Ancient Greece

Archimedes, the reknowned ancient Greek Scientist and Mathematician, had an enormous impact on all science and math since his time. This is his story, simply and even humorously told. The reader is introduced to many important concepts discovered and used by Archimedes including the lever, the pulley and his famous discoveries involving water displacement. (Numerous black and white drawings aid immensely in understanding these concepts). I love books which take concepts that have been made over-complex by modern textbooks and show how they are simple enough to be understood by children. Particularly interesting is the chapter entitled "The War Machines of Archimedes" which relates the story of his defense of Sicily by the use of Science: machines which hurled stones at the enemy and carefully designed mirrors which reflected sunlight on the enemy ships so intensely that they caught fire.

Homeschoolers will appreciate Laura Berquist's helpful hints (in the introduction) for incorporating this book into your own curriculum. Keep in mind that this isn't just a Science book – it's an appropriate addition to the study of Ancient Greece and a Math Supplement as well. The complete index is useful for referring to particular topics

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

1998-99

D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths

Author(s):

Ingri Parin D'Aulaire

Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

Illustrator(s):

Ingri Parin D'Aulaire

Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

Number of pages:

192 pages

1962

ISBN / ID:

9780545250153

Publisher:

Delacorte Books

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

This was first published in 1962 and is a wonderful book of Greek mythology. It tells the stories of the gods, goddesses, and heroes of Ancient Greece. Details of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are included, as well as the Argo, the Argonauts, and Jason's quest for the golden fleece. Some of the references of the legends are sparce and would need further references. (I would recommend Padric Colum's books, The Golden Fleece and The Children's Homer.) The book is highlighted with beautiful drawings, elaborate family trees, and a large map. More than half of these pictures are in colour-an added bonus.

You can purchase this paperback or hardcover book from most homeschool companies or better bookstores. Perhaps your local library would have a copy on it's shelves that you could borrow? It can be used for a variety of ages. Younger children would like it as a 'read aloud' and older students would enjoy it as an excellent introduction to greek mythology. All in all, it is a classic retelling of Greek myths and legends, and belongs on every homeschool bookshelf.

Reviewed by:

K.H.

First reviewed:

1998-99

Famous Men of Greece

Author(s):

John H. Haaren

A.B. Poland

Memoria Press (editor)

Number of pages:

172 pages

2006

ISBN / ID:

978-1930953772

Publisher:

Memoria Press

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

Like Famous Men of Rome, Famous Men of Greece introduces ancient history in the manner of Plutarch, by means of thirty-one short (4-5 page) biographies of the great men of Ancient Greece. It begins back at the point where history merges with legend, and ends with the fall of Greece to Rome in 146 B.C.

The introduction gives a brief description of the pantheon of mythical gods and goddesses of Greece. The book explains that this is how the Greek citizen of ancient times would have started with the historical record – that though we call these stories "myths" now, they tell us something about how the people thought in those days. From there, the first nine chapters cover figures of legend – where possible truth is mixed with make-believe. These stories are also important to Greek history, because they show what the Greeks valued in their heroes and the stories they learned and told to each other. Starting with Chapter X on Lycurgus the Spartan who lived in the 9th century B.C., we reach the actual historical record. The book advises the student to learn to discern between history, legend and myth in his reading and to ask himself "What things in this story could really have happened?"

My children, who use this book as a history spine in 4th grade, have all loved these tales of Greek heroes and statesmen. In addition to showing the continuum between legend and historical records, these books provide what to me is of first importance: lessons in evaluating people and events through an ethical, Christian perspective. History learned by stories is more easily remembered for children grades 3 to 7 than lists of facts and details to memorize for tests. Also, this is the way the ancients themselves learned and wrote history; showing the importance of their values through the lives of their good and their bad leaders.

Additional notes:

Copyrights 1904/2006

Reviewed by:

Willa Ryan

First reviewed:

9-2-04

Greek Classics

Questions for the Thinker

Author(s):

Fran Rutherford

Illustrator(s):

James Rutherford

Number of pages:

213 pages

2005

Publisher:

Mother's House Publishing

Binding:

Spiralbound

Subject(s):

History

Literature Study Guides

Setting:

Ancient Greece

Grade / Age level:

High School

Review:

Perspective:

Catholic

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

3-3-2007

Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Greece

Author(s):

Cynthia Shearer

Number of pages:

62 pages

1989

ISBN / ID:

9781882514021

Publisher:

Greenleaf Press

Binding:

Softcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

The Guide to Famous Men of Greece is an optional supplement for the book. It includes, for each lesson, a vocabulary list and several discussion questions designed to bring out the key points of each life through a Christian (biblical) perspective. The discussion questions are excellent narration starters and really do help bring out the theme that "individual people and their actions have a significant effect on history". There are some ideas for simple hands-on projects (the first lesson involves making a salt relief map of the country in question, to get an idea of how geographical circumstances affect history). There are also suggestions for supplementary reading. I must say their book choices are quite wonderful and that all the books we acquired on Greenleaf's recommendation for ancient history have been treasures. There is also a timeline at the back which is helpful in unifying the various biographies.

