Greek theatre

CONCEPTUAL

History›Ancient Greece & Rome|Ages 7—9|ID: mt_f4O__f3OU4

Know that the ancient Greeks invented theatre, performing tragedies and comedies in large open-air amphitheatres with actors wearing masks — and that plays were performed as part of religious festivals honouring the god Dionysus, with audiences of thousands

Mastery Evidence

Explain that the Greeks invented theatre with two types of plays: tragedies and comedies
Describe how Greek actors wore masks and performed in open-air amphitheatres
Say that plays were part of festivals honouring the god Dionysus

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] visited an ancient amphitheatre or saw a picture of Greek masks, could they tell you that the Greeks invented theatre and explain why actors wore masks?”

Prerequisites2

Athens Versus Sparta
softAges 7—9
Gods & the Parthenon
softAges 7—9

Show full prerequisite tree

Athens Versus Sparta soft
Theatre flourished in Athens, the cultural city-state
- Ancient life vs today soft
  Comparing city-states builds on comparing ancient vs modern life
  - Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map hard
    Comparing ancient life needs knowing where/when these civilisations were
    - Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
      Greece & Rome geography builds on Ancient Egypt geography — both Mediterranean civilisations, Egypt came first chronologically
  - Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt soft
    Comparing ancient lives benefits from prior exposure to Egyptian daily life comparison
    - Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
      Daily life context benefits from knowing Egypt is on the Nile in a desert
- Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map hard
  Athens vs Sparta needs geographic/civilisation context from 5-7
  - Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
    Greece & Rome geography builds on Ancient Egypt geography — both Mediterranean civilisations, Egypt came first chronologically
Gods & the Parthenon soft
Theatre was part of festivals honouring Dionysus
- Greek gods & Mount Olympus hard
  Deepens basic Greek gods knowledge from 5-7
  - Egyptian Gods and the Afterlife soft
    Greek gods build on prior understanding that ancient civilisations believed in many gods (Egyptian polytheism)
    - Pyramids and the Great Sphinx soft
      Gods and afterlife connect to pyramids as burial places
      - Pharaohs and Tutankhamun soft
        Pyramids as tombs benefit from knowing pharaohs were powerful rulers
        
        Vocabulary: ancient egypt hard
        Knowing about pharaohs requires the term 'pharaoh' and associated vocabulary
      - 3-D shapes soft
        Recognising pyramids as a named 3D geometric shape makes study of the Great Pyramid's physical structure more concrete
      - Vocabulary: ancient egypt hard
        Describing the pyramids and Sphinx requires 'pyramid', 'sphinx', and related vocabulary
    - Vocabulary: ancient egypt hard
      Describing the afterlife and burial beliefs requires 'mummy', 'sarcophagus', 'tomb' vocabulary
  - Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map hard
    Knowing where Greece is grounds understanding of Greek gods
    - Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
      Greece & Rome geography builds on Ancient Egypt geography — both Mediterranean civilisations, Egypt came first chronologically

Unlocks0

No topics build on this one.