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Secrets of the Parthenon

Viewing Ideas  Print this Teacher's Guide (PDF, 6 pages)

Before Watching

1. The Parthenon was conceived to embody the greatness of Greece and to celebrate Athens as the apex of that culture. Show students a picture of the Parthenon and pictures of some of the buildings in Washington, D.C., such as the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. How do the buildings compare and contrast?

2. Assign groups of students to collect information as they watch the program, using the viewing guide provided in the activity "A Monumental Puzzle." See the activity procedure section for instructions.

After Watching

1. Ask students to list buildings in their city that have elements of the Parthenon in them. Which elements show up the most? Which elements show up the least? Why do students think some elements are used more than others?

2. Ancient Greek scientists contributed to the fields of medicine, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, and more. Organize students into five groups and assign each group one of the following scientists to research: Eratosthenes, Archimedes, Bolos (Democritus), Daedalus, and Hippocrates. Have students research and report to the class about when the scientist lived, what field(s) he worked in, and what he contributed to each field. Create a time line on the board for students to use to record when their scientist lived and what each scientist's major accomplishments were.