As part of their unit on Ancient Greece, 6th grade students in Mrs. Manocchio & Ms. Levine’s social studies classes engaged in a lively and informative debate, arguing which city-state was better: Sparta or Athens. After learning about the different forms of government, military styles, economies, and lasting legacy of each city-state, the students worked cooperatively with their debate teams to extend their learning by conducting additional research, compiling resources to synthesize learning, and finally drawing conclusions by thinking critically to provide overall evaluations of each one. The students also learned important debating skills, such as strengthening their own arguments with evidence and counter-arguments, while respecting and appreciating the perspectives of the opposing side. Decked out in either red (Sparta) or blue (Athens) students also had the opportunity to use their creativity by constructing cardboard props that further demonstrated their understanding of each city-state. A fun and informative time was had by all in this exciting end-of-unit debate!
You are here: Pierrepont School / Pierrepont School News / Let’s Debate! Sparta v. Athens