Visitors Charmed by Pawling Middle School’s Greek Agora

  

Pawling Middle School sixth grade students delighted parents, friends, and the school community with presentations at the annual Greek Agora on Friday, May 12.

In ancient Greece, the agora was a bustling marketplace in the heart of the city. Students worked to create their own agora by individually undertaking the study of an occupation or role that would have existed during the time period and developing a presentation about it. Roles ranged from traders and weavers to architects, soldiers, blacksmiths, and even mythological gods and goddesses.

“It’s an experiential learning experience that wraps up all of the nuts and bolts of the unit,” said Mr. Ackerman, one of Pawling’s sixth grade social studies teachers. “They truly get an understanding of what life was like back then in small snippets.”

Sixth-graders prepared in class and at home as well as during cross-curricular lessons with school librarian Clair Magnesio, who taught proper research methods. They then developed their findings into presentations, creating costumes, props, and displays to represent a well-researched slice of ancient Greek life.

The sixth grade social studies teachers made the process a memorable learning experience from start to finish; students were even randomly assigned roles via a digital tool playfully referred to as the “Wheel of Death,” a method inspired by the three Fates (mythological Greek goddesses who were thought to control a person’s destiny). Ackerman explained that his students could turn down their first role and spin the wheel a second time, however, since the three Fates also allowed humans a level of free will.

Donning togas and homemade armor, students displayed their hard work and educated visitors – including friends and family – about their areas of expertise in an outdoor space set up like a marketplace. Teachers evaluated their presentations during the event.

Armor-clad student Scarlett Holland brandished a handmade sword and shield as she presented her work as an ancient Greek soldier.

“It was all fun, but my favorite part was making everything,” she said. “I really like art and wanted to do my best.”

Her mother, Celinda Gomez, explained that the experience became a passion for her daughter, who set up a dedicated workshop in her bedroom to create her materials.

“This event has been a wonderful learning experience for her,” said Gomez. “It gave her an opportunity to express herself and show what she had learned.”

Other exhibits included inspired versions of ancient Greek blacksmith tools, art, pottery, and even an authentically-designed weaving loom.

Some students truly inhabited their roles. The goddess Athena (also known as sixth-grader Caroline Clark) explained the significance of the owl that Athena kept on her shoulder: 

“Well, I’m the goddess of wisdom and the owl is wise, strong, and powerful – like me!”

Special thanks to parent Craig McGrath, who generously donated a number of tri-fold poster boards to the students for this project.