The kids and I have embarked on a study of Ancient Greece and this is the first book I'm reviewing.
Pam
This little book provides a brief introduction to the Ancient Greeks. It begins with a map showing children where ancient Greece and it's colonies were situated, and then every-so-briefly touches upon diverse and unrelated topics like cities, religion, the Olympics, and play.
Despite the fact that some would find this scatter-blast approach insufficient, I liked the book, and thought that it provided a good jumping off point for our studies of the ancient world, being both appropriate for younger and older children.
Here are the Chapter Headings:
Features of Interest
I particularly like that Ms. Klingel took the time to say that children in ancient Greece played blindman's bluff, tag and ball games. I think this perfectly illustrates -- in a manner even the youngest children can understand -- that ancient peoples are not that different from us; and that our own habits and preferences can have origins that are very old indeed (i.e. that there is a historical heritage that links us to the ancients).
I also liked the section on 'what was important' to the Greeks and why. Ms. Klingel explained, for example, that sports were important not only because everyone likes to win, but because those same skills were needed for war.
Finally, my personal favorites were the drawings which I thought demonstrated the wondrous scale in which the Greeks built. Though constructed thousands of years ago, there was nothing 'primitive' about them, and I used this art to emphasize the fact that ancient people were just as clever as people today, and that their literature and philosophies and artwork are worth studying and understanding.
THE SKINNY:::
A nice broad introduction, there is no attempt in this book to provide a time line. Instead the book spends two pages on general information -- location and the Greek's antecedents (Minoans and Mycenaeans) -- before branching off into diverse topics.
The text is large. Drawings or pictures are on the left-hand page, with a paragraph or two on the facing page. Each chapter is only a page long so that it makes for a nice practice reader for those at the AR 3.9 level.
There is much to learn from the drawings if you study them. Be sure to point out the large scale in which the Greeks built. Despite the fact that some would find this scatter-blast approach insufficient, I liked the book, and thought that it provided a good jumping off point for our studies of the ancient world, being both appropriate for younger and older children.
Here are the Chapter Headings:
What Was Ancient Greece?
Who Were the Ancient Greeks?
What Was Important to the Ancient Greeks?
What Was the Major cities in Ancient Greece?
What Was Life Like for the Children?
What Was the Religion of Ancient Greece?
What Kind of Work Did They Do?
What Are the Olympics
How Do We Remember Ancient Greece?
Glossary
Did You Know?
Want to Know More?
Index
Features of Interest
I particularly like that Ms. Klingel took the time to say that children in ancient Greece played blindman's bluff, tag and ball games. I think this perfectly illustrates -- in a manner even the youngest children can understand -- that ancient peoples are not that different from us; and that our own habits and preferences can have origins that are very old indeed (i.e. that there is a historical heritage that links us to the ancients).
I also liked the section on 'what was important' to the Greeks and why. Ms. Klingel explained, for example, that sports were important not only because everyone likes to win, but because those same skills were needed for war.
Finally, my personal favorites were the drawings which I thought demonstrated the wondrous scale in which the Greeks built. Though constructed thousands of years ago, there was nothing 'primitive' about them, and I used this art to emphasize the fact that ancient people were just as clever as people today, and that their literature and philosophies and artwork are worth studying and understanding.
THE SKINNY:::
A nice broad introduction, there is no attempt in this book to provide a time line. Instead the book spends two pages on general information -- location and the Greek's antecedents (Minoans and Mycenaeans) -- before branching off into diverse topics.
The text is large. Drawings or pictures are on the left-hand page, with a paragraph or two on the facing page. Each chapter is only a page long so that it makes for a nice practice reader for those at the AR 3.9 level.
Okay Read-Aloud.
Let's See Ancient Greece
by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. Noyed
Reading Information:
Word Count: 878
Page Count: 24
Accelerated Reading level: 3.9 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 62127
- Publisher: Compass Point Books (2002)
- ISBN-10: 0756502934
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For other Good Books on Ancient Greece, see our directory
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