Ancient Greek Democracy Lesson Plan
Learning Objective: Pupils can explain how democracy worked in ancient Athens and compare it to modern democracy
About this resource
This comprehensive lesson plan for Year 5 History explores the fascinating world of Ancient Greek democracy, enabling pupils to understand its workings in Athens and draw comparisons with modern democratic systems. Teachers can use this resource to deliver an engaging and informative lesson, fulfilling key aspects of the UK National Curriculum's historical understanding objectives.
Starter
10 minutesHold a class vote on a simple question (e.g., 'Should we have extra playtime?'). Ask: 'What did we just do? Who invented this idea of voting?' Introduce: the ancient Greeks invented democracy.
Main Activity
30 minutesPart 1: Athenian Democracy Teach key facts:
- Democracy means 'rule by the people' (demos = people, kratos = power)
- Only adult male citizens could vote (no women, slaves, or foreigners)
- Citizens voted on laws by raising their hands in the Assembly
- The Assembly met on a hill called the Pnyx
- Ostracism: citizens could vote to banish someone for 10 years
Part 2: Comparison Table
| Feature | Athens | Modern UK |
|---|---|---|
| Who can vote? | ||
| How do they vote? | ||
| How often? | ||
| Who makes laws? | ||
| Is it fair? |
Part 3: Class Debate 'Was Athenian democracy truly democratic?' Groups prepare arguments for and against.
Plenary
10 minutesClass votes on the debate motion. Discuss: 'How has democracy improved since ancient Greece? What still needs to change?'
Differentiation
SEN Support
Simplified comparison with visual support. Key facts on cards. Paired debate preparation.
EAL Support
Visual vocabulary: democracy, vote, Assembly, citizen. Comparison table with some cells pre-filled.
Gifted & Talented
Research Pericles and his role in Athenian democracy. Write a speech arguing for extending voting rights in Athens.
Key Vocabulary
Assessment Criteria
- Can explain what democracy means
- Can describe how Athenian democracy worked
- Can compare ancient and modern democracy