Athens or Sparta?

What a fantastic history lesson Year 4 had on Friday! ✨

We stepped back in time to Ancient Greece and explored what life was like in two very different city-states: Athens and Sparta. After learning about daily life, education, jobs, and expectations for children, the class had a big decision to make…

👉 Where would YOU choose to live – Athens or Sparta?

The room quickly filled with debate! A large majority chose Sparta, with a few children feeling unsure and placing themselves right in the middle. It was then up to both sides to convince the undecided by giving reasons and comparing the two ways of life.

I was so impressed by how thoughtfully the children explained their choices. They didn’t just talk about their own city-state – they compared it to the other one too, just like real historians! 🧠👏

Here are a couple of brilliant examples of their thinking:

🗣 “I would choose Athens because I like staying home to cook and sew. If I lived in Sparta, I might be seen as a weak child and left to die.”

🗣 “I want to live in Sparta so I can go to the agoge and train to fight. If I lived in Athens, I wouldn’t be able to go to school.”

What great historical understanding and imagination! We loved hearing all the different viewpoints and the children showed real confidence, empathy, and reasoning in their discussions.

Well done, Year 4 – you were amazing historians this week!