relevance of Greek myths in modern times.

Feedback

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning through collective and individual reflection, encouraging the development of communication and constructive critique skills. The group discussion allows students to share and expand their understanding, while 360° feedback promotes a culture of collaboration and mutual growth.

Group Discussion

 Group Discussion: Facilitate a discussion among all the students, encouraging each group to share what they learned during the practical activities and their conclusions. Suggested outline for introducing the discussion:

1. Introduction: Explain that each group will have the opportunity to share their experiences and key learnings.
2. Group Presentations: Each group should present their discoveries and reflections on the activity they performed (Instagram profiles, digital game, podcast).
3. Connection: Discuss how Greek art and mythology continue to influence contemporary culture and how the activities performed highlight this influence.
4. Questions and Answers: Open the floor to questions, comments, and exchanges of ideas among the groups.

Reflections

1. How did the activity help to better understand the influence of Greek art today? 2. What challenges were encountered during the creation of digital content and how were they overcome? 3. In what ways do Greek myths still resonate in today's cultural and social contexts?

360° Feedback

 360° Feedback: Instruct students to conduct a session of constructive and respectful feedback. Each group member should share one positive aspect about a peer's collaboration and one suggestion for improvement. This can be done orally or in writing, depending on the class dynamics.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

 Purpose: This final stage concludes the lesson, consolidating the main points discussed and connecting them to the current world. It also reinforces the importance of the content learned throughout the practical and digital activities. The conclusion aims to ensure that students leave the lesson with a clear and applicable understanding of what was discussed, highlighting the ongoing relevance of Greek art in their lives. 

Summary

 Lesson Summary - Greek Art with a Modern Touch : In this lesson, students explored the fascinating universe of Greek art through interactive and digital activities. They created Instagram profiles for Greek gods, developed digital games with mythological characters, and narrated epic stories in podcasts. All this to understand how myths and Greek art influenced not only antiquity and the Renaissance but also the modern world. 

World Connection

 In Today's World: Today's lesson showed that Greek art and mythology are not just subjects of history books; they are alive in our daily life. Students saw how mythological themes still resonate in movies, TV shows, books, and even memes! Moreover, through creating digital content, they applied these concepts to tools they use every day, such as social media and gaming platforms. 

Practical Application

✨ Applications in Daily Life: Understanding Greek art and mythology allows for greater appreciation of contemporary culture and its historical roots. Students learned to use research and digital creativity skills to reinterpret ancient concepts in a modern way, showing that history can be fun and relevant. This also helps develop critical thinking and communication skills in the digital context. 