Minoan Pottery Lesson Plan

Unit 3 Lesson Plan

An Enthusiastic Age: A History of Minoan Pottery

Print Version [MS Word] [Rich Text File]

Alternate Plan: Good for use if time is short or for leaving with a substitute.

[A descriptive form of the lesson can be found on the Minoan Pottery page.]

Students explore and gather relevant facts from a website about Minoan pottery, then divide into groups and complete worksheets on different sections of the site. Students then present their information to the rest of the group in different ways: PowerPoint, handouts, timeline.

Primary Learning Outcomes

Who were the Minoans? Why did their pottery blossom into such magnificent art forms? Where did they find their inspiration?

Performance Objectives

Students will:

Extract basic facts of Minoan history of pottery from about 2600 BC to 1100 BC from Internet sites.

Create a handout on the basic facts of Minoan history.

Create a timeline of Minoan history of pottery from about 2600 BC to 1100 BC using pre-printed images and Internet references.

Work as a group to create and present a PowerPoint presentation of Minoan Pottery from 2600 BC to 1100 BC.

Synthesize material on the history of Minoan pottery into a quiz (with possible modification by teacher).

Create a table of potential information to be obtained from potsherds and extrapolate about Minoan culture from their pottery.

Materials and Equipment:

Television, Scan Converter, Computer Lab, Internet Connection, Large Erasable Timeline, Laminated Reproductions of Minoan Pottery (can make yourself), Markers, Poster Board, Cutting Board, Temporary Adhesive, Video Recorder (Optional), VCR (Optional), VCR Tapes (Optional)

Technology Connection:

Students make use of the web, computers, various types of software such as PowerPoint and word processors. Students use video recorder, if possible.

Procedures:

Step 1 – Take students to the computer lab and have them log on to the ceramics web and go to the Minoan History page.

Step 2 – With everyone on the same page, go over the procedures and expectations for the group and for the individuals.

Step 3 – Have students start by reading the 3 pages of material on the history of Minoan pottery. Give a set time limit and have those that finish early explore the links on those pages for extra information.

Step 4 – Assign students numbers 1 – 3 [decided by teacher ahead of time in order to take into account special needs] and have students do the appropriate sections of the worksheet [ms word format] [rich text file format] as individuals.

Step 5 – Students are to rehearse teaching their “page” to other students in their same “page” group.

Step 6 – The teacher merges students back into one group and goes over the procedures for doing their “jobs”. The jobs are PowerPoint Presenters, Handout Creators, and Timeline Creators.

Step 7 – The teacher splits students into two groups containing two students each of “page 1’s”, “page 2’s” and “page 3’s”.

Step 8 – Each group prepares a full presentation as described on the Assignment 2: A History of Minoan Pottery web page.

Step 9 – Each group presents their presentation (a videotape of this would be good).

Step 10 – Students fill out their rubrics and lesson assessments and turn them in to the teacher.

Technology Management:

Use sticky note “flags” to signal, “need teacher help”.
Also, make page 1 of Minoan Pottery: A History the home page so that teacher can quickly get wandering students back on task.

Alternate Plan:

Have students fill out all parts of the worksheet [ms word format] [rich text file format] while viewing the website. Follow up with an essay question like "Do you believe that being on an island along a well-traveled trade route had anything to do with the amazing diversity and beauty of the ceramics of the Minoans? Why or why not? Explain." You might allow students to research this using the links on the Resources page or doing individual searches.