Reviewed by:

Willa Ryan

First reviewed:

9-2-04

Herodotus and the Road to History

Author(s):

Jeanne Bendick

Number of pages:

80 pages

2009

Publisher:

Bethlehem Books

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

This is a brief, engaging and heavily illustrated biography of the world's first historian. Herodotus lived in the Greek city of Halicarnassus in the Persian empire during the 5th century BC. His situation and personality put him an ideal place to tell the fascinating stories of the Persian Wars (think Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis) and to travel extensively and collect stories from all over. His original writings are a fascinating read for upper high school or college. This is unique in that it shares the basic history of his own life, told in first person narrative. It gives a fascinating glimpse into the world he lived in as well as touching upon major events and characters that he wrote about. It's the perfect companion to a children's edition of the stories of Herodotus. Our family read it immediately after finishing Stories from Herodotus by Glanville Downey (which is sadly out of print, but may be available from your local library), which made it even more relevant and interesting. Suitable for independent reading ages 10 and up, or for a read aloud to younger children.

Additional notes:

Donated for review by Bethlehem Books.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

10-21-2009

History Links: Unit Six – Ancient Greece

Unit Studies for Catholic Families.

Author(s):

Jennifer Alles

Barbara Little

Kim Staggenborg

Number of pages:

83 pages

1998

Publisher:

Wooly Lamb Publishing

Binding:

Comb-bound

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

Unit Studies, or integrated curriculum, present a wonderful opportunity to study one topic in depth while taking side-trips to study related topics. The History Links units have been prepared to help Catholic families study a broad range of subjects, over all grade levels, organized by historical time period, from a Catholic point of view. That doesn't sound too easy to do, but the authors have made it so.

This unit on Ancient Greece is not a structured, day-to-day lesson plan. Rather, it is organized to guide you to develop your own daily plans and longer term assignments. The book begins with traditional Catholic prayers and patriotic hymns derived from Greek that can be learned during the unit and used for memorization, dictation, copywork or spelling. Next is a lengthy list of topics that will be studied and a listing of specific books, church documents, videos, and internet sites. These lists will help you to gather materials for your students to use during the study of Ancient Greece. The "preparation" section ends with vocabulary and spelling lists and a timeline.

The bulk of the unit is organized in outline style, with many, many suggestions of things to do as you explore Ancient Greece. Each of the topic headings and activity suggestions includes background teaching information, which I think is one of the best features of the program. The activity suggestions are coded with an age recommendation and a subject classification. For example, some activities are best-suited for preschoolers or elementary students, while others are best for middle school students or high school students. Each page also includes ideas for including babies and toddlers in the activities! Main subjects covered include religion, language arts, literature, research skills, critical thinking, and geography. Some suggestions also include study in foreign language, math, science, citizenship, architecture, art, crafts, drama, music, and physical education.

The authors recommend spending approximately 2 months on this unit, but there are so many things to do that you could easily spend much longer on this time period. I think that these courses are wonderful all by themselves, but they would also be very useful as a supplement. If you are enrolled with a formal curriculum such as that of Kolbe Academy or the Angelicum Academy, you could use History Links to add some fun projects and a Catholic perspective to the courses. History Links really are family-centered education, making learning fun and memorable.

Reviewed by:

Susan Kalis

First reviewed:

1998-99

Stories from Herodotus

Panorama of Events and Peoples of the Ancient World

Author(s):

Glanville Downey

Herodotus

Illustrator(s):

Enrico Arno

Number of pages:

158 pages

1965

ISBN / ID:

9780199120192

Publisher:

E.P. Dutton Co.

