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Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE: MinoansTeacher guide prepared by: Gloria W. Lannom, a regular contributor to CALLIOPE®.Vocabulary
Mythology played an important role in Minoan culture. Refer to "Sources of the Greek Myths" (page 7) and ask the students to list four reasons why myths were so meaningful to the Minoans. Have students retell "Theseus and the Minotaur" (pages 4 - 8) and "The Ingenious Daedalus" (page 17) in simple outline form. Ask them what is fact and what is fiction in such myths. Discovering Knossos Ask the students to name the qualities Sir Arthur Evans possessed that made him so successful in his archeological work in Crete that his name is forever linked to his discoveries at Knossos (pages 8 - 11) (e.g., knowledge of and enthusiasm for his subject, perseverance, refusal to be discouraged, energy, imagination, willingness to use his own money to pay for the work). Would Sir Arthur Evans' methods meet today's archeological standards (pages 10 - 11, 48)? Why or why not? King Minos' Palace at Knossos Have the students review the article on pages 18 - 21. If they were guiding a group of visitors through the palace and grounds, what important points of interest would they be sure to include on their tour? ("Royal Road" north of the palace; four entrances, west being most important; Corridor of the Procession leading to the Central Court where bull-leaping probably took place; staircases down to the storage areas with large jars - what did they contain?; the so-called "throne room" with reproduction frescoes and a stone seat; "dolphin fresco" room; the "bull-leaping" room). Ask why the original frescoes and precious objects are in museums today and are not kept in the palace. What is the most important color that visitors to the palace see today? (red) Works of Art Have the students look through the issue for illustrated art objects and list the materials from which they were made and the purposes for which they were produced (e.g., bee pendant, gold, made for adorn- ment and show of wealth; paintings for decoration and story-telling; vessels such as vases and rhythons for usefulness but also decorated to please the eye; statues for worship). Ask the students to look at the object on the cover of the magazine and guess its purpose. Then refer them to the description on the inside front cover that gives them the answers. Writing and Seals Name the three kinds of Minoan writing and tell which is the most common and where it is found. On what objects were the other two kinds of writing used? (page 12). Notice that some of the Minoan writing looks like pictures (Hieroglyphic) and some writing is linear, that is, it is made up of lines. Both writing and design appear on ancient Minoan seals. What were the seals used for? Have the students make and decorate their own seals with polymer clay using the instructions shown on pages 22 - 23. Trade and Exchange Have the students review the article titled "The Legacy of the Minoans" (pages 42 - 45). What are six products that Crete exported? How were these goods transported? What products did the Minoans import in exchange and what lands did they come from? In addition to sending and receiving materials they desired, what else was exchanged? Preserving the Past What are some dangers that threaten the remaining Minoan architecture, including King Minos' Palace at Knossos? (e.g., erosion from exposure to the weather, damage caused by too many tourists visiting the sites, increasing development of the areas around the sites to meet economic and housing needs of the growing population, the everpresent possibility of earthquakes) What steps are being taken to combat these threats that challenge the future preservation of these ancient treasures? (pages 48 - 49) |
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