y5/6 teachers - what is your topic for next term?

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

I have just started a job share in a large mixed-age y5/6 class. This term we had a great topic - Pakistan - which allowed for loads of learning about Islam, lots of geography, art, cultural awareness, etc.
Next term we will be doing Ancient Greece. I cannot think of a topic that would motivate me less. My jobshare has said that he would consider any other good topic if I could come up with an idea.
So what do you do???

Why does Ancient Greece demotivate you? History? Myths? Architecture? Ceramics? A visit to the British Museum? Mediterranean food? Greek day - come dressed with a tunic? Wars, Spartans... so boring...

I don't know ... just not keen. You're probably quite right; just need to do somre more research (or hope for a flash of inspiration).

could you getr inspied by any of the a greek legends/gods...

is this a topic for a whole term?

DD had it as a yr 4 topic, and it was fantastic for all the reasons listed above, they learnt about myths, wrote Their own on ancient scrolls, studied ceramics, jewellery, costume, military, DD was particularly enthused by the links with modern language & ancient Greek, visit to the Elgin Marbles and so much more, its an incredibly rich subject - I enjoyed it as much as her and her friends obviously did - I'm amazed you'd think it boring

No idea why my iPad has decide their has a capital T

I think you'll feel more positive when you've looked into it more, honestly.
Mathematics and Ancient Greece: best buddies eg look golden ratio which also links to art. Greek math was heavily linked to geometry so you could have a geometry focus if you haven't done so already.
Literacy - as mentioned Greek Myths are a great starting point, get class writing their own Greek myths.
I could rattle on but think it could be fun....

I agree that research is your best route into finding a hook to appeal to your class.
Ancient Greece is also the foundation of so many ideas and philosophies that are still in use today, political, philosophical and mathematical.
It is unwise to start shying away from areas that don;t interest you, and it is unlikely that the children will be given the chance to discover AG in secondary as they tend to do the 28th century to excess.

WTF?
The twentieth century. Particularly WW2.
Mumsnet Towers, EDIT BUTTON PLEASE!

The kids at my dcs school made some fab greek vases when they did Ancient Greece. Think they were papermache (how do you spell that!) and then painted. Very, very effective.

My ds loved this topic when they did it in Y4. They all went in dressed in sheets togas one day and ate Greek dips, they made vases, they did lots of stuff on Greek myth and modern retellings such as Percy Jackson, they did Greek maths (get a doll, get a bucket, have Archimedes jumping out of the bath and explain what his Eureka moment was), they did a thing about the Olympics as it was slowly approaching, and the end of term project was to do a model/a display about an Ancient Greek house (much help in our house from the British Museum's brilliant KS2 website).

Don't skip it - as Euphemia says, since he did the topic he has understood references to all sorts of Greek myth and rediscovered bits he didn't altogether get first time round in Harry Potter and it also made him like olives and tzatziki .

KS2 did Ancient Greeks last term - fabulous topic and covered the spectrum of curriculum. Ds2 really enjoyed it. They did some great creative writing, their only homework for the term was to produce something related to the topic ... very vague but they let rip in terms of their individual personalities to express themselves which I was surprised and delighted by - everything from cake architecture to quizzes; ds2 learned how to use prezi and did a v good romp through the battle of Troy. Brilliant topic. This term they are doing The Hobbit (mainly it would seem so that the PTA will fund a whole KS2 trip to the cinema and for the teachers to dress up for a LoTR style party at the end of term - all sounds great!).

My son would sell his own grandmother and probably even me to do this as a topic. Go google some Groovy Greeks from horrible histories as a funny way to start your research. You could even recreate the Olympics which the kids would get given the modern day ones just happened.

Any child who has read Percy jackson will not find this topic boring! Even I can see that the Greek Gods are the best soap opera ever!

Ditto all the above!

My ds done chocolate as a topic last year. Fab it was. Really engaged the children.

My DDs both did Chocolate and Fairtrade in Y5 before moving on to WW2 as first term of Y6 - and my youngest is going to be doing India for the rest of Y6 after Christmas.

DD (y6, loves history) would love Ancient Greece. Food, fables, morals (Aesop, kids could write their own Aesop tales!), math, Gods, drama, political contributions, language contribution, influence on the Romans, influence in all of ancient world, all good.

They're doing solar system & Tudors this term.

Topics I would love to do:

The Hobbit
Chocolate
And, most of all ....

.... Life in the 28th Century. That really would give us scope for interesting ideas.

I have really enjoyed teaching Romans, Ancient Egypt, the Solar System and the Tudors in the past.

[sigh]

Off to research Greece, I suppose.

How about reading Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief - lots of Greek gods and monsters

I taught Greeks last year to a year 4/5 mixed class they loved it. Girls enjoyed gods and goddesses, boys enjoyed spartans versus Athens. We linked to olympics and did our own sports events, pottery, Greek food tasting etc

[Even deeper sigh]

Might try and work up enthusiasm by reading Percy Jackson for myself.

Marcia Williams does a good book on Greek myths.

You can also link myths to learning about modern day stories, e.g. Narnia and Harry Potter. Especially mythical creatures.

www.teachprimary.com/learning_resources/view/pie-corbetts-non-fiction-unicorns

I based work on mythical beasts on the Pie Corbett idea

I am beginning to see possibilities ... great website, mrz - I have just spent the last half hour reading through various ideas.

Now, in my jobshare, I do problem solving in maths (range in class 2A - 6B), grammar and spelling for literacy and PSCHE. Yes, everything that the class teacher doesn't like doing. I also do French and RE, but I love those!

Has anyone any ideas for problem solving and grammar and spelling games/activities linked to Greeks?