Materials for lesson

A4 Sheets, pens

Layout of the classroom

Phase 1-2: class room

Phase 3: Gym

Phase 4: class room

Phase 1

The teacher introduces the subject with a general theoretical explanation on the Etruscan population. To help children understand, you can refer to the textbook and offer them a conceptual map that can contain the basic information.

Phase 2

Students are divided into groups and each one is assigned a particular aspect of the life of Etruscans. Each group, through a small research, will deepen a different sphere of life of this people (religion, agriculture, commerce, cities, etc.). In the end, the students of the different groups will have to present their work to the rest of their classmates.

Phase  3

Teacher brings the children to the gym and begins to explain the game. The group of children is in the center of the gym. Three of them leave the group and go to a distant place where they can’ t see and hear the others. Children in the gym will have to choose an aspect of the everyday life of the Etruscan people (eg agriculture) and decide how to represent this aspect trough actions, without voice. The group starts to mime the action and when teacher says ‘stop’, students  freeze their actions.  The aim is to create a sort of frame, a photo.  At this point  the three children come inside, teacher pronounces the word “ACTION” and the children reprise the mimic performance. The three spectators must try to guess what aspect of life is represented and explain it, referring to what hey studied in Phase 2.

Phase 4

In the class, the teacher speaks with the children about this experience, ecouraging them to bring back the information they learned during the various phases.