Two pieces of cloth

Large size paper

Papers

Color markers

 A printed Map of Alexander’s campaign

The lesson takes place in the classroom. If it is needed, some furniture may be moved to have more space

The teacher starts up the lesson with a creative brainstorming activity, understanding simultaneously the children’s knowledge acquired from previous lessons.

The teacher places a large size paper on the board or on a wall and asks students to draw Alexander’s sketch.

Then, one by one, the students write outside the frame of the sketch   various features of this historic figure. They start from his name, family, his external characteristics, his friends, his enemies, his interests, his habits. They may choose to draw instead of writing something. For example Alexander’s horse. It would be advisable to use different color markers for each category.

Inside the sketch they write elements of his character.

The teacher distributes to the students a map of Alexander’s campaign in Asia Minor and Egypt.

The teacher gives a short introduction about what happened after Philip’s death and describes Alexander’s preparations for the big campaign in the East. The teacher mentions the important battles/cities and the students are asked to draw a line showing the route that Alexander took to conquer Asia Minor and Egypt and the date of each conquest.

The class is divided into 2 groups in order to make a ‘Gordian knot’. A piece of cloth is given to each group and the students are asked to make knots until the cloth becomes a ball of tight knots impossible to undo. At the end they join the two clothes together.

While students are making the  knots silently, the teacher narrates the legend of Gordian Knot

He distributes cards to students with names of persons associated with Alexander: Olympias – his mother, Aristotle – his teacher, Darius – Persians king, Perdiccas – General in Alexander’s army,  Macedonian Soldier, Alexander, Persian Soldier, Efesian.

 The students are asked to read in the schoolbook, the two sources (Plutarch), which reveal more aspects of Alexander’s life and character.

The student with the card of Alexander sits on a chair. The Gordian Knot (made by the students) is placed in front of him. Alexander is in dilemma. One by one, the other characters come and stand close to him. They say what they think of Alexander. Alexander expresses his thoughts too.

The students complete Alexander’s sketch on the paper. One by one they add new elements that they have learned during the lesson. This mind map may be used and be completed in the next lessons. Then the teacher can take a picture, print it and distribute a copy to the students.