The afternoon session covers the famous battle of Marathon, in which only 10,000 Athenians stood against a far greater Persian force attempting to conquer Greece. Children will learn about history through vivid experience - debating whether to fight the Persians, and going outside to march against the Persians in teams.  

 

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Morning Lesson Plan: Hoplites and their Gear

1. Introduction to Hoplites: their formation and their gear (30 minutes)

Look at photo showing phalanx, from the movie '300'. Look at photos of pottery paintings and statues depicting hoplites, plus large painting on a board. Try to spot all their gear, learn the names of each item and how they were designed and used.

Focus especially on the shield with its round bowl-like shape with painted decorations, and the bronze helmet, with its coloured horsehair crest.

Look at photos of real weapons and armour in museums and try to identify. Learn what materials were used (e.g. bronze, wood).

I will also show some pictures of hoplite reenactors.

2. Reenactment (15 minutes)

One child tries out my helmet, shield and spear and I teach them how a hoplite fought: the grip, stance, and movement. Then three children form the front rank of a phalanx, with shields overlapped and spears over the top aimed at the enemy. We then see how files were formed with men behind each other, spears reaching over their shoulders (see photo above).

Finally we have nine children form a mini-phalanx with three ranks and three files. We try a thrust at the enemy and learn how difficult it would be to maintain a tight formation.

Break

At 10.15 we will have a 15 minute break so I can set out the materials to make the helmets and shields. I will need 4 children to help me.

Lesson plan continues in next column.

 

Background information:

Hoplite arms and tactics

The Battle of Marathon

Literacy link: read my novel MARATHON for free here

 

3. Helmet and shield making (150 minutes)

Children will make copies of helmets and shields. They will be divided into groups of four, and each group will make one set (each item requires at least 2 children). This activity is complicated and challenging, so extra support will be needed, especially with lower ability children.

Shiny bronze and thick white card will be used, and templates for drawing round and cutting out, followed by sticking with glue, tape, and staples. Shield makers will draw designs in the middle of their shields with permanent markers. They can also choose a wave or triangle design for the rims.

Helmet makers can use a pencil to 'engrave' decorations around the eyes and nose, and choose from three crest colours (red white and black); they can also add stripes to the crests if they wish.

The helmet and shield making takes a long time so we will finish after lunch (and if necessary through lunch break). The end result however is extremely impressive and makes a wonderful wall display. Moreover, the helmets and shields can be worn and used in our battle reenactment (or in your own drama activities).

 

Display at St. Aidan's RC Primary, Manchester

 

 

  

 Lizarders (spike on the bottom of a spear)

 

Afternoon Lesson Plan: the Battle of Marathon

1. Introduction (30 mins)

Background to the Battle of Marathon, 490BC. This was the first battle of the wars between Greece and Persia. Despite overwhelming odds the Athenian army won a stunning victory. The runner Philippides was sent 146 miles to Sparta to ask for help - which did not come in time.

We will look at maps showing the Greek city states and the vast Persian Empire, and discuss the threat of Persia. Children will see evidence of the weapons and armour of the Persian army, and imagine how an Athenian at the time would have felt facing such a large and successful invading army.

 

Persian warrior on a Greek vase

Persian shields, made from sticks and leather

  

2. Battle Reenactment (50 mins)

 

We now go out onto the field/playground (or hall if wet) and reenact the attack at Marathon. Children are divided into four teams and each tries the following exercises, with a contest to see who can drill in the most orderly way:

- holding spear and shield correctly, marching, and advancing to fight

- running to avoid arrows and forming phalanx at the battle line.

 

The children in the other 3 teams pretend to be the Persians, firing arrows.

If time allows we will try the reenactment again, this time with the 'Persians' throwing soft plastic balls at the Greeks, to represent the arrows. Although the balls are harmless, children may find them distracting. Their job is to ignore the 'arrows' and form phalanx regardless of this attack.

This experience will give the children a much better sense of the difficulty of maintaining order and self discipline under battle conditions.

After this we will return to class and discuss what we have learned from the experience.

 

Greave (bronze shin guard)