If there is one unit that students seem to consistently love, it’s Ancient Greece. Maybe it’s the mythology, maybe it’s the Olympics, or maybe it’s just the idea of Spartans looking cool in movies. But when we get to the nitty-gritty of comparing city-states—specifically Athens and Sparta—I sometimes find myself hitting a wall.
How do we move beyond a simple Venn Diagram? How do we get students to actually feel the difference between a society valued for its mind (Athens) and one valued for its muscle (Sparta)?
Over the years, I’ve tried to spice up this specific lesson to get my students out of their seats and thinking critically. If you are looking for ways to shake up your Ancient Greece unit, here are three of my favorite strategies for teaching Athens vs. Sparta!
1. The “Real Estate Agent” Pitch
I love an activity that blends creative writing with historical facts. For this one, I divide the class in half. One half represents the “Athens Chamber of Commerce,” and the other half represents the “Spartan Recruitment Office.”
Their goal? Create a brochure or a 60-second “elevator pitch” to convince a neutral Greek citizen to move to their city-state.
- The Catch: They have to spin the negatives into positives.
- Sparta: “Don’t like reading books? Great! We prefer gym class anyway!”
- Athens: “Tired of military drills? Come vote and discuss philosophy in the agora!”
It’s a fun, quick way to check if they understand the cultural values of each city-state, and the presentations are usually hilarious.
2. The Structured “Sides of the Room” Debate
Debates can be chaotic in middle school if they aren’t structured, so I keep this one physical and simple. I place a sign that says “Athens” on one wall and “Sparta” on the other.
I read a statement, and students have to physically walk to the side of the room that they think the statement describes. Statements might include:
- “Girls receive a physical education here.” (Sparta)
- “We choose our leaders by voting.” (Athens)
- “We use heavy iron bars for money.” (Sparta)
Once they are on their chosen side, I call on one or two students to explain why they moved there. This gets the blood flowing and works as a fantastic formative assessment—you can instantly see who is grasping the concepts and who is following the crowd!
3. The Ultimate Comparison Gallery Walk
This is my absolute favorite strategy because it combines movement with deep content analysis. Sometimes you just need a resource that is ready to go, rigorous, and keeps students accountable.
I recently started using this Athens vs. Sparta Comparison Gallery Walk, and it has been a game-changer for this unit.
Here is why I love it: It literally transforms the classroom into a museum. Instead of a lecture where eyes might glaze over, students rotate through 6 different “stations” that cover the core differences: Government, Education, Economy, Military, Values, and Social Classes.
It is incredibly low-prep—you just tape the stations to the wall and hand out the recording sheet. I really appreciate how it breaks down complex topics like “Direct Democracy vs. Oligarchy” or “International Trade vs. Isolated Farming” into chunks that students can actually digest as they walk around.
By the time they finish the rotation, they have a full recording sheet of evidence they can use to write a comparison essay or jump into that debate I mentioned earlier. It hits all those Reading History standards while keeping the kids moving.
You can grab the Athens vs. Sparta Gallery Walk activity here!
Keeping History Alive
Whether you are pitching real estate, debating across the room, or doing a deep-dive gallery walk, the goal is the same: help students see these city-states not just as dots on a map, but as real places where real people lived.
Do you have a favorite way to teach Ancient Greece? Let me know in the comments—I am always looking to add to my toolbox!