Please practise these Year 5 spellings. They are all related to our new topic of Ancient . A little practise each day is best. Use the spelling strategies that you know, or be creative with how you practise them. Good luck! government democracy philosopher gymnasium stadium theatre Mediterranean ancient

 You must learn each spelling.  You should find out the meaning of each spelling. Make sure that you understand each word.  You could write each spelling into a sentence to show your understanding.

Fancy a challenge? ‘Be the teacher’ and set yourself a spelling test at the end of the week for somebody at home to test you. Can you think of a sentence to put them in just like we do at school? Can you also include a think back challenge? Monday 4th May 2020 Objective: To retrieve information from a non-fiction text

Have a read of the text ‘Facts about Greece’ on the next two pages. Now that you have read the text, have a go at the following questions to show your understanding. Remember to use your skimming and scanning skills to help.

1. Where is Greece? 2. Name the four countries that border Greece. 3. How many of the Greek islands are inhabited? 4. Explain what is meant be Mediterranean climate. 5. How many tourists visited Greece in 2015? 6. Why do so many tourists go to Greece? 7. Find and copy three facts about . 8. What was Homer famous for? 9. Why did the Ancient Greeks celebrate the Olympic Games? 10. Why would you expect to find a lot of white houses in Greece? 11. What is the average Winter temperature in Greece? 12. What is the highest peak in Greece and how tall is it? 13. What colours would you find on the Greek flag? 14. Where in Greece could you ski? 15. What sea lies to the West of Greece?

Discover Homer’s most famous works

You can listen to some of Homer’s most famous stories online for free. These stories will carry you to ancient Greece with Odysseus and Achilles who, guided by the gods, seek vengeance against the Trojans, and follows Odysseus on his perilous journey, through the land of the Cyclopes, past Circe the Enchantress, the terrible Charybdis and the six-headed serpent Scylla.

Listen online at audible.com: https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B002V8NB2S?ref=adbl_ent_anon_sc_pdp_pc_0

Tuesday 5th May 2020 Objective: To retrieve information from a non-fiction text

Have a read of the text ‘Awesome Athens’ on the next two pages. Now that you have read the text, have a go at the following questions to show your understanding. Remember to use your skimming and scanning skills to help.

1. What is a ? 2. Where does the name Athens come from? 3. Who was able to vote on decisions affecting the ? 4. What was the agora? 5. Where might you visit to see the work of famous artists in Athens? 6. Where were the most significant temples in Athens built? 7. The is the most famous temple in Athens. Name two more temples on the acropolis. 8. Who was the god of wine? 9. How many people could attend events at the ? 10. At what age would Athenian boys go to school? 11. What were the main subjects that boys studied? 12. What skills were considered important for girls to learn? 13. Name three new ideas about leisure time that the Athenians introduced. 14. Why did Athens need a strong army and navy?

Want to find out more?

 You can discover more about Ancient Athens and take a virtual tour of the city on the British Museum or Dorling Kindersley websites: http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/athens/home_set.html https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/ancient-greece/athens/

Ancient Greece wasn’t a single country like Greece is today. It was made up of over 1,000 city-states (a bit like the states in the United States of America). Each city-state, or polis, was very different from the next, with different laws and ways of doing things which meant that they didn’t always get along! Athens was one of the most important and powerful in Ancient Greece. It was home to influential thinkers and great artists and also some of the most magnificent buildings in the world! Athens takes its name from the goddess Athena - goddess of wisdom and knowledge. It is still the capital city of modern day Greece today.

Athens was the first polis to fully develop a democratic government (meaning that the people had a say in the way the city was run rather than being ruled by a king or a dictator). As such, it was considered very important for Athenians to take an active interest in the running of the government. Male citizens could vote on all decisions that affected the city, however democracy wasn't open to everyone. Women and children were not allowed to vote and slaves and foreigners living in Athens were also banned from taking part in the decision making.

The heart of the city could be found in the agora (marketplace). It was the centre of all business, trade and political activity in Athens. Being close to the sea, Athens relied heavily on trade with other Greek city-states and in the market you would find a range of fine food (bread, olives, cheese, fruit, herbs and spices), wine, flowers, horses and even slaves from far flung places. The agora was also a favourite spot for people to meet and catch up on all the gossip of the day. You might also visit the Stoa Poikile, a long covered hall that displayed beautiful paintings by some of Athens’ most famous artists. People would come here to meet and chat or to escape the heat of the sun. You would also expect to find philosophers here, great thinkers who would share their ideas with anyone who would listen. Athens was famous for its open minded and modern outlook. Art, theatre and science were considered very important to the Athenians and people would travel from all over Greece to study there. Athens was home to some of the most impressive building of the ancient world and you can still visit many of the sites today. The city’s most important temples were built on a large hill called the Acropolis (meaning high city). At the centre of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This building was dedicated to the goddess Athena and was also used to store gold. Other temples were in the acropolis such as the and the Erchtheum. On the slope of the acropolis were theatres where plays and festivals were celebrated. The largest was the , god of wine and patron of the theatre. There were competitions held here to see who had written the best play. Up to 25,000 people could attend and the design was so good that all could see and hear the play. The Panathenaic Stadium hosted the Panathenaic Games (similar to the Olympic games) every four years. It had a capacity of 50,000 and to this day is the only stadium built entirely of marble!

