This term, Years 3 and 4 have been enjoying learning about the Ancient Greeks through a range of exciting and creative activities. In art lessons, the children have designed their own Greek pottery patterns and illustrations, inspired by traditional Greek art and the stories it tells about life in the past. They are currently in the middle of creating theatre masks from papier mâché to represent comedy and tragedy, which were used in Greek amphitheatres to entertain large crowds.

Did you know that if audiences disliked a performance, they were known to throw objects such as olives, figs, nuts or small stones at the actors? Greek theatres could be very loud places, with people cheering enthusiastically for performances they enjoyed and openly showing their disappointment when they did not! This made performing in huge open‑air theatres both entertaining and challenging for actors.

The children have developed their historical understanding further by writing non‑chronological reports about daily life in Ancient Greece. These included learning about the importance of religion, the origins of the Olympic Games, and the lives of Greek citizens in different city‑states. Through these activities, pupils have explored Greek culture, art and traditions while developing their creativity, research and writing skills.

We are all looking forward to our Ancient Greek Day in school on Monday 15th June, when we will be hosting History Off the Page. Specialist teachers will be running a range of workshops to deepen our understanding of this fascinating and significant historical period. We will be dressing up in simple Greek outfits and stepping back in time for the day.