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Year 4

What Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greece

I can describe some Ancient Greek myths and suggest what they tell us about Ancient Greek culture.

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New
New
Year 4

What Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greece

I can describe some Ancient Greek myths and suggest what they tell us about Ancient Greek culture.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Greeks had many gods and goddesses and lots of stories and myths that surrounded them.
  2. The Ancient Greeks believed in 12 major gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus.
  3. Greek Gods were associated with different things, e.g. Hera, Queen of the Gods, was associated with marriage and family.
  4. The popular myth of Persephone and the Underworld shows us how the Ancient Greeks explained the change of the seasons.
  5. Another myth concerned the Moirai, the Fates, which suggests the Ancient Greeks believed in a type of natural order.

Common misconception

That the Ancient Greeks could go up Mount Olympus to find the gods or see the gods and talk to them there.

Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, reaching almost 10,000 ft. There were no paths and there was no climbing equipment like we have today. Climbing the rough, rocky terrain was so dangerous it could cost the life of anyone who tried.

Keywords

  • Myth - a myth is a traditional story, usually about heroes and gods, that is fictional

  • Culture - culture is the language, customs, ideas, and art of a particular group of people

  • Mount Olympus - Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece

  • Underworld - in Ancient Greek mythology the Underworld was where people went after they died

There are obvious links here with Mount Olympus, the gods and goddesses called Olympians and the sports event that we call the Olympics, which began in Greece. This is an ideal opportunity for finding out about the Olympics, or modern-day Olympians, or even to tie in to your own school sports day.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where were the separate self-governing areas of Ancient Greece called?
Correct answer: city-states
cities
states
state-cities
Q2.
Which two groups of Ancient Greek people fought in the Peloponnesian War?
Sparta and Corinth
Athens and Corinth
Correct answer: Sparta and Athens
Sparts and Messenia
Q3.
Match the words to the definitions.
Correct Answer:Eurotas,a river in Sparta

a river in Sparta

Correct Answer:Taygetus,a mountain in Sparta

a mountain in Sparta

Correct Answer:Athens,a city-state that was the enemy of Sparta

a city-state that was the enemy of Sparta

Correct Answer:Messenia,Sparta enslaved the people of this place to become their farmers

Sparta enslaved the people of this place to become their farmers

Q4.
Complete the sentence. Sparta was ruled over by two , five powerful ephors and a council of 28 men.
Correct Answer: kings, Kings
Q5.
What could women in Sparta do that women in Athens could not?
Correct answer: own property and land
make clothing
Correct answer: work to earn money
cook meals
Q6.
What was the main focus of teaching for children in Sparta?
Correct answer: learning to fight and use simple weapons
learning to read and write
learning to cook and clean
learning to speak other languages

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who was queen of the gods in Ancient Greece?
Correct answer: Hera
Demeter
Persephone
Clotho
Q2.
Where did the Ancient Greeks believe that the most important gods and goddesses lived?
Athens
Sparta
Correct answer: Mount Olympus
Mount Taygetus
Q3.
Ancient Greek stories about their gods and goddesses are called .
Correct Answer: myths, Myths
Q4.
The three sisters called the Moirai were also called the .
Correct Answer: Fates, fates
Q5.
Which of these figures was king of the underworld?
Zeus
Correct answer: Hades
Persephone
Demeter
Q6.
What was the goddess Hera associated with?
Correct answer: marriage
seasons
harvest
Correct answer: family