Ancient Greece the Ancient Greeks

Non-fiction: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

Ancient Greece The Ancient Greeks

Greece is a country in Europe. It lies on the Mediterranean Sea. Greece has been settled1 since ancient times. Today, we still follow many ideas the ancient Greeks had about science, sports, the arts, and government.

Towns in ancient Greece were called city-states. City-states were very independent and very proud. Athens, which is now the capital of Greece, was a famous ancient city-state. It was named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom2 and knowledge.

The people of Athens invented a new kind of government. It was called democracy. This meant that the citizens of Athens were allowed to take part in their government. They could vote and make big decisions. We use this kind of government in the United States today. We owe it to the ancient Athenians.

The ancient Greeks had their own religion. They believed in many different gods. Each god represented something specific to the Greeks. For instance, there was a god of war and a goddess of love. They even had a god of sleep.

The ancient Greeks did many things to honor3 their gods. They put on plays. They held sporting events. In fact, the first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece. We still hold Olympic Games today. Like democracy, it is just one of many things that we got from the ancient Greeks!

1 settled: lived in by people 2 wisdom: important knowledge about the world 3 honor: show respect to

Questions: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

Name: ______Date:______

1. Where is Greece located?

a. in the United States b. near the Mediterranean Sea c. in Italy d. in the Pacific Ocean

2. Which of these answers is NOT something about ancient Greeks that is described in the passage?

a. their sports b. their religion c. their clothing d. their government

3. Studying the ancient Greeks can be important to Americans today because

a. the Greeks were the first civilization in America. b. we have city-states that are based on the Greek system. c. their government was very different from ours. d. some parts of our society were started by the Greeks.

4. Read the following sentences: “Each god represented something specific to the Greeks. For instance, there was a god of war and a goddess of love.”

The word represented means

a. created or invented b. wrote stories about c. was used as a symbol for d. voted in an election

5. What is the main purpose of this passage?

a. to introduce important things about ancient Greece b. to explain the type of religion ancient Greeks had c. to compare and contrast ancient Greece and America d. to explain the ancient origins of the Olympic Games

Questions: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

6. What are two things we still have today that the ancient Greeks invented?

______

7. Based on the passage, explain how we know that the ancient Greek gods were very important to them.

______

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

Some religions have only one god, ______the ancient Greeks believed in many gods.

a. in the end b. but c. because d. consequently

9. Read the following sentence.

To make sure everyone was involved in government, ancient Greeks in Athens invented democracy.

Answer the questions below based on the information provided in the sentence you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you.

1. Who? ancient Greeks

2. What did ancient Greeks do? ______

3. Why? ______

4. Where? ______3

Questions: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

10. Vocabulary Word: wisdom: the ability to use your experience and knowledge to make good decisions.

Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ______

______

Answers: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

Teacher Guide and Answers

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 560

Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates a concept or topic

Passage Summary: Today, we still do many things that were invented in ancient Greece. For example, we have a government based on democracy; we have sports, including the Olympic Games; and we have theater.

1. Where is Greece located?

a. in the United States b. near the Mediterranean Sea c. in Italy d. in the Pacific Ocean

2. Which of these answers is NOT something about ancient Greeks that is described in the passage?

a. their sports b. their religion c. their clothing d. their government

3. Studying the ancient Greeks can be important to Americans today because

4. Read the following sentences: “Each god represented something specific to the Greeks. For instance, there was a god of war and a goddess of love.”

The word represented means

a. created or invented b. wrote stories about c. was used as a symbol for d. voted in an election

Answers: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

5. What is the main purpose of this passage?

6. What are two things we still have today that the ancient Greeks invented?

Suggested answer: The ancient Greeks invented the form of government known as democracy. They also invented the Olympic Games, which we still have today.

7. Based on the passage, explain how we know that the ancient Greek gods were very important to them.

Suggested answer: The Greeks named the city Athens after the goddess Athena. They also did many things to honor them such as putting on plays and sporting events.

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

Some religions have only one god, ______the ancient Greeks believed in many gods.

a. in the end b. but c. because d. consequently

9. Read the following sentence.

To make sure everyone was involved in government, ancient Greeks in Athens invented democracy.

Answer the questions below based on the information provided in the sentence you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you.

1. Who? ancient Greeks

Answers: Ancient Greece – The Ancient Greeks

2. What did ancient Greeks do? invented democracy

3. Why? to make sure everyone was involved in government

4. Where? in Athens

10. Vocabulary Word: wisdom: the ability to use your experience and knowledge to make good decisions.

Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.