21st Century Lessons

Causes of the Persian War

Primary Lesson Designer(s):

BROOKE FELDMAN

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21st Century Lessons – Teacher Preparation

• Spend AT LEAST 30 minutes studying the Lesson Overview, Teacher Notes on each slide, and accompanying worksheets.

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Please do the following as you prepare to deliver this lesson:

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Lesson Objective Students will be able to identify the political and historic causes of the Persian Wars

Lesson Description This is an introductory lesson about the Persian Wars. It is student-driven, as opposed to the traditional lecture-style introduction. First, the students review military vocabulary which will likely be familiar to them. Then, students become military strategists and analyze an overview of the Persian Wars. They read, annotate, and complete a graphic organizer. After, students share out to create a complete set of notes from the Greek and Persian perspectives. Last, students answer higher-level follow-up questions.

Lesson Overview (1 of 3)

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Lesson Vocabulary Offensive, defensive, strategy

Materials Red pen and blue pen; copies of all worksheets

Scaffolding Visuals, graphic organizers, teacher modeling

Enrichment Students could also identify and analyze the social and/or economic causes of the Persian Wars

Online Resources for Absent Students

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/persianwars.htm

Lesson Overview (2 of 3)

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Lesson Overview (3 of 3)

Common Core State Standard

Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Before and After This lesson provides students the opportunity to explore causation in a meaningful and rigorous way. Before this lesson, students will know little about the Persian Wars and may or may not have studied any other ancient wars. After, students will be able to explain why this war took place. It is the first lesson in a three day sequence which will examine the causes, course, and consequences of the Persian Wars.

Topic Background The Persian Wars are documented in The Histories by Herodotus. You can find the full text online at http://classics.mit.edu/Herodotus/history.html

Warm Up

OBJECTIVE: SWBAT identify the political and historic causes of the Persian Wars

Agenda

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Match the terms in the box to the definitions below.

_____________________ A plan _____________________ Win_____________________ Loss_____________________ Attack_____________________ Protect

Challenge: Create one sentence that uses all 5 words from the box above.

Defeat Defensive Offensive Victory Strategy

Agenda:

1) Warm Up: Military terms matching

2) Launch: Setting the stage

3) Explore: Becoming a military strategist & Breaking down the causes

4) Summary: Reading and Notes

5) Practice: Create the class notes

6) Assessment: Follow up questions

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OBJECTIVE: SWBAT identify the political and historic causes of the Persian Wars

Launch: Setting the Stage

Agenda

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What do these images have in

common?

What do these images have in

common?

Explore: Becoming a Military Strategist

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Agenda

Explore: Assign the Sides

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Agenda

GreeceGreece PersiaPersia

Explore: Breaking down the Causes

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Agenda

Causes of War

HistoryPolitics

• Has to do with the government or laws TODAY

• Affects people’s lives TODAY

• Has to do with the PAST

• Can be any aspect of people’s lives in the past, for example the old laws or social issues

Summary: Reading and Notes

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Agenda

1. Read your overview on the causes of the Persian Wars2. As you read, underline political causes in blue3. As you read, underline historic causes in red4. Complete your graphic organizer

Political Factors 1 – 2 Sentence Summary How did this lead to war?If _________________________________________

___________________________________________,

then ______________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Practice: Create the Class Notes

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Agenda

Basic Facts

Dates: 492 – 449/8 BCE

Location: Various, especially Greece, Thrace, Macedonia, and Asia Minor

Sides: Greece vs. Persia

Practice: Create the Class Notes

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Agenda

Causes of the Persian Wars; Persian Point of View

Political

Historic

Practice: Create the Class Notes

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Agenda

Causes of the Persian Wars; Greek Point of View

Political

Historic

Assessment: Follow up questions

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Agenda

Answer the questions using complete sentences.

1.Which Persian cause was most persuasive to you? Why?

1.Which Greek cause was most persuasive to you? Why?

1.Prediction: Which army do you think won the war? Why?

Homework: Create a Battle Plan

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Agenda

Military strategy based on Mediterranean geography

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Teacher Development and AdvancementEmily Berman- Curriculum Director (Social Studies) of 21st Century LessonsCarla Zils – Curriculum Director (Math) of 21st Century LessonsBrian Connor – Technology Coordinator

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