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Year 4

The Ancient Greek Olympic Games

I can compare the Ancient Greek Olympic Games with those that are held in the modern period.

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New
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Year 4

The Ancient Greek Olympic Games

I can compare the Ancient Greek Olympic Games with those that are held in the modern period.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The first Olympic Games were held at Olympia in 776 BCE in honour of the gods and as part of a wider religious festival.
  2. Ancient Greeks believed that they would offend the Gods if they were to cheat in the Games.
  3. Images on Ancient Greek pottery show us the sports that comprised the ancient Games and that only men could compete.
  4. The ancient Olympic Games have left a lasting legacy in the form of the modern Olympic Games.
  5. There are similarities and differences between the ancient and modern Olympic Games.

Keywords

  • Olympia - Olympia was a plain in southwestern Ancient Greece

  • Olympic Games - the Olympic Games is an athletic and sporting competition held every four years

  • Festival - a festival is a repeated ceremony or celebration involving special activities

  • Legacy - a legacy is the long-lasting impact of historical events, actions, a person or group of people

Common misconception

That Olympia and Mount Olympus are either the same thing or in the same place.

There are approximately 200 miles between the locations of Olympia and Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, whereas Olympia was a large flat plain. Mount Olympus was the mythical home of the 12 major gods, Olympia was not.

Create a large classroom timeline of the history of the Olympics, start in Ancient Greece and move through to today. Allocate small groups a particular games to research and write about to contribute to the timeline, then put everything up in chronological order on a wall to make a great display.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of nudity

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
According to Ancient Greek mythology, who was king of the gods?
Hades
Achilles
Correct answer: Zeus
Ares
Q2.
Match each figure from Ancient Greek mythology to the correct description.
Correct Answer:Hera,queen of the gods

queen of the gods

Correct Answer:Demeter,goddess of the harvest

goddess of the harvest

Correct Answer:Helen,queen of Sparta

queen of Sparta

Correct Answer:Athena,goddess of wisdom

goddess of wisdom

Q3.
What is the name of the highest mountain in Greece?
Mount Ida
Mount Taygetus
Mount Voras
Correct answer: Mount Olympus
Q4.
Which famous Greek writer told the stories of the Greek myths in the form of epic poems?
Correct answer: Homer
Plato
Socrates
Aristotle
Q5.
What do the letters BCE stand for?
Correct Answer: Before the Common Era, Before Common Era
Q6.
Complete the sentence. The 12 most important gods and goddesses in Ancient Greek mythology were called ...
Correct Answer: Olympians

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When was the first Olympic Games held?
Correct answer: 776 BC
776 AD
677 BC
677 AD
Q2.
Where did the first Olympic Games take place?
Correct Answer: Olympia, a plain in Ancient Greece
Q3.
The first Olympic Games was held as part of a...
cultural festival
Correct answer: holy festival
arts festival
Q4.
Which type of artefact provides evidence about the sports played at Olympic Games?
books
pictures
Correct answer: pottery
jewellery
Q5.
Match the locations with their descriptions.
Correct Answer:Olympia,a large, flat plain in Ancient Greece - the home of the Olympic Games

a large, flat plain in Ancient Greece - the home of the Olympic Games

Correct Answer:Mount Olympus,the highest point in Ancient Greece - the mythical home of the Gods

the highest point in Ancient Greece - the mythical home of the Gods

Correct Answer:Athens,a city state in Ancient Greece - the place where laws were debated

a city state in Ancient Greece - the place where laws were debated

Q6.
Which of the below statements about the modern Olympic Games are correct?
Correct answer: The modern Olympic games allows both men and women to compete.
The modern Olympic games is only ever held in Greece.
Correct answer: The modern Olympic games is held every four years.
The modern Olympic games is part of a holy festival.

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