Pupils explore the meaning of the ancient Greek word aretê and the place of virtue in historical athletic competition and modern sports. They begin by reading an informational text on the goal of sports in education, and then evaluate the arguments made in the text by finding evidence in ancient Greek primary sources.

Concepts

the history of the olympic games, olympic sports, sports, ancient greece, greek culture, greek history

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Additional Tags

cultural history of sport, olympic history, sport history, social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• As an extension project, have class members compare their understanding of ancient Greek ideals to modern day sports, and their connection to business and popular culture in particular

Classroom Considerations

• It may take some time to review all the materials included in the lesson; however, there is good deal of instructional support provided

Pros

• Great collection of materials to support lesson
• Excellent cross-curricular activity for physical education and history classes

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.6 RH.9-10.8 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.6 RH.11-12.8