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Resource Type:

Review:

This young people's version of some of the most famous stories from Herodotus focuses primarily on the Persian Wars – most notably the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis. This is a very accessible volume for young people (and makes a great read-aloud) collecting many of the most interesting stories from Herodotus and presenting them in a suitable format for children (some of the content in the unabridged Herodotus have mature themes). The stories provide a nice overview of the Persian Wars, a backdrop of Greek stories to get a fuller sense of the culture and make great tales in-and-of themselves; filled with thoughtful ideas, strange characters and good discussion material.

The book is llustrated with charming black and white figures modeled after images on Greek pottery.

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

6-1-05

The Children's Homer

The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy

Author(s):

Padraic Colum

Number of pages:

256 pages

1918

Publisher:

Aladdin Books

Binding:

Softcover

Sample Pages

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

The Children's Homer is an epic adventure about the Trojan War and the homecoming of Odysseus. The two famous tales, The Iliad and The Odyssey, were originally written by Homer, a renowned poet in Ancient Greece. Mr. Colum retells these stories for us. My family used this book as a read-aloud, and enjoyed it immensely. We were all thrilled by the gripping stories and the detailed pictures. It's an excellent book to use when studying Ancient Greece. I would give it five ***** rating.

Reviewed by:

M.H.

First reviewed:

1998-99

The Genealogy of Greek Mythology

Author(s):

Vanessa James

Number of pages:

107 pages

2003

ISBN / ID:

978-1592400133

Publisher:

Gotham Books (a division of Penguin)

Binding:

Sewn Hardcover

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

"An Illustrated Family Tree of Greek Myth from the First Gods to the Founders of Rome" This unique fold-out book helps readers make connections between various classical stories from sources such as: Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles by organizing them into a "family tree". One side of the chart depicts the "gods" and the other side shows their mortal offspring. The interconnecting red lines between sides help you easily trace the connections and the book can easily be flipped from side to side when a small portion is unfolded. Roman names of each of the gods are presented along with the anglicized Greek names.

One nice thing is that the chart is entirely illustrated with full-color reproductions of classical Greek artwork, statuary, etc. It nicely complements the written information. Small text-boxes summarize the stories of the principal characters. Be forewarned, though, that there are plenty of classical nudes and one illustration and text box explaining the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, while subtle enough to be missed by young children, might make some parents uncomfortable (a rather primitive illustration of two male nudes embracing).

The reader will naturally understand that although many parts of Greek Mythology are based on historical fact, a great deal of it is fictitious and studied for the purposes of understanding Ancient Greek literature and culture. Quite rightly, after introducing that, the author's tone treats the events and characters as true and historical, with a few explanations here and there such as: "The Greeks assigned human bodies to concepts such as love and hate. This kind of personification was a device that helped to describe and explain the mysteries of the natural environment and of human behavior." (pg. 7)

The fold-out format is neat (you can open up a segment of the desired length to study – a little like a scroll) and fairly sturdy (printed on heavy cardstock), however it isn't particularly friendly for small children who might twist and tear it if they attempt to open it. Although I wouldn't object to having this around the house and it could be used as a supplement to classical studies in high school, it's probably best suited as a gift book for college students and adults who are particularly interested in mythology.

Here are a few words from the author from her website that might be helpful in further understanding this resource:

"As I fit the family trees together and researched their literary origins my chart began to grow in all directions. It is at this point that I knew that I should try to make it conform to a rough timeline so that, for instance, all the participants in the Trojan War could be located horizontally within three generations. I re-read Homer, Hesiod, Apollonius Rhodius, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Eurypides; Vergil and Ovid, making notes and consulting old and new classical dictionaries. I became fascinated with the complexity of the family relationships that bound these extraordinary characters together and affected every aspect of their lives. The big surprise was that almost every one seemed to be related to someone else.
I found myself learning about mythological history through genealogy. On rereading, for instance, the Iliad, minor characters that I had previously overlooked now leapt freshly to life as real people who I could recognize from their family connections. These myths about friendship, passion and retribution all began to make very personal sense to me. It is interesting to observe the continuing power and pleasure that these stories still exert over our minds to this day." – Vanessa James

Additional notes:

double-sided fold-out chart with slipcase - over 17 feet long!

Donated for review by Penguin-Putnam

Reviewed by:

Alicia Van Hecke

First reviewed:

3-17-04

Love 2 Learn.net

Ancient Greece

Archimedes and the Door of Science

D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths

Famous Men of Greece

Greek Classics

Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Greece

Herodotus and the Road to History

History Links: Unit Six – Ancient Greece

Stories from Herodotus

The Children's Homer

The Genealogy of Greek Mythology

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