Athens or Sparta

• Introduction
• Task
• Process
• Evaluation
• Conclusion
• Credits


• Teacher Page

Process

Ruins of Ancient Sparta

Assignment One - Learning about the tools of the trade

I'm so glad to see you ready to go! Here's the first assignment for you and your partners:

1. Get a copy of the Website Matrix from your teacher and put your group members' names on it!
2. Right-click each of the websites listed below and choose "Open in New Tab" from the menu. Spend some time on each website. For each site you must do the following:
   1. Write the title of the website in the first column.
   2. Locate the author of the website and write it in the second column.
   3. Look for a date when the Site is updated for the third column.
   4. Write the domain (.com, .net) etc. in the fourth column and use the domain suffixes guide to help you figure out the purpose of the website.
   5. If the website has a host or sponsor Site, write that in column five.
   6. Anything else you observe about the layout, graphics, text, etc. you can record in column six.
   7. After you have filled in the information for all nine of the websites, give each a score - 1 being a very reliable website, 10 being a very unreliable website. 
   8. When you are finished with your Matrix you will hand it in to your teacher and go on to the next process. 

A sketch of what Athens might have looked like in ancient times

Assignment Two - Picking your tools

Do you feel confident about using the Internet now? Your next assignment is to choose three of the websites from the list below that are reliable sources that you will use for your research into the citystates of Athens and Sparta. Follow the steps below to complete this assignment.

1. Get a copy of the "Websites for Research" form from your teacher and write the names of all three partners at the bottom.
2. Right-click on each of the websites below and select "Open in New Tab" from the menu. Spend some time on each website and compare the sites to the criteria we have used to evaluate websites in the past.
3. Select three websites that you will use for your research (that are reliable) and fill out the "Websites for Research" form based on what you have learned about these sites.
4. Hand in your "Websites for Research" paper to your teacher before going on to your next assignment.

The Ruins of Ancient Sparta

Assignment Three - Excavating (Researching)

Athens and Sparta

Congratulations! You have learned about tools (the Internet) and have picked three tools to aid you in your "excavation of this dig site" (your research on Athens and Sparta). To continue, please follow the steps below. Keep in mind that you are working as a team to do all of your research and to form your final opinions and ideas!

1. Open Microsoft Word on your typing computer (not the same computer you are using for the Internet).
2. Go to the "Page Layout" tab, select "Orientation," and choose "Landscape."
3. Go to the "Insert" tab, select select "Table" and drag your mouse to insert a table that is three columns across and two rows down.
4. In the first column and row type "Athens," in the second column type "Same," and in the third column type "Sparta."
5. Save this document in "My Documents" with the names of the group members in the title.
6. Use this document to type your notes in. You can insert bullets or a numbered outline format by clicking on the "Home" tab and finding the correct buttons in the "Paragraph" section.
7. Begin your research by reading through the websites you have picked and taking notes.  Be sure to take notes in all three columns.
8. Once you have explored all three of your websites and taken notes on the important points look for the things that stand out to you about how Athens and Sparta are the same or are different. 
9. You will print a copy of your notes and hand them in when you do your presentation.

The Parthenon in Athens (Current Day)

Assignment Four - Speech and Exhbit Preparation

Spend some time discussing Athens and Sparta with your partners. Consider the things you have researched and learned about Ancient Greece, and about Athens and Sparta in particular.

1. Determine (with your partners) which citystate was a better place to live, and come up with three reasons that prove that your choice was better (these should be facts, not opinions!).
2. The remainder of the time that you have will be spent putting together your speech and your visual aid for your speech.
3. When you are putting together your speech, make sure you look at the rubric you were given.
4. When you are putting together your visual aid you should look at the rubric you were given.
5. You may use any of the following options for your visual aid:
1. A poster
2. A semantic map
3. A table
4. A computer generated presentation (like PowerPoint) 
5. A handout for each member of the audience
6. A brochure (to persuade)
7. Anything else you can think of and get approval for