The Parthenon Theatre of Dionysus Panathenaic Stadium

Athenians took a great interest in the arts, learning and athletics. They believed that practising music, poetry, sculpture and athletic competition were spiritually important. Plato, a famous Athenian thinker, believed that education should be compulsory and Athenian children were encouraged to play with toys, dolls, carts, skipping ropes, kites and even seesaws to develop physically and socially. At the age of seven, boys would be enrolled in schools where music and gymnastics were the main subjects. Girls did not go to school and women married young to husbands chosen by their parents. It was important for Athenian women to be skilled in chores such as cooking and weaving. The Athenians introduced lots of new ideas about the approach to leisure time, building many open air theatres, public parks and gardens, public baths and sports stadiums.

Athenians wanted to take control of more and more land in Greece and were often involved in war with other city-states. The Athenian army was not made up of professional soldiers but consisted of hoplites (citizens of Athens who had enough money to afford armour and weapons). The hoplites were usually wealthy farmers and tradesmen and often lacked military training. Nevertheless, the Athenian army and navy were very successful in expanding and defending the Athenian empire. Wednesday 6th May 2020 Objective: To retrieve information from a non-fiction text

Have a read of the text ‘Serious Spartans’ on the next two pages. Now that you have read the text, have a go at the following questions to show your understanding. Remember to use your skimming and scanning skills to help.

1. Where was Sparta? 2. Name the lands that the city controlled. 3. Where would Spartan boys be sent at the age of 7? 4. What was unusual about the way that Sparta was ruled? 5. What did you have to be able to do to be recognised as a citizen of Sparta? 6. Other than Spartan citizens, name the two other groups of people who lived in Sparta. 7. What was unusual about the way that girls were treated in Sparta? 8. Name two things that Spartan women could do that women in other Greek city-states couldn't do. 9. What was used as currency instead of money in Sparta? 10. Why was it difficult for Spartans to grow lots of different foods? 11. Describe a well known Spartan meal. 12. Other than military training or athletics, name one hobby that Spartans enjoyed. 13. Until what age would Spartan soldiers be expected to train in the army? 14. What would it mean if someone described a house as ‘spartan’ today? 15. Which hero did Spartans claim to be descended from?

Fancy a challenge?

 Find some evidence from the text to suggest why Sparta might not have been well known for its navy.

 Would you prefer to live in Sparta or Athens? Justify your answer with your own reasons and using examples from the texts. Sparta was one of the most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece. It is famous for its powerful army as well as its battles with the city-state of Athens during the . Sparta was located in a valley on the banks of the Eurotas River in the south-eastern portion of Greece. The lands it controlled were called Laconia and Messenia.

Spartans concentrated most of their efforts on military strength and obedience. Unlike the people of Athens, the Spartans didn't study philosophy, art, or theatre - they studied war. They were widely considered to have the strongest army and the best soldiers of any city-state in Ancient Greece. At the age of seven, boys left home to begin training at a military academy called an agoge . The boys lived in barracks and were often beaten to make them tough. They were given little to eat in order to get used to what life would be like when they went to war. The boys were encouraged to fight one another. When the boys turned 20 they entered into the Spartan army. Soldiers were trained as hoplites, or heavily armed foot soldiers. The Spartan army was known for its skill in on-land combat.

They didn’t look to interact much with other city-states but would provide armies and assistance to other states when necessary.

Sparta was unusual in that it was ruled by two kings who were descended from two families that established the city. The two kings were equal in their power so that one could not act against the power of the other. Each king would choose his favourite son to inherit his title. There were also five ephors (or leaders) who ruled alongside the kings and were elected by the citizens of Sparta. You couldn’t become a Spartan citizen unless you could trace your family tree back to the two founding families and you had completed your military training in the agoge. The rest of the people who lived in Sparta were the Periokoi and the Helots. Periokoi were free people who lived in Spartan lands but were not citizens. They were free to travel to other cities, own their own land and were allowed to trade. Helots were basically slaves, they farmed their own land but had to give half of their crops to the Spartans. Helots were beaten once a year and if they were caught trying to escape they would be killed. Although Spartan soldiers and helots had it tough, life wasn’t all bad in Sparta. Women and girls had more rights and opportunities than in other Greek city-states. Spartan girls went to school at the age of seven and Sparta was the only Greek city-state to provide formal education for girls. Their school wasn't as tough as the boys’, but they did train in athletics and exercise. It was important that the women stayed fit so they would have strong sons who could fight for Sparta. Spartan women also had rights that other Greek women didn’t. Unlike Athenian women, they were allowed to own property, trade and form relationships with men as they chose.

