Ancient Civilizations: Societies Then and Now: Unit Overview

An ancient civilization unit is a librarian’s dream!  This unit offers endless possibilities for teaching text types – folk tales and mythology, to name a few – but also the history of written records.  I’ve added some elements that should make this unit a kid- and teacher-pleaser, and I’ve never had any of my lessons overlap with the homeroom teacher efforts.  I like to start the unit with fables from ancient Greece.  Then, I pick up folktales.  At the moment, my favorites are a circular tale from India and Anansi stories from Africa.  Finally, I like to wrap up with the work of Johannes Gutenberg, a bit about early bookmaking, and illuminated letters.  Dive in and get busy – your kids are going to love this unit!