This set of seven Ancient Greece KS2 history lessons will help you teach your Year 5 and Year 6 children all about this amazing ancient civilisation. By the end of the scheme, your class should be able to answer in detail the question, 'Who were the ancient Greeks?'

Your children will first learn about the different periods of ancient Greece, and place the civilisation in time. They will explore how the different areas of Greece were governed, and compare the two city-states of Athens and Sparta. Children will use primary and secondary sources to find out about the daily life of the ancient Greeks, before exploring Greek mythology and the impact of some of the great philosophers of the time. In the final lesson, your class will reflect on how the ancient Greek civilisation still influences modern life today.

This Ancient Greece KS2 History planning pack provides all the resources and knowledge you need to deliver these lessons, including detailed plans, slideshows for each lesson's teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of helpful and engaging printable teaching resources.

Why not upgrade to our Ancient Greece Topic Bundle – great if you're looking for a cross-curricular approach to your teaching!

A Knowledge Organiser is available to support the learning in this scheme. It is included in the Complete Series download or can be purchased individually.

Lesson 1

Ancient Greece Timeline

This Ancient Greece Timeline KS2 lesson will help your class to become familiar with the different time periods of this ancient civilisation.

After being briefly introduced to the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, children will focus on the three periods of ancient Greece - Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic. They will be challenged to complete a timeline demonstrating what they have learnt. In the alternative activity provided, children will work in pairs to answer as many questions about the different ages or periods of ancient Greece as they can.

This ready-to-teach Ancient Greece Timeline KS2 lesson includes a detailed plan, an engaging and informative slide show, and differentiated worksheets and activities to suit the needs of most learners.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Differentiated worksheets
Timeline Cards
Information Sheets
Question Cards

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Lesson 2

Democracy

In this Ancient Greece Democracy KS2 lesson, your class will begin by exploring the three main types of government of ancient Greece: monarchy, oligarchy and democracy.

They will then compare and contrast monarchic and democratic rule, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of each type of government. Alternatively, your children will be challenged to put themselves into the shoes of different people living in ancient Greece at the time, and express their chosen character's viewpoint of the different governments.

Including a detailed and easy-to-follow plan, an informative slide show and differentiated worksheets, this Ancient Greece Democracy KS2 lesson pack has everything you need!

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Differentiated worksheets
Advantages and Disadvantages Cards
Types of Government Sheet
Thought Bubble Sheets

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Lesson 3

Athens and Sparta

Use this Athens and Sparta KS2 history lesson to teach your class about the two powerful, but very different, city-states of ancient Greece.

Your Year 5 and Year 6 children will discover the similarities and differences between Athens and Sparta through discussion and their own research. They will be asked to think carefully about how each city-state would be viewed by different people at the time. In the alternative activity, children are challenged to organise statements about each city-state into a life-size Venn diagram!

This Athens and Sparta KS2 history lesson includes everything you need: an easy-to-follow plan, an engaging and informative slide show for the whole-class teaching input, as well as differentiated worksheets, resources and activity ideas.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Information Sheets
Postcard and Letter Templates
Talk Show Labels and Instructions
Question Sheet
City-State Cards

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Lesson 4

Primary and Secondary Sources

This Primary and Secondary Sources KS2 lesson will help you to teach your class all about the different aspects of daily life in ancient Greece.

Your Year 5 and Year 6 children will first learn how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, before using them to research the following aspects of daily life in ancient Greece: clothes and fashion, food and drink, leisure and entertainment, and home and family.

This Primary and Secondary Sources KS2 planning pack has everything you need to teach a great History lesson - an easy-to-follow plan, an informative slide show for the teaching input, and a range of differentiated resources, worksheets and activity ideas to keep all levels of learners in your class engaged!

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Differentiated worksheets
Information Sheets
Challenge Cards

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Lesson 5

Greek Gods and Goddesses

Teach your class about religion and mythology in ancient Greece with this Greek Gods and Goddesses KS2 lesson.

Your children will first explore the important role the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece played in everyday life, from worshipping and festivals to helping explain natural events through the telling of myths. In their independent activities, your Year 5 and Year 6 class will further explore the twelve ancient Greek Olympians, and be challenged to recall facts, answer questions or devise their own quiz to test the knowledge of a partner.

This Greek Gods and Goddesses KS2 lesson contains a detailed plan, an informative slideshow, engaging resources and a range of differentiated worksheets and activity ideas to help you teach a fantastic, fact-filled history lesson!

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Greek Gods Information Cards
Greek Gods Game and Question Sheet
Multiple Choice Quiz Sheet
Mini Booklet Template and Instructions

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Lesson 6

Scholars and Philosophers

In this lesson, your Year 5 and Year 6 class will learn about some of the most famous scholars and philosophers of this time, and how their ideas and discoveries influenced both the ancient and modern world.

Your class will be encouraged to discuss, ask and answers questions about the lives, ideas and beliefs of six ancient Greek scholars and philosophers: Pythagoras, Socrates, Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle and Archimedes, using the resources provided.

This ancient Greek philosophers History planning pack comes with everything you need to teach your class about these influential Greeks: a detailed lesson plan, an informative and thought-provoking slide show for the teaching input, and a range of engaging resources and differentiated worksheets!

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Differentiated worksheets
Information Cards
Quote Cards
Challenge Cards
Hippocratic Oath Sheet

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Lesson 7

Legacy of Ancient Greece

In this final Legacy of Ancient Greece KS2 lesson, your Year 5 and Year 6 class will explore some of the many ways in which ancient Greek ideas and developments still influence modern-day life.

Provided with the resources for the lesson are four information packs for children to explore the legacy of: the ancient Greek Olympics, the Greek language, Greek myths and Greek government, and how our lives today incorporate many aspects of each of these areas.

As well as the information packs, this Legacy of Ancient Greece KS2 planning pack includes a detailed lesson plan and a slide show to introduce the lesson's activities.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
The Olympics Pack
The Language Pack
The Myths Pack
The Government Pack
Research Cards

View Lesson 7

Who were the Ancient Greeks?: Knowledge Organiser

This Year 5/6 History Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our History 'Ancient Greece' strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Enquiry questions have been included to encourage your children to think like a historian within this topic.

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Ancient Greece KS2 Lesson Planning and Resources

Aesop's Fables

Greek Myths

Who were the Ancient Greeks?