Spartans were banned from owning gold or silver coins and, according to legend, Spartan currency consisted of iron bars to discourage people from keeping hold of wealth for themselves. Sparta was mainly a farming society which traded little with other city-states because it lay inland. The climate was very dry and it was difficult to grow lots of different foods. The Spartans were known for eating a black broth of blood and boiled pigs legs, seasoned with vinegar and served with barley, fruit and raw vegetables! When not training for battle, Spartans would train for athletics and were renowned for performing well at the Olympic Games. Although Spartans didn’t really enjoy art and plays for entertainment, they did love to dance. Dance allowed them to show off their physical strength and skill. Hunting was another popular pastime which provided competition in the absence of war and the Olympics. They liked to get up close and kill animals by hand, although they would usually leave the job of turning the animal skin into clothing to their helot slaves.

Fascinating facts  Boys were encouraged to steal food. If they were caught, they were punished. Not for stealing, but for getting caught!  Spartan men were required to stay fit and ready to fight until the age of 60.  The term "spartan" is often used to describe something simple or without comfort.  The Spartans considered themselves to be direct descendants of the Greek hero Heracles. Thursday 7th May 2020 Objective: To plan writing by developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research

What is a persuasive text? A persuasive text is a text that argues a particular point of view and aims to convince the reader to agree with the author or do something that the author wants them to do. Today and tomorrow we will be looking at how a travel brochure uses persuasive techniques to encourage people to book a holiday. Features of persuasive writing:

On the next page is an example of a travel brochure for ancient Baghdad. The author is trying to convince the reader to book a holiday to Baghdad. Read through this example and look for examples of the features listed above. How many can you spot?

Don’t forget your modal verbs. Look out for these in the text and think about how they are used to influence the reader. Visit the world’s first circular city!

Have you ever wondered what a perfectly circular city would look and feel like? Well, you need wonder no more—because here it is! Book your Baghdad break at your local travel agent today! Founded by the great caliph Al-Mansur, this is the first city in the world to be home to more than 1 million people. Furthermore, it is the most advanced city in the world, including the world’s first hospitals, universities, and observatories. How incredible! All the more reason for you and your family to come and visit what is being dubbed “The Circular Wonder”. This place will blow your mind!

Although it’s the dark ages in at the moment, it doesn’t mean it’s dark here. Welcome to the Golden Age! Our revolutionary and state of the art circular city has all of the main buildings at the centre, with stunning architectural features that will dazzle you with their artistic brilliance. We are an intellectual centre for science, philosophy and education therefore we have some of the greatest minds on the planet. Listen, learn and share your ideas. The world’s most important trade routes run straight through our city, so a variety of knowledge and produce reaches us from overseas. You must visit the beautiful Grand Mosque, with its stunning minarets decorated with Islamic geometric images . Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live like a caliph? Have a look at the Grand Palace and get a sneak peek at his glorious dwelling. Did you know?.... …...the word Baghdad translates to “gifted by God” in English. As well as beholding the sights and sounds of our incredible city, you will need to refuel. With ingredients from all over the world, we use herbs such as basil, tarragon, as well as sensational spices like caraway and hue. Relax in the sun in the city centre where you can buy mouth-watering food along with fresh flatbreads from our Fun in the sun kiosks for very good Baghdad is warm all year round and enjoys prices! Delicious! hot, dry summers with temperatures reaching 45°C—don’t forget your sunscreen!

Your task

This week, you will be writing your own travel brochure for Ancient Athens. Your audience is Spartan citizens and your aim is to try and convince them to book a holiday and visit Athens.

Think: What is different about the cities? What elements of Athenian culture would appeal to somebody from Sparta for a holiday?

Planning: Today, you should draft your ideas, aiming to include as many features of persuasive writing as you can. Below is an outline that you can use to help you plan your writing, paragraph by paragraph. You don’t have to use these paragraph headings but you should aim to include most of them in your writing.

Eye-catching How will you get your readers’ attention? heading Why should somebody visit Athens? What is it Introduction famous for? Use emotive language to excite your reader and encourage them to visit. Things to see What are the main attractions that somebody would want to visit on a trip to Athens? How would this be and do different to typical life in Sparta? Is the food different/better than the food in Sparta? Food / drink What might appeal to somebody from Sparta? Are there any other facts or information that you Anything else want to include?

How will you grab your readers’ attention? Friday 8th May 2020 Objective: To write a persuasive text

It’s time to produce your travel brochure for Ancient Athens. Remember, you are aiming to convince someone from Sparta that Athens would be a great place to visit.

 Your writing should be in the present tense and include features of persuasive writing (e.g. facts, emotive language, alliteration, lists, connectives)  What other Year 5 writing skills can you include?  Can you include any brackets, commas or dashes?  Can you get in a question or an exclamation?  Can you squeeze in any modal verbs?

Before you get started, have another read of the Beautiful Baghdad example and your ideas from yesterday. Just like in class, it’s a really good idea to look through your plan and add on any key vocabulary and punctuation that you would like to use. Might you need to use a dictionary or a thesaurus to help?

When you are ready, you can write your brochure in your book, type it up or you can be creative and you could even publish it as a holiday brochure just like you’d find in the travel agents What colours and images could you include? Maybe you want to create a leaflet or booklet instead of a single side of A4. Take your time and think carefully about your spelling, punctuation and presentation.

Good luck and enjoy!